We are a hardy little subsection of the Ericson (Viking) kingdom.
Just post up questions as you wish. After all, it's little different than differentiating between trivia about an early 70's Ericson and a mid-80's one-- they are about as different.
If you have rain and spray leaks around the *outside* of your spar, you need to renew the seal that once was present (one piece vinyl) around the spar and cinched to the SS deck fitting with a large screw clamp. It that piece is gone, you will have to use an after market solution like the one at the chandlers that you trim to fit and glue together. We still have the original "boot", altho it is in two pieces... and glued together. It has been covered for years with a sunbrella outer cover that keeps the UV from ruining it any further. No leaks. I have a picture of it in my blog.
And then there is the (in)famous O-34 port list. Too much furniture on the starboard side, is my take on it. With only 39 (or 40) finished hulls in existence, they never got to a Mk 2 production version and addressed stuff like that.
Our boat, hull #8, did *not* have any lead bars under the starb. settee. What I did discover was that the stock Ronco 23 gallon water tank there sat on a glassed-in wood 4X4 against the bottom. There was a lot of wasted space under and behind that tank. I removed that tank and ground out the wood "riser", and then laid down some extra layers of roving on the hull and up onto the bulkhead at each end for strength. Then built a mock up for a new 38 gallon tank. That SS tank rests on the hull. When that tank is full the boat floats level.
(Tare weight for that tank is about 75 or 80#, and a full tank will hold about 315# of water.)
This solved the list and greatly increased our cruising range.
I also moved the battery charger from under the port cockpit seat hatch to the back of the bulkhead by the galley (i.e. inside the aft cabin).
And...... I ground off that heavy 1" plywood shelf along the hull under that same seat hatch. Replaced it with 1/2" honeycomb.
And..... moved the hot water tank, after the shell rusted out, and I bought a new 4 gallon one, to the area under the nav. seat.
And ground off all the old plywood support for that orig. water heater.
Like Craig, I mounted the fridge compressor under the galley module. This encourages you to keep some cold beer in the fridge, and helps to balance the boat!
Like Grizz, i have also reduced other weighty bits, like replacing all of the seat/settee storage covers (orig. plywood) with honeycomb, especially on the port side. Ditto for those heavy teak hatch boards -- now a feathery one piece honeycomb section.
It's been a continuing process, but then we've owned the boat since '94.
Regards,
Loren