Highlights
Activities
Sailing
Cruising
Celebrating
The Boat
Features
Boat Rules
Description
The Ericson 34 looks and sails like a big boat. Of course, with an LOA of 34 feet, 10 inches, it's pretty close to being 35 feet anyway. Bruce King has always designed graceful boats that just seem to look right in the water, and the 34 is one of his best efforts. Most who see her sailing or enjoy her high headroom and spacious interior layout swear she has to be a 38'. When assured she really is 34.10, have often heard she has more room than most boats up to 40.
The proportions are moderate, from the amount of sheer and freeboard to the ballast, displacement and sail area numbers. The masthead sloop rig supports just about 600 square feet of sail area and this can be powered up with a genoa. The 5 foot 4" wing keel helps the boat track well to weather and the balanced rudder provides excellent steering on deep reaches.
The Ericson 34 hull is solid fiberglass and taken from a single-piece mold. Ericson was justifiably proud of its "Tri-axial Force Grid," a molded structure of thwarts and stringers that give the hull rigidity and provides excellent support for the keel and rig loads. The sandwich deck has a balsa core with plywood backing under through-deck fittings for extra strength. The fiberglass hull and deck joint is less prone to leaking than through-bolts. The keel is externally fastened with beefy bolts. The rudder is foam over a steel frame with a thin fiberglass skin.
This boat is gorgeous and sails as good as she looks!
Meet Mary S.
Reviews
-
This was my first experience with Boatsetter/Boatbound and was not sure what to expect. Mary asked me to come early to check out the harbor but due to poor information I went to the wrong place and they were closed. So day wasted. As it was, all I had to do was look at a chart with Mary and see where the shallows were and stay clear.
The boat was great. Loads of gear on board. Old but totally functional and sailed well. But as we were deep in the Alameda harbor with speed limits it took ages to get out and sadly we did not manage to sail far. When the wind came up it was time to return. So not sure if I will do this again unless I can spend the night or go back later. -
Nice boat, good condition/equipment for light cruising. Mary and Paco were great. Recommended.
