Mast Mounted Instruments

[kapnkd]

As we near completion of our now 5+ year “Never Ending Project” of re-fitting our ‘73 Ericson 32-II. My son, an automotive engineer, had long since taken the lead with many overall upgrades and features.

This one tops the list as he moved our new instrumentation to the mast from the cabin bulkheads. This way, instruments are never covered by crew and easily seen by all.

I’ve come a LONG way since starting out cruising with but a simple tube stuck in the water to ascertain speed and a finger in the air for wind direction!! (All I could afford at 29 when buying the boat new.)

We’ve now got multi-purpose instruments that integrate and talk to each other, including the GPS and Auto-Pilot. ...I only hope I can figure all this out WITHOUT going back to college again!!! SHEESH!!!

I’m anxious to see how well this will work out and will keep all of you updated with the results.

 

[1911tex]

kapnkd...you owned your boat for almost 38 years?! You need a Diamond pin for one ownership longevity.. and wow what a great idea for your instruments...has to be unique and super practical....kudos to you son's efforts and partnership...and that deserves another commendation!

 

[kapnkd]

kapnkd...you owned your boat for almost 38 years?! You need a Diamond pin for one ownership longevity.. and wow what a great idea for your instruments...has to be unique and super practical....kudos to you son's efforts and partnership...and that deserves another commendation!

THANKS! and Yes, at age 29, I was looking for the then newly released E-27 as an upgrade from my Catalina 22. ...The dealer said he hadn’t a 27 but DID have a 32 he would make me a good deal on.

Figured, what the heck - no harm in looking! Once I saw the “T” cockpit and then slid the companionway open - it was an INSTANTANEOUS love affair!!!

I over bought but NEVER regretted it! She has more than suited my needs as a cruiser size wise for extensively sailing the Bahamas for a couple and later as a family.

My then young son got into the racing and thus began a transition of new sails, better equipment and the combined hard work of smoothing the bottom to perfection. We went from, “HA HA, here comes that old Ericson to DAMN! ...Here comes that Ericson again!”

Crew consisted only of my son’s pre-high school kids who put their heart and souls into beating the adults! Today, they are now all grown and race on his own S2 7.9. (They’re consistent winners in class locally and regionally! (Sailing helped shape their personal lives and careers in a very positive way!)

When I bought our Ericson, she was named “Big Diehl” after my last name and that she was a hard effort to keep in spite of an early on divorce. Later with a new wife and then son “Cary”...I made him 1/2 owner at age 4 when he had just learned to write his name.

We then renamed the boat to “CaryOn” as he is to do just that and hand it down some day to his offspring.

BEST PART...He loves our boat as much or more than I do!!!

Sorry for the long story/reply but it explains our Ericson, why I/we have proudly owned and kept her all these 47 going on 50 years.

Tributes and accolades actually go to Bruce King for such an EXCELLENT and PERFECTLY designed boat that has cruised and raced to perfection! (In ‘99 - we raced the then Detroit to Erie, PA - Trans Erie Race and took 1st OVERALL! She also set a Class Record that stood for 10 years!) There were those racers who had even stripped out cushions for weight, we sailed in comfort and even had our bridge deck air conditioner still onboard! LOL to their chagrin at the time! ...ERICSON RULES!

 

[bigd14]

Awesome to see the constant love and attention to the boat from multiple generations and to hear some of the great stories Kapnkd! It’s inspiring. So many boats are horribly neglected.

The technology may change with the times but the design is timeless!

 

[kapnkd]

Awesome to see the constant love and attention to the boat from multiple generations and to hear some of the great stories Kapnkd! It’s inspiring. So many boats are horribly neglected.

The technology may change with the times but the design is timeless!

Although “CaryOn” is in reality an inanimate object, she has been the center point of fun, adventure, competition and pride of ownership. So many times when asked what kind of boat we had, telling them we had an Ericson was responded to with an impressed response of, “Oh! ...You have an Ericson!”

I was always happy/proud to take my then VERY young son (Cary) to simply work on the boat. There was a sailboat rental and combined burger stand close by. We would go for a coke or ice cream break and share stories with the live-aboard sailors anchored in Sarasota Bay at Marina Jacks. Compliments flowed on how I took care of our boat and I always mentioned that Cary was my BIG helper. Hence, the pride of ownership was instilled forever in him as they (adults) complimented him too.

(Here he’s fishing for dinner for us back then in ‘85 just before making him half owner and changing the name to ‘CaryOn’)


When doing any major projects on the boat, I always would ask him, “What do YOU think?” and treated his responses with credibility.

I sometimes think I may have treated him too much like a credible adult early on but seeing how he’s actually doing successfully now in the adult world....I believe it all worked out perfectly.

Sure DO miss those early days when we were younger for sure...BUT...seeing his growing up successfully, our incredible bond (Thanks in part to our common love and pride of caring for our Ericson and his own LOVE of sailing) I am so grateful to have kept our beloved Ericson instead of ever trading up.

She IS indeed family as well and much more than inanimate - after all, she IS an Ericson!!