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Tank
09-28-2007, 10:22 AM
Hi all St Tropez owners.
Well I need a boost so I would like to know!!!!! HO YOU ALL DOING ????????
How many of use are out there?
What motor combo you got and of cores how fast is yours?
Photos would be good to so show off your Tropez!
Mine is moving along slow but steady time to start rewire.
Hear is a photo of hand rail, not bad working with what I had for deck mount.

Ted Guldemond
09-28-2007, 04:45 PM
Hi Tank
I have a 1968 St. Tropez. Originally blue and white just like yours. Mine was really tired when I got it. The deck coring was soaked the gelcoat scatched, patched and faded. It took me over 4 years to finish it. I have to say its a blast to drive. There's nothing like standing at the helm and putting the bow in the sky. On the other side, my wife hates it. Something to do with no windshield and no good place to sit. Power is a 383 sbc on a volvo 280. I don't know top speed. The push-pull steering gets squirrely over 50. I'm working on a cheap external hydraulic system. Good luck with your project.

chappy
09-29-2007, 07:29 AM
Hey Tank,

Your boat looks great. I see you are in North Jersey. If you ever want to run on something a little bigger with no salt, check out Lake Wallenpaupack in PA. I would love to see that boat in person.:pimp:

Good luck,

Rich

Morgan's Cloud
10-01-2007, 07:15 AM
Hey Brian,
That rail came of really well. Looks a lot better than that sorry bit of scrap metal it originally had , huh ?
What kind of other 'discoveries' have you made since since you've dived in and opened it up ?
We've had such rotten boating weather this year , that even with the dead quiet hurricane season (at least around these parts !) I've only been able to put 18 hours on mine since June .
Even when run in , I'm still going to have to do something with the prop I think. It's an absolute handfull and I've only opened it up once for about 5 seconds !
Keep us updated with what you're doing ... I've still yet to get around to doing a pictorial thread on my resto.
Steve

Tank
10-01-2007, 02:43 PM
Hi all
Ted good to here from you I read and admire your work on your own hydro steering!!! Ho did it work for you I am looking into it for my rig to! I would love to see a photo of your boat.:yes:
Rich Yes very familiar with lake Wallenpaupack!
It’s bin years but I did go there with my 23 Formula Thunderbird! Lovely lake, NJ has no lakes just ponds.:wink:
MC Good to here from you, Yes the whether has bin good here but that means les time to work on my boat I will get it in the water this year I might have to brake some ice at this rate but I am determined!
I just found some glass I think is de laminating and do not know what to do if any thing, I might just brush on some resin and hope for the best.
NOW run-in 30 min HOW fast is it????
WOT 5 sec good how was it what prop? 14 3/8x21 or bigger?
I found a deal? on a 14x 24 ultra I could not say no to.
I hope I have the motor for it?

NOW I know there are more of us out here SPEEK UP!
Brian

Morgan's Cloud
10-02-2007, 07:09 AM
Hmmm ,,
David (dhartmann) is out there somewhere also and I look forward to hearing how his re-do is going.
I believe that there is one more somewhere hanging around but can't remember who.
+
Where is the area of possible delamination that you mentioned ?
+
On my last run I started the GPS speed comparisons and can confirm that the analog speedo (dash mounted decoration :D ) is dead accurate from zero to thirty MPH but I really need an extra body on board to safely conclude the testing.
On that earlier momentary WOT blip (without the GPS on board) the speedo was climbing past 60 but who knows if the speedo is still accurate at that range .. time will tell.
I just hope I can get the thing to settle down with a suitable prop.
It's more like an air entrapment hull than a deep V .
(Yes .. 14.3X21 standard aluminium Volvo prop/ 1.51:1 gears)
Steve

Tank
10-04-2007, 09:29 AM
Hi all
Hay mc good to here you got out even for a small test hope and pray some good whether come your way! Yes 60+:eek!: should be a good bet with that engine and drive combo, but I would think A 23p might be better!:crossfing:
RICH
I forgot to say I love that yellow and black combo, do you have a Photo :wink:is there a black stripe on the deck?
David
You out their?????????
How goes it????
I know there are more Tropez owners out there how’s your boat????
Tnak
PS that DE lam may just be some pour job some one did long time ago to strengthen the striker.

chappy
10-05-2007, 02:39 PM
RICH
I forgot to say I love that yellow and black combo, do you have a Photo :wink:is there a black stripe on the deck?
Sorry, no black stripe on the deck. Jamie at Lakeside did the resto job, which it really needed, let's just say she was a "little" neglected by the first owner.:(
Rich

Tank
10-08-2007, 02:27 PM
See that’s Y we need photos !!!
That Looks better than what was in my head:bonk:, all yellow and one solid black stripe.
Love that look with the pin stripe yes that the ticket!:wink:
Tanks for the photo!
:sweden:HAY Staffan how is it going in Sweden?
Anny photos???:wink:
Tank

