ericson sailboat models

Best Ericson Sailboats: A Complete Guide

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

Sailboats that stand the test of time are often classics and loved by many sailors. One example is looking for the best Ericson sailboats, dating back to 1964.

Ericson had an up and down history but still managed to produce quality boats. So which ones were the best out of their lineup before their demise?

Out of the thousands of sailboats this company put together, there are a handful that stand out. The best Ericson sailboats consisted of the 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36C, E38, and 46 models. Each boat has a unique size and design, making them quite different from other brands at that time.

By 1999, the Ericson brand had been through enough over the years in terms of bankruptcy, ownership changes, and not keeping up with market demand by improving their boats. After poor sales that year, they decided to close shop for good, but still had plenty of produced sailboats to carry on the name.

According to experts in the sailing industry, Ericson sailboats were ahead of their time in the early 1970’s. They were a pioneer in the sailboat realm and built many classics that you can find for an affordable price today.

Table of contents

‍ Top 10 Ericson Sailboats

Through much debate, many sailors argue about which Ericson sailboat is the best. Many will claim a variety of factors influence trying to buy one today, such as price, condition, and size.

Depending on what suits your style of sailing and how you intend to use the boat will likely affect your decision on what is best. For Ericson, there are plenty of sizes and models to choose from.

1. Ericson 26

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-26"}}

The 26 model offered a good size for sailors having a small crew or operating shorthanded with a fractional sloop. This one is just shy of 26 feet long and has about a five-foot draft. These were designed perfectly for day sailing or light cruising.

Bruce King helped develop this one, which turned out to be a stiff and fairly fast boat. Since it has self-tailing winches, and furling headsails, and you can control the mainsheet from the cockpit, it is easy to operate.

2. Ericson 27

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-27"}}

The Ericson 27 debuted in 1971 with a displacement of 6,600 pounds and plenty of stability in the masthead sloop. The boat is roughly 27 feet long and sits about four feet in the water.

Many love this design since it navigated through choppy waters and responded to wind changes well. In addition, it can also sleep five comfortably.

There is enough sailing area to handle just about any condition and it is great for coastal cruising. If you have difficulty finding a crew or only want to be by yourself, this one makes it easy to handle all alone.

3. Ericson 29

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-29"}}

Another masthead sloop rig type, the Ericson 29 is about 29 feet long with a draft of 4.33 feet. This one reached popularity among those that wanted to enjoy cruising and doing it at night.

There are sleeping accommodations for up to five people and plenty of room to move around. This design was similar to other popular models they produced, but not as easy to operate by yourself like the other shorter models.

4. Ericson 30

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-30"}}

The Ericson 30 has an appeal like no other model in their lineup. They tweaked this design for about 10 years, making it one of the longer models they have played with.

It is nearly 30 feet long, has a fractional sloop, and sits nearly six feet in the water. It offers plenty of room to sleep five people and live aboard.

This is a great size to live on and learn about your boat without being too overwhelmed if you are new to that lifestyle. This one has become popular with sailors wanting to try that out.

5. Ericson 32

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-32"}}

There were multiple designs of the Ericson 32 , with two of the most popular ones being designed by Bruce King in 1969 and 1985. The one in 1969 had a lot more problems, but they are both classics at 32 feet in length and a six-foot draft.

The later model was built for four years and they produced 700 of them. You will likely see many Ericson 32s with another number associated with it due to different features like the keel type or the optional tail rig.

Both the older and newer models of the 32s are attractive boats. If you are wanting the better of the two in terms of look, handle, and speed, you cannot go wrong with the latter model.

6. Ericson 34

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-34"}}

The 34 footer installment was a good design with high-quality construction. This masthead sloop was nearly 35 feet and just over six feet of draft.

Depending on the year these were built, the exterior did not change that much in comparison to the interior. Out of all the boats that Ericson produced, they were most proud of the molding structure they used on this one.

The deck used a balsa core and had a plywood backing under the deck fittings to offer extra support. With the fiberglass hull, it provided one of the sturdiest options without compromising performance.

