Keeping a boat on a buoy on Puget Sound

[AnthonyWPrangley]

Hi Everyone

I am looking at buying an old and well priced Ericson 26 1976 - https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/boa/d/seattle-1967-ericson-26-sailboat/7346224809.html

I have a buoy available on which to moor her - off Whidbey Island (Near Seattle on Puget Sound). It is a sheltered bay with plenty of boats moored in the bay.

I have been advised against leaving the boat in the ocean though. I have been told the seawater would damage the hull pretty quickly.

How long can an Ericson be left in the seawater before needing to be lifted onto the marina and cleaned? Could I leave her on the buoy for two years and then pull her out and clean up the hull? I am trying to reduce my upkeep costs and time spent maintaining the boat. but also want to be responsible.

I live in Johannesburg but come to Seattle for a month every year in summer. We would like to do some day sailing and then work our way up to sailing around the Puget sound with the kids. My wife's brother would keep an eye on the boat for us and do any post-heavy rain pumping.

I am looking to find the most affordable and easy way to sail a pocket cruiser.

Thank you up front for any advice.

Ant Wilson-Prangley

 

[bgary]

The boats are made to be in the water. It's perfectly normal.

It's important to have a good anti-fouling bottom paint on the bottom to keep things from growing on the hull. The water won't hurt the hull, but hard growth (barnacles, etc) are not good.

A good "bottom job" should last at least 2-3 years. It helps if someone periodically cleans (*) the bottom, I have mine done every few months, there are services around that will do it for about $1/foot. They'll also check the sacrificial zinc anodes at the same time, and replace them if necessary.

(*) note that in Puget Sound recent environmental regulations now prohibit in-the-water "cleaning", so we use ablative bottom paints and the service simply "wipes the slime" off the paint.

I just had my Ericson-32-3 hauled in May, it had been in the water for over 4 years and the bottom paint was still surprisingly good. Some sanding, a couple of coats of new paint, and she's ready for a few more years in the water.

This is a phenomenal place to have a boat..... so many islands and coves and places to explore! I'm in Everett (just across Possession Sound from the south end of Whidbey Island). Let me know when you're next in town if you want to connect.

Bruce

 

[AnthonyWPrangley]

Thanks for the great advice.

She had her bottom painted five years ago and had been sitting in Lake Washington since. Assuming all good we could potentially fail her up to Whidbey.

If we are a bit riskier we could.leave on the buoy until next summer and then haul her out for a good clean. Alternatively we could haul her out now and do an inspection. If all looks good, with a clean, we could put her back in in the buoy until next summer when we can fix a few things and go for a longer multi night sail. Is that feasible?

How fast does a boat like an Ericson 26 sail on the Puget Sound - with summer or fall wind on an average day?

Ant

 

[Loren Beach]

How fast does a boat like an Ericson 26 sail on the Puget Sound - with summer or fall wind on an average day?

Not trying to be a wise guy, but it will sail as fast on any body of water...... !
With it's waterline, I would sort of imagine that it can make about 5.5 or 6 to weather, in smooth water. More when off the wind. You will need to tilt up the OB to attain these speeds.

 

[AnthonyWPrangley]

Not trying to be a wise guy, but it will sail as fast on any body of water...... !
With it's waterline, I would sort of imagine that it can make about 5.5 or 6 to weather, in smooth water. More when off the wind. You will need to tilt up the OB to attain these speeds.

Thanks Loren. Hunorous point well made I guess I was thinking about regular wind speeds and currents as a factor. The numbers you give are super helpful.

 

[Loren Beach]

You will need to carry a tide table and time your trips to have tide current with you. There are a lot of places around the Sound where you can gain or lose 6 knots depending on the tide.

 

[fool]

Howdy,

1.34 x sq root of the waterline is the formula for hull speed of a displacement vessel. You’re speed over ground will vary depending on the direction of the current. Good suggestion from Loren to check the tides in your area when planning your adventure.

Deep Zoom is a graphic interface for tides and currents: https://deepzoom.com/

I lived on a ball in San Diego for many years back in the ‘90’s. Managing chafe on your mooring line is something you’ll want to pay attention too. You’ll want to haul now to inspect and paint if you’re going to put the vessel on a ball. Lake Washington is fresh water accessed through a set of locks, the sound is as salty as they come. I’d also recommend getting a diver to assess the condition of the line and chain on the ball too.

