Ocean Sailing

[Bolo]

Hello all and Merry Christmas! I was just sitting here, smelling the cookies my wife is making and thinking about our Ericson 32 which is now out of the water and on the hard for the winter. I was wondering how well our Ericson 32, or any other Ericson for that matter, handles in the open ocean. We sail out of Annapolis and I've only be sailing for about 6 years and so far never in the ocean. We were hoping to make it down to Norfolk next year and take out boat out into the ocean for a short distance.

Now I know that it's not going to be like a "passage" to someplace and we'd probably not do it if the conditions were not safe. But I'd like to try it and am curious how the boat would handle. I know ocean conditions can vary greatly and so I'm asking, of you Ericson owners who have ocean sailed with your boat (especially a 32), how do they handle?

 

[Frank Langer]

There is a Norwegian sailor who is currently sailing an Ericson 29 on the ocean--I think he was around India recently, if I recall, when he emailed me in response to my asking him a similar question. He said his E29 was doing well on the ocean--needed to fix a few portlight leaks, maybe enlarge the cockpit scuppers, but otherwise said all was well. He had been sailing on the ocean for quite awhile. He has a few posts on this website, and has his own site as well--something like "Kjell", and you will find it if you do a search on that name.
It will be interesting to see how others respond, as there have been a few posts, even recently, about ocean sailing--but mostly 35 and 38s I think.
Frank

 

[Phil MacFarlane]

A 32 competed in the 2000 single handed trans pac and did very well. Then was sailed back to San Fransicsco and is now just down the dock from my 35.
I'd say it's a good ocean boat.

Merry Christmas

Phil
Sail a Vie 184

 

[windjunkee]

Bolo,

Our Ericson 32 is only sailed on the ocean. We've done coastal sailing and racing and she does wonderfully. When the swells are up, she hobby-horses a little, but we've been able to minimize that through redistribution of weight and rudder control.

We're taking her in a 1200 mile race this february. We're the smallest boat in the fleet by far. The next-closest rated boat is a phrf 114 (we rate phrf 180) My partner and I have made several modifications to make her more seaworthy, so this should be fun. I can't wait.

For those interested in tracking the race, each competitor will be fitted with a gps transponder. Log on to www.pv07.com and click on "Position Reports". Our start is February 16, 2007.

Enjoy the sail down to Norfolk

Jim McCone
Voice of Reason E-32-2 hull #134
Redondo Beach, CA