What about the St. Tropez?????

[Sierra]

Did we forget the St. Tropez ? I always read of all the others.

[Fish boy]

Hi Sierra,
the St. Tropez is one of my favorites. do you have one that you can post pics of and tell us about?

[Sierra]

Hi Fish,

Yes I do have one a 66, that I'am having restored, repower and the works.

[Fish boy]

Very cool!!!! Do you have pics, I am sure everyone would love to see them. I am not as familiar with the St. Tropez as you, but isn't it a center console fishing type boat sort of like a smaller El Pescador (love Ole Reds El Pesc!!)? I even think it came with a couple of transome bait wells and rod holders, but not positive.

Perhaps this would be a really fantastic addition to the donzi center console thread that alread exists Donzi Fish Boats- Lets see em (http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36819) . I would love to read more about and see pics of your boat.

Fish

[DONZI]

There was one that showed up at this past L.George Fall picnic.I don"t know if anyone had gotten a pic..He had told me how his father who previously owned it was an engineer who had worked with Wynne & Walters on the race boats.He had refitted it with 350 MPI/Bravo and was in the process of further updates.A very nice boat to have.

[Islander]

These were two St. T's that were in our family. The yellow one was ours and the tangerine one my cousin's. They were both '68's or '69's (can't remember exactly) and the pics were taken in '74. Yellow one had a 351 HM w/ a v-drive and the other one had the same engine with a Volvo 270.

The St. Tropez was a great boat, possibly the best riding center console boat of its size that I've ever been on.

[Cuda]

Cool pics Islander, thanks. :)

[Fish boy]

thinking the same thing. 2 in one family must have been really cool. Do you still have eithr of them?

[Islander]

Cuda,
YW

Fish boy,
Unfortunately my dad sold ours shortly after those pics were taken. My cousin lived in Nassau and they kept it for a few more years and sold it at some point.

It was as I said, a beautiful and great riding boat, but the v-drive wasn't the ideal setup for our purposes. We went through a few Makos and Hydrasports with outboards, which were better suited for the Bahamas and the Keys. But compared to a Donzi, those boats were merely utilitarian and nothing more. I never got the Donzi experience out of my system and now, thirty years later, I've got two of them. :)

[Islander]

We put the Albury in a warehouse to keep Jeanne from turning it into firewood. I'll go take some pics of it next week. As for a seatrial, I think it's a possibility. I know where the key is. :biggrin.:

[Fish boy]

albury really makes a nice looking and riding boat. Very smart strategy too- why bring a boat over from the states when such a nice one is built right in the bahamas. Actually poked around (not official tour) the albury factory a few months ago while in marsh harbor (I think the factory is actually located on Man of War Key, but not positive). I think I took some pics, if so, I will also post some.

Fish

[Islander]

Fishboy,
You're right, the Albury Brothers build their boats in Man O'War Cay in the Abacos. They made all kinds of boats; fishing smacks, sailing dinghys, skiffs, etc. The original skiffs were all wood but for the last few years they've been making them in glass. They recently entered into some type of joint venture deal and they're building 20' and 23' skiffs in West Palm. Here's their website: http://www.alburybrothers.com

The one the MP is refering to is a classic wood Albury built in '72 that my brother, who lives in Jupiter, found in Palm Beach had restored. It's one of two 22' skiffs that they built. All the others were 19's. I brought it down to Miami to get it out of harm's way. I'm not a wooden boat fanatic, but the quality of this boat is incredible.

[Fish boy]

Sweeet! Love to see the pics too! Did not know about the west palm factory, but that makes a lot of sense too.

[lyncha00]

Thought I would post some pics on a current restoration, the boat is 1966 St. Tropez that we have owned for a number of years and has been actively used in the waters in and around the South Fork of Long Island.

The work is being done by Scopinich boat works in East Quogue, NY. We opted to repower with a Yanmar 240 hp stern drive and a Bravo 3x. The boat has been repainted forest green.

The strings have been strengthened and more glass added all over certain areas for strength. The original hardware is going to be used wherever possible.

Enjoy the pics.

[Fish boy]

Thought I would post some pics on a current restoration, the boat is 1966 St. Tropez that we have owned for a number of years and has been actively used in the waters in and around the South Fork of Long Island.

The work is being done by Scopinich boat works in East Quogue, NY. We opted to repower with a Yanmar 240 hp stern drive and a Bravo 3x. The boat has been repainted forest green.

The strings have been strengthened and more glass added all over certain areas for strength. The original hardware is going to be used wherever possible.

Enjoy the pics.

