While sailing yesterday, I spotted an Ericson 35 I often
see on a mooring, up on it's side on the beach yesterday.
At frist I thought it was agound. When I saw that it was
covered with shellfish on its bottom and looked like crap
-much the way my boat looked when I purchased it, I
decided he might be careening it.

Later I saw a few people working on it and realized it was
being careened. Still later it was flipped over to present
its port side to the waves.

Today, while out sailing I was checking out the boat. I
got caught in a front coming through and forgot about the
boat for a while fighting wind and current until things calmed
down. It was looking pretty good-clean bottom, and on the
way back to the marina, I sailed over to the 5' depth line,
parallel to the shore and checked it out. I thought I saw
someone I recognized and waved. When I got back in, I
decided to drive over, say hello to my friend Pat, and
introduce myself. The deck and topsides are all done, and
now that the bottom was clean, it was clear the boat was
nearly done.

I felt like I just met a brother I never knew I had. We were
nearly the same age, close to the same height, etc. Both
of us were soaking wet from the rain--despite our foul
weather gear. Like me, he'd spent many years sailing in
California too-he grew up there. He started sailing about
the same time I did. Like me his Ericson came cheap
-his one for only $50-a bit better deal than mine because
it was in much worse shape, and he was fixing it up on his
own for the most part. Like my my 46-his Ericson is a
1973 model designed by Bruce King. His boat needed lots
of core replacement on the deck, new paint and engine work.
My boat has one deck area where I'm debating some core
replacement-but I'm fortunate in that it is not serious. I just
replaced my engine and painted the hull a few years ago. He
repaired his engine and paint topsides and deck. He
replaced all his hatches because they were missing-gone
completely, mine are all there, but I need to replace one that
leaks.

He was getting ready to put in a three burner stove, and I had to
laugh as I have a three burner stove purchased and was getting
ready to put in soon! I'm going to invite him over to the yacht
club, because I know he is looking for a slip for the boat too.

The funny part was when he was telling me about racing a
Beneteau and how he literally sailed circles around it three
times. I love to do that. I think I have a new friend. Doug,
next time you come up I'll introduce you to him. We can go out
looking out for Beneteaus. Should I paint shark's jaws on my
bow? It is a small world.

The funny part was when he was telling me about racing a
Beneteau and how he literally sailed circles around it three
times.


Around which Beneteau, Bart? As you might know, 1st series Beneteau's
will toast any Ericson 35. The III from Bruce King was a fast boat, but
1 & 2 were pretty slow. The Mark III version is still outrun by the
older Beneteau 1st 345 for example. And the Beneteau's of that era
don't have core issues which are now legendary on Ericson. As a broker
I've turned away quite a few Ericsons all on delamination issues.
We never bothered with them due to the dated look and way-too-small
berths that are only 6'6 long, useless if you're over 6 feet tall. BTW,
there is a late model E34 at my club that I've sailed and it's a sweet
sailing boat and a HUGE step up in quality with PS at the helm. Older
Ericsons, along with Cals, Columbia's and O'Days are for folks who
don't "know" or have few resources. There are simply nicer boats out
there.....though I reserve a spot in my heart for the Independence line
and the flush deck 39 which sails GREAT!
A E35 MKIII should be faster than a Beneteau Oceanis 351. but not
enough to sail circles around it...maybe really big circles!


RB
35s5
NY

It's not hard when the Beneteau sailor doesn't
know sail trim.

Capt. Rob wrote:
The funny part was when he was telling me about racing a
Beneteau and how he literally sailed circles around it three
times.

Bart wrote:
It's not hard when the Beneteau sailor doesn't
know sail trim.




Oh my.
Did you ever learn what kind of rig a Hunter 43 has?



RB
35s5
NY

"Bart" wrote
| While sailing yesterday, I spotted an Ericson 35 I often
| see on a mooring, up on it's side on the beach yesterday.\


So you *do* go sailing. My mistake. I apologize about that other post of mine. The one
where you were always working on your boat. I thought you never sailed.


Cheers,
Ellen