Got Design Questions?

[clayton]

I am still smitten, after 20 years, how much my chubby belly 32' dinghy responds to sail trim adjustments. Out this afternoon, able to move in 2 -3 knots true, an E-34-2 was out moving nicely. They crushed any powerboat chop where I bobbed. Amazing what a couple feet of waterline and a few thousand pounds of displacement do... The one design change I continue to contemplate is switching from wheel to tiller. After many November rainy 20 knot days (some of my favorite no matter how beat up I come home) where standing at the wheel just sucks, a tiller would allow me to hunker under the dodger. Biggest $ issue would be changing the engine controls. I think often of downsizing to a trailerable, and then I go for a sail. I still love my mistress, after 20 years. The sweet lines, the upwind performance in the lightest of air (reminds me of my old Thislte). I watched a Sabre 3xx comie in today, and just felt "aaangh, nice, but it's not this". Welcome any comments on converting wheel to tiller for a predominant singlehander. My sincere thanks to everyone here for keeping this site about our love for sailing and maintaining these beauties through our recent history, a much appreciated escape from uncertainty and fear. Thank you all and bless you.
Clayton

 

[Loren Beach]

I am still smitten, after 20 years, how much my chubby belly 32' dinghy responds to sail trim adjustments. Out this afternoon, able to move in 2 -3 knots true, an E-34-2 was out moving nicely. They crushed any powerboat chop where I bobbed. Amazing what a couple feet of waterline and a few thousand pounds of displacement do... The one design change I continue to contemplate is switching from wheel to tiller. After many November rainy 20 knot days (some of my favorite no matter how beat up I come home) where standing at the wheel just sucks, a tiller would allow me to hunker under the dodger. Biggest $ issue would be changing the engine controls. I think often of downsizing to a trailerable, and then I go for a sail. I still love my mistress, after 20 years. The sweet lines, the upwind performance in the lightest of air (reminds me of my old Thislte). I watched a Sabre 3xx comie in today, and just felt "aaangh, nice, but it's not this". Welcome any comments on converting wheel to tiller for a predominant singlehander. My sincere thanks to everyone here for keeping this site about our love for sailing and maintaining these beauties through our recent history, a much appreciated escape from uncertainty and fear. Thank you all and bless you.
Clayton

Besides changing the engine controls, you would have the new tiller emerging from the rear cockpit sole, wouldn't you?
You would have to lengthen the rudder post and put a "head" on it to accept a tiller.
Then that tiller would need some room to swing from side to side. I may be mistaken, but I believe that the 32-200 model was designed from the git-go for a wheel. This is quite different from our Olson that was designed with a tiller and also a T-shaped cockpit for an optional wheel.
I did consider changing to a tiller, but after considering the modification ($) to the rudder post decided not to.

Plan B.... find a way to drive while sitting to the side similar to driving with a tiller and a hiking stick. I replaced our stock 36" ss wheel for one season with a 42" that I got a bargain on. Loved the easier steering from the side, BUT.... both of us got tired of having to step up on the seat and down again every time we needed to get to the aft or forward side of the wheel. After a couple seasons we changed back to the stock wheel.
So I wonder if a wider diameter wheel might fit your boat and enable driving from the side?
Anyhow - random thoughts, worth less than 2 cents.

 

[Christian Williams]

Welcome any comments on converting wheel to tiller for a predominant singlehander.

I'd never do that, especially on an Ericson 32-3 or -200. The cockpit was designed for a wheel, and a tiller would sweep the cockpit like a scythe.

An inexpensive wheel pilot generally solves all problems singlehanding, sailing and motoring, and requires no additional battery or charging efforts. A more powerful below-deck autopilot is well worth the price of installation and complication.

 

[Jamiem]

Interior design

Ok....

I have been offshore on a lot of boats...

However I would give most of the interiors I have been offshore in failing marks. They simply don't work for passage making.

However the E-39 and the e-46 are beyond wonderful when you are out there sailing. Things are easy to get to, the galley is easy to cook out of, and there is a myrad of places to stow things. A lot of previous owners have tried to modify the boats, and every single one that I have been on that has "significant" modifications is a complete failure when actually using the boat instead of having a dock condo.

The only thing wrong in the e-39 and the e-46 are the table arrangement originally, and that is not a major fix, there are several options that fix that. Other than that it is amazing how easy these boats are to live on off shore.

Things are in the right place, things work as they are intended. It is really amazing..

So having drawn up several interiors myself, and even constructed them here and there out of various full size mock ups, I have to say that Bruce King is the best interior designer that I have ever been on a boat designed by. I have drawn heavy on his designs when advising clients on how to try and fix other designers interior mistakes.

How does he do it, what are the things that he thought of, thinks of, when he does an interior design. Even the little Ericsons designed by him have great interiors. Easy to move around in, yet incredibly safe in a seaway.

Basically I would like to know what makes his design of an interior so much better than other designers, which I will allow to be nameless. Can he put into words what goes on in his head?

His hull designs are art, and are wonderful for the time that each of them were designed. That part I can see the art in.

With time and again great interiors that fit normal people well, I have to wonder what design considerations other than art go into them.