Lyncha00, ]
welcome to the donzi registry!! :) OK, I am in love with your boat! Please keep posting pics as the restoration continues. It looks like it will be an absolutely incredible boat. I have always been a fan of the st. tropez, but I am an even bigger fan now. WOW!

fish

[MOP]

Hmm thats right in my back yard, a buddy of mine ran that place for Mario, have not been in thier shop in quite awhile. Might just sneak over and get an eye ball on it, should be a nice package when done!

MOP

[Cuda]

Real nice boat lynch!

[Morgan's Cloud]

Thanks for those pics Lynch,

Now everyone here can get an idea of what I've been doing for the last 3 years :biggrin.:

Did you take your floor liner out too ? Mine had cracks on either side of the console ...

New forward tank too ?

That should be one damn economical setup when completed... My engine guy suggested I consider a diesel too .... I just can't come to terms with the clatter under the engine box compared to gas ...

Did you ever find a hull number while you had it apart ...?

Definitely keep us informed of how things are going ..

Good luck/Steve

[MOP]

Yanmar has a great engine in the 240 very strong will damn near knock you off your feet when the turbos kick in, I have several friends running them. Also had my own hands on, the 32 Stamas I brought to Norwalk Show had a pair. Morgans Cloud is right sound deadening is a problem It was hard to hold a conversation with the fellow next to me. Note the Stamas had 1-1/2" of lead foam insulation it was of little help. On a very positive note the reps at the show told me fuel usage was about 16 gph in pairs at cruise, they were wrong. I ran the boat at 200 off the top there and back about 140 miles round trip, filled it up when I got back to see how it did "14.75gph that did kind of make up for the headache I had at the trips end.

Phil

[lyncha00]

The floor liner was removed as well, it was sagging in a bunch of places. New braces were added underneath that tie directly to the stringers so it should be much stronger.

The old ~30 gallon gas tank was replaced with a new larger one. I'm a little worried that she will be nose heavy with a full tank, this model does tend to ship water rather easiliy over the bow.

I'm hoping the diesel isn't too much louder but it won't surprise me if it is. The engine is actually a full foot shorter than the old 350 block so it may leave room for a decent seat or leaning post. It does stand a bit taller though but it still fits under the stock engine box. Any ideas on the best type of sound insulation?

I couldn't find the hull number anywhere, I've heard they are under the bow liner but this had been glassed over a couple years back for strength.

[mphatc]

I'm hoping the diesel isn't too much louder but it won't surprise me if it is. The engine is actually a full foot shorter than the old 350 block so it may leave room for a decent seat or leaning post. It does stand a bit taller though but it still fits under the stock engine box. Any ideas on the best type of sound insulation?.

Look at this site:
http://www.cyber-bridge-marine.com/soundown.htm
i've used the lead lined material before for some air compressor enclosures. Impressive results!



I couldn't find the hull number anywhere, I've heard they are under the bow liner but this had been glassed over a couple years back for strength.

Was their anything written on the back of the plywood reinforcement for center console instrument panel ? Early boats had their numbers written on the block of wood that anchored the bow / trailering eye. Is that still visable? Sometime wetting the old fiberglass with water helps to make it more transparent.

Good Luck! Looks great!!! There is another St Tropez in RI being restored, hauled out of a yard here near Winni a couple of summers back.

Mario L.

[MOP]

Lynch you need to look for sound escaping the compartment, use 1-1/2 Lead foam cut anfd fitted tightly it is only surpassed by the fiber glass foam backed panels ( a pain cutting and fitting ). Another thing finish all edges and joints with the metal air-conditioning duct tape it only helps a tad more but of more importance it helps to protect the insulation from being damaged (practice a little once stuck it does not come off) pre fold it for inside corners etc. What I have found is that any hard panel the sound can get to will in turn act like a speaker.

Curious is she still apart? If so can you move your tank farther aft, most of the C/C I have worked on over the years have them very close or against the engine box bulkhead. A little heavy in th azz is a ton better then being bow heavy, most every boat with a bow tank seems to run nose heavy including my Donzi which is being rectified.

Phil

[MOP]

Scott my book shows 805lbs for the 240, do you know the weight of the B3?

Phil

[Morgan's Cloud]

The floor liner was removed as well, it was sagging in a bunch of places. New braces were added underneath that tie directly to the stringers so it should be much stronger.
* Yeah, been there , done that :biggrin.: *


The old ~30 gallon gas tank was replaced with a new larger one. I'm a little worried that she will be nose heavy with a full tank, this model does tend to ship water rather easiliy over the bow.