7. Ericson 35

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-35"}}

The Ericson 35 was similar to the 34, with some slight differences. This one is nearly 36 feet and sits around 6.17 feet in the water.

This one was a good cruiser, with some models meant for casual sailing. It handled offshore sailing very well and had the classic look.

The interior made this boat easy to live on and accommodate over five people. Whether you are racing or living on it, this boat could do it all.

8. Ericson 36C

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-36c"}}

The 36C was another beauty offered by Ericson, coming in at 36 feet and a five foot draft. This cutter rig is a great size, but you can still operate shorthanded if you do not have enough people on board.

This boat can do it all with coastal cruising, day sailing, and living full time on it. With its fiberglass hull, it is one of the lighter boats for its size. You could even race this if you wanted.

9. Ericson E38

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-e38"}}

If you are looking for a larger Ericson boat, you cannot go wrong with the E38 . At nearly 38 feet long and 6.5 feet in the water, it offers the best of both worlds for living space and is easy to handle.

With the masthead sloop, you can expect top performance while cruising. This is another quality build that you can live aboard too.

10. Ericson 46

{{boat-info="/boats/ericson-46"}}

The largest boat that Ericson put together was the 46 , coming in just shy of 46 feet and about a seven-foot draft. With another masthead sloop design, you can rest assured the performance will be there.

There were actually two versions, one that is a racer and one that is a cruiser. Over a three-year period, only 20 of these were built. Depending on which one you find, there will be slight adjustments to the performance package.

Why Erickson Boats Are Popular

A lot of nautical miles have been made on Ericson boats over the years and for a good reason. They were quality boats that had a classic look, easy to handle, and were affordable.

Back in 1965, these were primarily cruising sailboats that later adapted to a hybrid of a family-oriented cruiser. Other models specifically included fin keels, excellent bustle, and spade rudders for better performance.

You will definitely find better modern boats that have more luxury, speed, and performance compared to something that was built in the 60s to the 80s. But for the price and nostalgia, it is hard to pass up a classic like Ericson.

What to Look for in Used Ericson Boats

As with any used boat, you need to thoroughly inspect it before trying to purchase one. This means going over the sails, mast, deck, engines, and anything else that catches your eye.

Potential Cracking

There have been some reports of very early models having cracks in the deck or mast. It is hard to blame them, since many boat designs have come a long way from over 40 years of being in the water. While very few have those reports, it is worth having it inspected by a professional before buying one.

Be Happy to Walk Away

Before committing to one, make sure that you know all of the histories before buying one. This will help you tremendously before you fall in love with its beauty.

Walking away and thinking it over for a few days can greatly help your buying process. You never know how urgent a seller might be, so you might end up getting a better deal on the price if you do decide to buy it after walking away.

Why an Ericson Sailboat Could Work for You

Ericson sailboats were unique luxury yachts that were built for speed. In addition, they had enough luxury on the inside that you could spend days or live on them for a period of time.

You typically can find one for a good price, which is why they are popular compared to other boats. With similar comparisons to other top-of-the-line sailboats, they make for a competitive option.

Luxury and Price

For those that want to buy an Ericson, they are all about luxury and performance for a good price . Since most models are over 40 years old, they are reasonably priced.

Depending on the size and model, almost all of the Ericson sailboats can be found within any budget. If you have experience fixing up boats, an Ericson can be worth its weight in gold.

Living Space

Customers that typically want an Ericson enjoy the amount of living space that it offers. On top of that, it provides the speed of comparable racers or cruisers that you will find today.

If you want a boat that allows you to live on to your own standards or race as you like, Ericson boats are the way to go. They offer the perfect blend of performance and comfort.

Stiff Builds

Ericson sailboats were strongly built and have a stiff feel to them. If a stiff boat is something you are after, the Ericson models are a good fit.

This means they have a different feel when sailing. If you were to buy one, it might take some getting used to if you have only handled newer boats.

Since Ericson boats have limited builds for each year that they were produced, you likely will not see them that often. They offer a nostalgic and classic look that only a few boats provide.

This creates a sense of urgency when buying. It is important to proceed with caution and check out the boat properly before you decide to jump on one.

