For Sale: Ericson 31 custom by Manateeman

[Manateeman]

This is a custom construction glass in epoxy, one owner vessel built by an experienced professional. It began as the last hull pulled from the mold sometime about 1988 when the builder went bankrupt.
The Ericson 31 was sold as the Liberty 31 and the Independence 31.
The empty hull and deck was moved to Rhode Island were the serious work began. The entire hull was reinforced with multiple layers of triaxial glass set in epoxy. The lead ballast was lead bricks and shot encapsulated in epoxy and glassed over with more triaxial set in epoxy. The deck was bolted in 5200 then glassed over. The main mast compression post is laminated clear Doug fir sitting on substantial cross members. Everything glassed in epoxy. The main bulkhead is a luminescent hardwood from Africa. 3/4” Tongue and grove. Then covered in a full layer of triaxial in epoxy in addition to the tabbing. 1/4 t&g over the glass.
All the interior cabinetry is as strong. The ice box has 6” of foam.
The cabin sole is herringbone teak over glass.
All the doors are full louvered teak.
The engine is a Vetus 33 hp Mitsubishi. Professional rebuilt at 1000 hours. No hours since, just turned by hand. New transmission.
All the chainplates are exterior and solid bronze thru bolted with button heads.
Double rudder pintles and gudgeons solid bronze.
Double bronze anchor rollers, bronze tapered stancheons.
New mast section and top unfinished. Cutter rigged.
Full teak bulwark and cap rail.
Apollo bronze seacocks. Bronze winches.
I could go on and on but if you like the design, you will love the construction.
Now the bad news. She had her bowsprit snapped in a hurricane but all the parts are there including her substantial bronze anchor rollers, gammon and crance.
The boat is in St. Mary’s GA and near a great DIY yard.
The asking is $30,000.
If you are serious, have the funds required and skills necessary, ok but I’m not going to deal with dreamers or bargain hunters. To eliminate frivolity, I will charge for pictures, or to take you out to see the boat. Don’t waste my time and I won’t waste yours. It took years to build this boat and will take money and time to finish it, but I built it for myself and it reflects a lot of professional experience.
My email is oysteryacht@icloud.com
Captain Mark

[Tayana42]

Gorgeous boat Mark! Whoever buys it will be getting a uniquely high quality custom yacht at a very attractive asking price. Is the hull a Bruce King design? If I was in the market I’d jump on this one.

[Manateeman]

Yes it was designed by Bruce King. Originally as a sloop. We went to Maine with a drawing of the boat wherein I extended the bowsprit from one to four feet forward of the stem and added a staysail. All the calculations were checked by Ben Hall of Hall spars and another friend who was a naval architect. Bruce was not pleased and sort of threw the drawing back at me. LOL. Just a tad tense. He did not like anyone changing anything but the change proved to be fine. Lengthened her sheer like a Frienship sloop. Wish it was another two feet longer.
She motor sailed very nicely with the staysail up. I’ll post some photos from the original brochures. Big deep cockpit and we added a three inch tube straight aft in addition to the two inch and a half drains. Had her out is some serious weather going to Cuba twice. She is very comfortable offshore. More photos to follow.
We appreciate your compliment. We have only built three boats for ourselves and take building sea kindly and good looking vessel, very seriously.
Mark and the manatees.

[MikeHoncho]

Not interested but I’m having a hard time understanding charging for any pictures beyond a a bow and stern pic? You are trying to sell it right?

[Jamme]

Sounds like impeccable construction and a great boat. Good luck with the sale to you and the manatees!

[OutOfControl]

https://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/75502

I assume this is the same Ericson 31 you have up for sale.
The ad from 2018 says "project boat", is that still the case?
Is your Ericson located at St. Mary's Boat Services?

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by MikeHoncho

Not interested but I’m having a hard time understanding charging for any pictures beyond a a bow and stern pic? You are trying to sell it right?

I had the same reaction. If you want to sell a boat, show some pictures.

[Manateeman]

I’m still looking for the photos of the interior during construction. Here are some photos from the brochures.