Ted Guldemond
10-10-2007, 08:19 AM
pictures

chappy
10-10-2007, 08:33 AM
Ted,

Your boat is top notch.:shades:

Rich

Morgan's Cloud
10-10-2007, 08:54 AM
Oh boy , that is nice Ted !
I think I remember your thread sometime back about how you did that trim setup on the 280 unit.
How long have you had that and what's the engine ? How does it run ?
Do you have two fuel tanks ?
Oops ... too many questions :biggrin:
Steve

BUIZILLA
10-10-2007, 08:55 AM
Ted,... cool boat, if my oldest daughter see's this, i'm in deep trouble.. :) :eek!:

as far as steering, why can't you do what Big Grizz did with his Corsican steering?? you both have Ferd's, so I don't see why that wouldn't work :yes:

Tank
10-10-2007, 09:03 AM
Hi Ted
Sweet boat!!! 383 :eek!:
I seam to remember seeing a story on your tilt /trim? very nice!!:yes:
Tanks for the photos!!
Tank

Tank
10-10-2007, 09:20 AM
Well I see it takes me to long to type!!
Hi all hay Buizila you lost me on the steering Ferds??:confused:
And yes Performance ??? a must MC good ???:yes:
Prop looks like 23p alu I would think with the way theas fly
You would not need the lift but I could be wrong!
I have a 24 ultra SS I found and would like to get a alu 21/23 P
One should do it I think ps The ultra is 14od the 21/ 23 would be 14 3/8od
Tanks Tank

Staffan Berg
12-28-2007, 02:46 PM
Yes I am here - I suddenly woke up

I will install a new engine packet in my St.Tropez
Any ideas:
I prefer the sound of a V8 (5.0 mpi)
Is it to much for a St.Tropez or ???

Sorry - no photos - the boat is covered for the winter.

Happy St.Tropez greetings from Stockholm

LKSD
12-29-2007, 12:18 AM
Sorry, no black stripe on the deck. Jamie at Lakeside did the resto job, which it really needed, let's just say she was a "little" neglected by the first owner.:(
Rich

Glad to see after a few years now that she still makes you happy.. :) Hopefully we will get up the pack ourselves this coming sumer..

Happy holidays.. :)

Jamie / lakeside

LKSD
12-29-2007, 12:19 AM
BTW.. This is a cool thread.. I cant remember the last time someone brought this model donzi up for discussion... :) J

Morgan's Cloud
12-29-2007, 10:34 AM
Staffan ....
When it came time to order the new power package for mine I could'nt decide between the 5.0 litre Volvo (270 PsHP) and the 5.7 litre (280 PsHP). I was sure the 270 package would be plenty but was concerned that even if it was very good I still would never know what the 280 would have been like.
I asked that guy who hangs out around here sometimes , the one who probably had a hand in building mine ,:wink: , and he said to go with the cubes.
That I did , and now I wonder what it would have been like with the 5.0 litre 270 ! :banghead:

Brian .. What's going on with yours ?

Steve

Staffan Berg
12-29-2007, 11:08 AM
Steve
This makes my decision easier.
I was thinking of going for a 5.0 V8 or a 4.3 V6.
Looks like it will be a 5.0 V8.


All of you with your nice St.Tropez are a big inspiration for me.
I am browsing around looking at my downloaded pictures.

By the way - do you know where to buy a Volvo 5.0 Gxi/Sx or Mercruiser 5.0 MPI/AlfaOne

I found Doug Russel on the net. Seems to have attractive pricing on engine packets.
Because of the dollar right now it is buisiness buying an engine in US and ship it to Europe

Tank
01-01-2008, 11:59 AM
Hi all and HAPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!:eek!:
Hay thanks for keeping the thread alive!
I thought it went flat and have bin stuck in the
Holiday muck! It’s a shame run here run there and buy buy buy!! No time for any thing inportent like people. I pray God forgives us for that and know he will.

Now down to the BOATS stuffed I think the 5.0L will do just fine. Now I am not speaking from hands on I have not driven mine yet, put from every thing I have read they are a hand full at and over 60mph I think the 5.0 will get you there or very close. Now that sed I think fuel might be more with the 5.0 rather the 5.7 at cruising speed, you see booth weigh in about the same! You need to conceder your normal lode 2 or 4 people cooler or just you going fishing with one friend! The others here may chime in right or wrong on this.
Hay am I the only one to fish from on of this boat?
Or should I say hope to fish from one some day.
Morgan’s cloud Good to here from you!!
Yes she is almost done I am moding the trailer and some finishing touches this week and then winterize and out of my shop to the barn till spring.

