Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

This forum is for comments and the exchange of information relating to Trojan Boats and boating. Please do not post used parts or boats For Sale in this area. For general, non-boating topics please use our "General Discussions" section.

Note: Negative or inflammatory postings will not be tolerated.

Moderators: BeaconMarineBob, Moderator, BeaconMarineDon

Freality
Registered user
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 10:22 pm

Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by Freality »

Apologies in advance for the long post, I really did try to keep it short!

Family of five. We like a bit of adventure. Figured, why not live on a boat?

I already have lots of experience with captaining a boat. Full disclosure, my wife says that "Inflating a boat twice and making the kids do most of the rowing is NOT lots of experience."

In all my searches, two different boats keep popping up in our price range (which is "not much"). First one is "some generic houseboat made in the 70s or early 80s that may be decent or may be falling apart, but there's lots of room, a cuddy cabin for the kids, and maybe even a water slide." The other is "mid-70s to mid-80s Trojan Tri-Cabin, not as much room as a larger houseboat but dang look at what they fit in 36', built like a tank, and costs less to boot."

At this point, looks like we'll be getting a Trojan Tri-Cabin. Got some questions first.

I understand that all of these have solid fiberglass hulls. I think at some point more/less of the above-water parts were solid fiberglass too? What year range am I looking for if I want the most fiberglass that I can get?

If the engines are good, is there really a lot I have to worry about? It seems that any water damage would be mostly cosmetic, since it wouldn't affect the hull. Not saying I wouldn't want a survey, but if I'm looking at a $4k one that needs some finishing on the interior, and the engines have a clean bill of health, then it's probably a good deal, no? BTW, I know that I probably won't come across that good a deal.

Anyone try to have two or three younger kids share the V-berth? Not sure how that'd work. Maybe if the bridge was enclosed and was a quasi-bedroom (put a TV and a Wii there, inflatable bed to sleep on when it's nice out, etc.). If that's no good, then perhaps the wife and I would take the V-berth and give the master bedroom to the kids.

Anyone install a washer/dryer? Where's a good place? Saw one video with a storage area next to some steps, close to the V-berth I think? Not sure that's big enough. In the master bedroom next to the bathroom (I know, I should call it a head) might be good, especially next to all the plumbing. I've seen some installed on the bridge (on completely different boats), how hard would it be to hook up there?

Does it only have one 30amp 110 connection? Anyone try upgrading that to two 30's or one 50amp 220? I want plenty of juice to keep it reasonably cool in summer and reasonably warm in summer, without having to run around shutting off breakers (if I'm running two space heaters to keep warm, and washing clothes, and the hot water heater kicks on because I was using hot water for the washer/shower/whatever, and the kids want to make some toast...).

Next, the holding tank. I'm sure I'm using the wrong terms (I'm familiar with RV systems), but does it only hold black water (toilets) or grey water (everything else) as well? If water from the sinks and shower go directly out, and only the toilets are connected to the holding tank, then I imagine 35 gallon MIGHT last a week, if we could get a 70 gallon it'd definitely last long enough.

Anyone crossed the Gulf Stream in one? It'd be nice to hop over to the Bahamas for a season. Looks like it'd handle it if I had a good weather window, definitely better than a standard houseboat.

Lastly, do you think we'd have any major issues being transient liveaboards? I mean, living at a marina for between 3-9 months at a time, and then leaving for somewhere else. We'd be in the eastern half of the US. Wife is a travel nurse, contracts are typically 13 weeks (often with option to extend).

