Project: Trojan 10 Meter Express

jhalb · Post by **jhalb** » Wed May 23, 2012 5:40 pm

I agree with the dinette table being hard to raise. We leave ours down all the time. I added 2" foam and mounted a 23" flat screen TV to the wall behind the head. This makes a great lounge area. We never eat there but wouldn't take too much to convert back to a table.

Natchamp · Post by **Natchamp** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:24 pm

Just thought I'd share the newest addition I milled up for the project. I couldn't find any scupper valves the right size so I machined some. They are aluminum with clear anodizing. The pictures aren't that great but they came out real nice. Lot's of more update pictures coming soon.

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:26 pm

Those are awsome!!!

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:28 pm

nicely done

this vessel will turn out to be one of a kind and just AWESOME!

RWS

Natchamp · Post by **Natchamp** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:17 am

Gents,

Lotâ€™s of progress to report. The running gear is almost complete. I had to fix a bent strut and re-bed an intermediate strut but the new shafts, cutlass bearings and transmission couplers are all installed. Everything is aligned, mounted, adjusted and the shafts spin very freely. It was a lot of work. The new shafts and bearings look great. The props cleaned up very good. They are Nibral 18x20 cups. All I need to do is install the packing and mount the props. Sorry everything isnâ€™t totally clean, not quite time for detailing yet.

Question: Iâ€™m planning on painting the props with pettit Zinc Coat, but what about the shafts? I hate to paint them when they are brand new and look so darn good. Should I paint them or leave them alone?

I also got most of the transom done including mounting all of the accessories, swim platform mounts, my new Lenco trim tabs, my custom scupper valves, etc. The 2 inner swim platform mounts were corroded pretty bad so I replaced the tubes on them. I went with 12x24 trim tabs. I like how my scuppers turned out too.

Iâ€™ve been working on the top when I can and have some preliminaries to show. I got the vertical side tube assemblies all done, parts machined and anodized, as well as the mounting plates attached. Next I will work on the actual top section but for now all you get are the sides. So far so goodâ€¦.strong like bull. I also designed it to have cable-ways in all 4 vertical tubes so the wiring can be sano.

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:28 am

You started with something solid and unique.

the direction you have chosen is awesome.

this boat and the project undertaken needs to be the subject of a magazine article.

SERIOUSLY !

RWS

gettaway · Post by **gettaway** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 10:38 am

Hi Mark,

You boat looks great, everytime I read your posts I am green with envy of you having your boat in your driveway. I have done everything in the water so far.....

As far as painting shafts, my boat is in Coronado and I dive my boat every 4-5 weeks, each dive there is a fair amount of crusty growth on the unpainted shafts. I use a stainless steel "steel wool" and clean them , and it takes a bit of work and time to get all of the growth off, and of course growth is accelerating as the water temp rises. a bottom diver friend says he sees about 50/50 painted and un painted, same with props.

on the positive side, should there ever be an electrolosys problem, you can see it right away.
hope that helps

EM63 · Post by **EM63** » Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:59 pm

I would paint some antifouling at the stainless steel shafts.
And mount some zincs like LLCD:

BTW: your setup looks fantastic

--
Greetings - Heiner

Crazy Yankee · Post by **Crazy Yankee** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 7:11 am

@ Natchamp - I saw the numbers on your props. Our boat came with 18x22's. WOT nets us 4000rpms and 29 MPH with a fairly heavy load of fishing gear.

What are the rest of you 10M Express owners running for blades?

Natchamp · Post by **Natchamp** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:46 am

Ok, not the most exciting part of the project but it had to be done.............

and after........

On a more interesting note, here's a sneak peek on the forthcoming top.......just got back from my friend's shop where we welded it all up. Yes, it was very stressful driving home with it in the back of my truck! This thing is big, 10'x10'.

vabeach1234 · Post by **vabeach1234** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:54 am

It looks like you already painted your rudders. You may already know this but make sure you sand off some of the paint on the rudders where the zincs will be mounted so you get good contact.

Oh yeah. Awesome job. Looks like you have room in your driveway for my boat too.

yorklyn · Post by **yorklyn** » Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:29 pm

Mark, Mark ,Mark, Your killing me!!!!!! LOL! Can't wait to see it on the boat!

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:48 am

good move on the crapper Mark.

just replace all the soft parts and you're good to go.

while she is still on the hard it might be a good time and easy too to add drop fins to your trim tabs.

This was important durin my quest for efficiency in getting RWS up to .83 nmpg. ESPECIALLY if you have full tanks and a number of guests/gear.

Keep taking those photos and see about getting a magazine article done. If I were you, I would "shop" it.

While you are in the head I wonder if I can share a problem I have on mine with you that I have been unable to solve.

We seem to be collecting water inside the shower sump.

I can't tell if it's seawater, bilge water or rainwater.

I originally thought for a long time that it was bilgewater when the fuel tanks are empty, collecting at the fwd engine room and seeping into the shower sump beside the sump hose,, but I have since sealed that hose opening on both sides with RTV. I also put a plug in the thru bilge overflow hole.

Just something to consider while you are in your head, as the two are identical. Might help eliminate a similar problem with yours.

KEEP POSTING MORE PICTURES!

RWS

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:50 am

Crazy Yankee wrote:@ Natchamp - I saw the numbers on your props. Our boat came with 18x22's. WOT nets us 4000rpms and 29 MPH with a fairly heavy load of fishing gear.

What are the rest of you 10M Express owners running for blades?

Mark,

send me a PM with your e-mail and I will send along all of my data regarding the 4 blade & 3 blade props.

RWS

jhalb · Post by **jhalb** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:57 am

Mark, I see you replaced the floor steep switch on your head. Do you still have the old one? I could use it if the repair on mine doesn't hold. If you want to sell it let me know.