* Did you only have one tank originally ? Mine had two and the front one when replaced to original specs is 21 gallons and there is no room for a larger one in thesame space unlessyou move the bulkhead rearwards. Actually it appears you may have done this in one of the pics *
The only time I've ever had water over the bow was when I hit (at idle) a large wake pattern with 13 people on board.. 3 were on the bow .. never done that since ! I always found mine bow light although I could never use the fwd tank since I had it.. I very much look forward to having the extra ballast there that I will be able to 'adjust' based on how much fuel I put in the tank.


I couldn't find the hull number anywhere, I've heard they are under the bow liner but this had been glassed over a couple years back for strength.

I never found a number either. Not under the console/ in the bow area or on the block where the bow eye is. I've yet to see a St T owner here who has found a number ... very curious ..

Steve

[lyncha00]

Here are some more pics of the restoration. The engine has been fully mounted with custom L-shaped 1/4" aluminum plates bolted through each of the reinforced stringers.

The electric trim tabs are on and the console is back in place with everything mounted except the GPS/Sounder. I couldn't find a hull number under the bow or inside the console, must have been glassed over years ago.

[Fish boy]

Here are some more pics of the restoration. The engine has been fully mounted with custom L-shaped 1/4" aluminum plates bolted through each of the reinforced stringers.

The electric trim tabs are on and the console is back in place with everything mounted except the GPS/Sounder. I couldn't find a hull number under the bow or inside the console, must have been glassed over years ago.

Hey Lynchao00,
great pics, the boat is rally coming along beautifully. Looks like you are doing everything FIRST CLASS; it is really refreshing to see a restoration done so meticulously. Please keep posting as the resto continues.

fish

[David Hartmann]

Here are some more pics of the restoration. The engine has been fully mounted with custom L-shaped 1/4" aluminum plates bolted through each of the reinforced stringers.

The electric trim tabs are on and the console is back in place with everything mounted except the GPS/Sounder. I couldn't find a hull number under the bow or inside the console, must have been glassed over years ago.


This is an awesome project

I have a 1966 St. Tropez
My rebuild schedule so far is
2004
Repowered with 2004 350 MPI Bravo
Restored center console section
New instruments (gaffrig) and Controls (livorsi)

2005
I am currnetly pulling the engine out agian I am preping the boat to be flipped upside down and have the outside of the hull repainted.
I will be installing a new fuel tank I am considering directly underneath the console. Any thoughts on the weight issue?
I will put it back together hopefully to have it at the LG spring dust off
Over the course of the year I will be working on some small modifications and luxurys
2006
Arch and interior paint

[Morgan's Cloud]

Hey David, thanks for bringing this back to life and it's good to hear from you again.

How long have you had this boat now and what was in it for power when you got it ?

I will be repowering with the Volvo version of what you have and am very curious about a few things....
I used to have a Ford 351W 4V in Merc trim (Alpha one) and it was (engine wise) a great package. How does yours sit now with that 350Mag and B1 in it ? What does it run like ? Based on what I know about mine I would speculate that it might be a bit of a handfull.
And very importantly (my last resto worry) can you retain the original motor box height with the new engine ? Did you leave the X stock or did you raise it a bit ? In other words does your engine box still close without touching the top of the engine ?

You mention another (or new ?) fuel tank under the console ....
Do you only have one right now ?
I had two from the getgo ... one under the floor at the bow and one under the console. When I removed them I had new ones duplicated and in total they add up to 40-42 gallons... what Donzi originally advertised as the tankage on the St T. DO you really only have a single 30 Gallon one and where is it ?

Ahh ... so many questions ,,

Steve

[David Hartmann]

Hey David, thanks for bringing this back to life and it's good to hear from you again.

How long have you had this boat now and what was in it for power when you got it ?

I will be repowering with the Volvo version of what you have and am very curious about a few things....
I used to have a Ford 351W 4V in Merc trim (Alpha one) and it was (engine wise) a great package. How does yours sit now with that 350Mag and B1 in it ? What does it run like ? Based on what I know about mine I would speculate that it might be a bit of a handfull.
And very importantly (my last resto worry) can you retain the original motor box height with the new engine ? Did you leave the X stock or did you raise it a bit ? In other words does your engine box still close without touching the top of the engine ?

You mention another (or new ?) fuel tank under the console ....
Do you only have one right now ?
I had two from the getgo ... one under the floor at the bow and one under the console. When I removed them I had new ones duplicated and in total they add up to 40-42 gallons... what Donzi originally advertised as the tankage on the St T. DO you really only have a single 30 Gallon one and where is it ?

