Actual Berth Size (Master Thread)

[kapnkd]

Early on with our 32-II for extended vacation time cruising, I created a plywood base to fit into (on top of) the knotched out area between port & starboard sides. A foam and then material cover was added to bring it to a matching height of the cushions. My wife then sewed a custom fitted sheet for the now wider V-berth area as well. Being removable we could/can still go forward without having to crawl into the V-berth.

It worked perfectly and gave us a much more comfortable less restrictive sleeping area. We, through use, learned to simply leave it in place when cruising and to utilize the added space underneath for additional valued storage space.

If anyone’s interested, I can add photos at a later time when/if I can get back to my boat.

 

[Lynn]

Looking for Actual Berth Size of E 32-200
Unless I missed it, could a 32-200 owner provide please?
Hope to compare it with the 34-2 (thnx Bob - great diagram!) as I shop...
(very useful thread Lauren - thanks hugely!)

 

[goldenstate]

Hi Lynn,

I have a 32-200 though I haven't measured the berths for this thread.

Also, FWIW The numbering of the nominal 32 foot models is confusing.

The 32-2's (E32-Mk II)were made in the 1970's and there are between 400 and 500 hulls around.
The 32-3 was introduced in 1985.
The 32-200 was introduced in 1988.
In 1990 Ericson went belly-up, and the 32-200 hull molds were sold to Pacific Seacraft, which made a boat called
The 333 regatta, which is a lightly modified 32-200.

One big difference between the 32-2 is that it has a cabin-stepped mast and the 32-3 and later boats have keel-stepped masts.

If you have just started looking try to see as many boats as you can.

Good luck,

Tom

 

[Lynn]

Thank you very much Tom.
Is your boat for sale?

 

[goldenstate]

Thank you very much Tom.
Is your boat for sale?

My boat is not for sale. Under the 'For Sale' forum section our site owner/administrator has a good link that will show you the Ericsons on the market on the biggest listing site.

Ericson Listings @ 3 Top Sailboat Sites

The latest listings for Ericsons from SailboatListings.com Boats.com and Yachtworld.com Go break that piggy bank! :egrin: //sse * Yachtworld link updated 09/14/20

ericsonyachts.org

I am a new owner myself (since Fall 2019) and I wrote about my purchase experience here:

E32-200 - How I bought my boat:

General Research So the Ericson 32 choice narrowed down my search. I did some internet reading. There’s plenty of comment on message boards, but here’s a great article from Practical Sailor...

ericsonyachts.org

One other piece of wisdom that is usually offered is that if you want feedback on a potential purchase it is helpful to share a link for the specific boat you are considering.

All Ericsons qualify as 'old boats' and are projects for purchasers.

Much of the ownership experience depends (it seems) on the condition of the specific boat at the outset, as much as which model.

My pet theory is that there is no Ericson that costs less than $30k. If you pay less than that at purchase, you'll make up the difference along the way if you want a reliable boat.

 

[Lynn]

Wise words of advice. Thank you Tom. Will look forward to checking out your article - thanks for pointing it out
In the meantime, will be checking back to this thread for potential info on Actual Berth Size of E 32-200.

 

[Christian Williams]

The 32-200 differs from the 32-3 in having the interior redesigned. Hull is the same. Compare photos of -200 here (for as long as the listing lasts).

The -200 plan puts the head aft and creates a private owner's berth under the cockpit. That berth is a lateral expansion of the 32-3 quarterberth made possible by moving the engine forward and recessing the companionway. See layout diagrams from sailboatdata.com. The -200 has the mast in the middle of the cabin and a smaller V-berth which is open to the saloon. The galley is switched from starboard to port, and the sitdown nav station traded for a standup version.

The idea of the -200 was to offer an enclosed owner's stateroom aft on a 32-foot boat. Each layout has pluses and minuses and dimensions don;t help much. You'd really have to see them both to know which compromise is preferred. Owners of both interiors report themselves satisfied.

32-200 aft owner's berth

......

32-3 quarterberth behind sitdown nav station.

.

 

[toddster]

In that case, I hope that future contributors will include the vertical dimensions under the cockpit. As noted above, that section on the E29 is rather coffinesque, with any decent mattress thickness. Whereas I spent a week on a *cough*Hunter*cough* that would have been fairly comfortable in that dimension, were it not for the bilge pump, directly beneath, that went off every 15 minutes, all night...

 

[Lynn]

Thanks for the great comparison of the 2 interiors, Christian! Much appreciated.
I couldn't agree more about the importance of seeing a boat, but until one comes for sale in my area (BC), or until COVID restrictions lift, when perhaps I might be fortunate enough for some friendly, not so far away Ericson owners to show me their boat , I am confined to Sail Data, invaluable owner input, reviews, images, and measurements to help narrow down my selection. Plan B would be the 34-2, or heaven forbid, another manufacturer!

The 200 meets my minimal interior layout criteria with 3 caveats:

1. Must have sufficient length in the v-berth. When not at sea, I'm a v-berth - gaze at the stars - type person so the V-berth is always the 'owners cabin'.
Tom, I know you don't have measurements accessible but maybe you could give me a rough idea whether or not you use the v-berth and whether it feels cramped for your height?

2. The fact that the v-berth is 'open' on the 200... are there structural implications? i.e. does it therefore lack the normal bulkhead support/strength forward, leading to increased 'oil can' propensity?

3. Can a couple reasonably 'fit' in that aft cabin (and still want to return as guests)?
Would there be room for 2 to sleep width-wise to avoid having the cockpit floor in the face of the one who drew the shortest straw?

