Fellow sailors, Please give me some advice on this topic. I have a 1972 Ericson 32. Her dimensions are LOA: 31'7", Beam 9'8", Weight 8,800lbs. We like to take guests out on San Francisco Bay for viewing of the Blue Angels flight team during Fleet Week in Octobers and are looking forward to taking guest out to see the America's Cup races. I feel very capable single handling Zealous, both the genoa and mainsail, with guests onboard. If it get's a little hairy and I have to drop a sail or otherwise, rev up the iron genoa and all is fine. My question involves what is a safe load for a craft such as mine. I prefer four aboard. For special events, as I have mentioned above I will take responsibility for three couples, six passengers on board. The forward section of the cockpit can squeeze five and I'll take the aft portion and by myself handle the jib sheets off the aft winches to no one is disturbed in the forward part of the cockpit by the sheets. Guests have a good time. I've noticed in these situations that the stern rides rather low and if I run the engine the exhaust is always underwater but have had no problems. When it's not too choppy, this all works out. What I'm wondering is if I am overloading Zealous. My lovely mate has asked to bring a seventh onboard, saying there's room if someone wants to hangout on the ladder in the companionway or get out on the bow in the sun. So far I have refused on skipper's authority, but I'd rather be able to say "Zealous can only handle X number of pounds of cargo". I've added up the average weight of us six baby boomers and it's 1,100 pounds. My fuel and water tanks are usually only half full and I'm not carrying any cruising gear. Can anyone tell me what a safe "cargo and passenger" weight is for my boat in the relative calm of San Francisco Bay?
What's a safe load?
- Thread starter Gumdoc
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Frank Langer
1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Interesting question, and I've wondered the same from time to time. We have had 7 adults on board our E30+ for days sails, and 5 adults aboard for a week at a time. They were our adult kids and their spouses, so although it was cozy, it was fine.
Our E30+ is 30 foot, beam of 10' 6", displacement 9,000 pounds.
I think I would be comfortable with 7 on your boat for a daysail as long as conditions were reasonable. Guests would need to understand that it will be a full boat, and they may have to work around each other.
Also, I think it would be wise to have a pre-sail briefing, so everyone knows to hang on to the proper places, watch the boom, watch footing, what to do and not to do, etc.
Frank
Our E30+ is 30 foot, beam of 10' 6", displacement 9,000 pounds.
I think I would be comfortable with 7 on your boat for a daysail as long as conditions were reasonable. Guests would need to understand that it will be a full boat, and they may have to work around each other.
Also, I think it would be wise to have a pre-sail briefing, so everyone knows to hang on to the proper places, watch the boom, watch footing, what to do and not to do, etc.
Frank
Frank, Wow, thanks for the quick reply. I had not even finished my glass of old vine win. Seven onboard of us older baby boomers would be a lot of "tonnage". Okay for for an easy motoring up the Oakland estuary but I feel too much weight in good wind and choppy seas. I think my Ericson 32 is best described as "drinks for six, dinner for four and sleeps two". You've certainly gone way beyond that. Have you ever seen any stats or construction information on crafts our size for gross and net weight? John
Frank Langer
1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
John, I haven't seen any stats. But I can tell when the boat feels ok, or when she is wallowing. I am comfortable with up to seven for a daysail and five sleeping aboard, as long as conditions are ok and everyone is prepared to work together and get along.
But that's on my boat, others may vary.
Frank
But that's on my boat, others may vary.
Frank
Cory B
Sustaining Member
9
On our old E32 our record was nine adults on a sail. We were all relatively young-ish and fit-ish at the time, and people were all over the deck, so it didn't feel that crowded (and maybe helped with balance). Plus they were all people I knew and were comfortable with. Boat handled fine in moderate wind if I recall correctly. Nice thing about the E32 is if you are driving the boat it's easy keeping a hand on the mainsheet to keep the boat on a somewhat even keel.
And we slept 7 adults on the E32 once - just one night. Someone slept on the floor.
Record on the 35-3 was 18 adults on board, but that was mostly family and we did NOT leave the dock. I got off the boat to see how much we'd sunk, and we had nearly submerged the boot stripe, and the bow was pointed skyward.
And make sure you have good lifelines.
On our old E32 our record was nine adults on a sail. We were all relatively young-ish and fit-ish at the time, and people were all over the deck, so it didn't feel that crowded (and maybe helped with balance). Plus they were all people I knew and were comfortable with. Boat handled fine in moderate wind if I recall correctly. Nice thing about the E32 is if you are driving the boat it's easy keeping a hand on the mainsheet to keep the boat on a somewhat even keel.
And we slept 7 adults on the E32 once - just one night. Someone slept on the floor.
