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Floating In The Dock A Long Time

Buscador

Junior Member
Hello, I'm the new guy with dice in his hand. 1978 Ericson 32, been floating 7 years. Seized Atomic, diver scraped the boat every three months and pressure washed the deck. A service came out somewhat regularly. I know very little about boats. I do get a good vibe when on this boat. It is clean. What condition might the hull be in? The price of the boat is less than the value of the scrap lead in the keel? Do I roll or run? The reason I'm interested, the boat is an unmolested gem, in a great slip, and I love bringing the discarded back to life. I've restored homes and cars. I develop and maintain Autonomous AG equipment. If the hull is good, I'm happy to build this beauty out. You know the deal, need to jump in or out tomorrow, Monday the latest. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Welcome aboard.

Caution. Great Caution.

 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
When a bona fide "guru" advises caution, listen.
:)
OTOH, he did not say (immortal words from Monty Python, "Run away, run away!")

Time is one important parameter... if this is the 'right size' to keep and enjoy for at least ten years, then putting your labor and $ into it might make sense and give you great satisfaction. Some of us enjoy working on boats as much as sailing them.... others way different.
 

Buscador

Junior Member
Christian and Loren thanks for the quick response. My sunk cost on running from this boat is a few months of dinning out. I may run? This boat will need everything. I’m kind of cool with that, because people have been saying they all need everything. I did enjoy the, cheap boat being no bargain, story. I unlike that author have no wife or child and a crappy boat might keep those influences out of my life. Do we think a hull can survive floating without anything but routine scraping for 7 years? Both of those were wrecks.
 

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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I recall when the 2002 Tii was a hot item... is that yours?
:cool:

Also, I try not to use the accounting term "sunk cost" when talking about my boat!
 

goldenstate

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
Do you like to go sailing? -> Don't buy the boat.

Buy a newer boat with fewer problems. Some guy is ready to get rid of one in a nice slip, and has already spent a bunch of money and time fixing it up. Buy that one.

Do you like spending lots of time and money on a project that will, at the end, be economically worth a fraction of what you put into it and depreciate from there? Want to own a boat that you won't sail for a long time? Want to locate difficult to find parts? -> Buy the boat.

I flip houses. They are worth more when I am done than when I start. My boat, it probably will not be worth more when I am done, despite the mental energy and money I am pouring into it.
 

goldenstate

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
I think your post was in the Ericsons Northern California area. If location is accurate, you should cross-shop this one:


There will still be plenty of projects to do, and it looks like somebody currently loves her, and she has a Westerbeke diesel.
 

Sean Engle

Your Friendly Administrator
Administrator
Founder
...My boat, it probably will not be worth more when I am done, despite the mental energy and money I am pouring into it.

Concur. I had O Barquinho for only three years. In that time I estimate I spent about $20k on her, with the most major item being overhauled being her sanitation system - but with nearly unlimited amounts of time, money and 'mental energy' spent on her across all other categories (as I too was single and free from "distractions").

In the end, the boat was sold to a German professor who flew in one or twice a year to take her up to AK, and his Vancouver cousin who used it on the weekend, but did not care enough about her to flush her lines out after use. The boat was sold at just slightly less than what I paid for her - so unlike houses, you can't use the words "boat" and "investment" in the same sentence. In fact, it is this website which as become the enduring piece that I have from that period of my life.

We all buy boats for different reasons - so my only conclusion on this is that you should have some clarity on what it is you expect to get from this experience before you jump in. Have you generated any kind of a specific list of A.) items you expect to overhaul, B.) their cost and C.) the length of time you think it will take to do so?

//sse
 

gabriel

Live free or die hard
I bought a "rough" 1975 Ericson 25CB 2 years ago and am getting ready for her maiden sail next week (would have finished a year earlier but we had twin girls last June). I think I can help you with some advise today or tomorrow but I'm not the best writer...If you're interested PM me and I'll shoot you my phone number. I have some experience buying diamonds in the rough but with sailboats there are some key things you have to look at.

Over all I would say stay away from this one unless it's given to you, even then i would be reluctant.

Good luck.

PS lead is pretty expensive these days.
 
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Buscador

Junior Member
I’m on the Iphone and will keep this short. I value all of your time and thoughts, thank you. I hope to keep anybody else’s time free for another newby. I walked away from that one. This forum and the feel of that boat has me wanting an Ericson. I’ll update a few items when I’m home on the computer.
 

Buscador

Junior Member
I arrived at the Ericson and was greeted by the seller. Without speaking I could tell we were cut from the same cloth. Some enjoyable story swapping on the deck ensued. We both had a penchant for excitement and shared a common history of cars and motorcycles. I hate to admit, because I have a few good stories, he has a few more. He is a hard charging wonderful spirit. Twenty three years my senior and I’m not young.

