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FIRST SAILBOAT! 1978 Pearson Ensign

14K views 29 replies 16 participants last post by  FirstCandC 
#1 ·
Well, first "real" sailboat. Just like everyone who buys a boat, I am in love with this thing. I got a pretty good deal on Craigslist from the second owner of this fine craft. It is hull # 1660. She has a wonderful Triad trailer which took us all the way from the Connecticut on the Sound to Albany, NY! She needs a bottom paint, and some maintenance of the cockpit woodwork, and all new running rigging as she's been sitting awhile. I can't wait to get out on the water!!

Thanks for sharing my glee!











 
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#5 ·
You did good. Thats a great starter boat for sure. I have a boat that many confuse for yours, its a 1967 Sailstar Corinthian. You'd swear both of our hulls came from the same mold. Nice deep rudder and a stable keel platform. Mine is not as nice as yours is ( yet!) but I'll be painting soon and finishing my interior. I'm keeping all the wood as it looks great when finished properly. My cockpit sole(floor) it teak slats too, looks like you have a hatch or two there. You lucked out getting such a nice trailer. You'll probably need a hitch extension to launch as you really have to sink the trailer a ways to get that keel off. Not sure what your ramps are like there. I didn't see an extension in your photos??? Mine will stay in a slip, haul out for hull wash and hurricanes, we get a lot of 'em here it seems. (Mississippi gulf coast. Best of luck to you, get her in the water ASAP !!!! Bruce
 
#9 ·
DannyBoy-

+1 on your taste in sailboats! I sail on a buddy's Ensign whenever I can. He races every week out of the Thames Yacht Club in New London CT. I think they have about 9 or 10 boats in the club plus others in the area that race. If that trailer is road worthy, bring it up to Connecticut sometime!
 
#15 ·
Dannyboy,

Where were you thinking of sailing your new Ensign? I notice that there are some lakes that look big enough to the north (Scanandaga, George etc.). There is also the Hudson which is pretty small up by Albany. I guess Catskill, Saugerties, Hudson area is also fairly close where the river is wider.

If you want to see an Ensign rigged up and ready for sailing then come down to Nyack before November as that is when the boats get hauled for the winter. Once the boats get hauled though you would be able to see them up close and likely meet their owners. Right now they are all out on moorings and some are still doing races on the weekend.

Keep your eye out for any used Whisker pole or Spinnaker pole from other smaller boats (<=25'). There is certainly some kind of Ensign class maximum length restriction on the pole for racing though. The Ensign class website probably has the specs listed somewhere.
 
#16 ·
I may take a trip down when it gets a little cooler, I definitely have to see how the complete boats are rigged so I can get some newer ideas. I will be sailing the Hudson and keeping the boat at the Castleton boat club for now. There is an Ensign fleet at Saratoga lake, but it's only good for racing there as the lake is pretty small. Sacandaga is a horrorshow of jetskis and powerboaters, it also gets quite shallow all over the lake. Lake George is beautiful and probably the best lake to be at, but it's elite and ungodly expensive to get a boat up there. The final choice is Champlain, which would be amazing, but a bit of a hike to get to. So I think my best move is to stay close on the river for now even though its probably only a 1/2 mile wide in Castleton. It's only 20 miles North of where she opens up pretty good and the winds are decent through there.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Nice looking boats, I think there are a few at the Chelsea Yacht Club as well, at least I know of one. It is a bit closer to you in Albany. (but not a lot)

Great looking boat by the way, I really like those and if I was looking for a day sailor I can't think of any other boat I would want. Hey the Hudson may only be one mile wide, but it is really long! I don't think you will get board on the Hudson.
 
#21 ·
I paid $4500 for the boat and the trailer. The trailer is what got me to jump to keep me from paying winter storage fees, plus I can move it to work on it. I think I got a decent deal. Others were interested in it, so I felt I was in the ballpark. The boat seems to be in fine condition, with no major repairs necessary. Save the rudder work.
 
#22 ·
Plus you can trailer it to different sailing grounds, a big advantage. So once you are comfortable with it you can take it to races where ever they may be, and even take it on a vacation. That is the big advantage of a trailer sailor, is that you can take the boat to the sailing locations, you can take it to the sound in a few hours instead of days! You can camp on it as well. (not much more than a hard tent really but enough for a weekend)
 
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