Lifespan

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RWS
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Lifespan

Post by RWS »

As compared to other very popular production boat manufacturers, Searay, Chriscraft, Bayliner, among many others, the TROJAN brand gets high marks.

Perhaps not as high as Bertram or Tiara, but way above average in build quality.

The company did not envision, design, nor intend these boats to have a 30, 40, 50 or more lifespan, yet, here we are nearly 30 years after Lancaster closed it's doors.

While many on-board systems remain the same like the Vaccuflush, the progression of technology has greatly aided in our ability to upfit, refit and improve engines, hatches, generators, lighting, electronics, HVAC, brightwork, soft goods and other components.

While some Trojans die of old age and neglect, others are maintained as new or receive upgrades.

Other than the obvious, does anyone wonder why this Brand continues to have the recognition, reputation and high percentage of well maintained or restored examples still actively on the water after all these years?

RWS
1983 10 Meter SOLD after 21 years of adventures
Yanmar diesels
Solid Glass Hull
Woodless Stringers
Full Hull Liner
Survived Andrew Cat 5,Eye of Charley Cat 4, & Irma Cat 2
Trojan International Website: http://trojanboat.com/

WEBSITE & SITELOCK TOTALLY SELF FUNDED
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prowlersfish
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Re: Lifespan

Post by prowlersfish »

Great post and how true ! Mine is 42 yo and going strong . There are 2 F32 here being fixed up with very informative threads



Hell I wish I aged as well as my Trojan yacht :shock:
Boating is good for the soul
77/78 TROJAN F36 Conv.
6BTA Cummins diesels
Life is to short for a ugly boat :D
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The Dog House
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Re: Lifespan

Post by The Dog House »

I bought my Trojan because it had an inboard. After 14 years of maintaining a sterndrive I had had enough. My 48 year old boat is still going strong. I just launched her today and she ran well. I did have to put a new battery in, but that's not the boat's fault. They simply don't make boats like this anymore. That's why people put in the effort and money to keep them running.
1993 Sea Ray 200 Overnighter OB with 1993 Mercury 150 hp Outboard
1979 Starcraft 14' Rowboat with 2011 Mercury 9.9 hp Outboard
Former boat: 1971 Trojan F26
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P-Dogg
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Re: Lifespan

Post by P-Dogg »

Consider my tricabin:
  • Elevated helm station, yet no ladders.

    Wide, flat deck. One level, no tripping hazards.

    Every cabin exit visible from helm. Very small-kid friendly.

    Widely separated very private sleeping cabins. Great for, ahem, couples.

    Great engine access.

    Salon is big enough to play Twister.

    Full-size bathtub.

    Two of everything important: heads (independent), A/C, engines (the boating day is certainly done if you can't poop).
.

What other boat at any price has these features?
I needed a less expensive hobby, so I bought a boat!
rickalan35
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Re: Lifespan

Post by rickalan35 »

It's going to be pretty difficult to find a single Trojan owner who will disagree with any of the proceeding comments.


So naturally I will try :)


Lets face it, Trojan simply screwed up or maybe they took the easy way out when they designed the rain water drainage from Tricabin rear decks. I fixed mine eventually. It could have been a much better design........ am I right?

The amount of stock seating in the Tricabin's cavernous cockpit was woefully inadequate. I hired a marine carpenter to build U-shaped seating and was able to fill the bridge with people.


Those are about the only complaints I can think of after a sixteen year love affair with a Tricabin. Loved that boat.
Trojan 1994 370 Express, 502 Bluewaters
rickalan35
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Re: Lifespan

Post by rickalan35 »

Sorry All,

I meant to say in my above post - "preceding comments" i.e. referring to the opening comments introduced by RWS and the comments that immediately followed from Prowler, Dog House and P-Dogg.

But I mistakenly wrote "proceeding" instead. Sorry. There's a big difference. You'd think i'd be able to check my own writing, but guess not.