The Rise and Fall of Ericson

Ericson was founded in 1963 and had a few molds to base designs of boats on to get started. After about a year and a half of poor production, they filed for bankruptcy since they were not hitting the mark with customers on their designs.

They were purchased in 1965 by Mark Pitman and Del Walton, who also hired Bruce King to begin designing their lineups. King is responsible for many of the best boats offered by Ericson, who even fine tuned some of his own creations a few years later.

Later in 1968, Pacific American Industries bought out Ericson and continued to produce similar models. CML group later purchased the brand and operated from 1971 to 1984.

Pacific Seacraft later bought the molds for various models, like Ericson 34 and 38 to move on with production. The brand continued to move forward with the same old designs without many changes.

Since the brand never pushed to market its products and management was lazy in trying to think of what the market wanted, sales dipped in the late 1990s. They never went boating shows or much of anything to promote their lineup. This caused Ericson to shut down for good.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Ericson Yachts was founded in Southern California in 1963 by boat designer and builder, Bruce King. The company gained a reputation for building high-quality, performance-oriented sailboats that were both stylish and seaworthy. During its 30-year history, Ericson Yachts produced a wide range of sailboat models, including the Ericson 23, 25, 27, 29, 32, and 38.

One of Ericson's most popular models was the Ericson 35, which was designed by Bruce King and first introduced in 1969. The Ericson 35 was known for its speed, stability, and spacious interior, making it a popular choice for both cruising and racing. Other notable Ericson models include the Ericson 38-200, which was named "Boat of the Year" by Cruising World magazine in 1987, and the Ericson 25+, which was designed by Ron Holland and offered a unique combination of speed and comfort.

Despite its success, Ericson Yachts went bankrupt in 1990 due to a combination of factors, including increased competition from overseas boat builders and economic recession. However, many Ericson sailboats continue to be sailed and enjoyed by enthusiasts around the world, thanks to their solid construction, reliable performance, and timeless design.

Ericson Sailboats

• Ericson 25+
• Ericson 26-2
• Ericson 28+
• Ericson 28-2
• Ericson 30+
• Ericson 30-2
• Ericson 31 Independence
• Ericson 32-2
• Ericson 32-200
• Ericson 32-3
• Ericson 34-2
• Ericson 35-2
• Ericson 35-3
• Ericson 36C
• Ericson 38-200
• Ericson 381

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Below you'll find the latest Ericson listings for the last six months. We compare the listing price with boats listed in the past and the color coding indicates if the price is good (green = below the average listing price) or more on the expensive side (red = seller is asking more than the average listing price).

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• Sailboat Reviews

With over 1,300 built, there should be plenty to choose from--but be sure to check out the later boats first.

In the sailboat industry Ericson Yachts was somewhat of the archetypal production boatbuilder: trendy, performance oriented, colorfully advertised, and, for the most part, successful. The Ericson line started in 1965 with the enduring 32 and 35, simple and stylized boats that sold mostly to West Coast buyers. The model line then grew, aimed largely at racing sailors, but with models successively introduced to fill in the line and keep Ericson buyers in that builder’s boats, eventually reaching a high degree of acceptance throughout the country.

In the intervening years Ericson Yachts sold a lot of boats, and with them the firm developed a reputation for good quality and finish. The accolade is but partly deserved, at least in terms of other production builders such as Pearson Yachts and Cal Boats with whom Ericson can be compared.

The longtime designer of Ericson boats is California designer Bruce King with a brief Ericson foray into the racy designs of Ron Holland. When Ericson stayed with the contemporary style, the builder prospered. Two ersatz traditional designs, the Independence (nee Classic) 31 and 36 were busts as were the Holland race boats.

A Close Look at the Boat

In a number of ways the Ericson 27 can be considered an excellent representative of the Ericson line throughout the 1970s. Introduced in 1971, the 27 remained in production for nine years. In all, 1302 were built, making the 27 among the leaders in number of production boats built.

Initially the 27 was, per the fashion of the early ’70s, marketed to a price as a stripped boat, simple and plain with an outboard engine as standard and virtually all gear but the essentials available only as options.

