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Thoughts on a 1970 E29?

DEC2017

New Member
I see a 1970 re-powered E29 advertised that looks like it has been well maintained and am wondering if anyone has any experience with this vintage. It is a significant distance away and I am trying to do some research prior to arranging to see it.
It looks like the chain plates are visible in the photos, as opposed to the later embedded chain plates, and it also does not appear to have a liner. All good things in my mind. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance ...

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missalot

Member II
Not sure if I should respond here or not. But, I have owned a 1970 E29 for 30 years. In fact you might be looking at mine.

https://skagit.craigslist.org/boa/d/ericson-29-sailboat-1970/6711338226.html

All Ericsons are good sailing boats well built boats. While I have not seen many E29s, I have not seen any factory models that have the chain plates for the main shrouds (in my case cap and intermediate, double spreader) that are located anywhere other than moulded into the hull. Mine has some beefy looking chain plates, but they are for the forward lowers. While mine does not have a fabric headliner, it does have an inner pan with both smooth and textured surfaces. If you have general/specific questions about the 1970 E29, please ask.

Missalot
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
That's a well-kept-looking boat!

Re: the shrouds. It sounds like the OP is describing an external chainplate modification. But I have seen photos of at least one boat that has been listed a couple of times in BC that puzzled me. It has inboard shrouds, with the main and aft lowers going to custom chainplates bonded to the underside of the deck, above the settees. Then I saw an old Ericson ad, (See "E29 Advertisement" in the downloads section) that describes the "Elusive I" package with inboard lowers, based on a "slutterized" racing mod. Apparently this was to improve sheeting for an inner staysail. I wonder how many were actually built that way? Maybe just that one. Apparently there are a few oddballs out there.
 

DEC2017

New Member
Missalot: Yes, looks like same boat. I have to admit that the embedded chain plates worry me. I have read other threads where people have experienced significant corrosion. To compound the problem the chain plate assembly is apparently welded. Even with low carbon stainless the welds are more susceptible especially in a potentially stagnant wet environment with limited oxygen. The stainless depends on a passivation layer of chromium oxide for corrosion protection. Have you ever removed the fiberglass to inspect the them?

Thanks for responding by-the-way.
 

missalot

Member II
Missalot: Yes, looks like same boat. I have to admit that the embedded chain plates worry me. I have read other threads where people have experienced significant corrosion. To compound the problem the chain plate assembly is apparently welded. Even with low carbon stainless the welds are more susceptible especially in a potentially stagnant wet environment with limited oxygen. The stainless depends on a passivation layer of chromium oxide for corrosion protection. Have you ever removed the fiberglass to inspect the them?

Thanks for responding by-the-way.

No, I have not removed fiberglass to inspect. I have removed the access panels and viewed with a flashlight, nothing looked suspicious. I understand the best way to check is to xray the chain plates. This, I am told, will not only show corrosion damage but fatigue cracks as well. But, for the record, I have never met anyone that has done this.
-Missalot
 

frick

Member III
Ericson 29

The tall rigged E29 is nice. sometimes they added a few hundred pounds of lead in the bilge just before the keel.
Look mostly stock to me, except for the repowering, and the electric panels and the mid boom sheet.
My 1971 E29 has the same pin rails and cabin lay out.

as to the chain plates... they are very beefy, yet always subject to question.
I few years I pull off the inner wood covers and do a visual inspection.
Also you can ring them with a hammer on the deck and make sure they sound the same.

I really like my 29. great sailing boat.

Rick
 
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supersailor

Contributing Partner
Our Yacht Club has an E-29 that the club uses for adult sail training. It is a tiller version and the only complaint I hear is that the tiller post is too far forward so it is difficult to train more than 4 at a time. It is a nice sailing boat that is not too large to train neophytes on. One training session, they tried s Sweden 42. It rates at 81 so it must have been quite the session.
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
Our Yacht Club has an E-29 that the club uses for adult sail training. It is a tiller version and the only complaint I hear is that the tiller post is too far forward so it is difficult to train more than 4 at a time. It is a nice sailing boat that is not too large to train neophytes on. One training session, they tried s Sweden 42. It rates at 81 so it must have been quite the session.


That seems like kind of an odd complaint. I suppose it depends on how the cockpit is laid out and how the boom is sheeted. The controls are so spread out on my boat, it seems like it should take six people to sail. But there's only me... Fingertips on the tiller, reach out one leg to grab the mainsheet with my toes... It's the opposite of many boats with the helmsman up by the companionway and the string-pulling stations in the rear.

As a boat shopper- the two things that grabbed me about the E29, compared to other boats of that size that I was looking at, were the comparatively enormous cockpit and the comparatively spacious salon. In fact, according to the IOR, the cockpit is a little too large, by about 60 cubic feet, IIRC. (And needs another scupper or two.) Should be less on wheel-steered models with bridge decks.
 

frick

Member III
E29 Lay Cockpit layout

The Tiller on the E29 is set up so the helmsman can sit all the way forward in the cockpit and see the sails and the course.
The Sail Trimmers are to sit aft of the helmsman and have lots of room to pull strings.

I regular has 6 in the cockpit.

Rick+
 

G Kiba

Sustaining Member
Yep. I love the forward tiller on my E27! Who ever complained never steered while standing on the companion way steps out of the cold, rain, and spray!
I sailed an E27 with a wheel. Are you kidding? There's hardly room to even relax. I can lay reclined on my back on the low side and steer with my feet. And if it was legal, sip a cold one at the same time.
 
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