Design and Construction
King's hull shows its IOR-era parentage clearly: a short 30-foot waterline stretched across a 39-foot LOA by 9-foot overhangs, a ratio of just over 20 percent of length overall and less than other similar boats of the era, with a long entry and a pinched IOR counter stern. The swept-back fin keel carries a deep forefoot and the fullish aft sections form a three-quarter skeg, a hull shape the period description credits with not being prone to pounding. Below the waterline the boat is a solid fiberglass hull with internal lead ballast, something noted as less common in later designs, while the deck is balsa-cored fiberglass with solid plywood substituted in areas of high load under the deck. Ericson laminated its boats in split molds, building them in halves and joining them along the centerline, and the hull and deck are joined on an inward flange. Bulkheads are plywood and were well-tabbed to the hull, and the cabin sole is a molded piece requiring a secondary bond but streamlining construction. The rudder is foam over an iron grid with a thin glass covering, and the rudderstock could have been beefier stainless.
Rig and Handling
The 39 was one of the first boats to feature midboom sheeting on the mainsheet, with the traveler forward of the companionway, a detail that separates it from the 39B models which usually have the traveler and sheet located aft. The masthead rig is ideal for poling out a headsail when running, and the narrow beam, pinched stern and deep aft sections are not ideal for running but the boat is described as capable in the trade winds. Up wind the 39 tracks well and has a soft motion in a seaway, though both models are apparently difficult to steer in reverse. The wheel sits just behind the bridgedeck rather than over the rudder, with an emergency tillerhead farther aft revealing the actual rudder stock position. Most 39s carry either Barlow or Barient winches, which are described as ageless and not in need of rushed replacement.
Accommodations
Below, the flush-deck 39 makes its compromise plain: the near flush deck is practical and efficient for sailing but trades headroom against the nicely trimmed mahogany interior that can be refinished. The galley is close at hand to starboard with two sinks facing forward, usually a three-burner stove outboard and an icebox aft; opposite is a settee berth and quarterberth that stretches under the aft-facing nav station. The saloon includes facing settees with a centerline table between, the head is forward to port and not overly spacious, and the V-berth is very good in size with bunks low enough to crawl into easily. A big hanging locker sits to starboard opposite the head, with chain locker access at the berth head. The 39B instead uses an offset companionway to gain an aft cabin to port instead of just a quarterberth, and by raising the cabintrunk King was able to offer more headroom below along with increased tank size in the bilge. The 39B with its raised cabintrunk and teak handholds also feels more secure moving forward on the fairly wide side decks, and it carries just one cockpit locker because the aft cabin occupies the space.
Known Issues
The flush deck with balsa coring demands a careful look for deck delamination, a problem noted as not uncommon in such configurations. The forward hatch is huge and not immune to leaks, while the chainplates are secured to the main bulkhead and, because all chainplates leak, any history of leakage may have rotted the bulkhead. The original boats came with a 20-gallon iron fuel tank that hopefully has been changed out, and the engine is shoehorned behind the companionway steps so access is not very good. Some low-priced 39s still have the original Atomic 4 30-horsepower gas engine, though most have repowered with diesels; early boats came with that Atomic 4 and Ericson later began using the Westerbeke 30, a model now bound to be very old.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership considerations center on the propulsion and structure. Most 39s have repowered with diesels, a sensible path given the age of any remaining Westerbeke 30 or Atomic 4 gas installation, and the iron fuel tank is a known item to have replaced. Deck coring and bulkhead integrity around the chainplates are the structural watch points, and the balsa-cored deck's vulnerability to delamination makes a survey of the flush deck worthwhile. The 39B's cult following among cruisers stems from its added headroom, aft cabin, and increased tankage, but with only 19 built it remains a scarce alternative to the more than 100 flushdeck boats.
The Verdict
The Ericson 39 is a Bruce King design that still reads as a capable cruiser: stiff with a near-50-percent ballast ratio, tractable up wind, and finished in mahogany that rewards refinishing. The flush-deck majority and the rare 39B each make a coherent case, the latter for liveaboard headroom and an aft cabin, the former for the clean efficiency of the original concept.
Pros
- Bruce King design with lead internal ballast and a 50-percent ballast-to-displacement ratio for stiffness
- Masthead rig suited to downwind headsail poling and a soft seaway motion
- 39B variant offers raised cabintrunk headroom, aft cabin, and increased tankage
- Well-tabbed plywood bulkheads and solid fiberglass hull in split-mold construction
Cons
- Flush deck with balsa coring prone to delamination; huge forward hatch leaks
- Chainplates tied to main bulkhead risk rot if leaked
- Difficult to steer in reverse on both models
- Original iron fuel tank and shoehorned engine access complicate upkeep