Many thanks for any advice you can give us.
JimK
Registered user
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:26 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by JimK »

There are lots of Tri-Cab owners on the forum that can speak more specifically to some of the features of this boat. Here are a few general comments to consider:

1. $4000 for a Tri-Cabin puts that boat at the bottom of the market. At that price I doubt you will find one for less money or one that will require more work and money to keep if safe an operational.
2. The early Tri-Cabins (early '70's to about 1977) have a small cockpit (open area in the back of the boat) and the engines are located under the beds in the aft cabin. These have v-drive transmissions. Engine replacements are complicated affairs in Tri-Cabs and on early generation Tri-Cabs are some of the toughest. There is no easy way to remove the engines from the aft cabin without cutting an opening into the cabin. The v-drives are expensive to replace or rebuild. This generation of Tri-Cab was prone to water leaks near the forward head and on the rear wall of the aft cabin. These leaks can cause a good bit of rot to the structural wood under the fiberglass. The later models (I believe introduced in 1977) had the engines located under the salon. These are direct drives and Trojan created better access to the salon for engine replacements but it is still more complicated than you will find on most boats. This era of Tri-Cab eliminated the cockpit and has a raised deck all the way around the boat along.
3. Access to the interior of these boats is restrictive for large things like refrigerators, couches, washer & dryers, etc. On the model that you are looking at there is a small door into the aft cabin and another from the top. Pay attention to this as you consider what you will need on board for your family.
4. I don't think it would be advisable to consider crossing the Gulf stream in a Tri-Cab (a traditional house boat would be an even poorer choice). These boats were designed for protected water, not open ocean cruising. Don't be fooled by the beefy appearance of a Tri-Cab. It boils down to hull design, not size.

On an unrelated note, be careful if you are looking at houseboats from the 70's or 80's. Many were lightly built and ones that are still around can have major structural issues.

You will want to consider having whatever you buy surveyed by a professional. A survey can be expensive but a good survey will tell you if you are buying a sound boat or one riddled with issues.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
User avatar
tdogg
Registered user
Posts: 63
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2015 10:11 pm

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by tdogg »

Good day JimK,

I have a 1987 F36 Tri-Cabin. That I bought last year. It is my first boat, I found it easy to drive and feel very comfortable going through locks, etc.

I know my Tri-Cabin has dual 30 AMP shore power. Grey water goes directly out.

It sleeps 6 adults easily. It would be a great platform for a family, it's a solid boat. Our travels are in the Simcoe and Georgian Bay area of Ontario. Not sure about ocean travels as Freality mentioned.

I suggest getting on board a few, we found it to be very spacious and was a key factor in purchasing the boat. Another great feature with young kids aboard is the full walk around deck.

$4000 is definitely on the low end and would require a lot of work.

Best of luck in your search.
1987 Trojan F36 Tri-Cabin
User avatar
prowlersfish
2024 Gold Support
2024 Gold Support
Posts: 12645
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2005 6:56 pm
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay ,Va

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by prowlersfish »

The tri cabin is a great live a board and a better boat the a house boat . with that said IMO it (and a house boat ) will get real small fast with 3 kids . But I have seen it done on smaller boats so what do I know . :shock:


Not sure how good of a boat you will get for 4K most will be junk but maybe you got lucky , it happens
Boating is good for the soul
77/78 TROJAN F36 Conv.
6BTA Cummins diesels
Life is to short for a ugly boat :D
Freality
Registered user
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 10:22 pm

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by Freality »

To clarify, I'm not expecting to get something pristine for $4k. It was more of a "if the engines and hull are good, just how bad can it really be?". I absolutely don't mind some cosmetic work. If the kitchen needs to be updated, one of the toilets need to be replaced, etc., that's ok. If it's one of those "Perfectly fine, except the fuel tanks leak, and the battery for the right engine is out but I'm sure it'd fire up if you replace the battery, and the generator is fine except for needing a few parts to run" then I'm going to pass.

Other boats I've looked at, if one part of the deck was soft then the whole thing may be gone. A lot of the Trojans had so much fiberglass that it'd probably be ok even if the wood was rotten (the few places that used wood), no? So if it took me a year or two to fix a soft deck, I'm ok? And won't be out tens of thousands of dollars, just lots of hours?

Moving along...

JimK, that's exactly the type of information I was looking for. It was my understanding that all things equal, the V-drives are the way to go. But for this particular boat, it looks like all things are NOT equal, and I should focus a bit harder on the later models (77 and later). I'll study the design some more so I can hopefully be able to tell at a glance which version I'm looking at (I have several 77s bookmarked, few 73-76, one 83).