Staying on topic with the E39, I am going to be removing my cabin sole to clean repair and paint the bilge area from companionway to the vberth. looking throught the existing access hatches I see minimal stringers between the two sides of the hull? Is this because of the shape of the hull not requireing the same support as a more modern "flat" hull design? I really want to put additional support in there while the sole is off if it is required.

 

[debonAir]

After a couple seasons we changed back to the stock wheel.
So I wonder if a wider diameter wheel might fit your boat and enable driving from the side?
Anyhow - random thoughts, worth less than 2 cents.

They make these folding wheels... the two sides fold in to the center making for much more room to pass fore/aft. Mostly designed for room when not underway, but I wonder if it would find occasional use underway if not too knocked over. Too expensive for me for now though...

Every time I'm at the helm when its raining I start planning some sort of swinging/pivoting bimini that doubles as a solar panel that would magically stay right over me like an umbrella. One of these days.

 

[Guy Stevens]

Staying on topic with the E39, I am going to be removing my cabin sole to clean repair and paint the bilge area from companionway to the vberth. looking throught the existing access hatches I see minimal stringers between the two sides of the hull? Is this because of the shape of the hull not requireing the same support as a more modern "flat" hull design? I really want to put additional support in there while the sole is off if it is required.

Both the sole, (the floor), and the hull support the propensity of the rig to collapse the boat in both directions.
Don't fall in the bilge under the engine, or you will be like Jimmy Hoffa, no one will ever know what happened to you.
G

 

[Michael Edwards]

On AnnaDor we installed an autopilot over twenty years ago. Now you can get a remote....steer from the fore deck!! Or under the dodger.

 

[toddster]

On AnnaDor we installed an autopilot over twenty years ago. Now you can get a remote....steer from the fore deck!! Or under the dodger.

Well... you can make course corrections with the autopilot remote, but not really steer. I've had one for a few years. For one thing there is quite a bit of latency in the system. Too slow to respond to gusts or waves. But it is handy when raising or lowering sails to avoid sudden oncoming traffic without dashing back and forth to the cockpit. And yes, I have lounged on the foredeck with the remote a couple of times, under stable conditions. I got mine from this guy.

 

[Bob Robertson]

I've got a hammock that runs from the mast to the forestay. It's very comfortable. I've got a remote for the autopilot and the stereo. I generally don't use the autopilot remote often, but it works well. Early on, when the autopilot was new to me I made some unintended major course adjustments, but now all is fine.

 

[Michael Edwards]

Hello Toddster,
I don't generally sail with the autopilot, but since I'm often single handing, I point into the wind at idle to raise the sails and vise versa.
In other circumstances, motoring on the ICW I will set course and make minor corrections along the way with the buttons. That's where I really would like staying comfortably where I am at with a remote in hand. My favorite spot is in the companionway under the dodger.
Like Bob Robertson, I need a hammock.

 

[G Kiba]

Martin, I was wondering about the history of Ericson Yachts and the Olson 911 and O34. I have read online only about the general acquisition of the molds. No details. My new to me 911SE gets so many compliments and it sails so well. Maybe you can help me figure out the serial number as well. Much info is already posted on this, but I’m not sure what to make of my number. It is ERY 91100 L788. I get the 88’ model built in December 87’. But “00” or is it 100? Hope you can enlighten me on both.

 

[Imagineer]

Greetings Martin,
I've asked Loren this same question already, but do YOU possess any knowledge about the Olson (Ericson) 34 & the differences (rig dimensions & SA/D wise) between the Standard Rig & Tall Rig (or Tall Masts, as they're sometimes called)? Any insights you may have on this subject are gratefully welcomed...

 

[Martin King]

Hi Imagineer,

Unfortunately I do not have any info on the Olsons built by Ericson.

Martin

 

[Norm]

I have a 1985 E30+ and feel that the boom sits too low. It literally comes just above my pedestal and I believe is designed for an E32 or E35. Has anyone else countered this problem and have you raised the boom and cut the mainsail down?

 

[Frank Langer]

Can you post a pic to show your boom? The boom on our 1984 E30+ is much higher than you say.
Frank

 

[Norm]

Can you post a pic to show your boom? The boom on our 1984 E30+ is much higher than you say.
Frank

 

[Norm]

Here's a photo from my last bottom paint.

 

[Frank Langer]

Here's a photo from my last bottom paint.View attachment 39778

Its a bit hard to see the actual height of the boom from that angle. I think the gooseneck, where boom connects with mast, is fixed on all the E30+, but you could check that first to see if there is any way to raise the boom, or if a previous owner made any changes there.
I know that some other E30+ owners have posted about this issue before, so a search on this site might also give some answers.
Frank

 

[Norm]

Here's a better photo. I can unbolt the gooseneck and drill a new set of holes higher up, but just want to know if other E30+ owners have experienced this proble,

 

[Frank Langer]

Here's a better photo. I can unbolt the gooseneck and drill a new set of holes higher up, but just want to know if other E30+ owners have experienced this proble,

View attachment 39779

Hi Norm,
Yes, it does look low to me, definitely lower than our 1984 E30+.
My next step would be to check on line or with a sail loft to determine the correct length of the tack from boom to mast head, and compare that with your tack length. That would confirm whether yours is different, and might help you to determine how
much to raise the boom of you decide to redrill holes for the gooseneck.
I'll be interested in what you decide to do.
Frank