The original Ericson 35 plays a part in the interesting story of the origins of the Ericson Yacht Company. I will use photos of my boat--hull #5--and photos of other E35s as they become available to build this "History" for the boat. Old advertisements and articles regarding the Ericson Yacht Co. and the original Ericson 35 were kindly sent to me and will be published here as evidence of the "peculiar birth" of these "good old boats"! Roger Brown was an engineer with Ericson from 1983 to 1990. He answered a letter I sent to Latitude 38 Sail magazine. I was looking for verification of the story about the original 35s being produced using a discarded Alberg 35 hull mold from the Pearson Company. Roger sent me his account of the story as well as copies of Ericson advertisements from various Sailing magazines of the late 1960's. I will have those items on the following pages. There is also an article from a California newspaper dated in 1969 which tells the story of the beginnings and early successes of Ericson........... Until a story of another "Alberg" Ericson was published in the September/October 1998 issue of Good Old Boat magazine, I had only Roger Brown's information regarding these boats. With the permission of Karen Larson, the Editor and Publisher of Good Old Boat, I have included some text and photos from that article.
The "Alberg" moniker is a natural, but then I saw a letter to the editor of Good Old Boat from a couple in California who have owned one from its first day in the 1960's----and they refer to it as the "Classic". I like both nicknames.
LEFT: A very close up view of the "counter" stern, which slopes aft from bottom to top. This look became "obsolete" in the early 1970s when the Racing Boat rules were changed to favor a boat that had its length over all (LOA) nearly the same as its waterline length (LWL). The new look became the one to be copied in cruising/racing boats. So this old "counter" look became the "classic" look by default.
I now know of 10 of these old boats. Certainly more are out there, and I am hopeful that some production figures will be uncovered. A recent article in GOOD OLD BOAT magazine of July/August 2002 mentions that "a couple of dozen" boats were built. The author of the article, Ed Lawrence, had apparently interviewed Bruce King...the well known designer.
ABOVE: My modified E35. Any and all credit for her uniqueness goes to Mike Barber, her former owner. All these boats came from the factory the same way. But Mike added the beautiful wood hatch that provides wonderful light in to the saloon area. The latches aft are also on its front so it can be tilted up from fore or aft for fresh air. He prepared the boat for coastal cruising with radar, GPS, VHF. The creature comfort additions include a large 12 volt refrigerator, and solar panels to help out the refrigeration while at anchor.....television with a VCR and of course an fm/am stereo system. A watermaker is also squeezed in under the lav. sink. The large chrome Dorades just forward of the custom skylight hatch were added and provide extra ventilation. Two more are behind the stern locker and one more is visible on the bow. A 30HP Perkins M30 Diesel provides auxiliary power.
BELOW: This is Ericson "Alberg" hull #19 that was featured in the Good Old Boat magazine and is owned by Dan and Kathy Haupert. I chose these 2 photos to show off the beautiful lines of the original E35. The graceful overhangs of bow and stern in the Carl Alberg designed hull link these boats to the past by "reminding" us just a bit of those wonderful old wooden boats of earlier times.
The following pages will have copies of letters and newspaper articles that help illuminate the somewhat "illegitimate birth" of these pretty boats back in the mid 1960's. Interesting old Ericson 35 advertisements from the various sailing magazines of the 60's will also help build the "history" of the original E35.
BOATS FOR SALE:
1. See DECISION on page 6.....a restored boat that had a winning race record in the 1960's in Lake Michigan.......now in Wisconsin.
