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View Full Version : Dehavilland trojan - 21'



SunnyCoastMark
03-08-2011, 09:16 PM
Hey Guys,
I am currently looking at purchasing a 21' Dehavilland Trojan and just after any feedback or firsthand knowledge about what they are like.

As a BIG Tinnie - I know they are not going to be the softest ride. - I currently have a 15" Quintrex C/Console, so I'm used to driving to suit the conditions and that doesn't worry me.

I heard that they were built to Survey - foam filled hull etc.Back in the day - like 30 years ago - they were a strong well built (although partly rivetted) boat.

Does anyone know what they weigh in at and/or what thickness mtl was used in the hull - 3mm - 4mm?.

I'm going to have a look at the old girl this weekend, but any additional info would be much appreciated.

thanks,
Mark

djfish71
03-08-2011, 09:37 PM
Mark,

From memory they are 3 mm bottom & sides, they are hard riding but very seaworthy, don't need much horsepower on them, 100 to 150hp is fine, still plenty of them getting around. They usually corrode out in the bottoms toward the transom, where the water lies.

deancantfish
03-08-2011, 09:47 PM
Hi mate... I had a trogan for a few years.... They are an OLD boat. Built like a brick outhouse mind you. They have corrosion problems in a big way.... but they are either 5mm or 6 mm plate....the underfloor flotation will have to be replaced.... not hard after you get the floor up ( hard ). They hold their value....12 grand with a decent motor or motors is about right. But they are OLD. They ride very well, are heavy as f**k and have good seakeeping. Cops and navy used them. Great first big boat. I think they stopped making them in the early 80's. I crossed narooma bar in evil times with no problems plenty of times and only ever had one issue in the bay inside when I split the hull. More about ######## than hull. A good solid boat if in good nick.
Dean

SunnyCoastMark
03-08-2011, 10:01 PM
Thanks Dean,
Any idea what they weighed in at?

What HP did you have on her and top speed?

My 15' Quinnie is at least 30 years old and the hull is perfect - so, I don't mind OLD so much.

Maybe I'm getting Old as well........

gofishin
04-08-2011, 08:56 AM
Hi Mark,
Check out Neil Dunstan's monthly column in F&B. I think this is the exact boat/model he has refurbished.
cheers
Brendon

Noelm
04-08-2011, 09:05 AM
I don't think they were anywhere near 5 or 6mm, they were built (originally) in Sydney by the same people that built aircraft, corrosion would be something to keep in mind now when looking for one second hand. Lots of them had Volvo outboards fitted to them! (cringe) A mate of mine had one for quite a while, it was rough riding to say the least, but very stable and Ok to fish out of. They were rivetted together, not too sure of the integrity of the rivets after all these years, but that is just my thoughts, nothing scientific or first hand.

steve bart
04-08-2011, 10:22 AM
I had one of those it was an ex coast guard boat ,it had twin 70 yammys on the back .It was a hard riding boat ,bottom was 5 mm thick. It wasn't untill i had probs with the fuel tank did i find that the hull on the inside was corroded to the shit house,it wasnt worth fixing sold it as is but at least i told the buyer.Never been caught again.

SunnyCoastMark
04-08-2011, 10:54 AM
Thanks Guys,
Yes - Corrosion will be the first thing I check for. Rivets - if they leak - I might remove and plug weld.

The boat I am looking at has an older 140 'Rude which will be removed and sold or scrapped. I would replace with someting new or newish 100- 120 hp.

Brendan - yeah, saw that article. Couldn't bear putting around everywhere at 6 knots though. - Still he seem ed to get pretty good fuel economy from the 50 suzi. What was it - 22 litres for 75 nm?

I read an article in another magazine this morning which claimed they had a 3mm hull and weighed in at around 680kgs..

Any major corrosion in the hull should be pretty evident if it's only 3mm thick. (I hope)

Mark

Noelm
04-08-2011, 11:37 AM
ahh, now we are getting closer to the mark, I remember seeing one welded once and the metal was quite thin, nothing like 5 or 6mm, I would be thinking 3 would be closer, the old 140 Evinrude was a great motor, pretty hard to kill, what year model? if it was around 88 or later, it is the 2l 90 degree V4 and is a very powerful motor. I have an old magazine at home that has a test on one when they were new, it was towed by a Valiant car! I will see if I can find it and scan it for you.

Noelm
04-08-2011, 11:39 AM
Just to add, almost all Dehaviland hulls had ribs/ridges pressed in the sides and bottom (not clinker) and I doubt that 6mm would be pressed like that.

Noelm
04-08-2011, 11:41 AM
Just had a memory flash back, the model were, the Offshore, about a 15', then the Titan about 16-17' then the Trojan, all available in various configurations, though I think the Titan was a centre console only.

SunnyCoastMark
04-08-2011, 01:26 PM
Thanks Noel,
Yes they do have a rib/ridge along the side. In the photo's I have seen - it looks as though it may be a rivetted add-on - dunno - hard to see. Not sure what year the 140 'rude is. - It is a Blue V4 with faded red and white stripes I will be having a look at her this weekend - so I'll find out a bit more then.

I had a 16' Dehavilland runabout around 12 years ago, which I bought for $900. It had the seats along the side - between the thwart seats. I added a floor; built in an outboard well; fitted wider coamings and built in an anchor wel; gave her a new paint job - and she sat really well in the water - and wasn't too bad to drive either. Sold her 2 years later for $3000 - so was happy enough with that.

Yeah - no way would it be 5 or 6mm with a hull weight of 680 kg. Bottom might be a bit heavier, but I would be surprised.