Thank you.

 

[Loren Beach]

If you look at the berth specs for our Olson 34, note that we have slept often in the large V berth. The Admiral is 5'4" and I am 6'2". Lots of foot room, which is the missing area on other boats I have done deliveries on.

We have, occasionally slept together in the aft cabin, but the person under the cockpit feels a little claustrophobic. The thing is, our boat at 10600#, is probably at the acceptable lower level for any real comfort in a modern tri-cabin layout.
IMHO, the major sleeping areas in the E-38-200 do have some welcome additional elbow and headroom.

For a lot of cruising in the last decade, we have pretty much sorted ourselves out with me taking the aft cabin and the Admiral taking the whole forepeak. We are used to the "acreage" in our king size bed at home and really like the room. That also gives us each our very own hanging locker. For extended cruises, I do store the rolled-up Zodiac under the cockpit on the inner half of the berth.


As for your question about structure, remember that the mast in an E-32-200 is keel stepped and, like our model, the shroud loads are carried down into heavy molded frp sections behind each settee.

As for sleeping width-wise, lots of wider boats do that, but my friends that have them all say that whoever has to arise and pee at 3 am had better not be blocked by the other sleeper.... !

 

[Lynn]

Thanks a lot for sharing your own experiences on your O34 Loren. Good food for thought, and good thought for chuckle.

 

[goldenstate]

Attached are my measurements of the 32-200. I am 6'4 and can lay down in line with the boat and not bump my head. If I turn even slightly diagonally, I have ample additional room. The rear quarter berth is narrower: 6'6" long by 5'3" Both of these are measured at widest point of the mattress area. I can lay down in the quarter berth end-to-end also.

The bench seats are where I would actually sleep on the boat. The only weakness is the narrowness of the benches at the forward end, which may be problematic for me given my shoulder width, but this is a situation for which I have envisioned some potential modifications.

The 32-200 was designed by Bruce King, who is well known for the excellence of his interior designs, as well as superior hull shape and boat performance.

Not all 200's have the bulkhead cutout for the V-berth. Mine could be made private with a curtain or outswing door. It seems like the cutout version would compromise some of whatever structural integrity is contributed by the bulkhead, but it may have been an option and I'm sure for some sleeping in a tight space could be claustrophobic, and or mom and dad would want to be able to see easily see/grab the kids sleeping in the V-berth.



A previous owner devised my custom table. It can be folded up into the small space shown or expanded to host bridge and chess, at the same time. One could alternatively build an asymmetical table as shown in the stock Sailboatdata.com floorplan.



Good luck.

 

[Christian Williams]

Thanks for the measurements. Side note: For passagemaking, narrow bunks are good when bunk boards or restraints required.

Photos of the Ericson 32-3 interior are here.

 

[Loren Beach]

Thanks for the measurements. Side note: For passagemaking, narrow bunks are good when bunk boards or restraints required.

For pix of our lee cloth attachment -- https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/lee-cloth-quick-connect.664/
As Christian point out, you want to be 'snug' in your bunk. This even helps if trying to sleep in a rolly anchorage.

 

[Lynn]

Wow - that's fantastic info to have for comparison - thanks hugely Tom!
I dunno, but given those v-berth measurements, looks almost as good as a king!
Great table design, and funky sink... what's that all about... middle hole?
The photos are super helpful, thanks again
Lynn

 

[goldenstate]

The sink is a white cast iron Kohler that is semicircular and a bit more. The visible black plastic is a set of inserts that nestle neatly in the sink and facilitate the separation of dirty utensils, food scraps etc. It can be removed entirely. A wee cutting board that fits into the plastic insert is also visible.

 

[dhill]

Berth measurements for the Ericson 35-3:

 

[driftless]

Berth measurements for the Ericson 38-200, aft engine.

 

[LameBMX]

Just making notes @ the boat. Here are the Ericson 28+ measurements, will overlay when home and find the layout on the site here:

Vberth - Higher (35") than it seems (2 level for cutout lowest is 20.5"). Angle at floor leave a 14" wide area to step down on.
18.5" foot
77.5" head
77" length
35" height main area
22" footwell (mine has a shelf at the far end reducing height, but is removable)
80" for each sleeping postion
74" head
23" port head
17" cutout (17.5" depth)
32" strbrd head

port settee (21" high)
21" head
14" foot
53.5" length

starboard settee (21" high)
21" head
18" foot
79.5" long

aft berth (23.5" high)
55" head
33" foot
78" length
8" loss in length for rudder post on port side
Heights
14" port side
26" mid
40.5" strbrd peak

Notes.
Measurements are cushion in place. Rounded down to nearest half inch.

I have only laid down in the vberth once. mentally the wooden retaining edges messed with me, but i didnt actually feel them. ymmv. nice seating in the middle area. might be nice to lounge and read across the head width, lights are located there, use hull for some head/back support. vberth currently filled with stuff.

Aft berth is weird. one can get in place without much yoga, travel 38" back to the aft nook, turn around, and lay down. the wood trim at the cockpit seat/back area is utterly brutal. if you manage to avoid it though, you wont even know its there. found the next part while cleaning. that aft nook, is really comfy to sit width wise with your back on the hull liner. no light, so not good for reading, but a nice little cave to take a mid cleaning nap. Just checked it out again, my 5'8" kind of maxes this area out. so i guess for us shorter folks its a nice spot to site thats away from the windows and sun.

 

[LameBMX]

Ok, cant edit previous post, so here is the layout.