Ericson Independence 31

[Cheechako]

end3r: Sorry, I missed your earlier comment "As for the backing up, are you saying you don't have to do it very often?...." Basically I was saying that the times I HAD to back into a slip were very low. Of course you have to back out! It always seems easier to control going out for some reason, you are more shielded from the wind until you get some motion etc. Bottom line is that you will have to get to know any boat you buy and learn how to back it using it's idiosycrasies... A fin keel spade rudder boat can be backed fast and for a long way with no real issues, but I wouldnt buy one just because it back well if you know what I mean. Good luck in your quest...

[Starbuck]

I plan on buying a boat for the purpose of living on it full time, and within two years I plan to start cruising around the world in it.

Right.

1. Go look up every unfamiliar term in this thread, and find out what it means.
2. Buy a production boat and move onto it.
3. Learn to sail it/dock it/maintain it/repair it
4. Continue your education about cruising.
5. Move from day sailing to weekend trips/"micro-cruising"
6. Figure out how you're going to finance your cruise. If you're cruising, you will be consuming money, not acquiring it. I'll throw out $500/month as a bare-bones, always anchoring out, few marinas, few restaurants, and "patching" instead of proper maintenance on big-ticket items. There are cruising permits in many countries to pay for, as well as bribes to local officials, that you must budget in. Many will say that you will need closer to $1200/month to live comfortably. In any event, it ain't free.
7. After two years of the above, begin looking for a passage-maker. Take a year to buy the boat. Sell your live-aboard somewhere in there. Continue to read/educate yourself. Make sure to include meteorology as part of your curriculum.
8. Take at least one shake-down cruise (short duration, return to home port) to find out what immediate concerns about this boat must be addressed.
9. Okay, cast off.

You have so, so much to learn. You need two boats to do this right.


Good Luck,
Jeff

[tgwagen]

1981 Ericson Independence 31. Hull # 59
located on Lake Mead Nevada. Never seen Salt Water!
Call me or email me for more info. .. Terry 702 491-3378 tgwagen@gmail.com.
Asking $26,500.00

[Jake Tanley]

You may want to look here as well, very active owner base

EY.o Welcome Page

[blgklr]

7 foot less waterline than overall,thats too much difference 4 me. SA-Disp 14.5 promises to be slow, yet the ballast is only 4500 for 11,500 disp.
Maybe that is why sail area is only 457. But would be fine live aboard, cruise to Baha and Catalina[

[tgwagen]

Ok! you do realize the Bow sprit is 4' long right? LOD is 31' LOA is 37'
As well, it is a cutter rig and it is indeed fast! three wings vs only two with a sloop. more wings = more lift / drive = more speed.
Was the purpose of your post to criticize the Boat or just point out ?????
it is a Cruiser, not a Racer! But thanks for the Input. Albeit unnecessary.

[blgklr]

My information was 4 the sloop. However the source gives loa for the cutter as one foot longer making the difference 8 feet. The bowsprit extends about a foot past the deck. It also ups sa/disp to 15.50 and sa to 495. Myself I think one genoa of = size beats 2 headsails. Anyway my information and opinion were for the OP, not U. U are free to state how U feel also.

[Cheechako]

What a sweet little boat.

[lane01]

I just bought an I 31 last year in Fl. Just like you as soon as I saw the boat I fell in love. Since I bought it I've had to do pretty much a complete refit of most all the systems. It wasn't loved real well from the previous owner. This clown thought to drain the oil it was perfectly reasonable to just drain it into the bilge since the drain plug is easy to get to and just let the pump pump it out. But anyway I have had no regrets and have found the boat to be the perfect size for my wife and I. We currently just use it for coastal cruising but I have done 1 gulf crossing in it and have came through a few good storms bringing it home. The boat handles fine, comfortable and reasonable fast.
You can't beat the style and looks, this is a classic sexy looking sail boat. Draw backs I've found and still want to correct, Yes you can't reach the stay sail wench from behind the wheel, if single the lines can be pulled to the head sail wenches and for the most part you can work them just fine, plus the little stay sail really once it's out how ofen do really adjust it anyway. I'd like to have a little less draft would perfer 4' that extra 11" sometime does make a differance, and yes it is a bi_ch to back up with any wind or current but you lean and as stated earlier 90% of the time your going forward.
I knew going in the boat was in very poor condition with all it's systems but the hull and structure was fine. A lot of sweat, blood, time and money it's everything I had hope for it to be I still love this boat and get compliments everyday on it's classic good looks and would go anywhere in the world with it.
Don't pay attention to some of these people buy the I31, it's perfect for what you want and we can all tell you seem set on it already. I've owned a lot of boats in the past both sail and power and very few have really hit me on first impression that this was the boat. This seems to be what has happened with you and the I31 and the same happened to me when I first saw mine. When you get that feeling when you first see it and it's in the right range money and work wise, get it.

