Ericson 30-2 Owners

[Loren Beach]

Hull question

Was that one of the models with internal ballast? If so, was it also one of their designs, like the 39 and 35-2, where the two halves of the boat were separately molded out and then immediately joined down the center?
The shaped lead ballast was then lowered into the keel cavity.

Loren

 

[toddster]

Well, he mentions "keel bolts," so I assume that it is an external keel.

 

[captainic]

Thanks all for your replies. Yes it has a keel. To answer Toddster's question about method of repair, basically the yard told me they would grind down the hull from outside (a lot of grinding!) over and beyond the affected area, feathered in, then re-glass the whole thing. They told me they do this routinely and that it would be stronger than new. I was roughly quoted $3000 to $4000 for the repair. I am hoping my insurance can cover at least part of it, they are sending a surveyor. I was wondering if anyone ever went through the same kind of repair with their E30 and if it really held as well as I was told it would. ...The sad thing is that it was only my 3rd outing; I am starting to regret selling my 1973 E27, which was in fantastic shape and solid as a rock.

 

[Alan Gomes]

Thanks all for your replies. Yes it has a keel. To answer Toddster's question about method of repair, basically the yard told me they would grind down the hull from outside (a lot of grinding!) over and beyond the affected area, feathered in, then re-glass the whole thing. They told me they do this routinely and that it would be stronger than new. I was roughly quoted $3000 to $4000 for the repair. I am hoping my insurance can cover at least part of it, they are sending a surveyor. I was wondering if anyone ever went through the same kind of repair with their E30 and if it really held as well as I was told it would. ...The sad thing is that it was only my 3rd outing; I am starting to regret selling my 1973 E27, which was in fantastic shape and solid as a rock.

When I first saw your post with the pictures, my guess was along the lines of what Loren suggested: that this model had the hull laid up in two halves and then was joined together--the failure here being at that joint.

Regardless, I'd suggest that you find the most knowledgeable surveyor you can have have him look at it. Perhaps the one the insurance company is sending will fit the bill, but check out that person's qualifications carefully. Simply being a "surveyor" doesn't mean they really know a whole lot.

The other thing is that I'd want to attack that repair from both sides, not just the outside. It's obvious why the yard would want to do it entirely from the outside, because internal access may be limited. Repairing it from the outside makes the work far easier for them. But this is a very, very important structural repair and getting at it from both sides can only make it stronger.

As for the price: $4K strikes me as pretty high for a repair done solely from the outside, where access is simple. But then, I am often surprised by what things cost. Get a few more bids on it for a point a comparison. Also, find out specifically what materials they are proposing to use for this. Epoxy? (Probably the best bet.) Vinylester resin? Polyester resin? (Not so hot for secondary bonds.) Again, a *good* surveyor will help you navigate all of this.

Blessings to you and I hope you are able to get a good resolution to this.

 

[Christian Williams]

I would want to find a plausible cause before deciding the means of repair.

 

[eknebel]

any evidence the boat was dropped the last time it was in the yard? It happens more often that you would like to think, a sling slips... It may not have been reported by the travel lift operator.

 

[captainic]

Hi all, thank you very much for all your kind replies regarding the crack that developed in my hull. The first surveyor from the insurance suggested the aluminum transverse beams may no longer be fully bonded to the hull, which came as a shock, but which after my own inspection I did not believe to be the case. So I payed for a reputable surveyor to carefully inspect the boat in and out, and to my relief he concluded the beams were not loose, and that a good grinding and re-glassing of the hull around the crack should work fine. As to the reason of the crack, it is not fully clear, the most plausible one being a weakened seam between two half-hulls at that location (possibly a "Monday morning" job at the factory that took 35 years and a bout of hard sailing in heavy weather to show up...) I still don't know if the insurance will cover it, and waiting for a spot at the yard for the repair to start. If there is interest I will post pictures of the repair. Thanks again.

 

[Christian Williams]

I hope that you press the boat yard doing the repair work to try to come up with a cause. They can examine the existing layup in the crack area and the cure of the bonding, and probe nearby to see what the factory was up to on your hull.

I think most of our boats were made with split molds, so it's of interest. Somebody correct me -- did hull bonding change?

I have no knowledge or insight whatever, but this damage seems unusual to me.

The only modern split hull that comes to mind is a boat struck by a whale here in California. Fiberglass is really tough, and after the huge impact required to split it, tends to rebound into place.

Dropped? Run aground violently? (a lead keel might show impact marks, my surveyor found some on my boat).

The good news is the repair is straightforward. But unless you demand it, the yard may just starting grinding without anybody bothering to assess the origin of the flaw, if there was one, or the trauma that broke the boat.

 

[tripper_dave]

I've been following this with interest.
My boat has developed a much smaller crack in the same area.
We have had two hard groundings in the past 2 seasons. We did seem to take on water during a particularly hard 24 hour run to weather last year, couldn't figure out where it was coming from.....
The keel bolts seem fine, I did fair the crack with west system epoxy and filler when I was doing the repair to the keel this spring and the boat doesn't seem to make water.
Please let us know how the repair works out.