Typically the 27 was sold with tiller steering and a conventional interior layout as a boat purportedly competitive under the then-young IOR but more popular with buyers looking for reasonable performance and comfort in a small cruising boat.

Auxiliary power was an outboard mounted in a cut-out on the centerline of the transom at the end of a longish straight cockpit. The interior decor was primarily mahogany plywood and boasted an enclosed head and reasonable headroom, two highly attractive features for early 1970s buyers finding many boats of comparable size more cramped.

In late 1974 Ericson began an upgrade of its entire line, changing to an interior teak finish, making much of the gear that had been optional standard, and appealing to a higher priced buyer. In that upgrade the 27 received a redesigned deck and cockpit with a ventilation hatch amidships, a Tshaped helmsman’s station with pedestal steering aft. The transom cutout was eliminated and the mainsheet traveler moved from over the companionway to the cockpit.

At 27′ and well over 6,000 pounds of displacement, the 27 begged for inboard auxiliary power, and in all about 80% of those built were delivered with an inboard. For most of that run the engine was the Atomic Four, although on occasion other engines such as the Bukh/Westerbeke Pilot 10 and Volvo MD6A were installed per buyers’ desires. In the last year of production the standard engine was the Yanmar 8D diesel.

The Ericson 27, for all of her other possible virtues, does not boast much performance. Heavy (with inboard, a displacement to length ratio of 363), short rigged (sail area to displacement 14.1) and a bit squirrely in sloppy conditions with her spade rudder, the 27 has much to overcome. Under PHRF her rating is 225-230 putting her on a boat-for-boat basis with such smaller rivals as the O’Day 25, Catalina 25, and so-so performance boats as the Cape Dory 27 and Tartan 27. Ratings for 27s without inboard power are about the same, in part because of the similar displacement of the two versions (the outboard boats have 275 pounds of inside ballast to offset engine weight).

A handful of 27s were delivered with tall rigs, about 2′ higher than standard, but the boat does not have the inherent stability to reap much benefit from the greater sail area.

As a cruiser the 27 is comfortable for a couple, cramped for more despite its five berths. The forward cabin is pointy, the quarterberth is a “cave,” and the settee berths are a tad narrow. Ventilation is wretched, although better on later 27s with the midships hatch, and over the years many owners have retrofitted improvements.

Clearly the upgraded cockpit with wheel steering is also an improvement over the original. Ordinarily wheel steering in a 27-footer is a goodie, not a necessity. The Ericson 27 is an exception.

The 27 is not much fun to steer under power with wheel or tiller. The combination of the spade rudder and off center prop shaft keeps one’s attention at the helm. With a tiller this means constant offsetting pressure. A wheel makes it easier although the infernal backstay prevents standing upright aft of the wheel. Worse still is that the 27 can develop considerable weather helm if pressed in a breeze. A number of owners report making rudder modifications (making the post vertical and/or increasing size) to improve handling.

What to Look For

There seems to be no question that the Ericson 27 was adequately built. Problems with even the earliest hulls are more apt to be cosmetic than structural, according to 27 owners.

The problems that do occur tend to be those typical of boats of similar vintage: leaky ports, gate valves in need of replacement, spar corrosion, etc. that a professional survey should turn up. Check the engine; a faulty exhaust fitting (replaced by Ericson on recall) resulted in water backing into some engines.

Buyers should give thought to which version of the 27 is most worth shopping for. We would look hardest for a post-1974 model, with its improved finish, redesigned cockpit, and more commonly found inboard auxiliary engine, paying particular attention to the condition of the engine.

Clearly the 27 can benefit from upgrading original equipment including winches, traveler, reefing gear, galley stove and icebox, increasing water tankage, etc. Retrofitting wheel steering is difficult and of dubious recoverable expense.

Generally condition, not age per se, is the most valid determinant of the value of a production boat over 6 to 8 years old. Not so with the Ericson 27. To our minds the improvements in the latter half of the production run—wheel steering (standard beginning with hull #754), the dressier and more heavily constructed interior, more standard equipment, etc.—are well worth what we find is the typical difference in selling prices between older and younger Ericson 27s.

