my 35
ericson is small with low freeboard....next to my 41
formosa, beamy and high freeboard--lots of room in formosa--room for relaxing, not in the bedroom, and room for dining--not in the main
saloon, cabinets not found in ericson----range--ericson has only 20-25 gal tanks---short hopper--and
formosa has 160 gal
water and over 80 gal
fuel capacity, much more comfortable
cockpit for long range cruising...
i donot step on bubba as much in the formosa as i did in ericson--he keeps his tail straight out behind while eating,, and i would step on him ..oops....
the biggest relief i found in the larger boat is that i do not have to get into weird contorted positions to deal with
engine, trans,
packing gland, and other hard to reach in smaller boats places.
i LOVE this huge boat--isnt that much harder to dock--is actually quite easy, as this one actually backs up fairly straight..LOL--unheard of!!!
there is more room to stow dinghies and toys, and the propelling devices appropriate for each, and this 28000 pound
ketch is easier to sail than my 11600 pound
sloop, especially short or
single handed..
.i am loving this life soo much!!!
i can sail bigger winds in my formosa than i could in my ericson--and no
weather helm.....
if you can do the larger boat, go for it--is easier if there is a split rig, so
sails dont take so much effort to raise, and flat, wide decks for walking forward in seas--nothing in way of feet --nothing to break toesies--and many more places to hang a hammock in an anchorage.
down side--rent in
marinas is slightly more with 40 ft than 35.
maintenance, for me, has been less pricey with formosa than ericson--i now know where to find GOOD stuff less expensively.....and i do not pay
usa rates for labor. those are ridiculously high.
before you buy--SAIL EVERYTHING you can-- will make your choice much easier--especially knowing what you may not enjoy in a sailing boat. each one is different--you need to find that which is good for you.