General Comments on Tollycraft build quality

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Tollytales

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Guys

Can you offer thoughts on tollycraft build quality? With specific reference to materials? Are older (70s) dfecks balsa? Problems with stringers? Etc? Please keep the info coming.





:flowers:
 
From everything I've heard from owners I know, read in reviews, etc. they are very well built boats indeed. But like any boat, be it a Bayliner or "Taiwan Trawler," Grand Banks, Fleming, or Nordhavn, a Tollycraft can have serious problems from neglect or abuse. But the baseline brand and its construction is among the best.
 
A forum member named Art should see this thread in the next day or two and he's a walking encyclopedia about all things Tolly. He owns a 34 and can fill in many of the details for you.

Try sending a PM(private message) to him. That'll draw him out.

The ones I've seen where well put together boats, but like all boats the care(or lack thereof) of the previous owners is more important than the pedigree of the boat itself.

Welcome aboard
 
thank you. I hope to have news and more details soon. I appreciate the guidance.
 
Owned two Tollys and they are well built, from Ed Monk designs. Had to sell my 30' Tolly due to the high maintenance and horrendous fuel burn of the two gas engines.
 
Jut spoke to the surveyor who will be there on Thur. Said that stringers and transom are typically non issue. That engines and running gear and systems are where we want to focus. Seems worth going forward.
 
One point of concern was that the owner did no maint for the Past 6 yr! Excited but nervous...
 
Last Post on this TF thread was near seven yrs. ago, on 08/08/2012.

Guess I'd missed it completely. Hope this post actually get chance to be seen.

So... I just happened upon this old thread while searching Google trying to find out what's happening to Tollycraft Forum and Tollycraft Boating Club in general. The forum has been closed for months and it seems the Boating Club only posts on Face Book. Myself, I have no desire to be on nor follow FB! That includes for Tollycraft or anything else.

To keep the ball rolling:

As was mentioned, Tolly's are one heck of a well built boat. We plan to spend five [5] happy days out n' about for this 2019 Memorial Day weekend; will be aboard by early AM tomorrow and return next Tuesday eve.

By keeping our Tolly in covered slip and 100% fresh water [with no stray electric currents at the marina] our maintenance costs for the last decade have been minimal overall. Being that I swim under to keep all bottom items in good order each time we use her helps to minimize costs. General mechanics above water I do myself. If it's too technical or needs repeat work over periods of hours on different days I let the yard mechanics do their stuff [that's because it's docked 100 miles from home]. In the last decade at this marina I believe I've not topped $6K work on our Tolly... including parts I install and work that others did too.

Back to the Tolly Forum and Tolly Boating Club I'm currently researching:

Tolly forum underwent a supposedly top knotch, modernization revision about two plus years ago. Well, someone made BIG mistake. All contents of the forum's couple decade existence got erased. They tried and tried to get the contents back in place... unfortunately to no avail. Many tried n' true Tolly owners [myself included] did all we could to assist repairs; we even brought in some program experts... but all was lost. The boating club decided to set up the forum in same basic layout as before and asked all owners/members of the boating club as well as other contributors to the forum to repost all and anything they could to get the "Forum-Ball" rolling again. That equalled a whimper compared to previous robust forum.

The club raised annual fee from $50 to $75. Many stopped participating.

Seems that Tollycraft support opportunities are deeply dwindling. Also, and although there is still [ Tolly Classified - Authorized Tollycraft Parts ] for Tollycraft parts and other Tolly stuff ... it seems that that too may meet its demise.

In closing... I'd like to say... If you find a well cared for Tollycraft boat that has what you seek at a price you can afford, buy it, you'll very probably fall in love with it!

Happy Boating Daze - Art :speed boat:
 
Art said:
Last Post on this TF thread was near seven yrs. ago, on 08/08/2012.

Guess I'd missed it completely. Hope this post actually get chance to be seen.

So... I just happened upon this old thread while searching Google trying to find out what's happening to Tollycraft Forum and Tollycraft Boating Club in general. The forum has been closed for months and it seems the Boating Club only posts on Face Book. Myself, I have no desire to be on nor follow FB! That includes for Tollycraft or anything else.