Enough of that, I’m now looking at the boat with the voices from the forum. I’m dancing with in or out. If I do the interior, I get the color I want. If I replace the rigging, I know it is safe. If I put a diesel in, I’ll know where the flaws of the refit are. Sails, woodwork, some electrical snake pits to kill, a dodger to recover, bottom paint, plumbing, and do some work around the deck ports, all haven’t been fully explored yet. I’m adding up the time and money and dividing it by a sail to Hawaii in a few years.

I’m like a kid. I like the neighbor’s tunes, the day is gorgeous, the vibe on the dock is healthy and upbeat. I can see myself in this place and want to be there. I make a big concession. What if I put off the rigging until I really plan to go somewhere? I’m trying to make this happen. I like the boat, the seller, the dock, all that a side, I'm looking for something to make clearer sense for me. I don’t always do what makes sense.

The seller had gone to pee. He had a fall on the port side of the deck as he left, and was up quick. I was a little concerned. It was a thud of a fall. He was up and moving so quickly, I figured he was all right. I keep shutting down the boat as if it is mine, yet I have a big reservation. I take the sniped brass of the cabin lock and twist it together in a fashion I’ll know if somebody opens it.

He left the cabin headed to the head with the impression a deal was taking place after the Harbor Master’s office. I shut the cabin with a slight intention toward buying the boat if the Harbor Master went well.

I decide to walk the deck again. The rigging question was ringing in my head. One old sailor I know looked at me a week ago and said, "All these old boats are running thirty and forty year old rigging. It’s rated for fifteen. If you sail, that’s a safe time to replace it, but these boats aren’t used much?" The seller who has done some sailing said he never has saw a bolt break on the rigging The neighbor stated he thought the rigging on the boat had a recall about twenty years ago. Had it been done the stud of the rigging would be bronze not stainless? I walk the deck toward the port lower shroud. I notice one is missing. Am I an idiot? I looked at those? They were all there a few minutes ago? I’m wishing I had those brain cells I left at The Who concert. I look around, then up. Pinned to the mast in its upper location is my missing cable. My eyes follow it down, finding it stuffed into the sail. I’m brought back to the thud on the deck. I’m looking at the snapped stud. The seller, who is a larger man than I, must have leaned on it as he walked the deck. That sound and thud of his body were due to the snapping stud.

I decide the universe and the concern of others have made a statement. I'm out on this deal, the deposit is sunk as the sunk cost it was. I’m headed up to see the seller. He meets me at the gate to the dock and hands me five one hundred dollar bills, my deposit. I thanked him for his time and handed him a hundred back. Not much else was said.

One thing sticks in my mind. There are things that do not make sense. Some objects (boats, cars, bikes, motorcycles, bindings on your board) we count on regularly fail in bad places or times. Others always break close to a safe spot, or just before a crazy trip keeping you from it and those that went fall into serious consequences? That Ericson 32 is a soulful boat. I felt cared for on the deck and in the hull. I know it will take some work to bring back. I think it is one of those boats that won't let you down once you get it going. It was a sad pass for me. If I were twenty years younger I'd buy it anyway. Thanks for the feedback. My years aren't as plentiful as when I was twenty. I'll be at the dock available to help and learn on beer can race night Wed, rather then toiling on the old boat. Thanks again for the wisdom.
 
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ChrisS

Member III
I've had my E-32 for about 15 years now, and during my first 10 years of ownership I put a fair amount of time and money just to deal with age related, and wear and tear problems. This was despite the fact that the PO had rewired the boat, replaced the rusted metal steering system, and done other work. About five years ago it was time for a rerig, and I debated selling. Instead I sunk $8K into new sails, rigging, a new boom, Strong Track, and traveler. It's nicely updated and sails well for an older design.

Any old boat will require projects, and all boats have "consumable" elements that need replacing every so often. Mine still has the original Atomic 4 engine. I've taken the boat to Catalina, another trip to Monterey Bay, and the Delta countless times. One of the reasons it keeps going is because I regularly use the boat, including the weekly beer cans during the season.

Sometimes I get the itch for a larger boat, but I think the 30'-36' range is appropriate for how most of us use our boats. Unless my wife was as into this as I am (she's not), the only reason I'd get a 38 or 40 foot boot was if I did extended cruising beyond what I do now. I can easily singlehand my 32, slips are not too expensive, and it works fine for a weekend trip with 1-2 others aboard. If I came across a nice Islander 36 and had the money I'd be tempted to get it as a preretirement boat, but other than than, I'm happy with my old 32.

If you are on the market for a boat, find one that gets sailed. You'll still have plenty of work to do on it. The fact that you'll see Ericsons at every marina is a testament to their quality and design, but a full rebuild doesn't make sense unless you don't work/have any other commitments, and want to spend months attacking the fixes you know about, and being surprised and frustrated by the others that appear.
 

Buscador

Junior Member
Thanks for your insight ChrisS. I'm still looking and saving. If you're headed out for a solo sail but wouldn't mind some company, I'm an inexperienced set of hands on deck, usually don't have to be told the same thing twice. I'm available. We can stay 3 feet apart.
 
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