E39 info for refit

[derickson77]

Hello all,
I’ve been a member for awhile but between being remote and perhaps not using the tools right, I’ve not discovered what I’ve searched for and haven’t posted. I’ll just cut to the chase: when I search on E39 (the site appears to use tags and keywords), I get nothing, like zero hits, or a few hits, or lots of hits that aren’t at all about the 39 (flush deck). Yet I can wander endlessly and find a few references. Am I doing it wrong or are there just too few of us out here?
Currently working in a hot, dry and dusty boatyard in Puerto Peñasco MX, and having to scrounge/fab parts, but sometimes wonder, “who built the spars for this thing”, or “why in the…”, well you know that one.
My boat is Cat’s Paw, formerly Calliope, formerly Sagittarius (Long Beach Congressional Cup 1973), previously owned by Bill Neal, Marty King (yup, and I raced/sailed out of Long Beach CA and have never met him), and then Bill McNally.
Hope I can add something to a great owner’s forum someday.
Thanks,
D

 

[Christian Williams]

Most of us go immediately to Google or equivalent, and enter search terms including ericsonyachts.org. No forum search engine is in that league, and Google searches all sources, not just Ericson.

For folks with relatively rare boats, it helps to identify other owners who show up in searches, and contact them directly using "start conversation" (click user name).

You may not have seen archived info here: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/resources/categories/e39-docs.24/

Feel free to start a new thread anytime with a particular question or puzzle about the 39. This is the most centralized database, and best chance of success.

Handsome boat.

 

[Mark F]

Hi D,
Hopefully Guy will check in. He is likely a good source for E39 (flush) information.

 

[Loren Beach]

I set the site search parameters for "ericson 39 flush deck" and got several hits, including this one.
Note the Guy did check in, also. He's the guru, IMHO.

Ericson 39 flush deck feedback?

Hi all- Can owners give me feedback on the Ericson 39? I am looking at one in San Carlos, Mexico that looks well-priced and equipped. Am particularly interested in the standing headroom and handling in an aggressive chop. I am looking to sail the Sea of Cortez. I'm an experienced coastal...

ericsonyachts.org

 

[derickson77]

Thanks guys. Using each of the methods listed above, I got more hits than ever before.
so, what are the little gray boxes with what I thought were “tags” in them?
e.g., E38… E27… etc.

 

[Guy Stevens]

Happy to answer any queations.
Guy

 

[Mark F]

Happy to answer any queations.
Guy

There he is ;-)

 

[derickson77]

Happy to answer any queations.
Guy

Hello Guy, thank you for replying and offering. Sorry I drifted off, a lot can happen in a year on land, and it has. Have been back and forth to the US, but back in the boatyard in MX. Making better headway recently, and have a question.
Regarding the floor support structure just forward of the compression post/mast step - after reviewing all I could find here on the site (and examining mine and tearing it out), am I correct to conclude that this structures sole purpose in life is to support the floor at the passageway between saloon and head/forepeak? If so, couldn’t epoxied/glassed plywood be used to replace it? I saw you mention torsion elsewhere, and while I think I understand boat flex, I’m unsure what you may have meant with regard to that specific area of the boat. My thoughts are to use, well, tbd material but thinking simple, but enhance the support(s) such that it ties a little more broadly into at least the port side bulkhead, if not both sides. Maybe also make it in sections, as I am at a loss to understand the original design, don’t think it needs to be one piece, and can only imagine it was installed prior to furniture.
Appreciate the help, thanks.
D Erickson

 

[derickson77]

Hello Guy, thank you for replying and offering. Sorry I drifted off, a lot can happen in a year on land, and it has. Have been back and forth to the US, but back in the boatyard in MX. Making better headway recently, and have a question.
Regarding the floor support structure just forward of the compression post/mast step - after reviewing all I could find here on the site (and examining mine and tearing it out), am I correct to conclude that this structures sole purpose in life is to support the floor at the passageway between saloon and head/forepeak? If so, couldn’t epoxied/glassed plywood be used to replace it? I saw you mention torsion elsewhere, and while I think I understand boat flex, I’m unsure what you may have meant with regard to that specific area of the boat. My thoughts are to use, well, tbd material but thinking simple, but enhance the support(s) such that it ties a little more broadly into at least the port side bulkhead, if not both sides. Maybe also make it in sections, as I am at a loss to understand the original design, don’t think it needs to be one piece, and can only imagine it was installed prior to furniture.
Appreciate the help, thanks.
D Erickson