To keep the ball rolling:

As was mentioned, Tolly's are one heck of a well built boat. We plan to spend five [5] happy days out n' about for this 2019 Memorial Day weekend; will be aboard by early AM tomorrow and return next Tuesday eve.

By keeping our Tolly in covered slip and 100% fresh water [with no stray electric currents at the marina] our maintenance costs for the last decade have been minimal overall. Being that I swim under to keep all bottom items in good order each time we use her helps to minimize costs. General mechanics above water I do myself. If it's too technical or needs repeat work over periods of hours on different days I let the yard mechanics do their stuff [that's because it's docked 100 miles from home]. In the last decade at this marina I believe I've not topped $6K work on our Tolly... including parts I install and work that others did too.

Back to the Tolly Forum and Tolly Boating Club I'm currently researching:

Tolly forum underwent a supposedly top knotch, modernization revision about two plus years ago. Well, someone made BIG mistake. All contents of the forum's couple decade existence got erased. They tried and tried to get the contents back in place... unfortunately to no avail. Many tried n' true Tolly owners [myself included] did all we could to assist repairs; we even brought in some program experts... but all was lost. The boating club decided to set up the forum in same basic layout as before and asked all owners/members of the boating club as well as other contributors to the forum to repost all and anything they could to get the "Forum-Ball" rolling again. That equalled a whimper compared to previous robust forum.

The club raised annual fee from $50 to $75. Many stopped participating.

Seems that Tollycraft support opportunities are deeply dwindling. Also, and although there is still [ Tolly Classified - Authorized Tollycraft Parts ] for Tollycraft parts and other Tolly stuff ... it seems that that too may meet its demise.

In closing... I'd like to say... If you find a well cared for Tollycraft boat that has what you seek at a price you can afford, buy it, you'll very probably fall in love with it!

Happy Boating Daze - Art :speed boat:
Click to expand...

Contact a Trawler Forum Moderator and request a Tolly Forum added to the Trawler Builders section. I just had our manufacturer to that section.

I live in "Tolly Land" - PNW and the Tolly is closer to a trawler in appearance and concept than some of the other manufacturers listed.
 
Hello everyone!

My wife and I are about to close on our first Tollycraft. We are excited and nervous about this big adventure.

Its a 44' CPMY and we have a lot of questions and a lot of upgrades/maintenance to do.

Thanks,

John
 
Congratulations Newbie on your purchase. I assume this is not your first boat.

I bought a Tolly 30' Sedan last fall and am getting it ready for summer. It needed a fair amount of maintenance, but nothing serious. I'll be following your posts as I'm sure we both have some of the same items to attend to.
 
Congrats vancouvertechie and NWpilot!!

I imagine your Tolly's will make as much love to you as you make to them. Our Tolly loves us and we love her! We keep her in very usable condition... with not too much lipstick! When we get time... wherever the heck "time" is hiding?? lol... We'll pull her and do a full dress up!!
 
vancouvertechie said:
Hello everyone!

My wife and I are about to close on our first Tollycraft. We are excited and nervous about this big adventure.

Its a 44' CPMY and we have a lot of questions and a lot of upgrades/maintenance to do.

Thanks,

John
Click to expand...

Welcome to the world of Tollycraft. It can be a bit of a cult so you will have to be careful there. When I first looked at your post I thought you were another Canadian and I was going to harass you for buying one of the BC boats to keep it away from me. But you are in the other Vancouver?

In a strange sidetrack are you a former Arima guy?
 
We owned a 26' and a 30' Tolly...both high quality, well built boats.
 
LowNSlow77 said:
Welcome to the world of Tollycraft. It can be a bit of a cult so you will have to be careful there. When I first looked at your post I thought you were another Canadian and I was going to harass you for buying one of the BC boats to keep it away from me. But you are in the other Vancouver?

In a strange sidetrack are you a former Arima guy?
Click to expand...

Yes, I am a former Arima guy and a Seasport as well.