Stupid question, if the engines were hard to get to under the aft cabin, how much easier is it under the salon? I'm assuming that physical access is ok on both, you're talking about actually replacing them? If it's hard to get a large fridge in there...how on earth do you fit an entire engine?

Is it fairly easy to find dual 30amp connectors at a slip, or do many here have a cheater box (in this case, one 50amp 220 would be split into two 30amp 110)?

Good to hear about the grey water not having to be held in the tank. If a 70-80 gallon tank can almost last a week holding all waste water, a 35-40 gallon should handle toilet duty no problem.

Curious, anyone know why a person would install an incinerating toilet on this model boat? Saw one, doesn't make sense. Haven't asked.

Yes, I'm sure it'd be pretty small with three kids, but if the top part is enclosed I can repurpose it into a semi-living area. Let the kids have a Wii and small TV, sleep there on nice nights, I think it'd be ok. We've lived in smaller places (have a fifth wheel with two bedrooms and bathrooms, spent almost a year in a converted bookmobile before kid #3).

I am surprised with how roomy it is. Last year I limited my search to 40' and above, because most 40' boats I saw were still too small. I'm worried about how small the V berth is, but it looks doable. I think I'll be able to handle it better than a 50+ houseboat (this will be my first boat with actual engines! Woohoo!).

Must say, I have a pretty cool wife. Pitched the idea to her, she's all for it. Well, she wasn't keen on the "we could get a sailboat and go out on the open ocean" idea, but nonetheless....
User avatar
prowlersfish
2024 Gold Support
2024 Gold Support
Posts: 12645
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2005 6:56 pm
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay ,Va

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by prowlersfish »

I would take straight inboard over V-Drive on any boat but that said V_drives are ok

" it fairly easy to find dual 30amp connectors at a slip, or do many here have a cheater box (in this case, one 50amp 220 would be split into two 30amp 110)?"

Many Marinas have both but not all . I always carry a "Y" just in case I do use it a fair amount . Some got to have it ,sometimes it just make life easier .
Boating is good for the soul
77/78 TROJAN F36 Conv.
6BTA Cummins diesels
Life is to short for a ugly boat :D
User avatar
RWS
Ultimate User
Posts: 2857
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:01 am
Location: West Coast Florida
Contact:

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by RWS »

oh no.

another dreamer who needs to realize reality.

With all due respect, you owe it to yourself to do a thorough investigation, sans rose colored glasses.

Repair costs for a 30-40 year old boat with 30-40 year old systems will be significant and may be extraordinary.

that is the reason these boats are on the cheap side, as the repair costs exceed the resale value.

If you are up north, heating the boat in winter could break your bank.

If you are in the south, A/C costs will do the same.

If you are in a hurricane area, what then?

Boat in the water? Have you factored in annual haulout & bottom paint/replace zinc costs, or diver costs?

Time to drop the romance concept and do a serious and total investigation on the practicality of this plan.

If done seriously, properly and thoroughly, you may find this is a pipe dream. Otherwise you may have some other kind of weed in your pipe.

Please consider all the issues before you jump into this RV on the water illusion.

Reality bites.

RWS
1983 10 Meter SOLD after 21 years of adventures
Yanmar diesels
Solid Glass Hull
Woodless Stringers
Full Hull Liner
Survived Andrew Cat 5,Eye of Charley Cat 4, & Irma Cat 2
Trojan International Website: http://trojanboat.com/

WEBSITE & SITELOCK TOTALLY SELF FUNDED
Freality
Registered user
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 10:22 pm

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by Freality »

RWS wrote:oh no.

another dreamer who needs to realize reality.

With all due respect, you owe it to yourself to do a thorough investigation, sans rose colored glasses.

Repair costs for a 30-40 year old boat with 30-40 year old systems will be significant and may be extraordinary.

that is the reason these boats are on the cheap side, as the repair costs exceed the resale value.
I could be way off base, but it seems that I have better odds buying a $10k Trojan than a $30k Gibson (feel free to substitute any other so-so houseboat maker of that era). Assuming that I ended up paying twice the boats' costs just in repairs...I'm still ahead by $60k by getting the Trojan. Even if the Trojan needed the *2 repair bill and the Gibson didn't, we're at break-even.