Morgan's Cloud
01-02-2008, 06:55 AM
Steve
This makes my decision easier.
I was thinking of going for a 5.0 V8 or a 4.3 V6.
Looks like it will be a 5.0 V8.
All of you with your nice St.Tropez are a big inspiration for me.
I am browsing around looking at my downloaded pictures.
By the way - do you know where to buy a Volvo 5.0 Gxi/Sx or Mercruiser 5.0 MPI/AlfaOne
I found Doug Russel on the net. Seems to have attractive pricing on engine packets.
Because of the dollar right now it is buisiness buying an engine in US and ship it to Europe
++ Staffan ++
Yes , I have seen Doug Russell's prices , and they are very fair .. unless someone here has access to better prices... Doug Russell are also very good with communicating ! If you e-mail them etc, you'll get a quick respose.
I don't think the width of the 4.3V6 will allow it to fit into the limited space avbl in the St T. The 5.0L and the 5,7L DO just squeeze in though. New V8 technology makes them a bit taller than the old 60's-70's smallblock dimensions.
If I were you , I would'nt waste my money on a Merc package , especially bearing in mind where you are ! The weight of the 5.0 and the 5.7L is the same and they have identical installation measurements. Just another reason to go with the 5.7 I believe that there is about a 50lb torque bonus on the 5.7 over the 5.0.
Believe me , you can fly the boat like a kite with the 5.7. It really is more than I need.
Get the factory fresh water cooling also. Well worth it .
Brian .... Nothing like finishing the boat in the height of winter eh ? :D

David Hartmann
01-02-2008, 10:10 PM
How have I missed this Thread!!

I will have a few posts coming.

As far as the power goes, In 2004 I put in a 5.7MPI merc with a Bravo 1. All new from marine power service.

I have driven the sam boat with a 260 ford v8 (165hp)eaton, 289 ford v8 (210hp)eaton, 351w ford v8(260hp)merc 888

The 5.0 liter is enough power but boy does it run great with this 350MPI(300hp). with 7 people it gets on plane quick and comfortable. It is a very solid and stable boat well stable to about 60mph.

It tops out at about 63mph(gps) at 4900rpm with a 21" mirage. I did all the installation work myself and have the x dim at about +1.3inch. I would like to put on a lab finished 4blade to try out. right now the prop wil ventalate sometimes getting on plane in large swells.

I have put over 100 hours a year on the boat. I run it pretty hard in a lake in the summer and work it a lot harder in long island sound in the fall winter and spring.

David Hartmann
01-02-2008, 10:14 PM
Well many of you know my boat was hit witha 60mph Baja. Here are some pictures.

David Hartmann
01-02-2008, 10:19 PM
I did most of the structual repair myself. Many of you say the boat after the repairs. I had it back on the water in August. It came out pretty good but I have a few more improvements to make. If anyone ever has this much damage to rebuild give me a call i can go into more detail about what I learned after i was done

David Hartmann
01-02-2008, 10:25 PM
This is how I handled all of the hardware on the boat. pop-up bow light, fuel fill, 9 rod holders, and 4 strap hindges. Even with so called flush mount hardware the stick up a slight bit. I made a wood template the size of the perimeter of the hardware and then use a flush trim router bit to set in the component. on the hatch Hinges I had to build up the backside first because i had to go so deep with the router.

David Hartmann
01-02-2008, 10:36 PM
I wanted to flush mount the northstar m121 12" display which would not fit. so i cut the flange off the bottom of the console then I cut the console in to pieces so that I could move the vertical pieces to the corners of where the flange was. This made the console about 6 inches wider, 2 inches longer, and 1 inch taller. This fits the instrument perfect. I have it back in the baot now but have only done the sturctual fiberglass work not the finish work. Here are a few pictures of afte the first layer of glass on the inside. It looks just like original it has more surface area and storage room and it did not make a differance on fish abilty as far a room to work.
some of the plywood is core material. In other places it is just backer that I used to support the cloth during layup. This wa a lot easier than it looks. I highly reccomend this change for the St. Tropez

Tank
01-03-2008, 09:39 AM
Hi David
Sorry to see how bad you got hit! Ouch:shocking:
Did you ever fined the bum that ran?:hangum:
You did such a nice job on that boat! Part of Y I got mien.
Yes Now that I have installed gages and my new throttle I fined my console to small also But I will live with it!
You see I have barley any time to use the boat as it is so time working on it is very limited I am making it safe and solid.
I give you a lot of credit for doing all that work!!!
I know what it is, I put the seat back on the front of my consol and new flange on the bottom.
Keep up the good work!!
Tank

Morgan's Cloud
01-03-2008, 11:46 AM
David ,
Good to hear from you again ! That is some extraordinary work you are doing there .... Some good inspiration for Brian I'd say :biggrin:
As asked earlier , was there any outcome on the POS that hit you ?
Now that the console is wider I'm guessing that it does'nt fit into the recess in the c0ckpit sole anymore .. how did you address that ?
Also , seeing that you've have the boat for so long and with so many power plants , have you experienced any handling issues besides the prop ventilating with the Mag V8 ?
Reason I ask is because I'm working with the resident prop guru to try and work out an issue with mine .. A ton 'o power with the 350 MPI engine though :shocking:
Steve

