Looking for a 34-2, 333 or 32-200 on the Great Lakes
- Thread starter Paul2112
- Start date
Great choices! We were shopping for an Ericson (32 to 34 size) when found our Olson 34. Lost a deal on an E-32-200, just before finding our boat, back in 1994. Still happy with the choice.
Good luck to you.
Good luck to you.
FWIW, the 34-2 (also the "350", which is the same hull & rig) is different from the 32-200 in a few ways that may or may not matter to you:
- Headroom: a lot better in the 34-2. If you are over 6 feet tall, the difference is quite significant. This is actually the reason I got a 34-2 / 350 -- and I am glad I did in retrospect. Ironically, I was steered that way by, of all people, a broker whose 32 I was looking at who saw me stooped over down below. I remain grateful (and impressed at the person's decency).
Minor other notes include:
- Christian Williams has commented (somewhere on this board I think) that the 32-200 handles a bit closer to a dinghy than his 38. My guess is the 34-2 may be in the middle there, but it does not feel lively like I remember other 32 footers. (Note: I own a 34-2/350 and like it a lot; this is not a complaint). If you want something closer to a smaller boat feel, the 32 will feel noticeably different from a 34-2 (which is actually 35 LOA)
- The (handily peforated) toerail on the 32-200 runs all the ray to the bow; on the 34-2 (or at least the 350) the outer/gunwale genoa track stops short of the shrouds. This may or may not matter to you; it seems very nice.
- You probably already know, but I learned, that sail cost scales like LOA^2 (length * height, which are related; ~ 20% more for 34-2 which is really 35) and slip fees also scale roughly like area so again may be 20% lower for the 32. Hull cleaning scales by LOA. Loads on lines (ease of sheeting/winching, weight of sails when raising) scale like LOA^2... the 32 will be cheaper to own and easier to sail.
Anyway, I am quite happy with my 34-2 / 350, and do not wish I had a 32, but... if you fit in the 32 the above are worth considering.
Happy hunting.
PS: I have no idea where the Olson 34 fits here... Loren may be able to comment. a 6'3" person can stand upright in a good part of the 34-2 cabin area without their head touching the liner.
- Headroom: a lot better in the 34-2. If you are over 6 feet tall, the difference is quite significant. This is actually the reason I got a 34-2 / 350 -- and I am glad I did in retrospect. Ironically, I was steered that way by, of all people, a broker whose 32 I was looking at who saw me stooped over down below. I remain grateful (and impressed at the person's decency).
Minor other notes include:
- Christian Williams has commented (somewhere on this board I think) that the 32-200 handles a bit closer to a dinghy than his 38. My guess is the 34-2 may be in the middle there, but it does not feel lively like I remember other 32 footers. (Note: I own a 34-2/350 and like it a lot; this is not a complaint). If you want something closer to a smaller boat feel, the 32 will feel noticeably different from a 34-2 (which is actually 35 LOA)
- The (handily peforated) toerail on the 32-200 runs all the ray to the bow; on the 34-2 (or at least the 350) the outer/gunwale genoa track stops short of the shrouds. This may or may not matter to you; it seems very nice.
- You probably already know, but I learned, that sail cost scales like LOA^2 (length * height, which are related; ~ 20% more for 34-2 which is really 35) and slip fees also scale roughly like area so again may be 20% lower for the 32. Hull cleaning scales by LOA. Loads on lines (ease of sheeting/winching, weight of sails when raising) scale like LOA^2... the 32 will be cheaper to own and easier to sail.
Anyway, I am quite happy with my 34-2 / 350, and do not wish I had a 32, but... if you fit in the 32 the above are worth considering.
Happy hunting.
PS: I have no idea where the Olson 34 fits here... Loren may be able to comment. a 6'3" person can stand upright in a good part of the 34-2 cabin area without their head touching the liner.
The O-34 has a solid 6'2" headroom, but no more than that. Interesting trivia is that the E-32-2 has about 6'4" headroom ( a tall friend of mine has sailed one of those for decades).
It is best to have real-world measurements when considering different boat models.
Quite a few Ericson's have their actual measured berth sizes in this thread. If you have a model not listed, please measure yours and post the results. Thanks!
ericsonyachts.org
Quite a few Ericson's have their actual measured berth sizes in this thread. If you have a model not listed, please measure yours and post the results. Thanks!
Actual Berth Size (Master Thread)
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=7522 This current thread is getting into assessing the "sleeping accommodations" on the Ericson 38 series, and I thought it would be useful to transition to a fresh thread with some comparative stats on the various Ericsons. This topic...