Meantimes, I'm off to Lake Erie for a month of cruising on Wednesday......

 

[Tamott7]

Ericson 30-2

Fellow Ericson Owners,
Would like to know if there are any other Ericson 30-2 Owners out there that follow this great site, I am contemplating setting up a registry of Ericson 30-2 owners,(maybe a little more agressive than the one at this site) as there where only 47 built. Planning to start an Ericson 30-2 web site, photos of owners yachts, upgrade's & projects,
Have a preliminary list of about approximately 25% of the Ericson 30-2's, via this site and a search of the net. I need to ask the help of other Ericson owners to help locate the rest of the E 30-2's. I am in the process of tooling up half-model wall plaque's which will include the Yacht's name, Owner's name and Hull number.
If you know of an E30-2 (outboard rudder / predecessor to the 30+) in your area, please forward to me the details / information on the yacht, or inform the yacht's owner to contact me. (or both)
Best Regards
Michael Tock
1978 Ericson 30-2 "Asgard"

Hello Mike,

Am also an owner of "Spirit", a 1980 Ericsson 30-2 with a home port of St. Petersburg, on the west coast of Florida. As testified by others, she can take whatever weather is thrown at her. Alas, she does have an Achilles heal though, and I fell victim to it. Her shoal keel is a God's send for the shallow waters of the west coast, however, if grounded, her rudder is vulnerable as it is the same level as the keel. On July 4th. I grounded and when being towed off the bar by Boat US, my rudder snapped in half at the waterline. Finding a replacement has proved next to impossible and having one fabricated costs upwards of $3500. I've purchased a used rudder and am in the process of having additional fiberglass added/shaped. Lost entire bottom of old rudder including lower bushing. would like to hear if you or any other owners have experienced same and possible advice and/or solutions. Thanks,
Tom

 

[Tamott7]

E30-2 Lower bushing/gudgeon

Hello All,
In a recent grounding and subsequent tow, I lost my entire rudder including the lower bushing. Gudgeon appears to be intact. Would like to know if anyone might know where I could get a replacement bushing. Am in the process of having another rudder reformed to fit. Thanks,Tom

 

[tripper_dave]

Hello All,
In a recent grounding and subsequent tow, I lost my entire rudder including the lower bushing. Gudgeon appears to be intact. Would like to know if anyone might know where I could get a replacement bushing. Am in the process of having another rudder reformed to fit. Thanks,Tom

I've been looking for a replacement lower bushing for four years, I've been making do with shaft seal packing pushed into the void with a stout jeweller's screwdriver. Not elegant but it works (for a while)

 

[Tamott7]

E30-2 lower bushing

I've been looking for a replacement lower bushing for four years, I've been making do with shaft seal packing pushed into the void with a stout jeweller's screwdriver. Not elegant but it works (for a while)

Dave,

Thanks for thoughts on a fix, problem is the only thing left is a slightly damaged dudgeon ring. Need to reinvent the wheel.

 

[LueyWorld]

New Owner of 30-2

Hello everyone! I am a new and happy owner of an Ericson 30-2, hull #5 I believe.
I'll have to double check that! These forums are great and helped me determine
that my decision was well made! Thank you, and I look forward to learning from
everyone who is willing to help out a fellow owner!

Mike T, I really like your idea. I am in Florida, and would be happy to share my soon to come
experiences with my fellow 30-2er's!

Fellow Ericson Owners,
Would like to know if there are any other Ericson 30-2 Owners out there that follow this great site, I am contemplating setting up a registry of Ericson 30-2 owners,(maybe a little more agressive than the one at this site) as there where only 47 built. Planning to start an Ericson 30-2 web site, photos of owners yachts, upgrade's & projects,
Have a preliminary list of about approximately 25% of the Ericson 30-2's, via this site and a search of the net. I need to ask the help of other Ericson owners to help locate the rest of the E 30-2's. I am in the process of tooling up half-model wall plaque's which will include the Yacht's name, Owner's name and Hull number.
If you know of an E30-2 (outboard rudder / predecessor to the 30+) in your area, please forward to me the details / information on the yacht, or inform the yacht's owner to contact me. (or both)
Best Regards
Michael Tock
1978 Ericson 30-2 "Asgard"

 

[pdjmontgomery]

Owners manual

I also have a 30-2 1978 delta keel,outboard rudder Ericson.I have owned her for about 16 years.I have made alot of repairs and changes.I have only seen 1 other 30-2 on the upper to mid chesapeake bay.It is a great boat. Dave

Hi I've just purchased an Ericsion 30 1985 from Chesapeake Bay area. I had a survey done and according to the surveyor the boat was sea worthy. However, on her first voyage a significant amount of water was coming in to the boat and the floor was soaked. Also I left her in the birth for two day and when I retured there was 3 inches of water in the boat. Is there some kind of sea cock or valve I need to shut off?

 

[toddster]

Hi I've just purchased an Ericsion 30 1985 from Chesapeake Bay area. I had a survey done and according to the surveyor the boat was sea worthy. However, on her first voyage a significant amount of water was coming in to the boat and the floor was soaked. Also I left her in the birth for two day and when I retured there was 3 inches of water in the boat. Is there some kind of sea cock or valve I need to shut off?

