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New to sailboats and looking for advice!

Belle2009

New Member
Hello everyone,

I am looking to get a sailboat for myself and I need some advice on what to get. I live on the south shore of Long Island and I am looking for a boat that I can do a cruise to Block Island, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, or Cape May. However, I would like to also have a boat where I can race in a local cruising club.

What model Ericson would work for my needs? I was looking at an Ericson 27 but I don't know if that boat would be good for ocean cruising and racing. What are your thoughts?

Thanks
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Can you expand a bit on your prior sailing experience and boat ownership background?
Do you have a purchase budget and annual expense budget at least roughed out?

There are several smaller Ericsons that would do what you want, and I am duty-bound to mention the (Ericson) Olson 911, which is 30' long. :)

Welcome to the group!

Loren, in distant Portland OR
 

Belle2009

New Member
Thanks for the quick reply. I know very little about sailboats. I've been on powerboats my entire life. I have friends that are willing to teach me how to sail though...

I wouldn't mind a fixer upper. I've restored boats in the past...
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Thanks for the quick reply. I know very little about sailboats. I've been on powerboats my entire life. I have friends that are willing to teach me how to sail though...
I wouldn't mind a fixer upper. I've restored boats in the past...

Well, if you have spent time on the water in powerboats, you already know something about engine care-n-feeding...
And, about handling a boat and docking it -- both subjects that can cause a lot of stress to new owners.

There's an aux. engine in a sailboat, albeit smaller, and if it's a diesel, simpler. Regular maintenance will be easy, if it's a diesel.

Sails and rigging will be new worlds to explore, but there are excellent books to guide you.

Gotta say... if you have access to sailing with friends, and moreover sailing with friends that race, that's the fastest way to gain wind-reading skills and sail trimming skills as well.

Good luck on your quest, whatever boat you find.

:egrin:
 
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I had an Ericson 27 for 30+ years. Sold it a year ago. It did everything I asked of it and more. Sailed it to Cuba and back from Tampa Bay, so it took big water fine. Were I to do it again, though, I would put a Bomar hatch on it, ahead of the mast. Big waves in the Straits of Florida. I raced it a lot. Many podium finishes. The last race we beat the second place boat in our class across the finish line by 6:24. Good sails and great crew. My boat was outboard powered.
Were I to do it again, I'd want refrigeration, hot water shower, slightly bigger galley and, because I live in Florida, AC. That means more weight and a slower boat for racing. But racing doesn't mean to me today what it used to. An Ericson is a great boat. I was lucky to find one when I wanted one in 1976. To me, an autopilot is mandatory. But so is experience. Big adventures come with seasoning.
 

Pokey

Member II
While I've never sailed an E27, I can say that a 27 foot sailboat is a good sized boat to learn on.

A beginning skipper and inexperienced mate can easily handle a keel boat up to about 27 feet in light to moderate conditions. But the same two people are more likely to get into trouble in a 30-footer.

This is because sail-handling requires significantly more physical effort and often more complex systems on a 30 foot boat.

Another consideration is that you'll learn to sail faster in a smaller boat. A small boat takes fewer people to sail, and that means that each sailor gets to do more sailing. The helmsmen of a 27-footer will almost surely also handle the mainsail. On a 30-footer, the main is typically handled by a dedicated mainsail trimmer. And you really can't learn to sail without a mainsheet in your hand.

One final thought on size: Most people don't keep their first boat all that long. As a beginner, you don't even know that you'll enjoy the sport. And you don't yet know what kind of sailing you'll really be doing. Many people dream of spending every weekend cruising to distant (or nearby) destinations. But in fact, most sailboats, even fully decked out cruisers, are used primarily as day-sailors. And it's just as much fun day-sailing a small boat as a bigger one.

So it makes sense to go small for your first boat. If after a season of sailing, you find you really enjoy it, and/or want to cruise more, trade up to a bigger boat. By then, you'll know what kind of boat is best for you.</SPAN></SPAN>
 

CaptDan

Member III
On a 30-footer, the main is typically handled by a dedicated mainsail trimmer. And you really can't learn to sail without a mainsheet in your hand.

Unmodified 70s era Ericsons up to 35 feet (and beyond) feature helm accessible mainsheets and travelers. Despite the cockpit space deficit, this is one of the advantages of those designs, IMO. Easy access to the mainsheet makes for a safer, more enjoyable sailing experience.

That said, I agree that a 27 - or 29 - foot Ericson would be a great first boat; properly equipped it could easily be a keeper boat for many people too. I think it's really about accomodation space, number of crew, and distances sailed. Besides, a 27 footer hauled out on yard stands magically becomes a 32 footer when viewed from the bottom painting position. :)

Capt Dan G> E35II "Kunu"
 

Belle2009

New Member
Thanks guys. I think the27 would be a good boat for me starting out. It probably be a good first boat to learn on plus I can stay on it for a weekend. Thanks again!
 