Ahh ... so many questions ,,

Steve

The boat has been in the family since the 70's. It was my dads He bought it after he rced with the designers. Jim Wynne and Walt Walters. I remember rebuilding the engine with my dad when I was a kid. It was a intercepter with an eaton drive. It was pretty quick then ~50mph with a two blade prop. It had 165hp stickers on the valve covers but it was a bit more after the first rebuild. It was a for smal block not sure if it was a 260 or 289 CI.

Me and my brother did a major repowering in the early 90s took the eaton out and repowered it with a used 351w and a merc 888. she ran good for several years maybe ~55mph when we cut the transom hole we used an x of +1" The hatch fit but a minor mod for the width of the exhaust manifolds was made on the sides of the inside transom next to the engine.

The new 350MPI and Bravo is a bit heavier and a bit taller. I kept the same cut out as with the 888 so the x is still about 1" but i did do a much cleaner recut. It was interesting the transom was not the same thickness on both sides I spent quite a bit of time getting it in spec. when I di the drilling and the finish cut for the hole I bias the fixture up I think I got the x at about 1 1/8 or a little more.

With the new merc the top of the flame arrestor is about 1 inch two high so is you were in a stock position it would most lilkely fit but not with the plastic shield on the flame arrestor.

I am adding 1 1/4 inch to the bottom edge of the engine cover.

The boat may be a bit heavy now but I do not really know if it sits different. it has a lot of freeboard so it is not a problem. it is interesting when the boat is at res with the x at 1 -1/8 the top of the drive is above the waterline compared with most other boats. The boat has a lot of power I am not sure about speed anymore but i think it is around 65mph with a lot of trim with low fuel, full throttle and, a lot of trim the boat feels like it just lightens up a lot and gets over that speed. That is really low fuel i ran out of gas about .5 mile from dock.

I only had one tank in the nose me and my dad replaced it about 25+ years ago with a custom stainless it is about 30 gal. It has a leak I belive as there is always gas smell. I am connsidering putting one only under the console but I am wondering how the weight distribution would affect performance. I am also curious where the fuel fill was ran for the tank under the console.

[donzitoy]

Do you have any fresh pictures of your restoration progress? I am in the process of starting a restoration on a 66 St Tropez that someone else started and gave up. Did yours have one or two tanks. I am in need of some pictures to help me to figure out what I have. They have put in a new floor but it is not the same as the original. It is currently a butcher job. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[David Hartmann]

Do you have any fresh pictures of your restoration progress? I am in the process of starting a restoration on a 66 St Tropez that someone else started and gave up. Did yours have one or two tanks. I am in need of some pictures to help me to figure out what I have. They have put in a new floor but it is not the same as the original. It is currently a butcher job. Any help is greatly appreciated.

I only had one tank in the bow.

I am pulling the floors out tonight I will try and take some pictures for you. Is there anything in particular you would like to see.
the pictures Below are from last summer the only finish restoration is the center console.

The picture of the split hull is not my boat. I am not sure if I will do this but if I do it will be next year.

The picture of the back of the boat will show how the boat sits in the water. The x is at 1 1/8 to 1 1/4

And the center console is just cool, it is the way Donzi should have done it (in my opinion) although i am not too pleased with the gaffrig gauges (the oil pres guage is quirky)

[Morgan's Cloud]

David,

That info is very interesting.. especially the height of the engine in relation to the engine box. I'm anticipating that I will have to do the engine box extension thingy too, but it would be great if I did'nt have to... I'd just really love to be able to pack away all of this glass and resin (and grinders etc).
I won't know if I'm going have to do this for sure until much much further down the road.
Problem is the new V8's are taller than our vintage 351's so this will probably be a common problem for anyone re-powering one of these.
The best I got out of my old engine drive combo was 50 gps.
Not breathtaking but scary under the right conditions due to weight and balance specs. I did'nt have a useable front tank so I could only use the one under the console. I always thought this tank was factory installed as the original fuel tankage on the St T was 40 gallons approx and the front tank I removed was 21 gallons and was definitely installed at the time of build. The tank under the console is approx 21 gallons too.
I look forward to having two tanks as it will give me the chance to use them for trim.I'm sure the new engine package will be possibly 200 lbs heavier than the old one and much more powerful for certain. I would guess that yours is pretty interesting to run ... wait 'till you empty the front tank and run on one under the console !

When I got mine (in 1987) the fuel fill for the tank under the console was squeezed onto the flat surface of the 'seat area' of the console ..in one corner. I did'nt like this setup and removed it and filled the hole and rigged the fill so I just had to open the hatch on the console and voila the fill hose was right there. It was originally vented on the port side of the console. This I have also changed during the 3 year resto and have now run a vent hose to the bow and it will vent next to the front tank vent.

