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Ericson 38 wanted North east

Alan Gomes

Sustaining Partner
Yeah, I know people have done this, and it is hard to beat the appearance of Ericson's factory headliner.

But, while much of the deck hardware is accessible above headliner zippers, I'm finding this isn't the case with stanchions bases. And stanchion bases can face a lot of twisting forces under the long lever-arm of the stanchion poles. While I might have been able to pull of a headliner R&R once, the possibility of a second time was too much for me!
Yes, this is one of the main reasons I dislike fabric headliners: they sometimes limit much-needed access to hardware and can hide leaks until the damage is already done. They can also make installation of new hardware a royal pain, depending upon the location of the new hardware. My recent winch upgrade was a painful case in point. I managed to do it without damaging my existing headliner, but it would have been much easier if I were Gumby. It was horrendously difficult getting the fender washers, lock washers, and nuts on some of those bolts.

Headliner panels are not perfect in this regard, as they can also hide what's going on underneath. But they can be installed so as to be easily removable, allowing for periodic inspection at least. Plus, they can also be quite attractive if done with care.

Replacing the headliner in my main cabin should not be too arduous of an undertaking, though that headliner is in decent shape. The one in the vee berth is a real mess in places. (A bow pulpit leg that had been leaking well before I bought the boat did a number on part of it.) But unfortunately, the compound curves in places will make it a bit more of a challenge than in the main cabin--at least for my limited skill set. Still cogitating on what to do about that one.
 

Pete the Cat

Member III
Yeah, I know people have done this, and it is hard to beat the appearance of Ericson's factory headliner.

But, while much of the deck hardware is accessible above headliner zippers, I'm finding this isn't the case with stanchions bases. And stanchion bases can face a lot of twisting forces under the long lever-arm of the stanchion poles. While I might have been able to pull of a headliner R&R once, the possibility of a second time was too much for me!
I needed to seal up the stanchion bases on my 32-200 and debated about an approach--there were a couple places where there was no way I was going to be able to work from the bottom. At first i thought of gluing a block near the base to the under side of the deck and putting a teak access plate (Tartan, Sabre and others thoughtfully does this in their panels). I finally just slit the headliner and got some terrific (very sticky) white duct tape from Amazon. Very difficult to see that anything has been done because the stanchion bases are not in any line of sight.
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
Tagging on to the headliner conversation as I am hoping someone has a bright idea for opening up the zipper in the head cabinet. There’s no pull anywhere near and if there was, it would probably be frozen. I’m trying to pull wire and there is a lot of it running above that but of headliner and I need to get in there. I almost don’t care if it goes back together.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
The factory must have put the bulkheads in after the headliner. My boat has a zipper run of maybe 10' under the side decks, with the bulkheads jammed up into it. The single pull would never have been able to make that transit.

If I ever have to work under the side decks, I'll cut the zipper and install a pull just for the headliner zone needed.

But I've run wires through that tight space using a fish tape. Others have revealed the existence of a wiring push-pole, also apparently used by electricians, which might provide more force.
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
The factory must have put the bulkheads in after the headliner. My boat has a zipper run of maybe 10' under the side decks, with the bulkheads jammed up into it. The single pull would never have been able to make that transit.

If I ever have to work under the side decks, I'll cut the zipper and install a pull just for the headliner zone needed.

But I've run wires through that tight space using a fish tape. Others have revealed the existence of a wiring push-pole, also apparently used by electricians, which might provide more force.
I got a couple of lines through the crack, but pulling the jacketed wire through ended in tears more than once. I’m not defeated, just regrouping.
 
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