Gumdoc

Member I
All great advice. Let me add my two cents. After maybe three sails aboard an Oday 35 and one on a Cal 40 (tillered) I made the plunge to buy my first boat. I'm over 60 and live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Two and a half years ago I shopped rather quickly for a boat. I had retired and was getting bored quickly. I wanted a boat of 30 feet with wheel steering, even though I learned to sail with a tiller on 20 footers in Hawaii a long time ago. I wanted a wheel so I'd have more room for guest in the cockpit and more importantly, so I could turn the helm over to my wife when need be. When I began shopping I quickly came upon an Ericson 32, from 1972. She was in good shape and had 6'2" headroom in the galley. I'm 6'2" and shrinking, so in bare feet I can stand when below. Accomodations are pretty good. I was a bit perplexed by the "skipper's cockpit" behind the wheel with the mainsheet just ahead of the wheel and the traveler where I had to step over it to get in the cockpit. No other boat was like that. It was a good decision. After sailing a lot, and alone, for the past two years, I just love it. When sailing alone I can trim the main with my right hand and steer with my left. It's become automatic. I have all lines lead aft so not only can I do that, I can raise the main, and reef it without leaving the main cockpit. I sail my genoa a lot. I've learned to use my spinnaker winches and their jam cleats which are again at an arms lenght away from the wheel. So, if you have any Ericson 32's in your market, give them a look. Don't let the size dissuade you. You won't be disappointed. They will probably have wheel steering and the extra five feet adds to comfort. Oh, BTW, my marina allows overhang so I pay only for a 30 foot slip: another savings. Hope this helps. I've attached a picture of the cockpit so you can see the winch setup. The dodger was in for repair and the mainsheet is strung from the boom for storage. Oh, and another thing, with the mainsheet right in front of the skipper, jibbing is much easier. Just grab the mainsheet and ease the boom over. If you do find an Ericson, one of the best things you'll get is this great community. Good luck.
 

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e38 owner

Member III
thoughts

I think in looking for a first boat answering some basic questions is helpful.

!. How many people do you want to sail with and stay on the boat.
A wheel is nice for short handed sailing
Self Tailing winches help alot too.
Roller furling can be helpful
To club race a decent sails are needed
Standing headroom, a functional head are helpful
What type of engine. A inboard is nice when you need it
How strong is your crew and what distance to you want to sail.
What type of wind is in your area.
How does the boat perform in those condtions
Do you want hot water, refrigeration etc.
What are slip fees in your area and how to they vary by size
What boats are in the fleet you want to race against. It is often hard if you are the highest rating.

That being said boats similar to the Ericson 32-200 or Olsens do many of the above well

Ussually you are much better off finding a used boat with what you need than trying to add it. A few less boat bucks.
 
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jengels

Member II
Belle, I just saw this thread now. I have an E-30+ in Mt. Sinai harbor, I live in Wading River. I'd be happy to help you out.

John
 

Don Smith

Member II
Where I live there's an outfit which gives sailing lessons and rents 26ft to 45ft bareboat sailboats by the day. You might want to try this if it's available in your area. It might help you decide what size sailboat is right for you, or whether you really like sailing.

I had a colleague at work who I took sailing and she liked it so much that she and her parents (who had the money!) decided to buy a sailboat. She was full of questions as to what to buy and at my suggestion tried renting They went out several times during the summer and eventually decided that sailboating is not for them.

Captain Don
Gitana E26
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
One of the hardest things for everyone, long-time sailors included, is predicting how you will actually use the boat--and unfortunately that's the answer to the boat you need. How much will you be crusing, how much daysailing, how much alone, how much with burly crew, is there a lady who wants nothing more than a weekend on the water with a pump toilet, or is the lady busy with horses or kids or tends to go to the office on SAturday. In fifty years I have found this equation to change constantly with companions, income, geography, children and other variables. It is still a long thought for me when considering buying a boat: beyond the possibilities, what is the likely actuality?

Anyhow, you never really learn to sail in a cruising boat. Yeah you learn anchoring and docking and diesel engines and bottom paint and all that stuff.

If learning to sail appeals to you, buy a Laser first. It will be the most fun on the water you'll ever have, including that Hinckley 50 in your future.
 

Sean Engle

Your Friendly Administrator
Administrator
Founder
Asa...asa....asa...asa...asa...

My advice to start first with the ASA (American Sailing Association)- and find an instructor/school near you that is rated by them. You should take some lessons if you've been on power boats all your life (the horror! :rolleyes:) - and sailing is a bit different, and you'll find that while sailboats are much more exacting and accurate than powerboats - we don't have the luxury of putting the throttle down and leaving (we put the throttle down, go get some coffee, then come back to see if we're up to 7 knots yet).

The E27 is a good size boat - easily handled by one person - big enough for a couple to go out on weekends, etc. I had a 35-3, which (I feel) was easily single handed - but I've also been sailing and crewing since I was about 10, owned my first boat at 15, etc - so....and even then things can get goofy quickly...

Before you buy you'll really want to think some about what you expect to do with the boat - what your hopes are, etc. When I started all of this, I thought I wanted a hard-nosed New England clipper (Cape Dory) - but soon discovered that I really enjoyed entertaining - and sailing reasonably fast, etc - and the 35-3 was it for me. You'll learn a lot about yourself when you take some time to really look into what it is your hope/expect to get from this adventure. It's really, really, REALLY easy to get swept away and head into a bigger boat (especially now - when there are lots on the market) - but be cautious and know what it is you want. But....

Start with some lessons. You did not get your drivers license first, then learn to drive - please learn the 'rules of the road' and how to handle things - for your safety, your crew/passengers safety and to avoid unpleasant stories here.... Besides - sailing lessons are loads of fun, you'll learn a ton and when you get your boat you'll enjoy yourself much, much more...

Just my $.02.... :egrin:

//sse
 
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