Mark

steve bart
04-08-2011, 03:56 PM
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh170/stevebart/mamabear.jpg
This is the boat i had and it had 5mm bottom as i patched up some of the holes.
Steve

steve bart
04-08-2011, 04:01 PM
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh170/stevebart/boar3.jpg

Fed
04-08-2011, 04:46 PM
All the Trojans I remember had a quarter cabin & most were powered with twin 55s.
Your boat looks really modern compared to what I'm thinking of Steve, have you done extensive work on it?

Waraba Mick
04-08-2011, 05:13 PM
Funny you mention the valiant Noelm, i knew a couple a few years back had a trojan with twins on the back ( 60 rudes ) i think, use to tow it from beachmere to 1770 and back with a 2.4 diesel hilux twin cab, would have never seen 4th or 5th gear i think.

steve bart
04-08-2011, 07:14 PM
All the Trojans I remember had a quarter cabin & most were powered with twin 55s.
Your boat looks really modern compared to what I'm thinking of Steve, have you done extensive work on it?
I bought this way it was a coast gauard boat even had the tow attachment on the back

SunnyCoastMark
04-08-2011, 07:17 PM
Hey Steve,
You sure that's a Dehavilland Trojan? - Looks more like an old Yellowfin to me. It could be a relatively new model - 90's vintage. Dunno..... One I am looking at and all the ones I've seen in various magazines and websites are very different... much more old school - flat sides with one longitudinal "ridge" about half way up the sides and another shorter one down near the chines.

The back end on yours looks far too modern.

Mark

djfish71
04-08-2011, 07:22 PM
The boat in the photos is definately not a Dehavilland Trojan & they definately were only 3mm

steve bart
04-08-2011, 07:26 PM
Hey Bart,
You sure that's a Dehavilland Trojan? - Looks more like an old Yellowfin to me. It could be a relatively new model - 90's vintage. Dunno..... One I am looking at and all the ones I've seen in various magazines and websites are very different... much more old school - flat sides with one longitudinal "ridge" about half way up the sides and another shorter one down near the chines.

The back end on yours looks far too modern.

Mark
It had dehavilland trojan on the manifactures plate with hp rating and on the rego papers so that is what i am going by

SunnyCoastMark
04-08-2011, 07:43 PM
Hey Steve,
OK - Definitely a nice boat in any case. I'm certainly no expert, but it was my understanding that Dehavilland stopped building Boats in the late 80's.

Could be one of the last. As you say - it's on the plate

Crocodile
05-08-2011, 07:46 AM
Hello All,

That boat is like no other Trojan that I have ever seen.
Maybe it was the last one built, but I would have thought that DeH stopped well before the clinker side became fashion.

refer to this picture;
http://www.boatsales.com.au/Tig/UI/PagePopup.aspx?R=9219543&PhotoID=bd5329396295340591338&h_mid=5217090&f_mid=&c_mid=5220866&pid=140921&tabID=303696

Maybe Steve's boat is here to remind us how unreliable a builder's plate is.

Noelm
05-08-2011, 08:04 AM
I have seen lots of dehaviland boats, and plenty of Trojans, and have yet to see one with clinker sides or that shape (not that I don't believe they ever built one like that) almost all Dehavilands had/have a very pronounced reverse sheer, that being the stern and bow are lower than the mid section (well appear to be) the old offshore was so low at the stern, that standing in one rear corner required a good bilge pump or some fancy footwork.

Noelm
05-08-2011, 08:41 AM
here you go, a picture of an old trojan.

SunnyCoastMark
05-08-2011, 01:38 PM
Hey Noel,
PM sent.

SunnyCoastMark
14-08-2011, 08:54 AM
here you go, a picture of an old trojan.
http://ausfish.com.au/vforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=69984&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1312497671 (http://ausfish.com.au/vforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=69984&d=1312497671)
Hey Guys,
Well I picked up my boat yesterday - and as it happens, it is exactly the one that Noelm posted a photo of!:o

Fraser Coast Real Estate are selling the property where the boat has been parked up for the last 6 years. As a favour to the owner - they put the boat on their website as well.

He wanted $6500 for it with an older 140hp Evinrude - the trailer is in good nick aprt from the running gear and coupling, which will all need replacing (fortunately for me - I manage a trailer building company:P). Also I wasn't sure what corrosion might be present under the floor, so I made an offer of $4000 - and the owner accepted it! :D- On site repairs would have been diffficult and I plan to convert the trailer to a tandem set up anyway- so I paid a mate with a tilt tray to pick it up.

As we were loading it on to the tilt tray - I had a closer inspection of the outside of the hull - and it is perfect - solid as a rock. - They have these huge longitudinal stringers - so I can see why they are such a solid boat. This is a BIG boat - at 21' and with the hard top - she is impressive - my 15' quinnie c/console looks tiny next to her.

I plan on carrying out a few modifications to the transom and inside etc. We have already stripped her on the inside. Previous owner had 2 x 170 litre Ally fuel tanks as the seats - so I have taken those out. - Will be putting a tank under the floor. No idea how much to sell the fuel tanks for - I will probably take some photos and put them in the classifieds shortly.

Removed the 140 'Rude as well - same thing - classifieds or E-bay - apparently it runs - all looks ok - I will be fitting anew donk, when I get to that stage - not sure what - 115 - 140 something - maybe an Merc Opti - dunno yet?

I will post some photos of the project as I go and if anyone has any input - all suggestions would be appreciated.

Mark.