Shoot, more to the point Guy (sorry):
1. Can you explain a little more about the torsion you mentioned previously, what the expected causes of this torsion might be (I don’t know, in terms of sea state or wave action, funky haul out?), and, if possible, allowances?
2. With the knowledge that I do not intend to tackle the “open up the floor” task this year, as I intend to launch at the end of hurricane season and have many priority tasks remaining, what suggestions might you offer in terms of materials (understanding that complex material is difficult to come by in MX) and methods to shore up this area of the floor?
Thank you!

 

[Apalala 2001]

Hello all,
I’ve been a member for awhile but between being remote and perhaps not using the tools right, I’ve not discovered what I’ve searched for and haven’t posted. I’ll just cut to the chase: when I search on E39 (the site appears to use tags and keywords), I get nothing, like zero hits, or a few hits, or lots of hits that aren’t at all about the 39 (flush deck). Yet I can wander endlessly and find a few references. Am I doing it wrong or are there just too few of us out here?
Currently working in a hot, dry and dusty boatyard in Puerto Peñasco MX, and having to scrounge/fab parts, but sometimes wonder, “who built the spars for this thing”, or “why in the…”, well you know that one.
My boat is Cat’s Paw, formerly Calliope, formerly Sagittarius (Long Beach Congressional Cup 1973), previously owned by Bill Neal, Marty King (yup, and I raced/sailed out of Long Beach CA and have never met him), and then Bill McNally.
Hope I can add something to a great owner’s forum someday.
Thanks,
D

Hello from sv Black heart. I own a 39B, and I have the same trouble. If you figure it out would you please let me know. I hope to be where you are in a year (Puerto Penasco). Im currently refitting and am almost done. I’ll try to send a pic, but this site doesn’t let you send much.

 

[derickson77]

Hello from sv Black heart. I own a 39B, and I have the same trouble. If you figure it out would you please let me know. I hope to be where you are in a year (Puerto Penasco). Im currently refitting and am almost done. I’ll try to send a pic, but this site doesn’t let you send much.

Hello SV Black Heart. You replied to my first post, so are you having trouble finding information (the topic of my first post)? Or are you looking for information on replacing your forward floor support?
P.S. we should talk about you coming this far north on The Sea

 

[Kyle]

Hello from sv Black heart. I own a 39B, and I have the same trouble. If you figure it out would you please let me know. I hope to be where you are in a year (Puerto Penasco). Im currently refitting and am almost done. I’ll try to send a pic, but this site doesn’t let you send much.

I have a 39b down here in New Zealand with the same issues of Rusted plate and also the H beam used as a Mast base. Ive been putting it off but it has to be done soon. There's a Young couple on YouTube go by the profile (SV Bomadil) now they are currently or have refitted there 39 flush !!! the young man was showing repair/replacement to that bulk head support. I really don't know how it turned out but you maybe able to get more out of him . Best of luck , we were going to haul out this winter and attack it but simply cannot find the time in the timeframe needed to do it.

Ps theres another couple Gerbersunderway who own a 39b (SV Resande) really well maintained and sensational looking heading down from the great lakes to Florida way ...possibly Bahamas . now im sounding like a stalker.....lol

 

[Kyle]

Hello SV Black Heart. You replied to my first post, so are you having trouble finding information (the topic of my first post)? Or are you looking for information on replacing your forward floor support?
P.S. we should talk about you coming this far north on The Sea

Did you find any further information ....re that steel bulkhead support?