[bud mcintire]

In the current issue of Good Old Boat magazine(Nov-Dec, 2009), there is an article on this boat, as well as a comparison with two other similar boats. There is also a link to a website with detailed info on the boat.

I'm also looking at buying one of these boats and am new to sailing and plan on living aboard.

Hope this is of help.

Bud

[squarerigger]

Years ago I owned one of the boats and sailed it quite a bit as part of a successful charter business - day work and weeklong. Liked it so much that several years later I bought another one to use as a private boat. I found them to be of better and heavier construction that the norm for Ericson, they sailed just fine given their purpose (I dont believe that the sloop versions with a slightly reduced sail area did sail terribly well), and had functional interiors with sufficient tankage. The point is that the boat is extremnely pretty without any really significant penalties for the good looks. But hey, that's probably a pretty skewed opnion; I'm used to sailing things from the 19th century.

[relee]

All the advice given is certainly thoughtful and detailed. I would just like to restate a point brought up early in the posts. Get a small dingy or Hobie Cat and head for a lake or sheltered bay. You will learn more in a couple of months thrashing around than you might think! Nothing like trial and terror to reinforce what you have read. You will have a blast and can unload the dingy for what you paid for it when you find a bigger boat you want. Kind of like going and living in a foreign country to learn the language there. Total immersion speeds things up considerably. Don't be in a rush, shop well, negotiate hard, it is a buyers market now. All the while you will be gaining experience and skill that will serve you well. Fair winds and clean water....

Bob

[NickonPeaks]

Thanks for your feed back on the I31. I am tracking down two of them now now and your comments were very useful. . The boat really seems to be built way above the standard production boats one sees- including other Ericsons. Would love to get in touch for further discussion.

[zeehag]

there is nothing wrong with an ericson--there is nothing slow about an ericson--doesnt matter what design you wish--ericson is not a plastic punchout as is catahunterbenelina..lol.....ericson independence 31 is what i was seeking when i found my 35mII....lol...the independence is a go anywhere and do it comfortably and fast..lol...catahunterbenelina is not..lol...if you WANT an independence--DONOT LET ANYONE TALK YOU INTO A PLASTIC PUNCHOUT!!!! OR ANYTHING ELSE!!!! experience be damned----join the ericson owners groups you can find--there is one in seaknots --uhoh--mentioned another forum lol...there are many....if you love the boat--you will be a happy camper--isnt much to do to improve them....they are built solidly and sail like m agic----have fun and go for it...LOL....let me know how it goes!!! good luck......

btw--i have been sailing since age 7 in big boats--donot need to learn in a dink--lol--learn in whatever ye wanna learn in.lol...i didnt own my first sailing dink until i was 48 yrs old--been sailing by then for 41 yrs LOL---

[SeaPea]

I've owned an Independence 31 cutter for 11 years, and love her dearly. Heads turn everywhere I go. Bring guests below decks and you'll invariably hear ooh's and ahh's. I still haven't gotten tired of her old world charm.

She's built for warmth & comfort more than speed. Won't back up worth a darn, but with practice you learn to work with what you've got. Other boats will get you back to port faster, but if you can't make it back to port, there's no boat I'd rather be on.

I'm considering parting with her for but haven't been able to bring myself to do it yet. I still haven't seen anything I like better...