ericson 29

[taz4]

Hello Im hoping that someone maybe able to help me with probably the first of many questions, so here goes:-

Ive just bought an ericson 29 which has an atomic 4 30hp gas engine. Does anyone know what mpg I should roughly get from this?

It also has some delamination in one spot on the cockpit floor. Do you know roughly how much this costs to get repaired? Just looking for approximates.

Thank you in advance.
<!-- / message -->

 

[Jim Mobley]

2 GPH or so at sea

Hi Taz,

At sea, our boat uses about 1.5-2.0 gallons per hour depending on how much wind/sea we're pushing against. So that's a whopping 3-4 NM/gallon. Motoring in the harbor channel at 5 kts., we probably burn about 1 gph. I don't keep real close track. Diesels burn about half as much fuel, but stink a lot worse.

As for the cockpit sole, ask around your marina, somebody will have just done some fiberglass work and will know how much it costs in your area. Prices will vary dramatically depending on whether you take the boat to a yard or have the local boat handyman work on it. Be sure to get references and look at the work before having anything done.

Enjoy your new boat.

 

[Dave G]

Hi Taz,

We run about 5 - 5.5 knots and burn between 3/4 and 1 gallon per hour. We have the stock 2 blade fixed prop which I feel is not the ideal prop, I think it limits max rpm to around 1700. Higher rpm results it higher fuel consumption, runs a little hotter and doesn't give much more speed. A little less pitch would probably help out. A new prop just hasn't made it to the top of the list yet.

Dave Green
1971 E-29 Spirit
Bellingham WA

 

[Seth]

dave is closer

.75-1.0 GPH sounds about right at typical cruise speeds with most props....

Maybe because the news is not good compared to cars, in boating we rarely, if ever, think in terms MPG, but rather GPH-as this is a more accurate method of predicting fuel use-as speeds can vary so much depending on conditions...
S

 

[taz4]

Thanks guys,

this is my first real sailboat. So Ive got whole lot more to find out about the boat.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Frank Langer]

What speed do most of you cruise at when using the engine, in fairly calm conditions (ie. don't factor in current/waves/wind). I ask because my Ericson 30+ doesn't have a tachometer, and I don't want to stress the engine--a factory installed universal diesel, model 5416, 16 h.p., with about 580 original hours.

Regardless of whether I am going 5 knots or 6, it runs at about 160 degrees on the gauge, and exhausts about the same amount of water.

What I am generally doing is letting it warm up about 10 minutes at idle, then easing out of the marina, then moving the fuel lever to full throttle and immediately backing off what I'm guessing may be about 20% (engine manual says to run at max. about 80%--wherever that is!). The result is that I am going about 5 - 5.5 knots in fairly calm conditions. Does that sound about right? Any further suggestions?
Thanks,
Frank.

 

[Don Taugher]

regarding e 29 fuel consumption

We sailed our 29 for 18 years, I figured we were good for about fifty miles. This I determined on a trip from Long Beach to Catalina and return. It was a rare trip without wind. We would motor at close to 6 knots (at least that is what the knotmeter read) with a two blade folding prop and the main sail up. As I recall, we used all the fuel, I don't think we could have gone to much further with the fuel remaining.

The 29 is a real boat, enjoy.

Don Taugher
former owner E29 #610