Given the steady changes in the 27, especially the deck/cockpit redesign, there should be a much more notable difference in price, perhaps as much as several thousand dollars. Certainly it would behoove any prospective buyer to check the later 27s before committing to an earlier boat, unless the price of the older is much lower.

Conclusions

There seems no question that the Ericson 27 has some drawbacks that are crucial concerns to prospective buyers: sluggish performance, steering effort, too many berths, etc. Still, it can be a most attractive boat to buyers wanting reasonable cruising amenities in a moderate size boat for a modest price. The 27 is truly a small cruising boat with more to offer (at least in later models) than such boats of comparable vintage as the Catalina 27 or the Hunter 27, albeit typically at somewhat higher prices.

To the advantage of the potential buyer, there are a lot of 27s on the market from which to choose, more so in the West than the East. The key is to spend some time looking for the best deal in a later model with the desired features, especially inboard power and wheel steering. Then the conservative styling of the 27 and its basic ruggedness should work to preserve the boat’s value, especially if the engine is maintained, the boat kept spiffy (and refinished when needed), and sails periodically replaced.

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• Sailboat Guide

Ericson 38 is a 37 ′ 7 ″ / 11.5 m monohull sailboat designed by Bruce King and built by Ericson Yachts between 1979 and 1987.

• 1 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
• 2 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
• 3 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
• 4 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
• 5 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
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• 7 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
• 8 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
• 9 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
• 10 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
• 11 / 15 Titusville, FL, US 1981 Ericson 38 $34,999 USD View
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Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

DRAFT: Wing Keel = 5’/1.52m Shoal Draft = 4.92’/1.5m Deep keel= 6.5’/1.98m

The ERICSON 38-200 was introduced in 1986? which shared the same hull but with new deck, coach roof and interior.

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A Partial Armchair History of Ericson Yachts

• Thread starter goldenstate
• Start date May 2, 2020

goldenstate

Sustaining member.