Everytime someone shows up with a St T I have to ask them if they ever found a HIN... along with me, no-one else ever has either. Did you ever find one ?

Incidentally , I met Jim Wynne many moons ago at the N.Y. Boat show. I always admired his creativity and genius and will remember him as a real gentleman. Of course I never worked with him or raced against him so 'someone else around here' :wink: :wink: may have a different opinion !

I look forward to hearing more about your project/Steve

[David Hartmann]

David,

That info is very interesting.. especially the height of the engine in relation to the engine box. I'm anticipating that I will have to do the engine box extension thingy too, but it would be great if I did'nt have to... I'd just really love to be able to pack away all of this glass and resin (and grinders etc).
I won't know if I'm going have to do this for sure until much much further down the road.
Problem is the new V8's are taller than our vintage 351's so this will probably be a common problem for anyone re-powering one of these.
The best I got out of my old engine drive combo was 50 gps.
Not breathtaking but scary under the right conditions due to weight and balance specs. I did'nt have a useable front tank so I could only use the one under the console. I always thought this tank was factory installed as the original fuel tankage on the St T was 40 gallons approx and the front tank I removed was 21 gallons and was definitely installed at the time of build. The tank under the console is approx 21 gallons too.
I look forward to having two tanks as it will give me the chance to use them for trim.I'm sure the new engine package will be possibly 200 lbs heavier than the old one and much more powerful for certain. I would guess that yours is pretty interesting to run ... wait 'till you empty the front tank and run on one under the console !

When I got mine (in 1987) the fuel fill for the tank under the console was squeezed onto the flat surface of the 'seat area' of the console ..in one corner. I did'nt like this setup and removed it and filled the hole and rigged the fill so I just had to open the hatch on the console and voila the fill hose was right there. It was originally vented on the port side of the console. This I have also changed during the 3 year resto and have now run a vent hose to the bow and it will vent next to the front tank vent.

Everytime someone shows up with a St T I have to ask them if they ever found a HIN... along with me, no-one else ever has either. Did you ever find one ?

Incidentally , I met Jim Wynne many moons ago at the N.Y. Boat show. I always admired his creativity and genius and will remember him as a real gentleman. Of course I never worked with him or raced against him so 'someone else around here' :wink: :wink: may have a different opinion !

I look forward to hearing more about your project/Steve

No hull number yet, I will let people know if I find one.

[Morgan's Cloud]

David,

It seems we were both hammering away at the keyboard at the same time.
That photo with the boat in the water at a rest is very useful ... I was'nt expecting that.. it looks very much the same as my original 351/one centre tank setup. Maybe I won't be as a$$heavy as I originally thought.

I went as far as the photo of the split hull/deck and ALSO removed the floor unit and re-cored it. This allowed complete access to the front tank for easy removal-re-install without cutting up the floor liner.

I never found a number ... if there was one there I would certainly have seen it.... do keep me informed

Steve

[David Hartmann]

What did you do on the floors? What condidtion was the diamond plate in? Is there a way to repair that?

[David Hartmann]

I did get the floors out and the transom assembly last night. Sorry I did not have time to get pictures in but I will get a bunch up soon. I started to get the fuel tank out. There is a slow leak the seating foam was wet with fuel, hopefully it did not do damage to the hull.

I am getting ready to role it over to have the hull re gel-ed. My play is to leave the boat together. I am going to build a craddle that will support the hull from the stringers then flip it over so it is sitting on this craddle. It is going to be scary flipping it over on Sunday. Backyard with a back hoe and some friends. I have done this before with a 16 and just friends that went well but I am not sure that the St. Tropex is as light or durable on edge during the rolling process. I am going to build a craddle that should take the weight instead of the sides

Any Cautions?

Can you believe that I still plan on having this boat at the LG spring dust off?

Does anyone know how much this boat weighs with or with out power and fuel.

[Morgan's Cloud]

David ,

When you say 'diamond plate' are you referring to what I call 'non skid surface' ?
If that's the case, mine was virtually polished smooth from use when I got the boat. Because I was completely Awlgripping then, I finished the floor last and re-did the non skid with a package made by Awlgrip. It held up very well for the last 17 years or so. If you are going through the expense of re-gelcoating your hull (even though it looks suspiciously shiny), are you going to re-gel the whole boat? If that's on the books , I would guess you could re-do the non skid then too.

My St T brochure says the weight (rigged) for the boat is 2700 LB. I would guess that was with a small V8 and a tiny outdrive.