And, from what I've been reading, it looks like there's a lot less chance of finding surprise "might as well toss it in the scrap heap" issues with the Trojan vs a houseboat. I could be wrong.
RWS wrote:If you are up north, heating the boat in winter could break your bank.
North in winter, no thank you. Paid my dues in Fairbanks.
RWS wrote:If you are in the south, A/C costs will do the same.
Lived in Tennessee, spent some time in Houston during those 100+ degree days (that never seem to end). Now, that RV (the bookmobile I converted) was fairly well insulated, and had two decent A/C units. We weren't cold but we weren't suffering. Bill was under $200/mo every month, more like $150 if memory serves. Don't worry, I know the boat isn't an RV, but...if anything, wouldn't the water help keep the boat cool? As long as I keep away from northern winters, I shouldn't be too miserable.
RWS wrote:If you are in a hurricane area, what then?
Kids and I leave. If wife needs to go to work and she deems it to not be TOO dangerous (being a nurse, she may be needed during such a time), she can stay at the hospital (that way, no having to worry how to get to work). I'm sure we'd figure something out.
RWS wrote:Boat in the water? Have you factored in annual haulout & bottom paint/replace zinc costs, or diver costs?
If it's already on the hard and needs that done, then we'd go ahead and do it. I probably wouldn't get a full service every single year. If I end up storing it every couple years for a season, would probably give it a good once-over then. If it stays in the water all the time, then I'd take it out ever few years or so to give it a good servicing. If we start out in saltwater (if I buy one in the Maryland/Virginia/Florida areas, then that's a given) I'll take a bit extra care of such things.

Sorry, rambling. I got the basics of what I need to do. Not going to drive myself crazy until I pick the actual boat. I want a solid fiberglass hull. Second choice would be an aluminum hull (which has its good points, but upkeep will be different, especially in salt water). Maintenance will be dependent on type of boat I end up with and the water I stay in.
RWS wrote:Time to drop the romance concept and do a serious and total investigation on the practicality of this plan.
I have. Been wanting to do this for a while. Researched on and off. Bit of a push last year, almost bought one, but decided to hold off a bit (bought a 5th wheel camper in the meantime). Desire is still there. I have crazy plans. Often they fizzle after about a month, so I wasn't as interested as I first thought. This idea has stuck around for a while, so I'm pushing forward.
RWS wrote:If done seriously, properly and thoroughly, you may find this is a pipe dream. Otherwise you may have some other kind of weed in your pipe.
Thanks, but I don't have pipe dreams. If I want it bad enough, I can figure it out. Maybe I'm getting too cocky, I dunno. I'll try not to brag, but I've done some cool stuff. Plan on continuing to do cool and interesting and fulfilling things until I can't anymore.
RWS wrote:Please consider all the issues before you jump into this RV on the water illusion.
Funny you should mention that, I did briefly look into buying an empty hull (basically a barge I guess) and park a camper on it. I deemed it too impractical for our needs.

Oh, one more thing. I try to do things in such a way as to minimize potential losses. If I were to save to buy the perfect boat for $200k, then something happens and it sinks and oh-no the expensive insurance won't cover it because INSURANCE...we're screwed. On the other hand, if I can buy an $8k boat with a 50/50 chance it's in decent shape, maybe I hit the lottery and it serves us fine with nothing but minimal maintenance. Maybe it needs a few thousand in minor repairs. Maybe all three engines blow up, I find someone willing to buy for $2k, and I'm out $6k. With that $6k I've learned a few things about that boat and boats in general, hopefully had some time to practice maneuvering, dealing with pump-outs and what-not.

If we decide never again? That's it, just $6k gone (plus slip fees, fuel, whatever). Much better than spending $300k on a brand new one just to find out it's not my cup of tea.

