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Looking at a 35 year old E38...I'm I crazy?

kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
I'm looking to buy my first sail boat. So here I am looking at a 35year old E38 as I like the lines and solid bones of the Ericson 38. It appears to have had a refit carried out back in 1999. However, the engine is still original although it was reconditioned a few years back, fuel and water tanks are original stainless steel, stove is original, needs a new autopilot, and it will need a holding tank to be installed as it only has a Type I MSD installed. Basically it looks like a winter project boat, the work doesn't worry me so much as the cost to get her back in the water. As a little background I have electrical engineering experience and mechanical ability and I don't mind getting my hands dirty. The question is I'm I crazy to invest time and money into her based on her age?
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I'm looking to buy my first sail boat. So here I am looking at a 35year old E38 as I like the lines and solid bones of the Ericson 38. It appears to have had a refit carried out back in 1999. However, the engine is still original although it was reconditioned a few years back, fuel and water tanks are original stainless steel, stove is original, needs a new autopilot, and it will need a holding tank to be installed as it only has a Type I MSD installed. Basically it looks like a winter project boat, the work doesn't worry me so much as the cost to get her back in the water. As a little background I have electrical engineering experience and mechanical ability and I don't mind getting my hands dirty. The question is I'm I crazy to invest time and money into her based on her age?

No, not crazy, altho buying any sail boat could be interpreted as a sign of mild derangement... :rolleyes:

The age would not concern me a bit. EY started building that model in late '79, so an '81 model is early but not too early.
A survey will tell you what you need to know. Your description does mention some details that puzzle me, tho. Based on experience with models from the mid-80's, those boats came with aluminum fuel tanks and roto-molded plastic water tanks, not ss. (SS is not recommended for use with diesel fuel.)
I would bet that that factory installed a roto-molded holding tank with provision for evacuation to a shoreside pump out or pumping out to the ocean in areas where legal.

What is the asking price and is this particular one listed on YW or on the 'net somewhere? Can you post up a link?

Regards,
Loren
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
>>>>I have electrical engineering experience and mechanical ability and I don't mind getting my hands dirty.

Where have you been?

Seriously, an '81 Ericson is often a bargain platform capable of fulfilling any imagination. Now we need to talk about price and specifics and the next few years of your life.


 

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
It's never polite to,walk in the asylum and use the word "crazy".....lol. Nurse Rachett says a 35 year old E-boat is as good as any as long as it has been cared for. Now, about those meds:0
 

kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
those boats came with aluminum fuel tanks and roto-molded plastic water tanks, not ss. (SS is not recommended for use with diesel fuel.)
I would bet that that factory installed a roto-molded holding tank with provision for evacuation to a shoreside pump out or pumping out to the ocean in areas where legal.

Hi Loren, I'm going on what the seller stated as the SS tanks being original. Like you I thought aluminum was more standard. The lack of a holding tank is a big issue. Question where was the original holding tank located in the E38 with the forward head layout?
 
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kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
>>>>I have electrical engineering experience and mechanical ability and I don't mind getting my hands dirty.

Where have you been?

Seriously, an '81 Ericson is often a bargain platform capable of fulfilling any imagination. Now we need to talk about price and specifics and the next few years of your life.



Exactly my thoughts! The problem is the admiral got to view a Beneteau 361 before the E38, so you can imagine her thoughts. Though she thinks that with some elbow grease and $$ the E38 could be polished up.
 

footrope

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Not crazy until you buy it!

Our holding tank was advertised as 15 gallons. Not huge, IMO. It is an L-shaped tank in the forward half of the dinette seat storage. One of us can get you the tank ID and you can probably get an exact replacement.

When I was poking around the fuel tank I initially thought it was steel also. But it is aluminum and original. So, I agree with Christian on that.

The engine might bear checking out. It would be a Universal 5432, if it is the original. These engines are very good, but things can go wrong after 35 years, as I found out recently.

We love our E38 and will be back on the water as soon as possible.
 

kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
Our holding tank was advertised as 15 gallons. Not huge, IMO. It is an L-shaped tank in the forward half of the dinette seat storage. One of us can get you the tank ID and you can probably get an exact replacement.

