Trojan Boat Forum

I am looking at several earlier F26 Trojans. If the boat has been taken care of, will the age of the fiberglass be a problem far as cracking etc. The deck gets a lot of sun-does this affect the glass. Most boats are put up for the winter which helps some. Other than a survay is there anything I should look for?

Ralph

Look carefully at the foredeck, especially around the rails and other places where hardware penetrates the deck. Those are places where water has a tendency to seep into the balsa core over time causing spongieness, which can be fixed, but requires opening up the fiberglass skin, drying out (or removing) any rot, and either replacing the core or filling it with a penetrating resin, then replacing the skin. If you notice any soft (flexible) spots in the deck, water penetration in the core is a likely cause. You might also find soft spots where there isn't any hardware penetration.

Tapping around the deck with the plastic handle of a screw driver is a good way to find soft spots. A sharp solid sound is good, a hollow thud indicates trouble.

Look at the stringers that support the engine. Use a pocket knife or a screw driver to poke the stringers to make sure they are solid. You will probably find places to test bare wood around openings in the fiberglass skin over the stringers around the engine mounts or where the stringers have scuppers to allow bilge water to drain from the sides of the boat toward the center.

Check out the plywood backing plates between any seacocks and the fiberglass hull, and where the rudder stuffing box is mounted. These were getting pretty spongy on my '75 F26 when I bought her a few years ago. I replaced them.

Look for rot in the plywood bulkhead that separates the engine compartment from the cabin. Water tends to seep down along the cabin bulkhead where it meets the deck, and rot this bulkhead. I had to cut out some large sections and replace them with fresh plywood. Also, if the cockpit deck is wood, the support frames are prone to rot, especially around the joints.

If the fuel tank is original, which is likely if the deck hasn't been replaced, take a careful look at it, including hoses and connections. Old fuel tanks are prone to corrosion, expecially in salt water boats. Gas vapors from any leaks can turn your boat into a bomb.

Good Luck!
Chuck

F26 fiberglass questions

I would like to thank Chuck and many others that have answered questions on this site. This is a great site for those of us that like to do it ourselves

Ralph

Thank you Marc-this is great information-I think the F26, because of its size, performance and styling is a great boat. New boats don't compare.



Ralph

Marc -

I'd sure like to see those pictures of what you did to repair your deck. My local marina fixed one soft spot a few years ago, and did a "C-" kind of job. I'd like to go back an fix it better, as well as tackle what may be another soft spot. Both are on the foredeck, above the v-berth area.


I have a 1977 F-26

Many thanks

randyp

email rputnam@sspinc.com

I just emailed several pics. Good Luck!