David Hartmann
01-05-2008, 11:10 PM
David ,
Good to hear from you again ! That is some extraordinary work you are doing there .... Some good inspiration for Brian I'd say :biggrin:
As asked earlier , was there any outcome on the POS that hit you ?
Now that the console is wider I'm guessing that it does'nt fit into the recess in the c0ckpit sole anymore .. how did you address that ?
Also , seeing that you've have the boat for so long and with so many power plants , have you experienced any handling issues besides the prop ventilating with the Mag V8 ?
Reason I ask is because I'm working with the resident prop guru to try and work out an issue with mine .. A ton 'o power with the 350 MPI engine though :shocking:
Steve

never caught him but the future is ahead of us

IT does fit in the ****pit sole. by removing the flange I have the space that the flange used. I only had to route new radius in the recess on the corners because the flange had like a 2" radius and the console coners is more like 1" It works out fine.

as far as handling issues. This is the most stable the boat has ever been. Over 60 it is a little light but none of the other configurations got to 60mph

The old ford and Eaton como ran nice and fast but the boat would get light at around 45mph

Morgan's Cloud
01-09-2008, 01:22 PM
I thought that might have been what you were doing with the width of the console !
As for handling issues , do you have any prop torque problems , like the boat being thrown to port side ?
Do I recall you having your boat upside down at one point too David ? Did you do any bottom work then ?
Thanks/Steve

David Hartmann
01-09-2008, 09:29 PM
I thought that might have been what you were doing with the width of the console !
As for handling issues , do you have any prop torque problems , like the boat being thrown to port side ?
Do I recall you having your boat upside down at one point too David ? Did you do any bottom work then ?
Thanks/Steve

No issues with to much torque. I have had the problem a lot on 16 donzi, The St Tropez has a shallower V and is more stable. You really never feel that twist. even with heavy hi torque throttleing. THe Boat is suprisinly solid

I did have the boat upside down but that was just for cosmetic work.

My next project is the fuel tank. I had a 65 gallon tank cutom made to go in under the center console

Morgan's Cloud
01-10-2008, 06:36 AM
You really never feel that twist. even with heavy hi torque throttleing.
You should try mine out .... :biggrin:
I'm hoping that it can be resolved with a prop change .
65 gallons is going to be a good sized tank .. is it going to extend into the area of the lazarette fwd of the console ?
Don't be afraid to post more pics for us .... :wink:
Steve

David Hartmann
01-10-2008, 10:09 PM
You should try mine out .... :biggrin:
I'm hoping that it can be resolved with a prop change .
65 gallons is going to be a good sized tank .. is it going to extend into the area of the lazarette fwd of the console ?
Don't be afraid to post more pics for us .... :wink:
Steve

It will start right up against that stoage bin and then continue back to the engine area floor insert. It will be about three inchs below the Stringer tops. I need room for hoses, cables, and wires.

I went with an aluminum tank from alantic coastal welding www.speedytank.com. I would not reccomend these guys again. Very poor customer service. The workmanship is fair. Most of the tank is good but I had to send it back once to fixe the area around the sender. They did not fix it and then I had to bring it down to a local shop to have it fixed. It also took about 2 months to get when it was supposed to be a 5 day turn.

Now that I have the space where the old tank was I am going to extend the storage bin so it kind of bullnoses forward about 10 inches. This will drastically increase the size of the bin. I will also do something cool with the storage under the seat but not sure what yet.

I was a little concerned about weigh distribution but I have some confidence that I should be ok.

Morgan's Cloud
01-11-2008, 06:49 AM
Our fuel tank guys must have once worked together ..... I had a similar issue with the sight fuel gauge on my rear tank that did'nt show up until the day before I was scheduled to launch ! (Fuel leaks are NO fun)
Out of interest , what prop are you running now ?

Tank
01-11-2008, 09:03 AM
Hi All you people are grate!
Thanks for keeping this going lots of good info!!!
Handle ling I thought got bad do to the flight of the boat ,to much out of water, my bad sorry, the pull I ran in to with my old 17' Champ many years ago. I think the fix was to make a small steering trim tab.
If I remember right I read something here on that to. The boat had a hot 289 volvo 260 and I think a 14 3/8x 23” prop maybe a 21 that was in 1981.
My Tropez has the prop flush with the bottom of the boat at 0 trim
Is the good or bad by the way it a 14x24 ultra the boat came with a 14x19 all I know I am taking about the X dim and don’t think I fully understand the hole X dim thing, it seams to boil down to the prop height to the bottom of the boat?
Yes what pitch do you run good ????
Tank

Morgan's Cloud
01-11-2008, 09:43 AM
Hey Brian ,
Like I've said before , I don't think you'll really know for sure untill you run the boat , but I think your 24" is a bit large. I'm using a 14.3X21 through 1.51:1 gears on what is effectively a 300 CsHP engine and I hit 5000rpm.
Maybe David can give a few specs on his ....
The handling issue that I'm attempting to address could be more than one thing , but indicators at this point are the prop. Admittedly once up and going at a moderate rate there is very very little of these hulls in the water, but once the power starts to come on .. even at 1200rpm .. mine starts to favour the port side . And if you get a little airborne and smack the stick it very smartly pulls over to it's port side in realation to engine rpm !
I think I know what your saying about your prop location ...
Is your ventilation plate a bit up from the keel at 0 trim ?

