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35-2 for trip to Hawaii?

Groovebass

New Member
I’m in a search for a boat after having sold my Brent Swain 36 steel cutter which I “almost” completed building. I just could not bear to spend another 2 years building out the interior. Unexpectedly, a 35-2 is checking all my boxes for what i am looking for in a boat. I’m looking at a 1972 model in British Columbia on Yachtworld. Well supported double spreader but mast not too tall. Boom higher up and away from the cockpit. Engine out in the open just above the keel. Lovely storage and mechanical room under the cockpit. Wheell steering with rudderhead easily accessible. Wide transom for a radar arch to put radar, solar panels, etc. I have read it sails well. It has lead incapsulated in the keel. But a red flag is the spade rudder for potential weakness. Does it have a proper anchor chain locker or one of those bins up forward, I cant tell from the photos. I’m a structural guy and my most important question is the overall structural integrity of the boat. Chainplates strong enough? I dont really want to have to fabricate all new chainplates, etc. I’m in Juneau, Alaska so my options for seeing a representative boat before I fly down to British Columbia to look at this one is limited. I was thinking maybe a 1972 model would have a heavy humm since that was just before the oil crisis in 1974 when the price of resin went up so much. Any help appreciated. Thanks. David Ham, Juneau, Alaska.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Welcome, Groovebass.

Many boats meet your criteria, and of course they'll all need extensive upgrades for offshore. Depends on the specimen.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Here is a long E-35-2 cruising thread to look over. Set yourself down with a cup of coffee and enjoy!

I grabbed a link from partway thru.... it's all good...
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Seems to me he already has the Ericson in mind but with one concern; space rudder.
Yeah, but he qualified it by saying "potential weakness". Identical caution is true for skeg rudders.
It always goes back to design, engineering, and build quality.
The supposed skeg superiority was debunked pretty well by Seth, in a writeup on this site previously. Strong boats can have quite different rudder designs.
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
Yeah, but he qualified it by saying "potential weakness". Identical caution is true for skeg rudders.
It always goes back to design, engineering, and build quality.
The supposed skeg superiority was debunked pretty well by Seth, in a writeup on this site previously. Strong boats can have quite different rudder designs.

Early on In the 70’s, I always had concerns about our spade rudder’s strength when venturing offshore and throughout the Bahamas from Miami. My fears were unfounded and never realized as the rudder itself today is as solid as it was back in 73.

In later years, moving to Michigan and getting caught in heavy weather on Lake Erie (more shipwrecks in this lake due to short distance between waves than the others!!) our rudder has and is still serving us well.

IF there is a concern on the 32-2 (probably 35-2 as well) to be acknowledged, it is with the lower rudder tube seal and then especially ...any play in the upper support (emergency tiller) on the cockpit sole.

There’s lots of lateral (side) pressure loads leveraging against that upper plate and it loosens the four bolts allowing water penetration to eventually destroy the wood below and wallow the holes, rudder tube itself and wear on the shaft itself.

***Best check and insure the upper rudder bearing and support are solid and secure along with the lower rudder bearing and seal.***

(I’ve posted our repairs with photos before using a large thick aluminum plate underneath the sole and additional supports for the quadrant turning blocks.)
 

garryh

Member III
there are lots of threads on this if you search. Well laid-up boats but common (very common) issues on these boats are rotted deck core, leading to rotted bulkheads; there is no anchor locker, no propane locker, the rudders are undersized leading to poor control in some conditions. If it is original, expect water intrusion and cracking. Chainplates are plenty strong enough but should be replaced due to age, especially for offshore voyaging. This is not a big deal and cheap life insurance.,
 

garryh

Member III
and the backstay chainplate is embedded in the transom; many have reported issues with these (crevice corrosion, etc) and have gone to refitting with an external chainplate. All standing rigging should be replaced for offshore.
 

kapnkd

kapnkd
there are lots of threads on this if you search. Well laid-up boats but common (very common) issues on these boats are rotted deck core, leading to rotted bulkheads; there is no anchor locker, no propane locker, the rudders are undersized leading to poor control in some conditions. If it is original, expect water intrusion and cracking. Chainplates are plenty strong enough but should be replaced due to age, especially for offshore voyaging. This is not a big deal and cheap life insurance.,

When replacing our bulkheads during our refit, we went ahead and replaced ours. We had Garhauer create them from drawings and dimensions we gave them. Their prices were very fair and the plates were created using the water-jet method. (No heat buildup on the SS.) Best surprise, the plates were also polished to a beautiful chrome like finish!

The peace of mind alone is worth having it done!
 

Groovebass

New Member
Thanks so much to all of you for your responses. I learned a lot. Sounds like Ericson fixed a lot of the problems with the 35-2 in the 35-3. I think I’ll start looking at those. Also, interested in the Independance 31 cutter. Good to know that Garhauer can make up chain plates - I always buy their hardware, it seems really good quality and is less expensive buying it directly from the manufacturer.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
There is a well maintained E-31C for sale in St Helens, OR, This is downstream a ways from Portland. I know the ship wright that has done high quality work on it over the years.
For sale due to a death in the family. Lovely boat. I looked at it from the docks a couple weeks ago.
Brokered and listed on YW, I believe.
 

Groovebass

New Member
Thanks you Loren. I’m actually planning to fly down to Portland area and look at the boat when i can get away in about 2 weeks if it has not sold by then. I have had my eye on it a while but really started looking at it a couple of days ago and now realize that it may be exactly what I am looking for.
 

p.gazibara

Member III
Thanks so much to all of you for your responses. I learned a lot. Sounds like Ericson fixed a lot of the problems with the 35-2 in the 35-3. I think I’ll start looking at those. Also, interested in the Independance 31 cutter. Good to know that Garhauer can make up chain plates - I always buy their hardware, it seems really good quality and is less expensive buying it directly from the manufacturer.
I think Ericson fixed a lot in all the designs from second gen to third. That being said, if you do have an older design, they can be beefed up to last forever, with a healthy amount of elbow grease.

I heard there is an outfit in Port Townsend that will make you titanium chainplates for not much more than stainless. I’d go that route, or bond on vac bagged S glass or carbon.

The latter gets you away from potential leaks. The former will probably last forever and you don’t have to worry about corrosion.

On a side note, I raced on a Pedrick 40 here in NZ. My mate is about to sail it to the Auckland Islands (400nm south of the South Island) in the winter. That boat is rock solid and goes like a banshee. If Pedrick did the design work on the TAFG, I’m sure that alone is a huge step Ericson made from second gen to third.

-p
 
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