Ericson 30 v. Hunter 28

[craboutofwater]

I have posted a bit about this before but have learned a bit more since my last post. I live in NM and am looking for aboat i can tow behind a 3/4 diesel if i choose.

I am currently looking at a Hunter 28 or an Ericson 30 plus. I realize the Hunter is more of a coastal cruiser and Ericson more of a blue water capable boat. My budget is about $15,000.

The boat will be used to sail on Elephant Butte, and primarily as a weekend getaway for myself, my kids and friends. I will keep it in a slip at the marina.

I am also planning to a trip to San Carlos, Mexico to sail a few weeks there and perhaps some coastal cruising off the coast of CA and possibly the Gulf of Mexico.

I really like the comfort of the Hunter, but love the way the Ericson sails.

Any thoughts or suggestions about these two or siggestions for other models to look at in my proce range would be greatly appreciated. Fair winds and thanks in advance for the help.

[Ericson38]

Originally Posted by craboutofwater

I have posted a bit about this before but have learned a bit more since my last post. I live in NM and am looking for aboat i can tow behind a 3/4 diesel if i choose.

I am currently looking at a Hunter 28 or an Ericson 30 plus. I realize the Hunter is more of a coastal cruiser and Ericson more of a blue water capable boat. My budget is about $15,000.

The boat will be used to sail on Elephant Butte, and primarily as a weekend getaway for myself, my kids and friends. I will keep it in a slip at the marina.

I am also planning to a trip to San Carlos, Mexico to sail a few weeks there and perhaps some coastal cruising off the coast of CA and possibly the Gulf of Mexico.

I really like the comfort of the Hunter, but love the way the Ericson sails.

Any thoughts or suggestions about these two or siggestions for other models to look at in my proce range would be greatly appreciated. Fair winds and thanks in advance for the help.

We had a 1980 E30+ in 1985 for a couple of years, before moving up to an '82 E38. Ours had no dodger, hank on jib, alcohol stove, no AP, and 18 hp Universal twin diesel. It was a great boat, tender, but then dropped into a grove. Rudder depth was increased in 1983 or thereabouts. I had add a lower bronze rudder bearing to my rudder tube (early ones did not come with that, only the top bronze bearing). Don Kohlman talked me through how to add the bearing to the bottom, glassed in with west systems.

[Jim Cate]

I'm not a truckie, but I doubt if you will be able to trailer either of those boats to Mexico with a 3/4 ton pickup.

Jim

[JimsCAL]

Neither of those sounds like a boat I would want to trailer. Would probably need to have a yard with a crane lift it on and off the trailer and remove/install the mast at each end. What is tow rating of your truck?

[Orion Jim]

Keep in mind that you'll need oversized load permits everywhere you go. Unless of course you choose to ignore the width of your load. The outfits that move boats that size commercially routinely have one ton duallys and up. Be safe.

[craboutofwater]

Thanks for the input. Looks like i need to reconsider what my truck will do. It is a ford f250 rated to haul 12,500 lbs

[Ericson38]

Ericson weighs 10,000. What year is it ?

Has 10 foot beam, I think it is deck stepped mast too.

[Island Time O25]

If the hull weighs 10,000#s add engine, mast, rigging, sails, gear, etc. and you'll be easily pushing 12,000#s or more. And unless you're doing flat miles in Kansas how you going to haul all that in a hilly/mountainous area by a 3/4 diesel?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

If the hull weighs 10,000#s add engine, mast, rigging, sails, gear, etc. and you'll be easily pushing 12,000#s or more. And unless you're doing flat miles in Kansas how you going to haul all that in a hilly/mountainous area by a 3/4 diesel?

Actually, most all quoted weights do include mast and engine, but not fluids or other removable masses. but, they are notoriously inaccurate!

And, don't forget to add in the weight of a pretty hefty trailer... likely approaching a ton for a boat of that size... and, don't forget the height factor, and that it will need to be a custom built trailer.

Not a simple project, and that's why most folks who need road transport of 30 foot yachts employ a professional mover!

Jim

[craboutofwater]

Thanks jim. Im a newbie at this for sure. Just trying to figure out a way to have a nice, comfortable boat near home that I can also take to the coast. I am finding that it is not an easy dilemma to resolve.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Actually, most all quoted weights do include mast and engine, but not fluids or other removable masses. but, they are notoriously inaccurate!

And, don't forget to add in the weight of a pretty hefty trailer... likely approaching a ton for a boat of that size... and, don't forget the height factor, and that it will need to be a custom built trailer.

Not a simple project, and that's why most folks who need road transport of 30 foot yachts employ a professional mover!

Jim

Yeah may be I was overgenerous with some items but even just the usual doo-das and personal effects would be at least 500lbs or more. Anyone who's ever cleaned out their boat completely will vouch for how much crap she carries. My revelation came when a few seasons into ownership of my 1st boat, a 27 footer, I decided to thoroughly clean her out. My friends came along to help out in a 45 footer and all my stuff was enough to completely cover my own deck and most of his. Then another friend helping me commented how the previous season he helped to put away for the winter his friend's Hunter 17 and they pretty much filled up a shed with sails and just the stuff in the cuddy, under the seats and under the gunwales.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by craboutofwater

Thanks jim. Im a newbie at this for sure. Just trying to figure out a way to have a nice, comfortable boat near home that I can also take to the coast. I am finding that it is not an easy dilemma to resolve.

Any way you look at it it will be a bunch of compromises. Swing keels/boards will be easier to trail/launch, etc. but less room inside. Shallow draft keels not as stable although personally I have found that this depends much on the overall design of the boat. I had a 27 footer with a 3'6" draft and she was as stable as some 30 footers with 5' draft I've been on. She had a headroom of 6' which was fine for me but may not be enough for many folk.

If I had to absolutely trail but needed to overnight I'd go with something in 25-28' range drawing no more than 3'6". The head room would probably had to be compromised although more recent designs do a good job on these sized boats though at expense of the windage and high topsides. Without the overnight requirement or for a more "campy" feel a 22-24' would probably do and many of these come with swing keels/boards.

BTW these days most states have 8'6" wide max unpermitted widths (years ago used to be 8') and most don't give you grief for anything under 9', unless there is an accident or some such. As far as heights - my 27 footer with 3'6" draft easily cleared 12' on a trailer with some room to spare and that was with the mast lying on the deck house and the railings.

[Ericson38]

You would have to step and unstep the mast each tow.

You would have to sling the boat out of the cradle type trailer to launch and pull it each time, and the E30 has a 6 foot keel, so easily the distance to the top of the cabin roof is another 6 feet.

[tuffr2]

Trailer boats are usually only 8.5' wide. The only big boats you see being trailered are the go fast boats that are long and narrow. Now Ranger Tug is building boats that are 8.5' wide that you can trailer.

As far as a 30' sailboat with a 10' beam - that is not considered a trailerable boat.

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[Infatuation]

I have a 1985 Ericson 28.5..It has as much room as a 30 foot Catalina. !0.5" beam ...6' 2" head room...5 foot draft...could be trailered with wide load permit...Deck stepped..excellent boat..