Tank
01-11-2008, 12:41 PM
Hi Steav
Tanks I know I think the 24 is a bit large but it is only 14 in od
smaller od takes less power no? I think it will be bad hole shot but good top end, or I hope with just me in the boat! One more thing my od is 1.61so I have that to to keep in mined. I think it means les torque and more RPM.
I think the 21 is the old stand by for all round use!:wink:
I have found a 23 I might buy.
Doesn’t your boat have power steering?
YES my ventilation plate is 2in up from the bottom!
Brian

Morgan's Cloud
01-11-2008, 01:07 PM
Doesn’t your boat have power steering![/FONT]
Brian

Yes , I do have P/S But the torque problem I'm experiencing is'nt the one cured by power steering ......

David Hartmann
01-11-2008, 02:29 PM
Our fuel tank guys must have once worked together ..... I had a similar issue with the sight fuel gauge on my rear tank that did'nt show up until the day before I was scheduled to launch ! (Fuel leaks are NO fun)
Out of interest , what prop are you running now ?

I am running the 21" stainless mirage prop 3 blade. I get 63mph at 4900 rpm.
I have run an aluminum 19 also I do not remeber the performance specs

Morgan's Cloud
01-14-2008, 07:10 AM
Thanks David ,

That sounds about right ... It is a 350MAG that you have right ?

Steve

David Hartmann
01-21-2008, 09:49 PM
Thanks David ,
That sounds about right ... It is a 350MAG that you have right ?
Steve


Yes it is a 350 MAG MPI Bravo

I get about 6.5 GPH at 35 mph forgot RPM
but using a flow meter that is the best cruising speed

Tank
01-22-2008, 10:30 AM
Hi all
HAY Dave congrats on the new biss. Good luck with it!:crossfing:
Sorry I have dropped out of sight .
Steav I was thinking could you have a problem with the steering valve and that’s the pull might go up with rpm?:confused:
My other thought is the power dif we have an loss to the pump.
Now for a photo update I have moved the boat to my barn for the winter. Few little things to tie up but mostly ready to run.
Hay wave you ever run in to a block and exhaust manifolds full of sand?
I know ware the paint went on the drive!
I was draining or should I say trying to and the sand would clog the holes.
Hear are some photos spring time I will add upholstery already in the works.
Hay tanks for all your help Brian

Morgan's Cloud
01-22-2008, 11:45 AM
That console looks a bit better than when I last saw it ....:D

Tank
01-28-2008, 09:14 AM
Hi all
I blew a hydraulic trim cyl. ouch!
Just how bad is this to change?
On a Volvo 290 any one bin there don that?
Found a pair& install kit on ebay not cheep.
Can I just buy a seal and rebuild?
I should say It blew the shaft seal.
They are clean otherwise.
Tanks

David Hartmann
06-28-2012, 09:33 PM
I am finally making progress on the St Tropez. Figured I would keep people in the loop on this mayo project. ore the past week we made a car del to fix the deck position and have removed the topside, and the floor liner. The floor coring had poor adhesion and appeared to just have the plywood installed dry on to uncured resin during manufacturing. The floor felt solid but it would always make a little noise because of the poor adhesion.

The deck core was pretty much rotted out on the bow mostly due to poor bedding around the hardware. Well the boat is 45 years old so it did hold up pretty well.

Here are a few picture I will try to keep posting progress.

720927209372094

Morgan's Cloud
06-29-2012, 06:43 AM
Good to see you're getting back onto the St T David .
The floor issues you describe were just about exactly the same as mine. When I removed the old ply coring it looked like they had poured resin and just hoped the wood would stick as best as it could. There were air voids everywhere and the floor made all sorts of creaking an cracking noises when you stepped on it.
Part of the reason was also the inadequate support structure bonding it to the hull. Not any more though !

Keep the pics coming too.

With the facilities you now have at your disposal this should come out very well.

BUIZILLA
06-29-2012, 09:00 AM
David,,,, didn't you have to rebuild the bow/front deck after that accident a few years back? i'm seeing newer wood there?

David Hartmann
06-29-2012, 11:19 AM
[ QUOTE=$originalposter]{$pagetext}[/QUOTE]

yes a few years ago the bow was damaged but i am pretty much rebuilding that area as well. I can do a much better job with the deck off

mattyboy
06-30-2012, 05:46 AM
Good to see the progress on the boat David
Has anyone heard from Tank? Wonder how he is doing with his st tropez ? I had sold him a prop and let him test a few the ride I got sorta started me on the 19 kick

David Hartmann
08-03-2012, 05:44 PM
Finally we have turned the corner and the St Tropez is on its way back together.

