First boat, will it....

[cwd56]

Hey guys, I just got my first boat today. It's a 1972 19' Tri Sonic with a merc 165. What I am curious about is, with 4-6 adults in it, will it still pull a tube or skier with no issues? I am going to have to do some work to get the floor back in shape, but have alot of time during the week to do it, and not 100% sure what shape it's in underneath. It was a spur of the moment buy from a lady that wanted to just get rid of it for $500 and there were other people there to get it if I didn't. The motor turns over, nothing seems to be leaking, oil looked fine, but pretty sure the ign coil is out, picking a new one up tomorrow. I will get some pics up ASAP.


Thanks,
Chris

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: First boat, will it....

Welcome again...... yes once you get the deck straight that boat has plenty of power for skiing, tubing and just having fun.

Since it is your first boat..... I would highly recommend a boating safety course.

 

[cwd56]

Re: First boat, will it....

Thanks for the input! I have actually been boating for several years, this is just the the first one that is technically MINE. I am very excited about it. She may need a little more work than I had planned, but the more I think about it, the more I am kind of looking forward to it. I have rebuilt cars before, and I really enjoy it, so this is a great oppurtunity to get to see ALL of my boat and understand it more. Though I am actually REALLY hoping the stringers are ok.

Chris

 

[RL Gman]

Re: First boat, will it....

Yeah, you'll have no problems!

I had boated some time before my first boat, and my first boat was obtained practically exactly the same way...someone trying to off load a boat, and me ready to take on the work to get it ready.

I've actually always thought that, as VT said, have some type of boating safety course. I never took one, but grew up with a mariner, that taught me more than any course. And I'll go one step further. I think everyone should start with a fixer-upper or two. My first two boats took a lot of time and energy to get up to snuff and keep there...and I had to do it on a fairly restrictive "allowance"...

I learned so much from those first couple of boats, and ended up selling them to some other new boaters that needed a boat to learn on.

I have since advanced, not only as a boater, but also with my career and can now afford nicer "turn-key" boats. It is very nice to own boats that only require regular maintenance to keep perfect, but I would have never been ready for that as my first boat...

Ok, I'm off my soap box now.

Yes, you'll have no problems with that boat as far as power, though at some point you'll want to go bigger! (that never stops).

And congrats, have fun getting her sea worthy and then getting out on the water!

 

[thompy]

Re: First boat, will it....

does the boat look like a trihull but modified, actually a tunnel hull, i understand they are a fast hull, built in Texas

 

[cwd56]

Re: First boat, will it....

does the boat look like a trihull but modified, actually a tunnel hull, i understand they are a fast hull, built in Texas

I am not sure what to look for to tell you to be honest. What is the difference that I can see to let you know? Sorry, I am still learning alot as far as trihulls go.


Chris

 

[mjgates]

Re: First boat, will it....

Congrats on the new boat. You have plenty of power for tubing and skiing. You may have to hang on for a second if you are towing a slalom with a loaded boat, but it will get em up. If you are looking at rot in the floor, take a look at the west system 105 epoxy resin and 206 slow hardener. It has worked great and held up in prior floor repairs, and I didnt use a marine plywood. I believe it was A-C plywood. Unlike marine, it does have small voids, but if sealed properly, it will hold up at half the cost. I always put a fiber mat down after sealing for strength.

 

[cwd56]

Re: First boat, will it....

Here are a couple of small pics.

 

[thompy]

Re: First boat, will it....

that looks like the hull im speeking of, have any more pic, of the bottom from the front and back, i tried to find more pic from another forum of that hull, cannot seem to find it at this time

 

[cwd56]

Re: First boat, will it....

Here's another from the front

and a not so close one from the back

 

[Bluegills Unlimited]

Re: First boat, will it....

Very neat/interesting hull design. Cool!

 

[thompy]

Re: First boat, will it....

that hull is a little diferent than the one im talking about, still unique, ill keep looking

 

[cwd56]

Re: First boat, will it....

Thanks guys! Just curious, what makes it different than most trihulls?


Chris

 

[ziggy]

Re: First boat, will it....

i've got a '72 caprice 1700 trisonic. emblem on it says trisonic by roy rogers, progressive cup lift hull on it. mines only 16' long though. looks very similar to yours though. however i only have 2 lifting strakes on the bottom, looks like yours has 3. other than that they look similar. guessing yours is just a bigger model than i have.
while i love the 165hp L6 engine. i don't know about 4-6 people on board + pulling a slalom skier. i grew up skiing behind my trisoninc. performed very well with 2 on board + pulling a slalom skier. but best i can remember, start loading the boat up with people and it would tax it a little bit. i guess the worst load i can remember putting on ours was pulling 3 skiers up. 2 on slalom, one on 2 skis. it worked it a little but did the deed.
my 16'er was very fun to drive and handled great. don't know that it was any different than any other trihull of the era though.

do be sure the floor and transom and stringers are in good shape and for goodness sake, check out the rubber on the i/o. specially the drive shaft bellows and the shift cable bellows. water intrusion from these places sink boats. proof positive was last year at my local watering hole. i'd been seeing this boat that looked to be a carbon copy on mine. i'd seen it out 3 or 4 times then one day i go to the lake and there's a bunch of folks down at the ramp looking at something. turned out to be that trisonic. sunk. only the bow light exposed above water.. i only got a to talk with the owner for a moment since he was kinda busy. but in that moment he told me that ''just think. 3 weeks ago this boat had a tree growing out of the floor (sole). really had to bite my tounge hard and leave right away not to laugh since the boat was sunk. so be sure she's sea worthy prior to puttin her in the drink.

do take a boater safety class. they're fun and you'll learn something for sure.

enjoy your new boat man and hope all goes well with your inspections...

 

[thompy]

Re: First boat, will it....

your does look to be a semi tri hull but generaly trihulls dont have lifting strakes, here is the pics of the one i was talking about, they seam to have done alot of experimenting with their hulls