I too have rolled mine over .. it's the ONLY way to do any large amount of hull work. We used a crane and the guy wo did it is well versed in the procedure. What he does is to lift it up with 2 straps that he then
'chokes off' to shorten them up on one side. Lift boat again and it starts to naturally roll up on its side.Lower onto ground (soft grass :biggrin.: ) re-adjust straps and lift again and it just about goes upside down on it's own.
Incidentally , when mine was on it's side with all of the weight on the 2 straps there was absolutely NO deformation of the rub rail or the hull/deck joint area taking the entire weight ... I was pleased to see that !

When you say you have taken the floor out. do you mean the the inserts that house the console and fwd hatch or the entire cockpit sole ?

I'm taking a guess here that your only fuel tank is located partially where mine is and partially into the lazarette under the cockpit floor. I know there is no room for a 30 gallon tank where my bow tank fits ..

Definitely looking forward to more pics .

Steve

[David Hartmann]

I am refering to the non skid surface. I will take some pictures. This would be very tricky to repair but it is in decent shape It would be cool to keep the original non skid patterns

That shiny look is just good photography. I finaly learned where when and how to take pictures of a boat.

I am going to gel the outside hull. next year I will paint the interior. I just do not belive that paint can hold up on the exterior. I have never been satisfied with paint this will be my first atempt at gel.

It would be very difficult to gel the interior so I am going to go with paint. The Center console was done with awlgrip.

the tank is partially under the forward part of the cockpit sole.

THe only part of the floors that I have removed is the obvious easy to remove panels

I am taking the boat done to the paint shop this week. Still trying to figure out color. I think I am leaning toward Midnight Blue hullsides white hull and topside. Open to ideas.

Thanks for the info on the rol over that is usefull
I will let you know and may get some pictures of the process

[David Hartmann]

Well I managed to get the boat fliped over with out killing anyone.

It is at the body shop now. They tell me that they want to plastic(sand)blast the gelcoat off before they paint it with new Gel. Does anyone have any experiance with this.

They say this will prevent the gelcoat cracks from coming right back? they also think it is the best way to get the surface smooth flat and ready for paint?

I am a little nervous. But the guys do seem to have a clue when I am talking to them.

[lyncha00]

Some more pics of the restoration, only 1-2 weeks left. The boat is on its side to remove the 40+ yrs of bottom paint, looks like a new hull now that the chines are fully exposed, there was so much paint on them that they had lost most of their definition. Hopefully that should translate into a couple of mphs on the top end.

The outdrive goes on next, in the pics you can also see the new steel rub rail and the electric tabs. Looking at the bow, there was a drain that had been plugged yrs ago, the yard thinks it was a head but I'm not sure that was even an option in 66?

[Morgan's Cloud]

That transom assembly looks a little different .. what's going on with that ?

If the 'drain' you referred to is the spot on the hull at stbd front visible in the 2nd picture I have'nt got a clue what that could be ... inside the hull in that spot should be the forward area of the front tank ... no room there for any through hull fittings of any sort ... :confused:

Steve

[lyncha00]

The transom is pretty much stock, the only change was losing the thru-hull exhaust a number of years ago. The chrome grill in the picture is an original item, it cleaned up fairly well.

The bravo 3x drive is bigger than the old volvo 280 unit which may distort the transom a little?

[David Hartmann]

Looking at the bow, there was a drain that had been plugged yrs ago, the yard thinks it was a head but I'm not sure that was even an option in 66?

yes you could have a head on the boat. Mine did it was taken out way back in the 70's Basicaly the head was right under the seat in the bow. strange place to sit with your buddies for sure.

[David Hartmann]

I was supposed to have the boat at LG on the 18th of June
here is what it looked like last week

it was sand blasted - i do not reccomend this

they are filling the holes but it is taking forever. I thinkk the body shop got in over thier head. I do all of the mechanical work myself but I took it to a friends auto body shop for regelcoating

I am hoping to have it sprayed next week do any of you know if there are big differeances in gelcoat brands?

sorry had trouble with pictures

[Morgan's Cloud]

sorry had trouble with pictures


Aw hell ! I was hoping for a few pics ! There are a few guys around here well versed in gelcoat matching and brands ... maybe they will chime in here ...

I can't believe that there were ever heads installed in these little boats ..
Most guys will just dangle it over the side and no gal would ever prop herself up in the open air of a centre console deck .. there's more privacy in the middle of the parking lot at K-Mart on Christmas Day !

Sorry , but I'd kinda have to see it to believe it :biggrin:

Keep us informed of the progress David ,

BTW After only a 7 month wait my engine guy finally came up and cut the transom for the new drive last Tuesday .. It's been waterproofed since then , now I'm back in business again !

