A total of 1,335 were built. The sporty underwater hull and the rig typical of the era, with a fairly small main and ample foresail, were fun to sail. The "foam of the sea", as the name translates, was seaworthy to boot. Below deck, the almost eight metre long yacht could sleep up to six people in an emergency. There was also a pantry and a toilet.
Weight was a priority during construction. In doing so, the shipyard created the biggest shortcomings of today's Ecumes: the sandwich deck has become soft on almost all examples and needs to be refurbished. And the lightweight two-stroke petrol inboard engine, if still present, is mostly a case for the museum.
There is a wide range of prices for used boats. Refurbished boats with an overhauled deck and diesel engine can cost as much as 25,000 euros. If all this has not yet been done, the tinkerer can find examples for as little as 6,000 euros, mostly in French winter storage yards. Read on to find out what else to look out for when searching for a suitable ecume de merin the YACHT issue 8/2011.
