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New sails to race an Ericson 26

Richard Sigismo

New Member
I've had my 1988 Ericson 26, Popeye, since 1990. My family and I used it to cruise across the Great South Bay for day trips to Fire Island. I've done pursuit races in the past but lost my crew to golf and family. I now have a young and energetic crew to club race. They are inexperienced and I am a rusty skipper but our chief problem is we have the original sails! I'd like input as to what to look for and how much should I expect to pay for a new main and a 135 genoa. I've never hada spinnaker before, in part because I didn't have ample crew. Now I do. I'd like input on rigging this boat for a spinnaker.
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
Lots to discuss

Will you be racing under PHRF? If so, you will need a 150-155% genoa..What are your options for spinnnakers?can you go "non-spin"? can you use an A-sail? get the picture?

I can help a lot more if I know what kind of racing and under what rules you will be sailing...
Over....
S
 

rssailor

Moderator
Race rigging

Richard,
Contact me off line if you need advice on rigging your boat for racing. I have extensivly raced moonglow. Our boats are pretty much the same as far as rigs. Be thankful that you have the TFG. My boat does not and has had some sturctuaral cracking from being sailed hard by me. I have fixed the cracking and really like the boat. Ryan
 

Ernest

Member II
Dreaded 5432

I am now sailing without engine (Sonar). However all these overheating problems may be due to having a bigger pitched prop than the boat should. First check if you can reach the rated maximum RPM in forward at least momentarily. If you can't, Then check that you can reach it in neutral. If you can reach it in neutral but can't in forward, then your prop pitch is too big and will give you all the rising temps everyone is talking about when running over about 2400 RPM. I miss the Ericson but not the expense and the complications. Ernie Schlesinger.
P. S - David, I still want that sail on you Indepence 31 when in the Annapolis area (the one we put off last year)
 

windjunkee

Member III
Listen to Seth on the sails issue.

I have an Ericson 32-2, vintage 1970, with sails that looked as old as the boat. 90 percent of her use is racing so good sails were important. Seth seems to know everyone in the sailing industry. He pointed me to several different people to talk to at various sail lofts. I ended up going with Ullman, who are a little more expensive, but their customer service is outstanding.

I got a kevlar 155 genoa, mylar full-batten #3 jib, Max-size 1/2 oz symmetrical spinnaker. We have a dacron main which still has life in it, but I'm looking to change it before february.

We also have other sails in the inventory, but the new ones are the ones we use racing.

When rigging the boat for a symmetrical spinnaker, you have to have several things:
1 Track on the forward part of the mast. We just run a manual stop static ring to clip the pole into, with enough track to accomodate high clews and low ones.
2. Reaching Strut. We found when reaching hard, the pressure from the afterguy on the stanchions was incredible. That we didn't bend or break several of them is still a wonder. We ended up making a reaching strut out of a whisker pole. We put short pieces of 1 inch track on the lower part of each side of the mast, and ran a manual stop static ring to that.
3. Tweeners. These aren't difficult to make and can be used instead of the reaching strut. We used extra lines and put a block on the rail at the beam. Then we used snatch blocks (actually purchased a couple from REI) and we clip them onto the spin sheets. We feed them through cam cleats placed just outside the cockpit near the rail. We can close down or open up the leeches on the chute with these.
4. Spin pole topping lift. Midway up the mast, enough line to be able to keep it rigged to the pole but out of the way when you're beating.
5. Turning block on the foredeck for foreguy (spin pole downhaul). We run this back to the cockpit through a new cam cleat.
6. Spin blocks. We have ours attached at the very stern of the boat on each rail, but the suggestion is to move them forward a bit to get them outboard another 6 inches (our stern is kinda pinched). We have designated spin winches (harken #32), but on a smaller boat I don't think they're absolutely necessary.
7. Spin halyard. We used sta set 3/8" for our spin halyard. There's not as much concern about the line stretching with the spinnaker up. Who cares if theres a little bounce in it, really? We have our run through a sheave at the top of the mast that is forward and above the jib halyard.

Can't think of anything else right now but I'm sure there's more

Jim McCone
Voice of Reason E-32-2 Hull #134
 
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