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Information about E34-2

paul k

Junior Member
I am considering purchasing an E34-2 to replace my Pearson 10M. I would appreciate it if anyone would be interested in talking to me about the boat. I sail mainly in Buzzards Bay and the Islands, but elsewhere in the NE as well.
Tx Paul
 

patrscoe

Member III
It is closer to a 35' sailboat, similar hull to the 35-3. Head is aft along with a separate aft quarters For me, I like the aft head while under sail. Like most Ericsons, it has very good sailing characteristics and I sail singlehand quite a bit. The 34-2 has a lower PHRF rating for her size. I am preparing and outfitting mine for short offshore and coastal sailing trips on the east coast and based on similar Ericson's history, I feel that it is more than capable of handling this. It is just a really nice sailboat, well built, good interior, nice deck layout and solid construction.
What information are you seeking?
 

JSM

Member III
We just finished up season five on our 87 34-2 and totally love the boat. More that happy to talk to you . Will PM my phone number.
 

Bobby Steele

Member II
We bought our 1989 E34 last year, and love it. We’ve been doing basic maintenance updates, while mooring summer in Nyack NY and wintering in the water at Haverstraw. We live on it part time - and it’s definitely a comfortable boat.
 

paul k

Junior Member
hi Patrick and John - tx for help here and I will get in touch with John. i noticed no deck dorades - how is boat vented while under way or on mooring ? Also, is the deck tabbed to the bulkheads ? seems to be important for offshore. also, noticed no bow chocks - rodes etc go right to the bow cleats located right in the toe rail. The rodes etc must not be in contact with the deck etc.. Yes ? Otherwise a lot of friction. The cleats and their attachment must be really strong. Yes ?
Tx again.

P
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Paul, about the cleat install, I believe that our boat has the usual EY cleat mounting scheme. All of the cleats on our boat, fore and aft, had aluminum backing plates. When I upsized them all, I installed even larger pieces of G10. An E-34-2 has larger stock mooring cleats, than an Olson, I do believe.
Tabbing? Yes, all of our bulkheads are tabbed to the hull and deck. EY invested a lot more material and labor in their basic construction. IIRC, the E-34 has an anchor roller like the 38. I added a longer one to ours, replacing a short one inherited from the first owner.
Link to our cleat upgrade: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/ubs/new-deck-mooring-cleats.525/
 

paul k

Junior Member
Tx for info on your cleat replacement - also good to see that original cleats properly installed.
 

Thaddeus

Member II
Hi Paul,
A little bit late to the Ball , I am. Did you buy the boat? We sail our 34-2 in Buzzards and you know how snotty it can get. It handles the high winds and chop beautifully. if you did purchase the boat I will gladly share any information that I have gathered over the last few years.
 

paul k

Junior Member
hi Thaddeus - never too late. Not purchased yet as hard to find around NE. Also some concerns about the size of the aft cabin - not really big enough for two. Also, the headliner is unusual. The zippers are great concept but it seems the ceiling sags and takes up head room. Have you had these problems ? tx
 

Thaddeus

Member II
Paul, There has not been any issues with our headliners. We too found the aft cabin a bit small for us but it works well for guests, storage and is a perfect size for a nap. We sleep in the fore berth having a small plastic step to make it easier to get in and out. Over all the boat sails wonderfully in heavy and light air. The Bimini is a pain when you need the winches which is why we fold it down while sailing. Our anchor locker had a leak which is common. The previous owner used her lightly and had the yard (Spicers in Noank, ct) do all the maintenance over the years leaving us a very nice boat. Good luck with your search and let Me know if you have any more questions. Tom
 

N.A.

