Ericson 38 Shoal Draft - Thoughts ?

[rwthomas1]

Yes, mine will likely be for sale. Not due to an shortcomings with the boat, but lack of time to enjoy it, I don't need a 38ft daysailer and a child on the way. Downeast style powerboat is in process.

RT

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

rwthomas1 dont shove your hand up my ___ and make my lips move.

I won't ask any more friends from the EY.o forum to come over here and give pertinent and educated answers to questions on the topic of Ericson yachts.



-Sven

[dniello]

But do any of you find the boat a bit too tender? Maybe to the point where it may not make a great cruiser?

[rwthomas1]

Too tender is relative to what you intend to do with the boat. The standard shoal draft E38 needs to be reefed a little earlier than expected to keep it on it upright and sailing efficiently. There is still plenty of keel weight to keep the boat stable you just need to learn how to reef. Now is it the perfect high latitude circumnavigator ideal for days and days of 30-40kt winds, well no. Is it great for the Bahamas, or anywhere else a shoal draft is a real benefit, yes definitely.

If you check out the Ericson board there are several members that have cruised the E38 and can back it up. One member specifically used to spend half a year, each year in the Bahamas on his and seemed very pleased with it.

Comparing my boat to a standard shoal draft would not be fair with the added keel bulb. With a 130 genoa I can carry full sail up to 16kts or so comfortably when running upwind. Full sail with puffs to 20kts or so is also fine. Off the wind full sail to 20+kts or so is easy and stable. I've run for hours at 25-26kts on a broad reach with no issues at all. Yes, this is overpowered but she doesn't seem to mind at all. No tendency to get squirrely or round up. The only time she will be squirrelly is in a quartering sea, which I have been told is due to the IOR influenced pinched stern. But I let the AP drive and its no big deal. When I need to the first reef in the main will get me to 22-24kts upwind but I usually roll the genoa up a bit as well to balance the boat. No loss in boat speed and more comfortable. There is no reason to sail my E38 with the rail in the water, its slower. Keeping the rail about 8" off the water, or @13-15* seems about right.

RT