Trojan 26

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DeniseO30

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2016
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137
Location
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Not sure they fit in trawler tell of thing but there allot of them out there, quite old mostly gas fueled also, many of them look like unused in many years types
There actually one at another yacht club near me (1976 w/351 Ford)
Just wondering what anyone can tell me about them

and NO.. this doesn't mean I'm buying it! And Yes any boat I would consider will be surveyed.

Thanks!
 
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A friend had a 30 and I see a lot around.

His was in great shape, just needed the interior redone.

He couldn't hardly give it away due to age, etc...people's biases.

I told him it would be a great retirement boat with a little work....but family plans changed things.

I would find one with a dead engine in decent shape and make the decision then to keep a faster boat that can go slow well, or put in a small diesel.

I would look at some 30s as the extra space is worth the 4 feet for elbow room....the cost will be only in future slips, lifting....the used prices are probably very close.
 
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Oh... dunno.. looking at the little I can find they need to RIP I could be wrong but they seem to use/need allot more HP then other hulls.
sorry about the typos in post #1. I don't get why the edit function is or isn't here sometimes.

Thanks for the input!
 
Can't go by seemingly "need" more horsepower....

Back when these boats were produced, hp and cost of fuel made designing boat hulls almost a secondary consideration along with engine sizing.

But sure, like many older boats, if you plan to run them up in their hp range, expect lousy mileage.

Then again, run them like trawlers and the fuel won't be so much an issue, but you will still have sprint speed if you need/want it.

Most older under 30 boats were gas, would be really suprised to find an original diesel Trojan 26/30. Usually went to a second gasser if more push was required.
 
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Not sure they fit in trawler tell of thing but there allot of them out there, quite old mostly gas fueled also, many of them look like unused in many years types
There actually one at another yacht club near me (1976 w/351 Ford)
Just wondering what anyone can tell me about them

and NO.. this doesn't mean I'm buying it! And Yes any boat I would consider will be surveyed.

Thanks!

Most of these 25 and 26 Trojans were singles with small rudders.
Made docking a bit of challenge.
Not a very pricey boat today at all. Best value for them is find the guy that dumped a ton of money into it and is now selling.
 
As mentioned, There's one down the road from me at another YC I may just go see it.
$3500 OBO at a YC. I'm guessing it's been sitting for at least 20 years. One guy had a tree growing out of his at my club, until they finally changed the rules on "dead boat society"
 
As mentioned, There's one down the road from me at another YC I may just go see it.
$3500 OBO at a YC. I'm guessing it's been sitting for at least 20 years. One guy had a tree growing out of his at my club, until they finally changed the rules on "dead boat society"

They built a ton of them back in the day (I sold them back in the 70's). Not a bad looking boat for a small Express Cruiser. If you just want to get on the water,the price may be right..
 
I grew up in a time and location where Chris Crafts, Owens and Trojans were the predominant brands.

I can only assume that Trojan designers only had a 30/60/90 and 45/45/90 triangle for drafting tools in the 60s and 70s.

That said, the Trojan F28 of that era was actually a decent looking boat and has aged well.

I do remember that most Trojans caused great concern when entering and leaving the marina. Not sure if was due to the wee little rudders and high windage, or the BAC of the skippers, but many of them were fended of the whole way down the fairway until they were all safe in their well carpeted and fendered slips.

I believe that they were constructed to a fairly high standard for the day.
 
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My buddy gave his 30 to his son in law.

He would have taken less than $5k on the open market..think he got down to $3500.

He is the chief mechanic for a large school bus system and the boat was in great shape...just a little sprucing up, and new cushions inside or at least new covers.

He also had a full camper canvas for the whole cockpit that 6 to 8 people would hang out in for 3 seasons. Doubled the size of the boat.

Really liked that boat and I get to sit on a lot of boats.

While true that the rudder was small, that is easily and inexpensively fixed. A little research turns up tons of used bronze rudders collecting dust around the Northeast.
 
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It's on Craigslist pea green!
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1976 Trojan F26
 
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Beware the engine bed/stringers. Take a small hammer with you if you go see it.

