I do/do not want to get a larger Ericson

[alcodiesel]

Oh no, please help. I am actually toying with the idea of moving up to a larger (32 to 36) Ericson. I am super happy with the E27 I have and there is nothing left to fix or modify on it. However: When the swells get over 4 feet the 27 begins to have a rough time, and I enjoy heavy weather sailing.

 

[K2MSmith]

Not an Ericson owner yet, but I have been sailing other boats on/off for quite a while. After smaller boats, started on Capri 22, then Catalina 27, then C&C 35, then Hunter 40 and now Beneteau 38.1. (all club boats).

Some of my most memorable times were on the Cat 27 with my wife sailing in about 25 knots on the backside of Anacapa to Santa Cruz. The rougher and scarier the conditions, the less likely my wife will get seasick, especially if she is at the helm .

I'm actually thinking about downsizing because I single-hand most of them time - so looking at E32's. If my grandaughter gets interested and once I fully retire and we spend time doing lots of family trips, then maybe a 35 or 38 might be in order.

 

[kapnkd]

Not sure what year boat you are considering moving up to but the earlier E32 & 35’s (2’s) have a nice reserve buoyancy in the deadrise design of their sterns.

Originally when I went looking for an E27 back in ‘73 - the dealer only had a 32. It was instant love and I overbought size wise.

It worked out for the best as we readily grew into the boat and the extra room was great. ...Especially for our frequent Bahamas vacation cruising - she was most comfortable and we were confident in her when crossing the Gulf Stream which could (and DID) kick up a fuss at times.

 

[toddster]

Dunno... probably moving up two or three feet isn't worth the hassle. Ten feet more or bust!
This condition can be cured by going on line and watching big-boated people whining about the cost of their slips/new sails/massive hardware. Then think about how much more time one could spend actually sailing somewhere, instead of spending all that money.
Fortunately, (?) if I were to make such a move, the waiting list around here for a bigger slip is many years long, so temptation is swiftly removed.

Coincidentally, three of the biggest nicest boats in the marina (none of them Ericsons) are currently for sale... but no!

 

[Afrakes]

Luckily my boat shed is only 30ft. long and I keep my boat at home on its trailer in the off season so the mast has to go up and down. I've thought about going longer but it doesn't fit my budget or shed. I do dream though.

 

[supersailor]

Toddster, I have to disagree with the two to three feet is not worth the jump. The difference between the 32 and 34 is very noticeable. The 32 bobs when boarded. The 34 does not. The 34 is approx. 3200 pounds heaver. The interior dimensions are much larger. The sail plan is larger. The 34 has an easier motion in a bad seaway. I think it is as Christian is right, the 32 is a little more like a dingy. Therefore it is a little more fun to sail. I haven't sailed a 38 so I can't compare the 34 to it. On he river, a little smaller is better, I think as tacking a much smaller genny is easier. Big seas are not a problem and you are probably not anchoring so much so shoreside facilities can make up for lack of cabin facilities. Sailing my SJ26 on the river was fine. I'm not sure the 34 would be as much so.

 

[toddster]

Don't go harshing my perfectly good rationalization, man.

 

[Marlin Prowell]

I progressed from a 14 foot dinghy to a San Juan 24 (19 yrs) then to a San Juan 28 (13 yrs). The E27 looks similar in specs to the SJ28. The SJ 28 is a light and very responsive boat. It was a lot of fun and felt a lot like sailing the SJ 24. But, as I’ve gotten older, I felt like I was getting beaten up too much on the SJ28 in heavy air, and was ready to get out of sailing.

A year and a half ago, Virginia and I discovered Ericsons and bought a E34-2. The E34-2 is twice the displacement of the SJ28, and it shows. I remember crossing the Straight of Georgia in a 20 knot wind and being amazed at how easily the boat handled the waves. It also sails quite nicely in the light summer breezes we have. Plus the interior finish in the larger Ericsons is such a joy. We especially like the layout of the E34-2 with a spacious aft cabin and aft head.

The E35-3 is the same hull, except the transom kicks out six inches further. The E35-3 has a larger V-berth and the head is between the main cabin and the V-berth. I believe the E34-2 was Ericson’s way to redesign the E35-3 with an aft cabin and aft head.

 

[supersailor]

Oops! Sorry Toddster! Boat interior volumes increase incredibly rapidly compared to length. A look inside one of the Westport 50 meter (164 feet) that are built here in town is rather jaw dropping. The real noticeable break seems to be around 30' Above 30', stuff gets way bigger and way more expensive quickly.

All that said, the 34 sure is a comfortable boat in the boisterous conditions so common on the straights here. 7 knots hard on the wind in boisterous seas (tide and wind caused) is quite a blast. My previous boat could only manage 3-3.5kn in the same conditions with a rather jarring motion. As Martian and Virginia mentioned the light air ability is wonderful for the rest of the North West. My club holds the 34 in awe in light air and I'm sure the 38 is even better.