E34 / SF Bay
I have an E350, which I believe has the E34 hull shape and certainly has the same interior layout described by patrscoe. I am a relatively new owner, so do not want to overstate my information, but what I do know is this:
- the anchor locker leak (per Thanddeus) was true for me too. I just had a yard fix this, and the locker seems to come out easily (just self-tapping screws). However, the latch -- at the the one on my Pacific Seacraft built boat -- involves a metal bar that slots into a hole in the deck that... has no backing! So you can seal the locker all you want and still have water ingress through the hole for the end of the latch bar. The yard built a fitting to block this -- does not sound hard -- but FYI. Also, expect some possible issues from the water ingress inside the area, even if not apparent from inside the V-berth.
- the boat seems to sail surprisingly well; speed close to that of the True wind, with full main and 100% jib in 10 kts or so wind (I think I remember 6.5 kts in 8.5 kts True, but it's been a while). In 15-25 wind (True), the 100% alone, (and at 20 partially rolled up) gives 6-7 kts. Someone else on this forum has mentioned they often sail mainly under jib alone, and so far my experience makes it clear why.
- Zippered headliner: despite a number of folks warning me about these, it has been fine unzipping/rezipping it so far. I'm over 6' tall and have noticed no headroom issue. That said, apparently these are a real bummer (in these or any other headlinered boats) if/when the zippers break, or sometimes when replacing hatches (where the headliner meets the hatch, and the replacement can disrupt things).
- I would encourage checking hoses (c.f. this forum re: a sinking off Florida); a couple of mine (and one hose barb) were definitely in poor condition. Not so hard to fix in principle, but running new hoses (and the anchor locker) did add up fast at the yard.
 

Teranodon

Member III
The E34 is a civilized, well-behaved cruiser that can be handled by two people in most conditions. It has a nice turn of speed and does well in our club races. Since I bought mine six years ago, I have installed literally dozens of cruising amenities, most notably a new engine, electric windlass, propane for a Dickinson heater and Force 10 stove, refrigeration, all new electronics, autopilot, custom mattresses and much more. Radar is going in over the next two weeks. I use the quarterberth as a "garage". As with any boat, there are some things not to like (dark interior, so-so ventilation, inadequate forepeak headroom, not enough winches, a few other things) but, overall, it's a sweet boat.
 
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1beardsley

New Member
Hello Stefan, Just wondering if you have a detailed account of your windlass install. Thanks for any info you
might have.
 

Teranodon

Member III
Hello Stefan, Just wondering if you have a detailed account of your windlass install. Thanks for any info you
might have.
I posted a full report in August 2015. Just search for "Report on E34 windlass installation". If you have any questions, send me a PM.

Since I bragged so much about my E34, here is a recent picture, showing the new Garmin Fantom on the transom and the new Rocna 15 on the bow roller:

Talpa docked.jpg

And just to annoy fellow Ericson owners, here is what I just did to my nav desk:

Nav desk.jpg
 

bgary

Advanced Beginner
Blogs Author
And just to annoy fellow Ericson owners, here is what I just did to my nav desk:

View attachment 39906

Very nice.

I went the cheaper/easier route and grabbed a variety of those plastic clip-together silverware-organizer things at the store. It works, and keeps things (relatively) organized, but isn't "elegant" like yours....
 

Kasbud

Junior Member
I'm a new owner of a 1987 34-2 and preparing the boat for extended cruising and offshore on the east coast. The traveler needs replacing. Can someone advise me on this removal and reacement project. Im thinking a traveler without the arch would be better. Also, what is the best overall jib size for Narragansett Bay and offshore sailing.
 

patrscoe

Member III
During our Fall and Spring, where we typically get 12 kts to 20 kts and strong gusts, I switch from a 135% genoa (#2) to a jib (#3). Any Coastal sailing or extended trips, I use #3 but always bring my drifter and #2 genoa. What's nice about the #3, I can reduce the sail down to 90% and still maintain good sail trim. My main has 2 reef points but if I sailed more coastal and offshore, I would add a 3rd reef point. Also I would invest into a topjib as a optional sail.

The previous owner (I have owned her for about 3 years), replaced the traveller system with a harken system and seems to work okay but I would reather have the traveller near the helm.
 
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