Trojan made three different versions of engine bed/stringers.

1. hard wood fully exposed except where taped to the hull, these seemed to stand up quite well.

2. Fully encapsulated hard wood but with an exposed end not glassed to the transom and some of these are still good.

3.Fully encapsulated wood including glassed to the transom. I don't know if these were hardwood or not because I've never seen one with enough wood left to make that determination.
 
Just to be clear .....that is not my friends boat....his was a 30 flybridge.

But the are very similar.
 
Boatpoker....is there any guidance on stringers and just that problem.

I have heard but not verified that some stringers had enough glass over top of them, the wood was really just a form...which sounds strange.....

But I ran 26 foot, keel drive Shamrocks hard for a decade without any wood in the stringers just brown juice. No noticeable flexing and no cracking where the wood was gone....and those boats were rode hard and put away salty year after year....

Just curious.... outside of major surgery for the boat.
 
Grew up on Trojans. First a wood 31' dad bought new at the Seattle Boat show in '67, then a 36' tri-cabin he bought at the '76 show. sold the 36' after 20 years. Gel coat still shined, never a blister or core problem. Mechanics all seemed to hold up well. The electrical was somewhat mickey mouse. I seem to remember exposed wood stringers, White Oak it appeared. Always thought the 26 looked nice. Simple engine/trans arrangement.
 
I sent a message to the commodore of that YC where the boat is. (he's a friend)

F26 is actually 28 foot, I guess they include the bowsprit Didn't "F" mean flybridge?

What's say I got this boat for next to nothing? (no delam in the keel or stringers)

Gad I hate gas fueled boats, assuming it runs. I can guess it's been re=powered with the ford 351 I could refit the boat over the next year of so if it runs well enough to meet my club's running boats requirements.

200 + HP of any make Diesel is hard to find, new would be out of my reach

Boatpoker.. you know what? there is very little information about engine beds to be found.

I am going to go see this boat just to "see" lol
 
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I sent a message to the commodore of that YC where the boat is. (he's a friend)

F26 is actually 28 foot, I guess they include the bowsprit Didn't "F" mean flybridge?

What's say I got this boat for next to nothing? (no delam in the keel or stringers)

Gad I hate gas fueled boats, assuming it runs. I can guess it's been re=powered with the ford 351 I could refit the boat over the next year of so if it runs well enough to meet my club's running boats requirements.

200 + HP of any make Diesel is hard to find, new would be out of my reach

Boatpoker.. you know what? there is very little information about engine beds to be found.

I am going to go see this boat just to "see" lol

Hope it's a sound one. Don't forget your hammer.
 
If you want good efficiency at slow speeds pay colse attention to weight. Lighter boats will better re fuel burn subject to all the other variables of course.
The lightest boats will be plywood.
 
Not getting or building wooden boats anymore Willy I do appreciate your love of them just the same. I have a little plywood MOTH dinghy I need to sell

BP. I had Boat US on my 82 sailboat. would I even be able get insurance on such an old boat? Yes it would be surveyed if I went for it but it would have to be in awfully great condition at that age!
 
Oh... dunno.. looking at the little I can find they need to RIP I could be wrong but they seem to use/need allot more HP then other hulls.
sorry about the typos in post #1. I don't get why the edit function is or isn't here sometimes.

Thanks for the input!

Denise, the edit function expires after a certain length of time. However, if you don't notice typos etc, until too late, if you report the post to us mods, by just clicking on the report post icon on the left of the post, (the red triangle under your avatar), it will be brought to our attention. You can then indicate in the report why you are reporting it and what you want changed, and we can do that for you. :)
 
Denise, the edit function expires after a certain length of time. However, if you don't notice typos etc, until too late, if you report the post to us mods, by just clicking on the report post icon on the left of the post, (the red triangle under your avatar), it will be brought to our attention. You can then indicate in the report why you are reporting it and what you want changed, and we can do that for you. :)
Thanks Peter, I guess there's a reason
 
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