E-32 Wheel to tiller/ fiberglass help

[SweetSweetVictory]

Hello Ericson community.
I have owned my ericson for a while now, and I have ALWAYS felt iffy about the wheel. I know I for sure want a tiller so I am going to go for it because why not, life is short.

That being said, I’m not really sure where to begin when it comes to holes in the boat, can I just slap some epoxy in there? Someone mentioned “lizard” fiberglass sheet or something like that?

There is also a vent in the cabin top where the heater used to be. The vent needs to be removed because water leaks into the core. I have the circular cut as well. might be a good idea to leave the vent in case I end up getting a heater.

On the topic of fiberglass, all the wooden framing on the boat are leaking, mid ship hatch and the companionway. Not sure how to approach. Using tarp atm.

Fiberglass is my weakest skill, so I would really appreciate all the help I can get.

 

[Loren Beach]

Your bio sez you sail an Ericson 32-2. Popular model and fast reputation.
There are quite a few happy owners of that model, so they will likely be checking in. If converting back to a tiller, you will have some significant changes to make. To start, since the engine controls are usually mounted on the binnacle, they would have to be moved down to the face of a cockpit seat molding.
Does your boat have access to to the rudder head on the floor of the cockpit? Is there an emergency tiller there?
As for general leak stopping, I have seen evidence that all stock sealants will start to allow moisture under them after about 30 years. Then the balsa core can rot.
The better-built boats, like Ericson's, will hold out better than the cheapies, but even the best sealant will slowly lose some adhesion and break down after time.
The cure is to remove all (A.L.L.) of the hatches, cleats, tracks, and ect, and re-bed everything. Lots of labor time, but not too technical -- even an amateur like me figured it out.

But first you would do well to read the excellent repair manuals (available on line, AFAIK) from West Systems. I have done quite a bit of epoxy repair work over the years, and the West System products have served me well. That said, there are worthy competitors to them, and we all tend to get used to the one we use all the time.
Regarding types of glass cloth weave, I wonder if you are hearing about "biaxial fabric"? Good material, and many of us like it better than regular cloth because it does not lose strength when placed over a 90 degree edge.
Please post up photos of areas you have questions about.

And, welcome to the Ericson site!

 

[SweetSweetVictory]

Hi Loren,
Yes I think I already have everything sorted for removing and installing a tiller since I have the mount there. Controls are already out of the way. No too worried about getting the tiller set up. Just stressing about holes in my boat lol. will start by reading those manuals. Will post photos.
Thanks!

 

[Prairie Schooner]

SSV,
A key factor that improved my confidence with fiberglass work was understanding the importance of scarfing the holes for adding the progressively larger layers. Not necessary for a screw hole, otherwise it's something I'd do for any hole bigger than ~1" dia. Also note how to deal with amine blush if using epoxy.
Jeff