Trojan Boat Forum

New to the forum but have been trolling for a bit. Lots of great info here.

My wife and I have been looking for a 32'-36' aft cabin for a couple months now. The 34' Tolly, 35' Catalina and 36' Trojan are what we have been concentrating our searches on.

Just found a "deal" on a '72 Trojan. I just started email conversations with the current owner, and this is what I know thus far.

Boat is on the water now but was on the hard for the last 5 years. Survey was done when she was taken out 5 years ago and structurally she is sound. Motors have just over 800 hours since rebuild. Needs all the exterior teak re-finished and some TLC inside but overall looks to be in good shape.

Going to look at the boat this weekend and possibly a sea trial. Is there anything in particular I should look for?

Thank you in advance for any insight.

I would get a new survey If it checks out .

survey

survey

survey

Seen too many go cheap and it ends up costing WAY MORE in the long run

My buddy thought he could get away with it on an INTREPID - took a bite out of his a$$ too

seen it too many times

S U RV E Y

RWS

Definitely will get a new survey. Just yesterday had a surveyor call me to ask if I wanted him to stop due to bad stringers on a boat that supposedly just had them replaced.

The Tri's that I have seen advertised in Michigan are anywhere from $6k for a basket case to upwards of $30k. The ask on this boat is $12k, so not a steal but a good deal if it pans out.

Being that your in Michigan , i have an 82 Tricabin i would consider selling . Only had her a couple years but been working on her non stop. my last main issue is the port engine appears to have been epoxied due to freeze damage . It runs fine ,no water in oil , stays around 160 f. i love the damn thing but i would really like a trailerable boat.
Twin 260 mercs , generator , new reverse cycle ac /heat. Mechanically and structurally sound . in my mind all it needs is cosmetics , bottom paint and a new port block , although alot of folks seem to think the block is not a problem , being a mechanic , i do . Boat is in bay city .

Hi,

I owned a '74 Tricabin for sixteen years before selling and moving to a newer Trojan. Loved the tricabin.

The model you are looking at if I remember correctly has wooden decks. They represent a lot more upkeep and potential issues. If I am incorrect and your decks are fibreglass then I stand corrected and ignore this comment.

Secondly, the tricabins (mine included) are famous for leaking water onto your shins when you are sleeping. In other words the design was faulty and the water that floods down each side of the boat in heavy rain will backfill into the afterdeck (sole). This can be fixed but it took me a long time to figure out how to do it. Solution not obvious.

Thirdly, the two rear corner-posts on both sides of the transom will rot out due to the way Trojan designed the rainwater drainage system. The water flows down each walkway and piles up into our lower afterdeck. (the water then flows under the 1/4 inch space in after-deck's back fiberboard wall into a trough and then down into scupper holes and finally out of the transom through those round brass fittings. It works poorly.

The good news is although those two transom corner posts can often rot out, the real strength is in how extremely thick Trojan Fiberglass "roving" was in those days and the fact that the fiberglass surrounding those posts was claimed to be stronger than the actual wood as far as support was concerned.

Right beside the two transom corner posts you will see a square, grey vertical structure extending up from the bilge to the deck. One on each side. To see them you will have to remove the access door under the ladder in the rear bedroom, get onto your stomach and It almost appears to be a grey post affair. But in reality, it is a very stiff, cardboard tube (air box) that Trojan installed for the air to be drawn into the bilge through the rear air intake. Don't be fooled by it like I was. There's one on either side.

The windows will leak in heavy rain and will need attention with regard to caulking and can be an annoyance. Water getting into the cabin can rot some of that lovely interior teak. You just have to sort of keep an eye on it.

The old airliner style toilets were not what I wanted and I installed a couple of vacuum flush units with holding tank (expensive but required in my opinion)

On the good side - These boats were planing hulls that can get you away from bad weather in a hurry. They are pretty fast when required. The hull is not cored which is why they are still around today. Thick tough well made fiberglass.

The Tricabins are very seaworthy and can handle rough water. I have been caught out on Lake Ontario in a couple of storms (poor planning on my part but hindsight doesn't help much at that point. Friends travelling with me in two brand new SeaRays had a much more difficult time that I had.

The tricabins will handle like a dream. You look like a pro when docking and close handling. That slight skeg down the middle of the hull helps the boat track well in both directions.

Best of luck

hello, i know this is a old post .just checking to see if you bought the 1972 trojan 36 tri-cabin.?? cause i have a question that you might be able to answer. i also own the same boat.let me know it you bought it. thanks terry