Well, you have three possibilities. Rainwater coming in through deck leaks (or open ports), seawater coming in through damaged through-hulls or associated plumbing leaks, or leaks from internal water tanks. It sounds like a lot of water!

You should start by locating all of your through-hulls and sea-cocks. Close the cocks and trace the hoses coming from them. A damaged through-hull above the waterline (e.g. scupper or bilge-pump discharge) might have no sea-cock, but could let water in while you sail. Also leaks in the engine cooling system might pump water into the boat while the engine is motoring but not so much when it sits idle.

And of course, there is the stuffing box around the prop shaft that should drip a bit while the motor is running but otherwise should be dry. Unless it needs tightening or re-packing.

Actually, it sounds like the first thing you need is an automatic bilge pump.

 

[Slick470]

And of course, there is the stuffing box around the prop shaft that should drip a bit while the motor is running but otherwise should be dry. Unless it needs tightening or re-packing.

This was going to be my suggestion. The first time we took our boat out we were surprised how much water came in through the stuffing box and once we adjusted it properly and then ultimately re-packed it how much dryer the boat is under motoring and sailing.

 

[pdjmontgomery]

E30 Owners manual needed urgently

Thanks for the advice toddstar will do what you suggested right away.

On another matter!
Has anyone been able to locate where to find an owner's manual for a 1985 Ercison 30. I've been unable to. Are they still in business,
and if so what's their web site address?

Well, you have three possibilities. Rainwater coming in through deck leaks (or open ports), seawater coming in through damaged through-hulls or associated plumbing leaks, or leaks from internal water tanks. It sounds like a lot of water!

You should start by locating all of your through-hulls and sea-cocks. Close the cocks and trace the hoses coming from them. A damaged through-hull above the waterline (e.g. scupper or bilge-pump discharge) might have no sea-cock, but could let water in while you sail. Also leaks in the engine cooling system might pump water into the boat while the engine is motoring but not so much when it sits idle.

And of course, there is the stuffing box around the prop shaft that should drip a bit while the motor is running but otherwise should be dry. Unless it needs tightening or re-packing.

Actually, it sounds like the first thing you need is an automatic bilge pump.

 

[bigd14]

Hi pdjmontgomery, welcome. Ericson is no longer in business. I have not seen a manual for the 30+. But, check the downloads section of this site under E28, and download that manual. It seems pretty close to the 30+.

 

[mjsouleman]

30-2 registry start

Hi Mike,

If your going to start a registry here is one spreadsheet to begin with, there are others on the board:

MODEL	Production Years	Hulls	Quantity	Boat	Name
23	I		1968	1970	1	165	165
23	II		1974	1979	201	470	270
25	I		1972	1978	1	384	384
25	II		1979	1984	501	693	193
26	I		1966	1969	1	190	190
26	II	Pacer	1967	1968	1	11	11
26	III		1984		200
26	IV		1987		300
27	I		1971	1079	1	1302	1302
28	I		1980	1984	501	594	94
18	II		1985		600
29	I		1970	1979	2	626	625
30	I	C	1966	1970	1	150	150
30	II	Independence	1977	1979	1	47	47
30	III		1979		501			Discovery	Hull number: ERY 30 599 M83 H Ericson 30 Hull # 599 Model Year 83 Month H March
31	I		1976	1978	1	25	25
31	II		1978	1981	26	72	47
32	I		1967	1967	1	24	24
32	II		1969	1978	101	573	473
32	III		1985		601
33	I		1981	1984	1	28	28
34	I	R	1977	1978	1	21	21
34	II	T	1977	1979	101	141	41
34	III		1986		201
35	I		1067	1968	1	45	45
35	II		1969	1981	102	612	511
35	III		1982		111
36	I	C	1975	1977	1	66	66
36	II	Ron Holland	1981	1984	1	32	32
37	I		1973	1975	1	53	53
38	I		1979	1987	1	126	126
38	II	381 Series	1982	1986	501	539	39
38	III	382 Series	1985	1986	200	230	31
38	III		1987		231
39	I	A	1970	1979	1	106	106
39	II	B	1974	1978	201	221	21
41	I		1967	1970	1	50	50
46	I		1971	1974	2	23	22

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</tbody>

Fellow Ericson Owners,
Would like to know if there are any other Ericson 30-2 Owners out there that follow this great site, I am contemplating setting up a registry of Ericson 30-2 owners,(maybe a little more agressive than the one at this site) as there where only 47 built. Planning to start an Ericson 30-2 web site, photos of owners yachts, upgrade's & projects,
Have a preliminary list of about approximately 25% of the Ericson 30-2's, via this site and a search of the net. I need to ask the help of other Ericson owners to help locate the rest of the E 30-2's. I am in the process of tooling up half-model wall plaque's which will include the Yacht's name, Owner's name and Hull number.
If you know of an E30-2 (outboard rudder / predecessor to the 30+) in your area, please forward to me the details / information on the yacht, or inform the yacht's owner to contact me. (or both)
Best Regards
Michael Tock
1978 Ericson 30-2 "Asgard"