[Morgan's Cloud]

:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

I was thinking more of the less fortunate " dimensionally challenged " ......


Lyncha00 .. anything to report on your front ?

[lyncha00]

Some more pics, the boat has been in the water and we are very happy with it. The top end is embarassing for a Donzi (40 mph on the gps) but it burns about 3 gph based on the boating we've done so far and the Yanmar is good for 5000-7000 hrs. The turbo is really fun, will knock you right off the back if you're not holding on. Guys at the fuel dock can't believe it when I pull up to the diesel pump instead of gas!

Cleaned up as much of the original deckware as possible and added a fold up seat on the engine box (an option years ago). Its turning out to be a nice set up for tooling around the bays and fishing in the inlets and just offshore.

[pmreed]

What pitch props are you using. With your torque maxing out over 400 ft-lbs, you can probably swing a lot of prop. Might be able to pick up some speed...if that's an issue.

Phil

[Morgan's Cloud]

Yeah , I was thinking a bit faster than that too ..

Are you on your rpm range as you should be ? Mind you , that fuel economy is nothing to sneeze at !

If speed was your prime concern , you could always bolt a B1 on and pick up a few MPH !

It looks great ! I need this inspiration to keep me going ....

Steve

[lyncha00]

The boat is definitely under-propped with 22 degrees of pitch, turning 3600 rpm at WOT (should only be 3300). The yanmar rep said its an acceptable setup but obviously not to run up past 3300 for very long.
I was going to go up an inch in pitch but the tradeoff is the slow speed handling. There is no prop slip with this setup and even at the lowest idle in gear the boat does nearly 5 mph! Needless to say, the boat can be a handful around the dock, not to mention a fairly significant jolt when going in and out of gear. I'm afraid more pitch would make it too difficult to operate slowly but it may be worth trying.

[BUIZILLA]

I have a mint pair of 28's for sale....

Jim

[David Hartmann]

<In response to email>

Great to hear from you
Maybe you can ad this to the thread also.

I do have a 2004 350 MPI Merc Bravo in the St Tropez. It is the perfect power plant for this boat. I have about 200 hours on it I get around 6 or 7 GPH. I have a 21" 3 blade mirage but I am going to try a 4 blade soon.

The boat has set a speep record on the GPS each time I try. Last time was 63.0 mph, at that point it starts to chin walk. The boat can have a slight porpose at about 35mph depending on how it is loaded. It needs tabs for sure.

Last weekend I was running out in the ocean with a 34' Sutphen with twin Big Blocks. I ran with him at 45+ mph in the open water (2 foot) I dusted him in the bay (1 foot)

It does not need this much power but it is nice to have and seems fuel effcient and solid. All the feedback I get tells me that tabs will make it ride even better.

The boat has a cruising speed of around 35-40 mph at 3000rpm

I am planning a fgew things that will give it more power, new exhaust manifolds and through hull exhaust. I think the boat would do close to 70 in the spring. and I think it will be a comfortable 70mph. I also like having the extra power incase I ever do an arch or t top. all that weight and drag will slow the boat down a lot.

Hit with more questions if I did not get to them all

David

[Ted Guldemond]

Hi Lyncha00, That's a nice looking St. Tropez. It appears from the picture, you have the seat extension on the front of the engine hatch. I have a 68' St. Tropez with out the seat extender. My question is, how is it attached to the engine box? Is there a locking hinge or bracket that allows the seat to pivot?

[lyncha00]

The original boat actually didn't have the seat extension (though from some of the old brochures, it looks like it was an option) but it makes sense as without it you are too far away to sit and drive comfortably.

The yard opted for a pretty simple set up, after reinforcing the engine box they screwed in a very sturdy ss hinge that runs the length of the pad. The pad is mounted on an aluminum frame with two removable aluminum legs that fit into sockets mounted underneath the pad and on the deck.

The downside is the sockets on the deck protrude when the seat isn't extended but after one full season, I found I hardly ever used it without the seat extended out.