We used a laser to create a reference plane in the boat prior to disassembly and then realign that plane several times before any major work is done.
We used 3/4 marine plywood for the stringers and then 3 layers of combo roven and chop matt as the primary layup. We alternated the layers with the vertical tie in at the transom so there is perfect overlap.
Each of the three layers is 1 inch larger than the next. We used epoxy. We bed the stingers in a fiber filled epoxy. then created a fillet of the same material. We brush resin on the surfaces that are going to be bonded before applying fillet or cloth to assure proper wetting of the different materials.
Because we were doing stringers and we wanted to make sure the layup was perfect and of reasonable weight.
After we layed in all the wetted cloth we vacuum bagged each stringer but pulled vacuum at the same time. The vacuum process has some complexity but can be done well with proper planing and some testing prior to the layup.

We are really happy with the results. We pulled out the extra resin during the layup. The faring of the laminate into the original surface is perfect. The vertical surfaces came out as good as the horizontal areas, complex corners such as hull bottom-stringer-transom came out excellent. The vacuum assures no voids in the whole layup.

Let me know if the restoration process is of any interest and I will continue to update. We work on the St Tropez as much as we can when we are not servicing other boats or building Hornets. We also just finished a light restoration of a 1980 Donzi Hornet II for our operations manager.

Morgan's Cloud
08-03-2012, 08:13 PM
Let me know if the restoration process is of any interest and I will continue to update.

Hell yes it's of interest .. But I may be a bit partial anyway .. :kingme:

It's a bit hard to tell from the photos , but are you going to fill and glass over the strakes ?

If yours is the same vintage as mine , and I think it is , it makes a huge difference in the finished product.
These things aren't exactly 'heavily built' and as Matty correctly pointed out in another post recently everyone is going to repower after a resto with an engine that's going to be more potent than what these things were built for .

David Hartmann
08-03-2012, 09:31 PM
[ QUOTE=$originalposter]{$pagetext}[/QUOTE]

I have a couple of cracks over the strakes so we are grinding those out and we were planning on rebuilding those a bit stronger than original. I will take a look at what we have in there. It may be worth filing them with foam and then putting glass over them making a small stringer in a way. I have seen similar crack on many Donzi's (and other boats) I suspect it is more from poor trailers and trailer or rack handling than it is from water. but not sure

Thank you for the input

Morgan's Cloud
08-04-2012, 07:21 AM
I saw a similar vintage 16 a few years back that had the same cracks . The Benchseat Hornet that made it over here had them too. Tank's St T that he got through Brownie had them badly judging by the pics he posted and mine sure had them. In fact one side of mine were actually weeping water !

I wont rule out bad trailering habits but I think it has a lot to do with very light single skin glass construction in a totally non reinforced area that also happens to be right in line with where the water rises off of the keel and works its way upwards toward to chine when at speed.

Before I fixed mine in the resto/rebuild if you gave the strakes in that area a moderate pounding with the fist you could easily see the bottom flexing.

(And keep the photos coming, please )

David Hartmann
08-17-2012, 10:16 PM
Thank you for the feedback on the spray rails. After doing more research and looking at some of the engineering designs we have on the hornet I have decided to follow your advice and beef up the area. We repaired the cracks first. After that will sprayed in a foam core. Tomorrow we will be shaping the core into building a box beam. We will then hand lay then vacuum some layers of roving/mat combo. We will effectively be turning the spray rails into two more box beam stringers.

David Hartmann
08-17-2012, 10:26 PM
I am beefing up the sides of the transom. this is partly to stiffen up the area where the trim tabs are. and enable a mounting area for a swim platform. I am also adding a similar laminate to the starboard side. All of these surfaces will be marine plywood encapsulated with heavy fiberglass layup so that they will work well for surface mounting hardware.

Here is a picture of the rough plywood sitting in place. Will be laminating them in next week.

On a separate note we are really getting a lot more experience with using a vacuum on all of our fiberglass layups,The results are fantastic.

Morgan's Cloud
08-19-2012, 08:21 AM
I almost made the same alteration to my transom as well for the same reasons but seeing I hadn't had any problems before coupled with it being a curved area I didn't bother . Now , had I the facilities that you do it might have ended up a bit different !

I assume that you're going to be dropping the original powertrain back in without any mods so it'll be interesting to see what you notice in the way it runs with the improvements made to the bottom.

I forgot to ask earlier , have you flipped the hull ? Once I got mine upside down I could also see a hook in the strakes on both sides where the cracks were most noticeable. (The full length strakes)
I was pretty sure that they were not supposed to be there so I got rid of them.

David Hartmann
08-27-2012, 02:34 PM
[ QUOTE=$originalposter]I almost made the same alteration to my transom as well for the same reasons but seeing I hadn't had any problems before coupled with it being a curved area I didn't bother . Now , had I the facilities that you do it might have ended up a bit different !

I assume that you're going to be dropping the original powertrain back in without any mods so it'll be interesting to see what you notice in the way it runs with the improvements made to the bottom.