When I was poking around the fuel tank I initially thought it was steel also. But it is aluminum and original. So, I agree with Christian on that.

The engine might bear checking out. It would be a Universal 5432, if it is the original. These engines are very good, but things can go wrong after 35 years, as I found out recently.

We love our E38 and will be back on the water as soon as possible.

I'll need to check the tanks again maybe they are aluminum rather than SS. The Electro Scan MSD is located under the forward port side dinette seat, so replacing it again with a holding tank should be doable. Yes, the engine is a big unknown until it can be test run during a survey.
 

kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
I'm Crazy After All!

Well my wife has been calling me crazy for years now and I wouldn't want to disappoint her now after all these years so I've taken the first BIG step towards owning a 1981 E38. :egrin:

Now in other news I'm looking for a new autopilot. It looks like the options are fairly thin with it really down to the Raymarine EVO-100 wheel pilot or the EVO-200 under deck linear drive. Suggestions?
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I just installed an EV-100 wheel pilot, my second such product. Works well up to about 15 knots of wind, handles all motoring and is remarkably inexpensive for what you get.

For self-steering when the whitecaps build a heftier unit is required.
 

kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
I just installed an EV-100 wheel pilot, my second such product. Works well up to about 15 knots of wind, handles all motoring and is remarkably inexpensive for what you get.

For self-steering when the whitecaps build a heftier unit is required.
That's great to know. Where did you mount the control head?
 

Fathomoslack

Junior Member
I'm looking to buy my first sail boat. So here I am looking at a 35year old E38 as I like the lines and solid bones of the Ericson 38. It appears to have had a refit carried out back in 1999. However, the engine is still original although it was reconditioned a few years back, fuel and water tanks are original stainless steel, stove is original, needs a new autopilot, and it will need a holding tank to be installed as it only has a Type I MSD installed. Basically it looks like a winter project boat, the work doesn't worry me so much as the cost to get her back in the water. As a little background I have electrical engineering experience and mechanical ability and I don't mind getting my hands dirty. The question is I'm I crazy to invest time and money into her based on her age?

The major issue, having rebuilt/built 4 sailboats now-- is can you afford a boat at all? If you can, refurbishing the E38 will cost a quarter of what a new boat would-- so it's certainly a deal. Where the crazy comes in is getting into a project one can't see through, as an unfinished boat is worth nothing, and exactly the kinds of projects I like to purchase, and just did. Don't get yourself in the same spot.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Kiwi,

Raymarine doesn't make a bracket mount for the P70 control head. It's bulkhead-mount only. I will leave aside my opinion of that Raymarine thumb in your eye.

I just drew a plastic box and had a plastics shop make it to the specs. One version used a Garmin bracket, to match the chartplotter next to it.

My current version is a larger 1/4" acrylic console to house wind, a Garmin 7" chartplot/sonar, and the P70.

For binnacle mounting you can also buy a market console, or adapt a 5" junction box, or make one out of mahogany. Some of us mount the P70 in the cockpit wall. I think that's the way Loren is set up.

You wind up steering with the P70--just pushing buttons to dodge paddleboarders in harbor or to adjust course elsewhere, so a mount near the steering position is necessary.

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kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
Kiwi,

Raymarine doesn't make a bracket mount for the P70 control head. It's bulkhead-mount only......

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Christian, I was looking at using the following Edson single instrument navpod to mount the control head although it seems expensive at $210 for what it is. http://www.edsonmarine.com/marinestore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=99&products_id=872

Vision%20SINGLE%20housing.jpg


I could then mount it on the center of the grab bar, if it will fit, above the existing large navpod station.
 
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kiwisailor

Member III
Blogs Author
It's official I'm crazy!

Well it's official that I am crazy as I'm now the new owner of a 1981 E38 #53. My wife has been calling me crazy for years and I didn't want to disappoint her now with 30 years of marriage so may as well buy a boat that needs a little project work.

List of things to do has grown exponentially in 2 days! The focus for this winter is on bottom work including new thru hulls/seacocks and rigging.
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Very exciting. I think you will like the E38, and will feel the work and expense of improving it worth the time and effort.
 
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