new to triumph boats

[cichlid]

Hello,
I was just about to pull the trigger on a 23' plate alloy CC until I came across Triumph's site. I am now very interested in the 21' and was wondering if someone here with experience could address some of the issues that I have read about on other forums. Particularly the wavy hulls, waterlogged foam, mounting issues. loose screws, fit and finish etc. I read on a couple more places that these issues were mainly on the 19' and up boats. I am not bashing these boats at all, I would just like to learn more form people who own them as these boats really intrigue me. Thanks for any help.

Mike

[OspreyVic]

Mike, I do not blame you at all for asking questions. Thank you for being willing to read what other have to say about our plastic boats.

I do have a few suggestions:

1. Go to the “Articles” section and read “Why our Family bought a Triumph”. That will give you my opinion. Another Article we wrote was “Additions and Modifications to our 2005 Triumph 210, but that article could wait till later.
2. In the “Forums” section, just start reading the postings. I would probably start in the “210 / 215 / Chaos” forum because that is the size you are considering.
3. In my opinion, the Triumph boats have gotten better each year of production, so a new or newer model year will probably be better than some of the first models. BUT, there are exceptions to every rule, and here we have owners that have made their own modifications to their boat so that it may be better than the newest model out. The factory has been known to use ideas that an owner first came up with.
4. As to your specific questions, my boats hull is not wavy, I do NOT have waterlogged foam, we have no mounting issues, we have had two loose screws (but I have yet to own a car, truck, or boat where screws did not come loose), and the fit and finish is fine. Please understand that these are plastic and will never shine like a glass boat, but we never polish it either. The only issue, if it is an issue, is that the boat should be supported correctly when it is out of the water. The boat should be on a trailer built to the Triumph specifications, or a lift using the same design. In return for the correct support, I have a ride that is softer and easier on my knees, legs, and back than any boat even close to this size. OK, on my friends 65 footer, he might have a better ride, but that’s it.
5. As you read and learn, please understand that there is probably no such thing as the “perfect” boat. As owners, we just do our best to make our boats perfect for our use.

Good luck on your search for information. And speaking of search, the “Search” feature at the top really does work and help you find things.

[cichlid]

Thanks Vic, I'm so used to the search not working on The Hull Truth, that I forgot about it.

I saw some of your posts over there, very informative. Do you by chance know what the deal is with NCDave? After looking at the pictures he posted it looked as though he used hydrochloric acid to clean his boat. I don't know the whole story behind his experience with Triumph so I'm curious.

Thanks again for the reply, Now its time to do some searching

[NCangler]

cichild,

Welcome to the site. I would rather not bring up the Hull Truth controversies over here. We try to keep this forum positive and focused on suggestions/solutions. Regarding your questions...

There have been some Triumph rotomoulded hulls that had a wavy appearance. They were labeled as "Q2" or "Blem" hulls and were made available thru dealers at one time if someone wanted to get a good deal on a hull as an alternative to destroying them. My hull is not a Q2 and does not have this problem. As Vic pointed out it is important to support the Roplene hull with the factory spec'd bunk configuration when not in the water. There have been some cases of water intrusion to the inner hull of the 19 and 21' boats but a dealer/owner modification of adding a rear hull drain takes care of this problem if it exists. I had my dealer add the drain and when the boat is out of the water I leave it open, but I have very little water ever come out of it. I"m not sure what you are referring to in regard to "Mounting issues", but I have mounted downrigger mounts and a swim platform on my 215 Chaos using toggle bolts. No problems. Occasionally a screw may work loose but one of the great things about Roplene is that you can reset screws by heating them up and dipping them in Roplene powder then inserting them. When the screw cools it has bonded with the Roplene and is a tight fit again. I hope this helps.
Randy

[cichlid]

Thanks Angler, I ask about him only because I am curious as to what could have caused the kind of damage in those pictures, not because I'm looking to stir up trouble.

[Codfish]

Cichild,

I know Dave was around when the boats were still called "Logic". He went by LogicDave then and ran a web site for the boats, similar to what NCAngler does now. I was surprised at his change in attitude. I know he bought a larger glass boat just before he closed down the old website. Guess he just changed his mind on what material a boat should be made of.

If you do buy a Triumph, you will get a great value for your money. In spite of all the negative comments, mostly by those who do not own a Triumph, they are still a great boat. I have owned glass, wood and aluminum. I may change my boat someday, even to the Black Lab you were probably considering, but I will always appreciate my Triumph 210. I have delt with the hull water retention issue and it is a simple fix involving the installation of a drain plug. The boat handles big water well and is soft on the body for all day fishing. There are so many positive things I can say, there is not enough room here.

Hope you get the boat you want, at the price you want to pay. Triumph is a good candidate for offshore fishing.

Codfish