I forgot to ask earlier , have you flipped the hull ? Once I got mine upside down I could also see a hook in the strakes on both sides where the cracks were most noticeable. (The full length strakes)
I was pretty sure that they were not supposed to be there so I got rid of them.[/QUOTE]

Yes I have flipped the boat over and you can see the cracks from there. I am doing structural repair from both sides. not sure which hooks you are speaking of. There is some hook in-between the chine and the outside spray rail. This is there from the factory. I believe it is to help the boat plane quicker and to bring the bow down. I was planning on leaving it originally but i am thinking that I will remove a little bit of it. I have trim tabs that can serve this purpose now.

I will be using the same 350 mpi but with new exhaust manifolds and risers. I will lose a bit of speed because of the weight I am adding but I am building the boat for all types of performance not just speed. I look forward to running it it rough water and fishing the boat. I expect it will feel better than new.

Thanks for the continued input and questions. Although you keep giving me ideas for more work.

Morgan's Cloud
08-27-2012, 02:59 PM
No , not the factory hook on the chines .

These were on the full length strakes about 3 feet forward of the transom. When the boat was flipped they were very noticeable and coincidentally were located where the cracking was the worst.

I wonder if there was any correlation between them maybe worsening with age and the fact that the last season I used the boat before the restoration the boat was responding to + trim less and less ?

As it is now , once on plane at even a moderate speed the hook of the chine is completely clear of the water breaking off of the full length strakes .

I'm sure you'll find plenty to do without me giving you any more ideas .. ;)

David Hartmann
01-30-2013, 03:06 AM
Fabricated a 24 gallon live well. Gel coated the inside baby blue just to make fish happy. It will have a recirc system and raw water spill system that drains through a center tube out the transom below the water line. I would caution anyone to glassing in a ridged corner like this. The boat wants to have some flex to avoid stress concentrations and future cracking. We took some care to avoid this and I am still concerned about the top surface but I think the deck is already having the same affect so i suspect we will be fine. In general whenever we are tying together points of the boat that go across the beam we use a high strength flexible adhesive like sikaflez or 5200

David Hartmann
01-30-2013, 03:17 AM
This is not really a restoration this is a rebuild several of the things that are being done to the boat are to make it more practical for the owners intended use. This is one of those things that I have always wanted. Easy access to the anchors.

The engine hatch will now be flush with the top of the deck. This left about 4" of space on top of the original hatch. In addition to that there is significant room underneath the hatch. So I built in a 8" deep dock line storage bin. A 4" deep Anchor line(200') and chain(6') storage bin that allows for it all to stay rigged to the anchor. An Anchor chock system that allows for quick handling, Also a two tiered storage area top bin for daily personal item and lower bin for safety items (first aid kit, VHF, etc)

The front indented area may not be pretty but I am focused on practicality for me. that spot will have a Fire extinguisher and most likely Flash light and portable horn all within quick access. Keep in mind I use the boat a lot and night and I have been run into before.

Also the entire assembly will hinge at the top back of the hatch to allow complete access to the engine on all sides.

David Hartmann
01-30-2013, 03:22 AM
Installed a 17 gallon fresh water tank in the bow area primarily as a fresh water wash down. This also serves as a platform in the storage area. Built an upper shelf in the bow area this will be the primary location for PFD's, towels and personal bags There is really a lot of room on the shelf. Anyone with a St Tropez can appreciate not having everything fall in to the bow pit. When I took the deck off I found PFDs and a volley ball i didnt know I had.

David Hartmann
01-30-2013, 03:24 AM
More storage More utility in dead space. You can see the guts in the forground and the finsih side of the opposite side of the boat.

This is the deck upside down

David Hartmann
01-30-2013, 03:32 AM
Installed a 17 gallon fresh water tank in the bow area primarily as a fresh water wash down. This also serves as a platform in the storage area. Built an upper shelf in the bow area this will be the primary location for PFD's, towels and personal bags There is really a lot of room on the shelf. Anyone with a St Tropez can appreciate not having everything fall in to the bow pit. When I took the deck off I found PFDs and a volley ball i didnt know I had.

Morgan's Cloud
01-30-2013, 06:26 AM
Great updates David. That's going to make the boat a lot more practical. One thing in the St T's favour is that compared to the other classics it already has a very good amount of storage space. Enough that you can hide all of your stuff out of sight while using the boat.

That built in well might have a bit of weight to it once filled in terms of affecting the balance of the boat .Will you be counteracting it with something on the other side ?

I'm still curious about the fuel tanks in these things though. The one that's visible in the picture .. That thing is huge compared to my 'rear tank' (under the console) and much further back too. Is it your only tank , and how large is it ?
My other tank is under the bow storage area and I can't imagine what the boat would be balanced like if it wasn't there .

Also , if you still have both of the removable wells from the transom it's a good idea to hang on to them. I have a feeling that most St T's that show up for sale nowadays have their's long since missing and it would be very useful if someone had molds available to make replacements !