If we decide we really love it? Ok, willing to throw a bit more cash at the "perfect" boat, since we'll have a better idea of what "perfect" is. Been eyeing the Trojan Internationals, maybe the Trojan 12 meter MotorYacht? Yeah, I want to cut my teeth on something a bit smaller/cheaper first. Heck this smaller/cheaper boat might end up being the perfect boat after all!

Sorry if my response to your reality check sounds pissy, it's not my intention. Sometimes one needs a reality check. I try to do that myself. Still trying to talk myself out of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Not sure if I'm going to win that argument.
User avatar
gitchisum
Moderate User
Posts: 226
Joined: Sun May 05, 2013 1:06 am
Location: Kewaunee, WI

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by gitchisum »

I wish you luck with your adventure!!! You will find the people on this forum very knowledgeable and willing to help. Most have been living the lifestyle you are talking about for many years.

One more thing for you to consider, the initial purchase price of the boat is not even relevant to your equation. Whether it is 4K or 30K, or 100K really doesnt matter. You should expect to recover some of those dollars if you ever sell. It will be the annual costs that you need to consider. No marina ever will let you slip without insurance ( 500 -1000), slip costs per month will run you about (400-800) depending on location. Some include electric, most don't ( add 100-180). If you are in warm water you will need a diver every few months( 300-400).plus an annual haul out to check bottom condition and refresh ( figure 500 per year). Every 8-10 years you will need to haul and strip the bottom, barrier coat, and paint. ( 3000-4000). So put 400 away every year for that.

This is all if you never turn the key and start the engines. There is maintenace on the through hulls and shafts every few years. Engine maintenance and oil/tranny changes. Then add fuel.

Now you can add repairs, leaking windows, teak maintenance, flooring, etc.

800-1000 per month is minimum you should count on spending.

Like RWS is saying, don't go into this half cocked, and it could be your adventure of a lifetime.

Come to think of it, anyone want to buy an F-32? :mrgreen:
88 321 Sedan 270 crusaders
2001 Seadoo Challenger 2000
97 Lowe Roughneck 17TC
1948 Alumacraft K14, Evinrude twin 6hp " Still kickin"
User avatar
RWS
Ultimate User
Posts: 2857
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:01 am
Location: West Coast Florida
Contact:

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by RWS »

if you are in warm salt water, better figure additional costs for more frequent need to do haul out/bottom paint, hull/prop/shaft scraping and zinc replacements.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR ADVENTURE !

RWS
1983 10 Meter SOLD after 21 years of adventures
Yanmar diesels
Solid Glass Hull
Woodless Stringers
Full Hull Liner
Survived Andrew Cat 5,Eye of Charley Cat 4, & Irma Cat 2
Trojan International Website: http://trojanboat.com/

WEBSITE & SITELOCK TOTALLY SELF FUNDED
User avatar
gettaway
Active User
Posts: 1142
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 1:48 pm
Location: Coronado CA

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by gettaway »

"Still trying to talk myself out of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Not sure if I'm going to win that argument."

My father in law just hiked the AT, alone, start to finish in one season (2015), at 78 years old !. 4th oldest recorded ... he said it was the hardest thing he has ever done, mostly due to the monotony, buying a boat is like hiking the AT, many people start with dreams and good intentions and don't fully understand the commitment,the blisters and pain, the hardships, frustrations, rain and cold and bugs forever - most quit in the first two weeks simply because they weren't prepared for what laid ahead of them, don't give up on your dreams but don't let a dream become your worst nightmare.
Old boats are old boats and cheap old boats are cheap for a reason. While it may seem that it is just a fiberglass hull, what could go wrong? well, the hull is supported by lots and lots of wood, dry rot? mold? soggy rotted cores? then there are the systems, stinky old sanitation hoses- hard to replace and $20.00 a foot to boot. Old corroded electrical systems, old non working pumps for fresh water and holding tanks, bilges, shower sumps, easy 100.00 a piece. old non working appliances, leaky gas tanks? leaky windows, hatches and rail stanchion bases... hard to fix and annoying as hell, some guys chase leaks for the life of the boat and never figure out where the water is coming from.