[David Hartmann]

well I finally got some pictures

These are from this Summer in Lake George. for people that spend time up there I have found a great place to take pictures there

I have only don the mechanical and the exterior so far I still need to restore the topside

[Morgan's Cloud]

David,
That looks great ! Is that gelcoat that you refinished with ?
When (eventually) completed mine will be the same colour combo.
In the centre photo (shot taken from the stern) is the boat gently resting on the bottom..? I'm still trying to get a fuller undertanding of your 'at rest waterline' and it seems a little higher up than the other two shots .
How many fuel tanks did you say you have and where are they/how full were they when those pics were taken ?
How much do you have left to do ?
Steve

[David Hartmann]

David,
That looks great ! Is that gelcoat that you refinished with ?
When (eventually) completed mine will be the same colour combo.
In the centre photo (shot taken from the stern) is the boat gently resting on the bottom..? I'm still trying to get a fuller undertanding of your 'at rest waterline' and it seems a little higher up than the other two shots .
How many fuel tanks did you say you have and where are they/how full were they when those pics were taken ?
How much do you have left to do ?
Steve
IT is imron I was hoping to to use gel coact but my painter kind of screwed me and we did not have time to do the gel coat. I was also concerned about thier ability to handle gel coat. I am happy with the finish quality it is very flat and I have not had any problems with blistering and in was in the water for 2 weeks at a time several times last year

The water was shallow but I do not belive it is on the bottom in that picture. The drive is mounted about 1.125 above x so it may appear high.

I only have one 32 gal tank in the bow. I would guess it was about half full.

The big task I have left is to split the topside and recore the bow section. I also want to put in a new fuel tank under the center console.

I was hoping to get it done this winter but it is not started yet so I may wait till next year. I will still put taps and hydrulic steering on this season.

[Morgan's Cloud]

Thanks for the update David ,
It does look nice. You will be very happy with the improvement that tabs will make. At the very least you won't have to put up with the listing caused by crosswinds anymore. (That's all I really use mine for anyway but worth every penny )
I presume that you have power assist on the steering but you plan on adding internal hydraulic steering instead of the cable ?
I put Hynautic in mine years ago and it's been great . Even without p/a it's really nice . Can let go of the wheel and walk away !
If your space under the console is the same as mine , there is room for a 20-25 gallon tank. Mine is mounted on a platform that sits it up out of the bilge and is heavily bolted to the insides of the stringers (no need to get into the intracies of foaming this one :rlol: )
Steve

[lyncha00]

Unfortunately (for me at least) I'm putting up our restored 1966 St. Tropez for sale. The ebay link is below. Many pictures of the restoration can be seen in this thread. The boat is a real gem and will run for years with the Yanmar. For any additional questions, email me at lyncha00@yahoo.com


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&item=190033641699&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

[Ted Guldemond]

That is one nice looking ride. Good luck with the auction. Remember, the two happiest days of boat ownership are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

[seano]

Unfortunately (for me at least) I'm putting up our restored 1966 St. Tropez for sale. The ebay link is below. Many pictures of the restoration can be seen in this thread. The boat is a real gem and will run for years with the Yanmar. For any additional questions, email me at lyncha00@yahoo.com
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&item=190033641699&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

I saw you drifting the inlet a couple of weeks ago...the boat looks real nice. good luck with the sale.

[Patrik Sweden]

I think this Tropez is going to Sweden... A friend of mine who works as a boat dealer asked me if I were intrested, it's going to arive late this summer..

Is it the same hull as the F18 CC from -91?


Unfortunately (for me at least) I'm putting up our restored 1966 St. Tropez for sale. The ebay link is below. Many pictures of the restoration can be seen in this thread. The boat is a real gem and will run for years with the Yanmar. For any additional questions, email me at lyncha00@yahoo.com


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=009&item=190033641699&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

[Morgan's Cloud]

I think this Tropez is going to Sweden...
Is it the same hull as the F18 CC from -91?
No Patrick ...
Nowhere even the similar .. The St Tropez Hull is the same as the "Hornet" hull which was one of the original 3 Donzi hulls
from the 60's.
Steve

[JP BRESCIA]

nice

[douglasdolphin]

1969 St. Tropez.

One owner 32 years - always a nice boat, roller cam 302. New tanks and strenghthened bottom at the weak spot aft around the keelsons / hydroboosters. Original nice upholstery, original trailer, uprated rubrail

I bought three boats in a week - so I posted this on Ebay, no serious offers so I moved my airplane outside and moved the Donzi in - this is one is too nice to give away

[captdennisgray]

Don't know if you caught my pics of my '76 St Tropez.. presently working on putting a fresh 302 in it .. will also do a little re-wiring and some new guages.. everything else pretty much looks in great shape..

Glad to see some really great lookin St. T's out there !!

[Tank]

Hi and welcome
WOW one owner very cool:cool:!
Looks nice must run pretty good with a hot 302!:yes:
Must find the time to use them now all of us!
Good to see you and your boat here.
Thanks for the photos can we see on of the engine compartment?
Is that a fuel fill I see in the center console?
Brian

[Staffan Berg]

Another St.Tropez is reborn

[Staffan Berg]

some unsorted pictures of a new st.tropez being reborn

http://www.plutosystems.se/Donzi