1980 E38 Hull /Deck Join

I currently have an offer in on a very pristine E38 that has been redone bow to stern and top to bottom. She looks brand new and is a real beauty. I have looked throught the various threads on this site and others looking for specific information on the hull deck construction of the 1980 E38. There seems to be some indication the join is through bolted, bonded an glassed, other mention being bonded and glassed. I'm curious because the present owner repaired a small separation on the port side when doing the refurb and states he never noted any through bolts. Given the configuration of the interior is there a spot where the join can be observed for mechanical fastening? As well does anyone have the owners manual for the early 80s E38s?
Thanks
Frank

If you download the manual for the 32-3 from the documents section of this site, you will find a detail on how the hull and deck were joined (glass only, no bolts). I believe your boat has the same construction.

Owners manual

I have a 1981 E38 and also would like to find an owners manual for the earlier models. I have a manual from a 38-200, there are a number of differences. If you come across one let me know.
-Alex

Cannot speak for the early 38, but I do know that in '83 Ericson was bonding the hull and deck together on the inside with glass and roving. The rub rail you see on the outside is cosmetic.
This system makes the whole assembly into one piece, and is quite strong.

Loren

I have wondered about this question, too, since this review http://www.boatus.com/jackhornor/sail/Ericson38.asp
seems to suggest the joint is secured both by glass and mechanical fasteners. Everything else I have seen, including our own hull to deck joint, shows a fiberglassed joint with no through bolts. Perhaps Horner was in error? Are the PS 38's different?

I do like the idea of the strength and nearly leak-proof nature of the glassed joint- as long as the layup is good!

Here's the deal

Both the deck (when it comes out of the mold) and the hull have OUTWARD facing lips or flanges, so when the deck is lowered onto the hull, the two lips fit onto each other, and extend out about 2" from where the "joint"' would be. Of course just before the deck is lowered onto the hull the seam is gooped up with sealer (used to be 5200-no idea what was used in the last years, but something similar). Once the deck is seated and aligned on the hull, they are screwed together VERTICALLY through the lip-

Then the hull and deck are glassed together on the INSIDE. Once this is cured, the lip, along with all the screws are cut off with a saw-leaving a lip of about 3/4-1" (IIRC). This is what the inside of the rubrail "holder" slides onto.

The rubrail slides over this lip and is then screwed in HORIZONTALLY. The rubber part of the rubrail then slides onto the rubrail "holder"...

I think this covers it..
Class? Anyone? Bueller? Loren?

S

Having had my rubrail off and spent way too much time in parts of my boat that were not designed for human habitation I would agree with Seth's description. There are no mechanical fasteners in my joint. (papers dont count)

While the combination of 5200 (or equivalent) and glassing the inside of the joint sounds pretty strong, does anyone know of boats that have had problems with the hull/deck joint (aside from damage caused by major accidents, etc,)?

While this approach has the advantage that one probably doesn't need to re-bed the hull/deck joint as on some older boats with bolted on decks, I must admit I am a bit uneasy about the lack of through bolts every 6" as on previous boats I've owned. On the other hand, adhesive glue and glass is probably as strong as the glass in the hull of most boats....

Frank.

Keep in mind that the sealant that remains after the lip is cut off is just there to keep water out if there are any voids in the heavy roving that was glassed over the inside. It is not unheard of to have to remove the trim/rub rail and recalk the visible joint after 20 or 25 years.
As to how strong the joined hull and deck is.... remember that this what the hull and deck are both made of. Also, there are quite a few boats (beyond Ericson's) that have their hulls laid up in two mirror halves, and then the two halves are glassed together down the center of the bottom, from bow to stern.
Having said all that, I am content with ANY well-engineered and constructed hull-and-deck. When they are glassed together inside it becomes a monocoque structure. My particular design was one of the few from Ericson with a mechanical hull to deck joint -- i.e. deck thru-bolted on top of an inward turning flange along the hull top.

About the only style I am quite leary of is the "coffee can" joint, where the deck has a downward lip that drops over the top of the hull, and is secured with sealant and rivets/screws. Catalina uses this, for example.

Your Ericson hull-deck-joint construction is more solid than the any of the lower end of the production market, IMHO.

Enjoy your boat -- See you in June!


Loren

Thanks, Loren

Thanks, Loren. That sounds pretty convincing!
Frank.

Thanks for the info

My thanks to everyone for responding so quickly and with such good information. My offer on the E38 has been accepted and we will be heading to survey soon, no surprises expected. Should have her over in Victoria BC by the end of Feb. We were winter weekend warriors with our last vessel and hope to be out there year round with our new Silver Moon.
Frank Potter