VT
 
Thank you we are excited and nervous as there is A LOT of work to do. I have to get my list of things going, but first is a new battery bank and redo all of the wiring.

The survey came back with a lot, but I think its doable and I am looking forward to working on her.

VT
 
We bought our first cabin cruiser and it is a 1974 26 Sedan. A very well mbuilt boat. If you find one in decent shape you will not be dissappointed.
 
Last edited:
vancouvertechie said:
Yes, I am a former Arima guy and a Seasport as well.

VT
Click to expand...

I thought I recognized the name from the arima forum. I spent alot of time on there when I was looking at arimas. Ended up with a whaler as a tender instead.

Back to tollycraft. They are a great boat. I would like a 44 myself. The tolly community is a friendly one and you can usually find info on whatever issues may crop up. There is a Facebook group that can be used for specific tolly questions. Not sure about your area but there is an active owners group in Washington.
 
Welcome to the world of Tollycraft.

There is a Canadian Tollycruisers Club and a Tollycraft Boating Club

There is also an active "facebook" group.

In these groups you will find many many "experts" that can help with various subjects. You will also find quite a few 44 owners. It's a popular model !

One of the remaining factory guys is active in the Seattle & Anacortes areas.

I am happy to help connect you if you have any specific questions.

Cheers
 
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Vancouver - not BC, Washington - State, not DC

Vancouverites have always had a little trouble with their identity and in the past have voted twice on changing the name to Fort Vancouver, a Hudson's Bay trading post established here in 1824, in an effort to distance themselves from that other Vancouver to the north.
 
Thanks again, I am not on Facebook and there are no plans to join. As for the Vancouver thing, it does not bother me at all.

VT
 
vancouvertechie said:
Thanks again, I am not on Facebook and there are no plans to join. As for the Vancouver thing, it does not bother me at all.

VT
Click to expand...

My wife reads me some things on Facebook. I'm not into it at all! In the bible I believe the correct term is babble... the city thereof!

bab·ble

/ˈbabəl/

verb: babble; 3rd person present: babbles; past tense: babbled; past participle: babbled; gerund or present participle: babbling

- Talk rapidly and continuously in a foolish, excited, or incomprehensible way.
 
Is there anything really specific that can identify why Tollycraft boats have a good reputation? I’ve heard they have a rep for being “well built” but I’ve never heard of specific things to qualify the “well built” statements.

Tollycraft boats are easy to look at and the majority are very good looking to be sure. But is it the windows, the flare (or lack of it), or some other aspect of appearance. Are they beautiful? If so what are the elements of their beauty .. color and gel-coat shine?

Re their performance what makes them good or not so good. Weight? Narrowness or “nice and wide”.

I’d rather have a 40’ wood Monk boat.
But Tollycraft isn’t the only boat that is well thought of whose positive attributes are not immediately apparent.
 
I think a lot of the brands with a reputation for being well built just made boats that tended not to have design or build quality flaws that impact durability. So they tend to have sturdy hulls without wood rot issues, good construction quality, good quality fittings, etc.
 
Nomad Willy said:
Is there anything really specific that can identify why Tollycraft boats have a good reputation? I’ve heard they have a rep for being “well built” but I’ve never heard of specific things to qualify the “well built” statements.

Tollycraft boats are easy to look at and the majority are very good looking to be sure. But is it the windows, the flare (or lack of it), or some other aspect of appearance. Are they beautiful? If so what are the elements of their beauty .. color and gel-coat shine?

Re their performance what makes them good or not so good. Weight? Narrowness or “nice and wide”.

I’d rather have a 40’ wood Monk boat.
But Tollycraft isn’t the only boat that is well thought of whose positive attributes are not immediately apparent.
Click to expand...

Eric - I recommend you search yachtworld and other sales venues to read what Tolly's offer/provide. Pictures are worth a thousand words.

With that said... I'd like to say... Tollycraft boats' numerous different models each possess many of their own individual high points. In general: Monk designed hull and superstructures in coordination with Mr. Tollefson's interior design, the factory build quality and the quality material used created a varied line of super well built boats.
 
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