 

[Apalala 2001]

I have a 39b down here in New Zealand with the same issues of Rusted plate and also the H beam used as a Mast base. Ive been putting it off but it has to be done soon. There's a Young couple on YouTube go by the profile (SV Bomadil) now they are currently or have refitted there 39 flush !!! the young man was showing repair/replacement to that bulk head support. I really don't know how it turned out but you maybe able to get more out of him . Best of luck , we were going to haul out this winter and attack it but simply cannot find the time in the timeframe needed to do it.

Ps theres another couple Gerbersunderway who own a 39b (SV Resande) really well maintained and sensational looking heading down from the great lakes to Florida way ...possibly Bahamas . now im sounding like a stalker.....lol

Thanks so much for the info. I apologize in advance- it takes me a while to respond because I am busy for the season up here in Washington state.

 

[derickson77]

Hello! Sorry I’m not keeping up but I am flying through this work so I can take a break from this beautiful, hot, dusty, wind blown Mexican boatyard. I will return to Colorado for a summer stay 2-3 weeks from now to escape this 100+ temps with 70% humidity. I’ll post some photos then, if not sooner.
I haven’t heard back from Guy (may not have “tickled” him with just a comment here), whom I trust greatly, based on extensive study of his comments over time. But I haven’t time to wait so I’ve gone ahead. I was already working on the flooring and step/mast support beam, having cut that rust bucket out earlier. Actually it had only lost about 25% material in 2 beams but I am preparing for 1,000s of more miles and my mast is out (refit), so why not.
WRT the support, or mast I-beam/compression post: if you search using google search and include “ericsonyachts.org” as a search term along with, oh, “compression post”, “I beam” and “mast step” and or/steel structure and/or ”forward bulkhead” and maybe even G10, you’ll find a sweet response from Guy that is basically - remove old structure (my “I-beam“ was glassed in only), construct new, put it back. I added a 3/4” piece of G10 *below* my new mild steel structure (identical to original - it’s lasted 50 years!). The G10 is thru-bolted *from below” so the compression post just bolts on. I’ll take 3/4” off the base of my mast to make up for it (already had my new rigging in hand). I believe nearly all the forces on this compression post to be DOWNWARD, so how much or if I glass in the post is TBD just now.
With respect to the support structure under the forward bulkhead: those same search terms should turn up a lot of info, some really nice work out there. Include search terms like “forward bulkhead”, or whatever, you get the idea. I did NOT cut out my floor, yet. I want out of this yard! So I accessed via the original access panel forward in the saloon, and a new one I cut for removal of the mast step and structure.
For my below forward bulkhead structure, I cut the whole thing out. I’ve glassed in some epoxied plywood under my furniture near there, as it had started to sag. I am bolting/glassing in more plywood in the port settee (at the dining table), where the original structure (mild steel) was tabbed into the port bulkhead (as has been mentioned, the starboard side original was not tabbed in, but supported by 2 shims above the center/starboard part of the support structure, at least in my case (1971 E39, #113 if I remember correctly). I’ve also cut a piece of G10 to replace the center/starboard portion of the original structure, and will both glass it in to the below deck floor. It also has a section that fits up into the portside wall between saloon and head, which I will thru bolt (I think, this can only be about shower pan height sooooo).
I Hope that makes some sense, sorry if not. Pictures later will help immensely. Off I go to beat the morning heat! (0830 and nearly 100 now, 61% humidity).
Be well,
D

 

[derickson77]

I have a 39b down here in New Zealand with the same issues of Rusted plate and also the H beam used as a Mast base. Ive been putting it off but it has to be done soon. There's a Young couple on YouTube go by the profile (SV Bomadil) now they are currently or have refitted there 39 flush !!! the young man was showing repair/replacement to that bulk head support. I really don't know how it turned out but you maybe able to get more out of him . Best of luck , we were going to haul out this winter and attack it but simply cannot find the time in the timeframe needed to do it.

Ps theres another couple Gerbersunderway who own a 39b (SV Resande) really well maintained and sensational looking heading down from the great lakes to Florida way ...possibly Bahamas . now im sounding like a stalker.....lol

Thanks for this info.