Coming from someone who has a thing for the ugly duckling, I wish you luck, but know what you are getting into before you begin the journey!
1984 Silverton 37C
Silver Lining
Scott
User avatar
K4282
Moderate User
Posts: 355
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 2:12 pm
Location: Bullock Cove, RI

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by K4282 »

I say save it, dont be scared of a low priced boat, as other have stated, storage, hauling, bottom service etc is often a consideration by both the seller too who may have lost interest or funds. I bought each of my Trojan F32's for under $5,500 I made money on the first 2 and am currently enjoying the third. I flipped a Silverton I got free for a nice profit, really only lost money on my 26 imperial as I lost interest in it and sold it too quickly. Theirs not much complicated in any of the systems I've gotten myself into. Id be nervous with the washer/dryer electrical but that is really not my forte either. My annual cost to own is well under $1,000 But my situation is different then some so research marinas, moorings, private docks and so forth and their cost for your particular area as they vary. As far as gray water all my 3 Trojans dump right over the side through thru hulls as most boats, my showers all dumped into the bilge and the bilge pumps take car of that. My black water was different on every one, one pumped that out a through hull below the waterline with no option to hold it, one transfers to a 35 gallon (about) tank that can be pumped out through the deck or overboard and one had a very small holding tank also set up to pump overboard with a macertor or hold it in the small tank under it in the head, yuck
Last edited by K4282 on Thu Mar 24, 2016 3:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
JimK
Registered user
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:26 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by JimK »

It is pretty easy to tell the first generation fiberglass Tri-Cab (v-drive) from the second generation (direct drive) as the first generation has the open cockpit at the back of the boat. The second generation has the raised deck all the way around the boat. If your plans for being on the water include water sports, the second generation Tri-Cabs make it a little more challenging to get in and out of the water.

In terms of engine replacement, the second generation with the engines under the salon have an access panel built into the top of the salon that can be cut open to replace an engine. It's still a big deal in my opinion but thought out in the initial design a little more thoroughly than the first generation. I think access to engines for maintenance and repairs is considered good for both generations but better in the second generation.

One other item you may want to consider with the Tri-Cab's, I believe the Chrysler 383/400 was a fairly popular choice for these boats. I think most agree that they are excellent engines but getting parts may be a bit of a challenge. Something to consider if you intend to be transient.

Relative to a v-drive, I think the drawbacks are:
1. Fairly expensive to rebuild or replace as compared to a direct drive.
2. Getting at them can be a challenge.
3. I believe they have inherent inefficiency built in as you transfer the power from one direction to another.
IMHO v-drives are something to avoid if possible but should not be a deal breaker if everything else about a boat meets your needs. Just make sure you check out the repair/replacement costs.

In case you do not know, Trojan built houseboats for a few years. I don't know much about them or if their quality is comparable to the cruisers. The ones I have seen have stern drives which have their advantages (performance and economy) but also have a whole mess of additional wear items as compared to a direct drive.

Keep on dreaming and asking questions!
rickalan35
Moderate User
Posts: 790
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2006 1:37 pm
Location: smiths falls, ontario, canada

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by rickalan35 »

Guess I'll jump in here.

Hi Freality, welcome to the Trojan site and all the very best to you and your family going forward.

I bought a 1974 Tricabin in 1999 and kept it until last summer (2015) before selling to the first person who answered my ad. You can probably guess that I liked that boat a lot. Then we purchased another Trojan - this time around a 1994. Essentially, we sold the tricabin because we decided we had one more boat left in us - (we're into our mid-sixties.)

Yes, the tricabin hull is solid fiberglass (as is my current 1994) and I agree with you, it's a better choice wherever possible than a cored hull imo

I have absolutely no issue with the earlier Tricabins (that's what I owned) and their V-drive arrangement. Trojan installed Velvet Transmissions and Walter V-drives and they're virtually bulletproof. I've had three cruisers with v-drives and never had an issue with them. (regular maintenance assumed) V - Drives have been around a long time. The American PT Boats built by Elco during WW 2 utilized V - Drives in two of their three engines.