 

[LEB]

Any thoughts of a larger boat are put to rest when cleaning the hull.

 

[K2MSmith]

Since responding to this thread last , I became an Ericson 33 owner . For us , it’s the perfect size boat for its intended use, which right now is cruising/shorthand racing in the SF bay ( with occasional offshore use ) . We do spend the night in the boat . So I would say buy a boat for it’s intended use and your budget . I don’t know much about the 34–38 boats but they might be easier to work on with more interior space . We had a beneteau 38 before and definitely more room but everything was more expensive to maintain . It’s more boat to walk around at the dock when setting lines , cleaning etc . The slip was also a lot more expensive but if I was taking a family of 4 or 5 out in overnight trips all the time , I would definitely get a 38, but it’s not worth it for what we do now . My grown up kids don’t go out with us enough to justify the cost . They only have time for day sails so the 33 is fine.

 

[Christian Williams]

One measure of suitable size is whether you have to turn sideways to fit through spaces, duck and kneel awkwardly a lot in the normal course of a day.

For me, the interior of the 32-3 size pretty much solved that. The 381 solves it more and almost approaches comfort. But of course if you actually want room below, choose any boat designed in the '90s, not the King era.

 

[K2MSmith]

The 33RH is a sideways pass thru to the head and V birth for me due to the folding table n the mast . It’s not a big deal . I’m 6’2’ and I can pretty much stand anywhere . The dining table is a clever design but for solo , I don’t use it I am not sure of the layout of the 27, but the forward facing nav table on the 33 ( and all 32+ Ericsons ? ) is a huge bonus for me - it’s basically my away from home office . I have a little laptop with cellular WiFi ( an iPad Pro with the he keyboard) and I can work on the laptop ( and also occasionally navigate 5-stars for the nav table. Did I say that he v birth is more comfortable than the beneteau 38.1 ?

 

[Filkee]

I have whined openly about wishing for a '34 over my 32-3, but it is kind of the perfect "not so big house" in a world where most things are charged by the foot. I am jealous of people who can physically enter their lazarette rather than going headfirst with feet in the air. It always comes down to closet space in the end. My son was admiring a shiny Beneteau 31 in the mooring field last night as we were coming in from sailing through a pretty big storm, but then he paused and said, "It's short and fat."

 

[Filkee]

The 33RH is a sideways pass thru to the head and V birth for me due to the folding table n the mast . It’s not a big deal . I’m 6’2’ and I can pretty much stand anywhere . The dining table is a clever design but for solo , I don’t use it I am not sure of the layout of the 27, but the forward facing nav table on the 33 ( and all 32+ Ericsons ? ) is a huge bonus for me - it’s basically my away from home office . I have a little laptop with cellular WiFi ( an iPad Pro with the he keyboard) and I can work on the laptop ( and also occasionally navigate 5-stars for the nav table. Did I say that he v birth is more comfortable than the beneteau 38.1 ?

It was down to a 33RH and the 32-3 for me. My son loved the pilot berth, but my wife feared the traveler on the bridge deck.

 

[K2MSmith]

It was down to a 33RH and the 32-3 for me. My son loved the pilot berth, but my wife feared the traveler on the bridge deck.

For singleHand , It’s a desirable feature for me to let off the gas when it’s really blowing ( 25-30 knot gusts are normal here ) .if you sail with a wheel autopilot though , then probably not a big deal. My Tiller autopilot doesn’t handle a lot of weather helm so looking at a new system .

 

[Sean Engle]

Oh no, please help. I am actually toying with the idea of moving up to a larger (32 to 36) Ericson. I am super happy with the E27 I have and there is nothing left to fix or modify on it. However: When the swells get over 4 feet the 27 begins to have a rough time, and I enjoy heavy weather sailing.

No, no - the E41 is the one you want....

 

[goldenstate]

I noticed that the primary difference (as far as interior layout goes) between a 32-200 and a 34-200 is the closet space and a place to stand in the V-berth.
The berths do not grow, the layout changes little, you just have more places to hang your clothes.
There is a related discussion of actual berth size.
Interior layout is of course, but one of many considerations as regards boat size.

 

[Filkee]

My autopilot is called a wheel lock. Maybe someday.

 

[1911tex]

My autopilot is called a wheel lock. Maybe someday.

In my past black powder days...had a wheel lock...very dangerous...lit fuse over the powder bowl...but that is all they had in the 14-1600's! At minimum, go to a flintlock!! More reliability..go to a percussion (cap lock)!!! Or ultimate reliability...centerfire!!!!