An article written by Almon Lockabey, Boating Editor of the Newport-Costa Mesa newspaper sometime in 1970, carried the title "Ericson Discovers Key to Success". This article was the third in a series about the boating industry. The subtitle was "Sailors Eager to Snap Up Fast Fiberglass Craft".
Design and build a faster racing yacht and the yachting world will beat a hurried path to your factory doors or to your dealers' showrooms.
That paraphrase of an adage about a mousetrap has been proved time and again by boat builders in the Newport-Costa mesa complex.
Latest to claim the veracity of it is Ericson Yachts, relatively new in the area which is noted for its production of fiberglass windjammers.
The Ericson trademark first appeared a number of years ago on a 35-foot boat that looked suspiciously like an Alberg-35 manufactured by Pearson Yachts. Rumors current at that time had it that Pearson had junked the mold and that it was picked up by aspiring builders who made a few interior changes and produced it under the name Ericson. The firm was located at that time in Orange. Later a 32-footer was produced which was admittedly a copy of Columbia's Sabre.
But the company that produced the original Ericson-35 and 32 is not the same as that now occupying a 70,000 square-foot plant in the Irvine Industrial Complex.
In 1966 Mark Pittman and Del Walton purchased the struggling firm and started producing sailboats of original design, mostly by up-and-coming young designer Bruce King. In 1968 the firm was purchased by a conglomerate, Pacific American Industries. Pittman was retained as president and Walton as vice president in charge of marketing.
With six designs now in manufacture in the new plant---completed in December of 1969---the firm looks forward to doubling its sales in 1970 over 1969---which was the biggest year in the company's history.
All of this optimism is in the face of so-called tight money and possible recession which most economists expect to continue for some time.
Ericson Yachts maintains a payroll of about 100 men capable of turning out 35 boats a month---depending on the size--and a dollar volume of about 6,000,000.
"The first quarte r of this year was about 75 percent better than last and our second quarter looks even better," commented Walton, whose primary job is building a national dealer network.
Most yachting observers agree that the boats which catapulted Ericson into the forefront of the industry were the 41 and the more recent 35. Both models are winning their fair share of races in a highly competitive field.
The Ericson-41 and Ericson-35 are both from King's design board---as are all of the Ericson yachts except the Ericson-26 which was designed by William Crealock.
The boat that is now taking the racing circuits by storm is the Ericson-35 which delivers for a base price of $19,500. The first one off the line won the Long Beach to La Paz race last November and subsequent yachts from the same mold have been winning local handicap races. Nearly 150 have been produced and the plant is backlogged for future orders.
All of the Ericsons---from the smallest (23 feet) to the largest (41) are tank tested at Stevens Institute before being built. "All six of our yachts reflect our design emphasis on durable, classic beauty while incorporating the most advanced ideas for speed, together with manufacturing emphasis on the highest possible quality and detailing," said Pittman.
"We have resisted all shortcut methods of fiberglass molding in favor of hand layup with woven roving, glass cloth and mat," he continued "This, pound for pound, is still the strongest layup known---and the most costly."
The Ericson-41 was the hot yacht of the line in 1969, winning or placing high in some of the toughest yacht races on both the west and east coasts. Selling for a base price of $31,950, the yacht cruises seven in a beautifully wooded interior, has a modern two-section cockpit and offers an extravagant list of equipment and special features in her standard price.
Newest of the Ericson line is a 29-footer which is expected to show up well in the stiff competition of the Midget Ocean Racing Fleet---yachts under 30 feet. The first Ericson-29 launched took a first in class and third overall in her first outing in one of the Balboa Yacht Club's 66 Series races. The 29 has a base price of $10,500 which includes the usual standard equipment plus such things as valves on all through-hull fittings, Barlow cockpit and halyard winches, mainsheet traveler and genoa deck gear. Auxiliary power is optional with a choice of Atomic Four or Vire engines. (typist note: this word VIRE is in the article--maybe a mistake--anyone know ?)
Another feature of the Ericson plant is a method of water testing for water tight integrity of hull openings, portlights and gunwale seam. This is accomplished in an immersion tank in which all yachts are dunked before leaving the plant. While in the pool the engines can also be run-tested for smooth operation, shaft alignment and mounting rigidity.
With the addition of the 29, the Ericson line now includes a 23, 26, 30, 35, and 41.
Tight money or not, the officials at Ericson Yachts foresee no slowdown in production---not as long as their yachts keep showing up in the top brackets of yacht racing results.