Rick
Trojan 1994 370 Express, 502 Bluewaters
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prowlersfish
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Re: Lifespan

Post by prowlersfish »

I believe we all know what you meant . We'll let it slide , this time :mrgreen: :mrgreen: No worrys
Boating is good for the soul
77/78 TROJAN F36 Conv.
6BTA Cummins diesels
Life is to short for a ugly boat :D
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RWS
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Re: Lifespan

Post by RWS »

Despite all the design innovations and overall quality build of the hull and systems, after 36 years of service I have had to upgrade the following factory items:
  • cabin hatches-didn't leak but age had taken it's toll
    all wooden deck hatches-with new fiberglass hatches as the wooden ones rotted away, sucking in water at the edges
    why did they put carpet over top of those deck hatches anyway?
    engine room physical location of freshwater pump, sanitation pump and HVAC compressor
    numerous lighting upgrades for interior and cockpit
    additional engine room lighting
    the use of some cheap a$$ hinges at the anchor locker and lazarette
    why didn't they add the massive, curved windshield frame to the bonding system?
    despite a well thought out electrical wiring system, why didnt they use tinned wire?
    cut an opening in the hull liner for the aft bilge pump to get it below the liner to remove all the water when the boat is on a lift - not an issue for most of these boats as they live in the water most of the time, but when lift kept, this design issue will allow the rear of the fuel tank to touch bilge water this list does not include technical upgrades like battery chargers, lightweight diesel engines and generators that were not available in the 1980's

RWS
1983 10 Meter SOLD after 21 years of adventures
Yanmar diesels
Solid Glass Hull
Woodless Stringers
Full Hull Liner
Survived Andrew Cat 5,Eye of Charley Cat 4, & Irma Cat 2
Trojan International Website: http://trojanboat.com/

WEBSITE & SITELOCK TOTALLY SELF FUNDED
rickalan35
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Re: Lifespan

Post by rickalan35 »

RWS - Great list of upgrades.

Not thoroughly understanding exactly how the hull liner worked, what were the ramifications if any caused by you cutting through it?

I realize that your boat isn't a cored hull, but when you get time maybe explain how the process worked (hull liner) and then how you cut through it and finally, did you seal around the edges where you'd cut it or just leave it? How did it work? If a hull liner then how did the bilge water pool below it? Maybe I have the wrong idea of what a hull liner was supposed to do.

Thanks

Rick
Trojan 1994 370 Express, 502 Bluewaters
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AwayOnBusine$$
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Re: Lifespan

Post by AwayOnBusine$$ »

My 76 F32fying was neglected for some years. In the process of updating and refurbishing. Would not want a more satisfying project. Classic looking lines. People marvel at the shape and appearance most places we go.
F32 Fly 1975
10meterman
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Re: Lifespan

Post by 10meterman »

My 10 meter international mid-cabin is a 1990 not as old as a lot of the fine boats here , but she's 30
She's better made and looks better than a lot of the newer boats at my marina.( mostly Sea Rays)
The lines ,shape , the hull design, 13 foot beam, she rides way better than most , The Trojan designs were
sitting the standards ,,not following. First boat I went out in the Chesapeake Bay fishing on was my Uncle's Trojan flybridge
it was 1976 ,, When I was able $$$ to move up to a big boat,( you don't put it on a trailer) I knew what I was getting
TROJAN
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RWS
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Re: Lifespan

Post by RWS »

rickalan35 wrote: Tue May 07, 2019 6:51 am RWS - Great list of upgrades.

Not thoroughly understanding exactly how the hull liner worked, what were the ramifications if any caused by you cutting through it?

I realize that your boat isn't a cored hull, but when you get time maybe explain how the process worked (hull liner) and then how you cut through it and finally, did you seal around the edges where you'd cut it or just leave it? How did it work? If a hull liner then how did the bilge water pool below it? Maybe I have the wrong idea of what a hull liner was supposed to do.

Thanks

Rick
these boats have a true keel

the keel is built into the hull, and is below the liner

Think of the liner as a bucket inside another bucket.....