[rmesfo]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

This is a custom construction glass in epoxy, one owner vessel built by an experienced professional. It began as the last hull pulled from the mold sometime about 1988 when the builder went bankrupt.
The Ericson 31 was sold as the Liberty 31 and the Independence 31.
The empty hull and deck was moved to Rhode Island were the serious work began. The entire hull was reinforced with multiple layers of triaxial glass set in epoxy. The lead ballast was lead bricks and shot encapsulated in epoxy and glassed over with more triaxial set in epoxy. The deck was bolted in 5200 then glassed over. The main mast compression post is laminated clear Doug fir sitting on substantial cross members. Everything glassed in epoxy. The main bulkhead is a luminescent hardwood from Africa. 3/4” Tongue and grove. Then covered in a full layer of triaxial in epoxy in addition to the tabbing. 1/4 t&g over the glass.
All the interior cabinetry is as strong. The ice box has 6” of foam.
The cabin sole is herringbone teak over glass.
All the doors are full louvered teak.
The engine is a Vetus 33 hp Mitsubishi. Professional rebuilt at 1000 hours. No hours since, just turned by hand. New transmission.
All the chainplates are exterior and solid bronze thru bolted with button heads.
Double rudder pintles and gudgeons solid bronze.
Double bronze anchor rollers, bronze tapered stancheons.
New mast section and top unfinished. Cutter rigged.
Full teak bulwark and cap rail.
Apollo bronze seacocks. Bronze winches.
I could go on and on but if you like the design, you will love the construction.
Now the bad news. She had her bowsprit snapped in a hurricane but all the parts are there including her substantial bronze anchor rollers, gammon and crance.
The boat is in St. Mary’s GA and near a great DIY yard.
The asking is $30,000.
If you are serious, have the funds required and skills necessary, ok but I’m not going to deal with dreamers or bargain hunters. To eliminate frivolity, I will charge for pictures, or to take you out to see the boat. Don’t waste my time and I won’t waste yours. It took years to build this boat and will take money and time to finish it, but I built it for myself and it reflects a lot of professional experience.
My email is oysteryacht@icloud.com
Captain Mark

Charge for pictures? You are kidding, right? A little friendly advice, let a broker you trust sell your Ericson. Good luck.

[Celestialsailor]

I'm trying to figure out what "luminescent hardwood from Africa" is. I have done a few boat interiors and never come across the term. To my knowledge there are only a handful of African woods suitable for interior work.

[Lionshooter]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I'm trying to figure out what "luminescent hardwood from Africa" is. I have done a few boat interiors and never come across the term. To my knowledge, there are only a handful of African woods suitable for interior work.

Probably refers to Albizia, more commonly known as Mimosa. Has a luminescent glow under ultraviolet light. Widely used in furniture manufacturing, mostly as a veneer. Very lovely deep brown color when stained and waxed. Don't know much about it in boats but I used it a lot when I built furniture in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

[C420sailor]

Not interested in buying the boat. But would love to see pictures of the workmanship. If it’s as good as it sounds, work like that is few and far between.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I had the same reaction. If you want to sell a boat, show some pictures.

Originally Posted by Lionshooter

Probably refers to Albizia, more commonly known as Mimosa. Has a luminescent glow under ultraviolet light. Widely used in furniture manufacturing, mostly as a veneer. Very lovely deep brown color when stained and waxed. Don't know much about it in boats but I used it a lot when I built furniture in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

Yes...I'm familiar with Albizia when I lived in Hawaii. They had brought them in to "Junglize" the Big Island. The Big island was mostly lava and they thought that these trees would be good for the Island since they grew enormously tall, quickly and provided great canopy. Well they did. The only problem was the little cider soil on top of the lava would not allow the roots to penetrate the ground and hence ran along the surface, providing little in the way of stability. Picture a 100ft tall tree with a 5ft. diameter trunk falling over on your property during a storm. It wasa quite often on the east side/wet side of the Island. Then an arborist coming in to remove it costs thousands. I had saplings (2" dia.) on my property that would get 6"s in dia. and 30 ft. high in 2 years or less.

[Manateeman]

The wood name sounds phonetically auk win. It had an interlocked grain and burned if cut too fast even with carbide saw blades. Varnished it was a golden color which changer if you looked at it from a slightly different angle. I sent a piece to a university who identified it, as African and that the trees were tall.
Sorry, I can’t remember more.
I looked for several hours for the photos I took while building but they are hiding.
I’ll take some interior photos tomorrow and post.
Mark

[Manateeman]

I found the name of the wood from Africa. It’s OKWEN, member of the Leguminosae family. Also called Achi, Ngu, Akolodo in Nigeria, Meblo in the Ivory Coast, Naga in Cameroon, and Mendou in Gabon.
While it has a beautiful luster, it is very difficult to work and I would not advise anyone to use it for cabinet or boatbuilding.
Our current vessel is clear Cypress recovered from rivers by divers, Port Orford cedar and Cuban ribbon mahogany. The table and counter tops are rosewood.
The overheads are pine.
I’ll try to do some photos tomorrow.
Mark and the manatee crew.