• May 2, 2020

I have been working for my own edification, on cobbling together a history of Ericson Yachts. There are several versions floating around the internet and really, it hasn’t been that long since the shop closed. I welcome the input of others to clarify and amplify. Here are some rambling notes. If I have overlooked existing threads on the subject, please let me know. My boat purchase has made me particularly interested in the 32 foot model, and one reasonably impartial source of reviews for experienced boats is PracticalSailor.com. PS has a good review from 2000 of both of the principal versions of the boat, and in that story suggest: “The company was formed in 1964 by Don and Gene Kohlman, two San Francisco Bay area sailors who moved south to Irvine, California to set up shop. Their first boats were what Don called “an eclectic line,” meaning they grabbed what they could—a modified Carl Alberg design, a 26-footer by W.B. Crealock and a 32′ 5.5 Meter keel boat similar to the Columbia Sabre of that same time. The first boats were introduced in 1965. In 1971, the CML Group bought Ericson Yachts and ran it until 1984 when Gene Kohlman bought it back. He and Don managed things until 1990, when they were forced to shut down.” This story about the Kohlmann brothers starting and then re-purchasing the company seems to have been repeated a few times, as in this article from Yachtworld about the 380 . The author also attributes the design of the boat to “Bill King” rather than Bruce King, so there may have been some slap-dashery in the research. Based on other sources, it does not seem like the Kohlmann brothers started Ericson. I couldn’t find much on-line about Don Kohlmann, but Gene Kohlmann is still around. His LinkedIn profile is here . Apparently, he graduated from Stanford in 1974. If he was 22 then, in 1964 he would have been about 12 when he started Ericson. That doesn’t make sense if Kohlmann’s bio is accurate. Wikipedia tells a different, potentially more correct version : Ericson Yachts was founded by Handy and Jenkins in about 1963. They began with molds bought from a defunct builder as well as from an enterprising dump operator. After a year or two of operation, they filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy and were subsequently purchased by Mark Pitman and Del Walton in 1965. During this period yacht designer Bruce King's first production designs were built. They were the E-30, E-32 Scorpion, E-41, E-35-2, and the E-23. In 1968 Ericson was sold to Pacific American Industries, Roland Mayotte Chairman. Mark Pitman stayed on as president, and Del Walton stayed on as VP of sales. The new facility on Deere Ave in Irvine was built by PAI. During this period the E-32-2, E-29, E-39, E-27, and E-46 were built. 1.64 In 1971 Ericson was sold to CML, Charles Leighton Chairman. Mark Pitman left, and Del Walton became president. During this period the E-25, E-37, E-23-2, E-36C, Madcap (custom 40) (Ericson 41 1967-1971 1-50 Hauls 41'Ocean Racer) E-31C/Independence 31,E-34-R/E-34-T, E-30-2/30+ were produced. In 1978 Red Cavaney replaced Del Walton as president. The E-25+/26, E-38/E-381/E-38-200 were produced. In 1981 Eugene Kohlmann replaced Red Caveney as president. The E-35-3/E-34, E-32-3, and the E-28 were produced. In 1985 Ericson was sold by CML to Acquico, Eugene Kohlmann president. In 1990 Ericson ceased operations and liquidated assets. Some of the molds the E-26, E-28, E-32, E-34, E-38, and E-43 (never built) were bought by Pacific Seacraft, a subsidiary of Singmarine Corp. Pacific Seacraft itself was purchased by Southern Californian businessman Jeffrey Emery in September 1998. This version seems more plausible. There is another article floating around on an aged Geocities site that is similar to the Wikipedia version, but also includes the notion of the Kohlmann brothers regaining control of the company in 1984. So, my simplified version: 1963-1970 Startup phase, different private owners trying different things to make sailboats. 1971-1984 Purchase by CML group, corporate ownership, better than average financial backing. 1984-1990 Purchase by Don & Gene Kohlmann who managed the production of the 1985 and later boats that seem to be the focus of most attention at this site. Who was the CML group? Corporate ownership? That sounds suspiciously like a bunch of bean-counters trying to squeeze money out of noble boaters! CML stood for Charles M. Leighton, who went to Harvard Business School, taught there for a year and then put together a company designed to aggregate multiple smaller companies aimed at the American leisure market. Still sounds pretty bean-countery, right? They bought a weird bouillabaisse of different companies: The Nature Company, NordicTrak, Britches of Georgetown, Sierra Designs, Boston Whaler, and Ericson Yachts. That one company should own these varied businesses under the umbrella of ‘leisure products’ sounds like the height of B-School BS, but maybe that’s just me. This idea of conglomerate excellence kind of came and went with Jack Welch. Production problems ensued. In the 1980’s lots of manufacturing jobs were moving offshore, even nylon tent-sewers at Sierra Designs . But that's not, for me, the interesting part of the CML story. Charles Leighton died in in 2013, and the not-so-secret secret to understanding the CML groups’ ownership of Ericson Yachts is that Charlie Leighton loved sailing. Loved it. He started the sailing team at Bowdoin before graduating in 1957. He had the company shop make boats for him to race in Kennedy-esque summer events. As reported in the New York Times, Charlie’s E-39 winning the ‘Corsair Cup’ in 1977. Also in the NYT Summer of ’77, racing an Ericson 43. Back when the Grey Lady would address such events. After he retired, Charles “Charlie” Leighton went on to devote apparently a large amount of time to US Sailing . He liked going fast and racing boats: This whole Bowdoin/Harvard/Newport race connection helps to explain how Ericson wound up with a career of work from a guy like Bruce King who, from what I have read, seemed closer to his element drawing boats for Hinckley than for some fiberglass experimentalists in Irvine. But all good things must come to an end. In 1983 CML went public, and started cycling through different businesses. ( Back to this story ) Among others, they bought a Sybervision, a company which (quaintly) produced self-help VHS tapes. “The company's executives had decided that the yacht business was too cyclical to provide steady profitability.” It makes me think, given what I have learned about Charlie Leighton, that he fought pretty hard against the sale, but probably couldn’t justify with a public investor base having his own boat company for Bruce King to draw nice boats for him. Who knows Don and Gene Kohlmann? They kept Bruce King, they did a good job of building boats, but building yachts is an expensive, volatile business. Would love to hear more.  