Anyway, the keel (which I believe also appears in the F series as well) can hold water, and does actually allow water to travel from the forward bilge in the cabin (no liner in that bilge compartment, just in the engine room and lazarette/fuel tank areas) to the aft bilge at the transom

If the boat was on the hard or on a lift, removing the drain plug would allow that water to escape.

When at rest IN THE WATER, the lowest part on a 10 meter express is the forward bilge, so no issues.

Put the boat on the hard, or on a lift and that water moves aft to the transom area and is pumped out by the aft bilge pump, located between the transom and the fuel tank. (remember this is on the EXPRESS, NOT the MID CABIN which has no hull liner)

Since a traditional bilge pump can never evacuate all the water, there was always some sitting at the centerline of the boat at the transom when on my lift.

Cutting out a small area of the liner allowed the bilge pump to be mounted lower and to not only evacuate water from the liner area, but also the water from the keel as well.

The old Trojan website has a hilarious thread by TABOOMA (take a bite out of my a$$) titled OOH, THAT SMELL.... that covered the problem in some F series boats where that water was deprived of air/oxygen and became aneroebic, creating a horrible odor.


Hope this answers the question

* here's a link to the keel water & smell issue raised again years letter (2012) but not as much fun as the original thread

viewtopic.php?t=6296


RWS
Last edited by RWS on Thu May 09, 2019 6:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
1983 10 Meter SOLD after 21 years of adventures
Yanmar diesels
Solid Glass Hull
Woodless Stringers
Full Hull Liner
Survived Andrew Cat 5,Eye of Charley Cat 4, & Irma Cat 2
Trojan International Website: http://trojanboat.com/

WEBSITE & SITELOCK TOTALLY SELF FUNDED
rickalan35
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Location: smiths falls, ontario, canada

Re: Lifespan

Post by rickalan35 »

Loved your post 10 Meterman.

I suppose this thread is turning into a healthy love-in where we all brag about our Trojans. But, it's probably good for all of us every once in a while.

I for one would have really loved a brand new imaginary tricabin with all the upgrades I added, built right in at time of manufacture. I think we all would. Our boats would have been unbelievable.

By the way, to put this Carver/Trojan situation to bed........ at the moment I'm entering my fifth year with probably my last boat (I'm 70) which also happens to be that counterfeit of all Trojans - the nineties Carver version. The good news is that it too, is one hell of a boat. Very well made, a solid fiberglass hull from the rub rail down and a great design - so guys please simply take my word for it and stop saying things like "Well, we don't know very much about these Carver Trojans - now you do, just take my word for it :) (I've been on this Forum since 2006)

But I can't really help but get a real charge out of my favourite Trojan, although I'm glad that I don't own it because I'm simply too old and not willing to start over again turning a great boat into my dream boat. But that favourite is the 13 meter hardtop that ReelWild just bought this spring in the Toronto area. I am so glad that somebody fairly local bought it and has joined the Trojan Forum. I thought about buying it myself around seven years ago but just couldn't pull the trigger for all the right reasons (work load, possible problems and the fact that I boat on the Rideau Lakes which are a chain of lakes thirty miles long with only one marina capable of hauling that boat out of the water). But that 13 meter model in my view was one of Trojan's masterpieces and I remember being simply stunned by the shape of the hull as it sat on the hard in it's cradle. The space on that boat and the sheer size made me feel small. Like having my hands around the controls of a B1 bomber.

10 Meterman is right though, when he states that Trojan lead the pack in the era of the middle-class boating world. It fell victim to some of the dangers that all industry leaders face when all doesn't go right whether it be the economy, the wrong boat at the wrong time or a mistake in the marketing plan. Ask Steve Jobs at certain points in his career or better yet ask Edsel Ford.

Our Forum has always had a simply great manufacturing company to base it's subject data upon and I believe that is why we so often see boat owners of other brands coming aboard to comment on their appreciation of this Forum.

Rick
Trojan 1994 370 Express, 502 Bluewaters
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