Welcome aboard!

 

[markvone]

Ant,

I would plan a trip at 4 knots NOT considering current AND having a working outboard. I would add or subtract current to the 4 knots. Plan departure to go with current. My E23 with 8 HP outboard and my E26-2 with inboard would make 6 knots easily. I would sail if enough wind for 4 knots and motor if less if I had any distance to cover. Eastern Long Island Sound had currents up to 5 knots max so with current could be great, against not so much. Scheduling at 4 knots generally gets you there on schedule or ahead which avoids being "late" which brings with it adverse current and darkness, maybe different weather.

Mark

 

[bgary]

I would plan a trip at 4 knots NOT considering current

It’s a good point.

I can motor comfortably at 6.3, but when I’m planning a passage I calculate my timings based on 5 knots thru the water, and I only adjust that for UNfavorable currents. That approach (usually) gets me where I’m going ahead of schedule and, importantly, ahead of the big adverse current swings i’d like to avoid.

sometimes it backfires… last year I ran up to Port Townsend carried along by a strong ebb, and got there about two hours early, well before my slip in Point Hudson was free. Oh well <lol> I’d rather be early and have a leisurely hour or two to kill, than be late and beat my brains out into an ugly chop when the flood start to come in around Point Wilson…

 

[Kenneth K]

Not to rain on anyone's parade, because we're all allowed to have our dreams, but does anyone else see some potential high risks in this plan?

The only thing that can be said for sure about buying a 54 year-old sailboat, is that it's going to need a TON of work. Have you seen this boat in person yet? Unless it was extremely well kept, and had many parts replaced along the way, much of the boat may well be well beyond its useful life. You'll need to have the standing rigging, chain plates, bulkheads, through hulls, backing plates, seacocks, hoses, keel, compression post, cored decking, and electrical systems thoroughly inspected by someone with a trained eye to determine if this boat is in need of $10,000 in repairs to make it seaworthy.

ANY boat in any condition can be restored to seaworthiness or even to "like new" condition. It's just a matter of time and/or money. But being away from the boat 11 months out of the year sort of rules out the "time" option. This could make your plan a much more expensive endeavor than a $1500 boat would initially imply.

 

[nquigley]

If you're only in the area for one month per year, you might consider leaving it on the hard, in as cheap a place as you can find close to where you want to sail, and then launch when you get there. Or, perhaps, you could charter a boat just for the time you're there?
If she's in the water 11 months between uses, you'll ned to pay someone to check on her regularly - inside and out, and to be on-call if something needs urgent attention.

 

[AnthonyWPrangley]

Brilliant advice. Thanks all. Better to rain on my parade now and face the risks mentioned... or look for a better boat.

I decided not to buy the Ericson mentioned. I am going to keep looking for an Ericson or similar boat over the next few weeks or months. My two brothers in law are keen to start sailing. They are based in the area - one of them at Port Townsend. I will provide the sailing training. And the plan is for them to provide the boat storage and maintenance advice.

We can split the costs...

Ant

 

[TKBLACK]

It’s a good point.

I can motor comfortably at 6.3, but when I’m planning a passage I calculate my timings based on 5 knots thru the water, and I only adjust that for UNfavorable currents. That approach (usually) gets me where I’m going ahead of schedule and, importantly, ahead of the big adverse current swings i’d like to avoid.

sometimes it backfires… last year I ran up to Port Townsend carried along by a strong ebb, and got there about two hours early, well before my slip in Point Hudson was free. Oh well <lol> I’d rather be early and have a leisurely hour or two to kill, than be late and beat my brains out into an ugly chop when the flood start to come in around Point Wilson…

Yes! Avoid that ugly chop near Pt Wilson. Planning ahead (currents and rip tides) helps to enjoy the journey, and to avoid the pain and suffering of the crew. Learning the counter currents and eddies helps also. Our Ericson 34-2 loves to sail! We gunkhole 60% of our time in Puget Sound, San Juans, Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound and points north. Happy sailing and discovering to you and yours. TKBLACK two sailors who swim.