Record on the 35-3 was 18 adults on board, but that was mostly family and we did NOT leave the dock. I got off the boat to see how much we'd sunk, and we had nearly submerged the boot stripe, and the bow was pointed skyward.
And make sure you have good lifelines.
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You guys just are not trying hard enough....
Back in the day, we rafted up 8 or 10 Ranger 20's for happy hour after a five hour race. Just for fun we had 20 people on our 20. The floor of the cockpit had a couple of inches of water in it welling up from the drain... No stability problem, but we were not sailing either. Quite a bit of wine was involved - we were much younger then and thought we had some brain cells to spare!
The next year at the end of that same cruising race, we had 24 sailors in (and on) a Ranger 24. No problem except for some legendary hangovers the next morning.
I should note that the fixed part of the keel on the R-20 has 550# of lead. (The CB has just enough lead to make it sink.)
All good clean Fun!
LB
Back in the day, we rafted up 8 or 10 Ranger 20's for happy hour after a five hour race. Just for fun we had 20 people on our 20. The floor of the cockpit had a couple of inches of water in it welling up from the drain... No stability problem, but we were not sailing either. Quite a bit of wine was involved - we were much younger then and thought we had some brain cells to spare!
The next year at the end of that same cruising race, we had 24 sailors in (and on) a Ranger 24. No problem except for some legendary hangovers the next morning.
I should note that the fixed part of the keel on the R-20 has 550# of lead. (The CB has just enough lead to make it sink.)
All good clean Fun!
LB
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Loren,
That's just plain crazy, and I like it. I have trouble imagining just physically getting 20 people on a Ranger 20. Maybe like stuffing 20 clowns in a VW Beetle?
I'm frightened of what might try to top you.
That was about '79 or '80. Our "record" appears to be safe for another generation... of idiots...
Nowadays it would be a bunch of sailors on a Melges, most likely!
LB
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Vagabond39
Member III
The Tidewater Rainbow 24 Advertised as bringing five drunks home safe after the thunderstorm.You guys just are not trying hard enough....
Back in the day, we rafted up 8 or 10 Ranger 20's for happy hour after a five hour race. Just for fun we had 20 people on our 20. The floor of the cockpit had a couple of inches of water in it welling up from the drain... No stability problem, but we were not sailing either. Quite a bit of wine was involved - we were much younger then and thought we had some brain cells to spare!
The next year at the end of that same cruising race, we had 24 sailors in (and on) a Ranger 24. No problem except for some legendary hangovers the next morning.
I should note that the fixed part of the keel on the R-20 has 550# of lead. (The CB has just enough lead to make it sink.)
All good clean Fun!
LB
That would actually be six drunks! Here's a link that recounts the great tale of Jerry Wood, owner/founder of Annapolis Boat Rentals, request to Olin Stevens for what turned out to be a great little day sailor. As as a kid, we had a "Weekender" version, with added doghouse and a pair of quarter berths, she now slept 4. I'll never forget the night my dad engaged in mortal combat with a mosquito.... 
http://www.jwkane.com/rainbow24/
http://www.jwkane.com/rainbow24/
Vagabond39
Member III
Thank you Emerald, I stand corrected. Memory ain't what it used to be.
But to really find out how many people make a load, ask the Coast Guard folks that intercept the Hatians. Safe is a very vague concept to some.
But to really find out how many people make a load, ask the Coast Guard folks that intercept the Hatians. Safe is a very vague concept to some.
adam
Member III
Relatively calm of the SF Bay?
"Video - Big Boat Knockdowns on the SF Bay"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG3jA6Fswak
I guess the question would be relative to what.
Randy Rutledge
Sustaining Member
I know a night sail on a lake is not the bay. We have had 16 on my E29 and she had the feel of a solo cruise. It would not be unusual to have six or seven on a race crew on a 30 footer so why would that be near max load. Don't have everyone on one side of the boat if there is a large crowd and don't forget PFD's for everyone. If haveing a very large number just make it a BYO PFD party.
mherrcat
Contributing Partner
Apparently 27 is too many for a 34-foot Silverton...
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/0...cht-capsizes-near-oyster-bay/?test=latestnews
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/0...cht-capsizes-near-oyster-bay/?test=latestnews
SurabyaKid
Member III
I instantly remembered this thread when I saw the news this morning. The whole situation reminds me of the Mcgregor overloading a few years back and of how preventable this type of accident is. Condolences to the families of the children lost last evening.
Pat
Pat
Vagabond39
Member III
Silverton
Folklore has it that Lightning and Thunder can cause a herd of cattle to stampede. Fireworks may have the same audio visual over stimulation.
Folklore has it that Lightning and Thunder can cause a herd of cattle to stampede. Fireworks may have the same audio visual over stimulation.
Vagabond39
Member III
Easier to rearange to where weight is needed than sandbags.