Loren Beach

O34 - portland, or.

• May 4, 2020

I reached out to Gene Kohlmann over the weekend and got a nice note back. Gene confirmed that the Wikipedia version of the origin story is much closer to the truth than the Practical Sailor one. Gene became an Ericson dealer in 1973 at the age of 21 and joined the company formally in 1978. He became president in 1980 at the age of 29. I asked Gene a few questions about different aspects of the evolution of the company, and he said he would mull over whether or not to jump on the forum and offer his thoughts. It should be said that Gene himself is an accomplished sailor. Here is his brief biography from Chief Integrations, a technology company he is now running with his son: https://www.chiefintegrations.com/about/  

• May 13, 2020

I am wending my way through Richard Henderson's Singlehanded Sailing (2nd ed., 1988) from my local library and in his discussion of types of craft suited for solo circumnavigation, Henderson makes mention among 'production craft' of the experience of Webb Chiles in a 37' Ericson, Egregious . Aha! An Ericson solo round the world, how exciting. Unfortunately, it didn't really all go very well for Mr. Chiles. During his initial foray in 1974 His hull cracked, broke some mast bolts, and stopped in Tahiti to fix them. After he fixed them, they broke again and had to turn back for home. He went again in 1975, and made it around. Chiles' account is here in free PDF on his web site. I haven't finished it yet. Chiles has continued to make solo sailing his essential occupation in life, completing a total of 6 circumnavigations, the most recent in a Moore 24, outlined recently in Cruising World magazine . I wonder, given the timing of things, if the introduction of the TAFG in 79/80 was partly a reflection of this experience. Maybe that and Charlie Leighton racing similar boats in the summers around the same time.  

Loren Beach said: I can toss up a little Ericson - Olson trivia. Sometime in mid-88, Pacific Boats was going thru bankruptcy, and they sold the tooling and patterns for the established Olson 25 and Olson 911s to Ericson. Also in this deal was the tooling for their brand new Olson 34 (and only one built with a cored hull), with only the one hull finished. EY continued production of the O-25 and O-911S (and 911LE) models and started producing the O-34, with their signature EY solid layup hull. Everything stopped by the end of 1990. Given the general look of the port lights of the Olson's and some other design features, I have always speculated the the Kohlmann's were long time friends or at least acquaintances of George Olson. That whole transfer just seemed to happen (well, viewed from a distance) quite seamlessly. What I do not know is whether the EY-built smaller Olson's had cored hulls, and I suspect that they were solid layup. In that industry, I suspect that everyone was at least socially acquainted... when we were in Alameda to buy our O-34, in 1994, our broker told me that NA Carl Schumacher used to have coffee with other boat builders and sailers in an older restaurant near Balena Bay marina where we ate breakfast. More fun trivia: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/18-ericson-not-a-sailboat-eryc2004f990.14364/#post-101808 Click to expand...

• May 25, 2020

Gene Kohlmann ran Albatross Yachts in Oakland, CA in 1974 - ?. Albatross handled Ericson and Catalina. I worked for Albatross teaching sailing and brokering while I was a graduate student at Stanford. If anyone is in contact with Gene, give him my best. --Steve  

Rocinante33

Contributing partner.

• May 26, 2020

Don Kohlmann, who wrote this (from resources section here at EY.org), is apparently well and acting as sales manager for Nordhavn yachts (power vessels) in Seattle.  

Martin King

I guess I should jump in here. The wikipedia page was fact checked mostly by me. Ericson Yachts was founded by Ray Handy. The practical sailor article is bullshit. A couple of ex Columbia Yachts employees including my father went to work for Handy. This era (early 60's) was ground zero for the fiberglass boat industry that was about to explode. The original factory was on Struck avenue in the city of Orange. You've got way too much focus on CML in my opinion. Ericson really takes off after being sold to PAI with Del Walton and Mark Pitman in charge of it. PAI built the factory in Irvine complete with a modern production line and testing pool. They were able to produce boats at an astounding rate. This is good and bad. By the mid 80's, I think the market had peaked for new racer/cruiser style boats and domestic manufacturers were faced with increasing competition from abroad and their own used boats. The luxury tax (remember that one?) in 1990 was the final nail in the coffin for many.  