The engines and V-drives are very accessible. My 350 stock engines were Ford blocks and I'm told they were truck engines. Never gave me an issue except for points and plugs. I installed electronic ignitions.

All in all, I think the tricabin was a great platform. Mine served me well. Caught in a storm on Lake Ontario, we got thrown around a bit but my buddy following in a 39 foot SeaRay Motoryacht had water coming right over the bow and hitting his helm. The tricabin's bow split the water to the left and right and nothing came back on us at the helm. Like a lot of boats, it doesn't like a following sea very much.

I had a lot of grandchildren on this boat, both for sleep overs and day cruises.

I added ten inches of depth to the skinny stock Trojan swim platform.

I had the normal Tricabin style rain water leakage at the point where the marine plywood, rear wall of the aft cabin meets the teak sole of the rear cockpit. The only sensible solution is to tear it all out (it supports only itself) and replace it with new marine plywood and re-seal. Trojans were real dummies when they built it this way. But then again, they probably never planned on these boats being around 41 years later.

The new aft cabin wall of marine plywood was covered by a white plastic substance called puckboard which is used to cover NHL hockey boards. It is very close in color to the original fiberglass of the hull and it is virtually indestructible.

The rear aft cabin wall also extends under the step-up to the companionways on either side. That area under both of the companionways will also leak if not replaced and sealed.

The only other unfortunate issue I experienced was the fact that both cast gas tanks bit the bullet at the same time. This is apparently not uncommon. They both developed pin-hole leaks virtually all over and I had to replace them both. Unfortunately, that meant taking out the salon's entire plywood salon floor and the teak walls - then re-installing when finished.

My wife and I regularly slept in the V-bunks over the years, we just seemed to like it up there at the front. You can shut that door (I removed the V shaped filler) and you have room with the door closed to jump out of bed and enter the washroom thru the private door. All good.

I made a lot of changes over the years. I widened the port aft berth to that of a single bed. I did this by taking out the false wall that is there for no apparent reason other than to provide a shelf. This gained 14 inches and then I added 6 inches to the outside (moved the boarding steps bracket six inches toward starboard). So, this operation increased the size of the port berth by 20 inches.

I tore out the L-shaped galley and installed a bar shaped galley with a corian counter top. This added two feet in the salon for the two chairs I located there. In doing this, the fridge swing around and was installed by the window facing forward. The back of the L-shape is mostly wasted space because it's almost too far to reach back there.

I hired a carpenter to build and install a U shaped, mahogany and white upholstery seat around the helm that would seat eight easily. The storage space under this U shaped seat was extensive.

All in all, I have also found that Tricabins tend to get bad press from a lot of people who have never owned one.

Your mention of the converted Bookmobile RV tends to make me think that you and your family aren't afraid of an adventure and can live in fairly close quarters. I wonder though if there is enough storage on board for a live-in family of 5 (no basement storage like an RV) .......and...... Please don't attempt a run across the gulf stream.... please.

Cheers

Rick
Trojan 1994 370 Express, 502 Bluewaters
User avatar
Misty
Sporadic User
Posts: 141
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2015 12:08 pm

Re: Best boat for family - 36' Tri-Cabin?

Post by Misty »

Hi there.

I must respectfully side with the guys calling you a dreamer, which is a wonderful thing, but you have to give a mountain respect before the climb. You COULD easily be in $50,000 with a boat that you get in the roll the dice price range you are thinking about. I can't even THINK of a more expensive hobby than vintage pleasure boating (wait till gas goes up?) except racing planes? That said, the money doesn't faze a fanatic as much as the TIME. Draw up divorce agreements in advance? Cancel all vacation plans, reunions, and start hoardingcleaningnsupplies from work; its super easy to get into a project boat for thirty hours a week for a year.

If you are the type that drives across country to an aviation museum and volunteers to build houses because you dont get enough hard work these days, DO IT. Those are good types of guys and there are many here.
Post Reply