A Partial Armchair History of Ericson Yachts

[Martin King]

FWIW, I checked the documentation in my possession and only found production notes on the E34.

I would think if all you're trying to do is have a half hull built, you could just start with the outline found in the E34 manual (below), jump into CAD and outline it, and then add whatever detail is needed by your fabricator (ports, cockpit combing, etc), no?

//sse


View attachment 38233

Nope. You need a lines drawing showing the body plan sections.

 

[Sean Engle]

Nope. You need a lines drawing showing the body plan sections.

Well, then there's always laser scanning it the next time he hauls out.....

 

[steven]

is it possible to make enough measurements to reverse engineer a table of offsets ?

A few years ago my wife and daughter gave me an iou for a half model built on our E35-2.
I found out the best quote was in the $2,000 range, and that was for plastic not carved wood.

So I told them I would appreciate a nice new rigging knife instead (or a framed picture under sail taken from a drone)..

--Steve

 

[Roger]

I'm actually am in possession of about 10-15 binders of material from the factory - sent to me when it closed - including drawings of various models (including the 43) and (mostly) production notes on most of the models; including some correspondence between your dad and Gene.

I actually need to get a reasonable history of Ericson's manufacturing down to the Greater Chamber of Irvine's general counsel this week to help close up production of a Certificate of Origin for the line for the owners who have taken their hull overseas. I've pulled together an outline based on some of the reporting above but may need some assistance from you guys....

//sse

Sean,
PM me if you need any info about the later years of Ericson history (1983-1990).

 

[TimTimmeh]

I am wending my way through Richard Henderson's Singlehanded Sailing (2nd ed., 1988) from my local library and in his discussion of types of craft suited for solo circumnavigation, Henderson makes mention among 'production craft' of the experience of Webb Chiles in a 37' Ericson, Egregious.

Aha! An Ericson solo round the world, how exciting. Unfortunately, it didn't really all go very well for Mr. Chiles. During his initial foray in 1974 His hull cracked, broke some mast bolts, and stopped in Tahiti to fix them. After he fixed them, they broke again and had to turn back for home.

He went again in 1975, and made it around.

Chiles' account is here in free PDF on his web site. I haven't finished it yet.

Chiles has continued to make solo sailing his essential occupation in life, completing a total of 6 circumnavigations, the most recent in a Moore 24, outlined recently in Cruising World magazine.

I wonder, given the timing of things, if the introduction of the TAFG in 79/80 was partly a reflection of this experience. Maybe that and Charlie Leighton racing similar boats in the summers around the same time.

Webb Chiles' ericson 37 is still going strong and is in great shape, she slips next to me in the winter.

 

[Johneric]

I'm actually am in possession of about 10-15 binders of material from the factory - sent to me when it closed - including drawings of various models (including the 43) and (mostly) production notes on most of the models; including some correspondence between your dad and Gene.

I actually need to get a reasonable history of Ericson's manufacturing down to the Greater Chamber of Irvine's general counsel this week to help close up production of a Certificate of Origin for the line for the owners who have taken their hull overseas. I've pulled together an outline based on some of the reporting above but may need some assistance from you guys....

//sse

I am the new owner of a 1970 E41. I would be very interested i any available documents about this vessel. I am willing to pay for production of copies and travel for pick up if not in electronic format.
Thanks for any help!

 

[Martin King]

Thanks @Martin King for the contribution to the thread.

Has your dad written publicly about his time with Ericson?
I (and I'm sure many others) would be pleased to learn anything he wanted to share about his experience.

Thanks too to @tenders for your work in the same history-of-Ericson!

He has not written publicly however I do have a copy of the latest iteration of his self published book detailing his yacht design career. In it, there is a chapter on fiberglass boat building. I've continually asked if he would make it available as a print on demand book, but he feels it would be too expensive (it would be) and no one would buy it. So for now, it's only available as gifts for a few select people and not for sale. I'll keep trying.

Martin

 

[bgary]

he feels it would be too expensive (it would be) and no one would buy it.

I'd buy it.

B

 

[bumbugo]

I just came across a You Tube channel from Webb Chiles. He is sailing around in his Olsen designed Moore 24. Looking forward to more from this sailing legend.

 

[Sails Pending]

I have two original blueprint for my boat. E36C Hull#21 thhese are folded up in a folder. I still want to find a way to preserve them,but I haven't started the research on that subject. Bruce King ,and his wife owned a E36C for 35 years. I spoke with him when I first bought my boat. I still have a voicemail saved on my phone from him.