Innocent Bystander

I was the creator of that old “oocities” archive back in 1998, on a “geocities” website, long before Wikipedia. The history came from some emails I swapped with Don Kohlmann and bodged together from some Northeast Ericson Association newsletters that I had run across somewhere.  

• Jun 8, 2020

Where are the blue prints for all these boats of special interest to me is the E36c which my daughter has recently purchased? And we can find no source for original owners manuals.  

TAPH2O said: Where are the blue prints for all these boats of special interest to me is the E36c which my daughter has recently purchased? And we can find no source for original owners manuals. Click to expand...

Thanks @Martin King for the contribution to the thread. Has your dad written publicly about his time with Ericson? I (and I'm sure many others) would be pleased to learn anything he wanted to share about his experience. Thanks too to @tenders for your work in the same history-of-Ericson!  

• Jun 9, 2020

I have all the info shared here from past investigations. Hoping to revive interest in digging up the bones perhaps is Bruce King still alive how about the employees who did the actual glass and wood work and the acquisition of things like motors struts props sinks hardware yada yada. Thanks for the reply.  

Had a nice chat with Don Kohlman and he said there were no drawings just laid up from wooden molds. Also the bronze was done by “Elk Brass Foundry” now defunct. I think he said they didn’t gat into manuals until around 1988.  

What would be a GREAT and an honoring thing to do for Mr. Bruce King would be to have some sort of virtual/online gathering of all of us to recognize, celebrate and HONOR Mr. Bruce King for his incredible and lasting design achievements. (I am not all that techy literate but reasonably sure it could be done - maybe on this site on a well pre arranged day???) ...I seriously doubt there is any another boat brand with such a dedicated ownership and strong following with such a kinship and brotherhood. We DO share, laugh and solve problems of our proud Ericson boat ownership like no others. Mr. King with his design achievements IS the one who has brought us all together across this country and formed a lasting bond among us. AND - for that, we ARE ever so great-full. It would be ever so great to pay him a SPECIAL LIVE VIRTUAL TRIBUTE! (Food for thought...???)  

Nordic Star

• Jun 22, 2020

Anybody know if Bruce King is still with us? Trying (w/o much success so far) to obtain a half-model of our '87 34 II. Much appreciated.  

Attachments

• Jul 17, 2020

Nordic Star said: Anybody know if Bruce King is still with us? Trying (w/o much success so far) to obtain a half-model of our '87 34 II. Much appreciated. Click to expand...

Your Friendly Administrator

• Apr 12, 2021

Martin King said: Where are all the blueprints? They were in the cabinets bought up in the liquidation sale back in 1990. They have not surfaced in all this time, so I think it's safe to say they were thrown away. Click to expand...

The Ericson 39 is a 39.0ft masthead sloop designed by Bruce King and built in fiberglass by Ericson Yachts (USA) between 1970 and 1979.

105 units have been built..

The Ericson 39 is a heavy sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat.

Ericson 39 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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ERICSON 30+ Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of ERICSON 30+. Built by Ericson Yachts (USA) and designed by Bruce King, the boat was first built in 1979. It has a hull type of Fin w/spade rudder and LOA is 9.12. Its sail area/displacement ratio 17.44. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on Diesel.

ERICSON 30+ has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about ERICSON 30+ and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the ericson 30+.

ERICSON 30+ was designed by Bruce King.

Who builds ERICSON 30+?

ERICSON 30+ is built by Ericson Yachts (USA).

When was ERICSON 30+ first built?

ERICSON 30+ was first built in 1979.

How long is ERICSON 30+?

ERICSON 30+ is 7.72 m in length.

What is mast height on ERICSON 30+?

ERICSON 30+ has a mast height of 11.73 m.

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