Morgan's Cloud
02-01-2013, 07:45 AM
Don't know why , but it seems that there was a time delay of a few days before my last post showed up . And your last two posts weren't there yet when I replied . :confused:

Your new water tank is now located where my front fuel tank is . And that was the original factory location for it too !

BTW/How much clearance do you have under your engine box to the very top of the motor ?
Before viewing the pics I couldn't figure out how you were going to generate the space, but now I can see .

It's great to have the facilities that you do. You can pretty much build whatever you can dream .

David Hartmann
02-02-2013, 07:54 AM
In the picture from the front of the boat you can see the water tank where there used to be just storage. then there is storage space between the water tank and the new mini bulkhead. Originally there was a head in this area. The original fuel tank(~35gal) was located in-between the head and the floor storage compartment. I have enlarged the floor storage (now called floor cooler) compartment into this area The hatch is the same I just added space forward and it is no longer removable. Then there is the new fuel tank(64gal) that runs from the floor cooler to the front of the engine floor insert. Two batteries will be located just past the fuel tank. and now accessible by opening the now hinged engine floor insert.

You are right about the weight of the bait well. I am concerned about this. One of the things i will be doing is test running the boat before it is complete. I am thinking I can adjust this with a battery if I need to.

David Hartmann
02-02-2013, 05:35 PM
There is a huge potential weight gain. The bait well of up to 190 pounds the fresh water tank of up to 130 pounds and the fuel tank of up to 500 pounds is 830 pounds of liquid minus the original potential fuel of 250 pounds leaves me at up to 580 pounds more in liquid on the boat. In addition There will be 4 54 pound batteries (27's I am thinking of going down to 24's). This is at least a 150 pound increase from the single. I am also adding a trolling motor of about 100 pounds. So I am looking at about 800 pounds of additional weight. I am looking at areas where i can reduce weight. The other good thing is that all of this weight is optional or removable. I have had 11 people in the boat before and driven around all day on a lake. that may have been over loaded a bit. but I am hopeful if I take the occupancy down to 6 and also consider that fishing i would limit it to 5 and most of the time only 3 or 4 everything should be ok. If anyone has any thoughts on where I can save weight i am interested, I am also interested in any thoughts on the handling with so much weight. This also does not consider that the original boat claimed bait well would have had significant weight if filled.

It may seem minimal but I am also thinking of lifting the deck 1/2 inch but I am a little concerned with how the shoebox joint will look.

David Hartmann
02-02-2013, 05:40 PM
Don't know why , but it seems that there was a time delay of a few days before my last post showed up . And your last two posts weren't there yet when I replied . :confused:

Your new water tank is now located where my front fuel tank is . And that was the original factory location for it too !

BTW/How much clearance do you have under your engine box to the very top of the motor ?
Before viewing the pics I couldn't figure out how you were going to generate the space, but now I can see .

It's great to have the facilities that you do. You can pretty much build whatever you can dream .

There was some weird thing going on with the forum posts the other day.

As far as clearance goes There is only 1/2 inch to the top of the flame arrester nut. There is a couple inches to the top of the risers (Stainless Marine). I added 3/4 of an inch to the height of the box years ago when I first went to the the 350 MPI Bravo package.

Morgan's Cloud
02-03-2013, 11:26 AM
As it stands now , your engine clearance is about the same as mine without the 'extension' to the engine box. Something that I thought I was going to have do do after the rebuild/repower and raising the engine about an inch and a bit.
In my case it probably has more to do with the fixing of the somewhat droopy floor around the engine box floor inserts . The c0ckpit floor is much more level now .

Admittedly , much of the weight you're adding is 'optional liquids' . No need to run with a full fuel tank or water tank or bait well all the time , but 4 x 27 series batteries ? Are you planning to power half of Long Island ? :kingme:

I've got 2 x 27's in the Magnum and that's probably a bit of overkill as I could have used 24's.
Besides , I can't see where you'll squeeze them all in. With the under deck/floor use of the St T I barely have room to fit one good 24 in !

As to ride versus weight , many years ago before the refit/repower I one day had 9 people on mine. It took a little longer to plane off but I really liked the solidity of ride with the extra weight . I must try it again one day as I think it would really make a difference now .

How the boat would balance out at a standstill in the water would indeed be interesting to see with all of the proposed changes filled and ready to go !

Raising the deck would only work in conjunction with raising the entire floor tub , would it not ?

David Hartmann
02-03-2013, 02:05 PM
Yes I agree the boat does run fantastic with some weight in it. I am excited to see it full and now with everything so much more rigid. My stringers were pretty much rotted out before I replaced them. It would be a rare day that everything in the boat was full so I agree that the weight issue is not as bad as it might be but I still am curious. I also replaced the stock Merc manifolds with Stainless marine versions. I believe a savings of over 100 pounds. I need to verify this.

I know 4 batteries is crazy. My use for the boat is Fishing (ocean) in the spring and fall and I tremendous amount of recreation in the summer on Lake George NY. I use it as my transportation for camping on an island around 30 to 50 days a year. I also use the boat a lot at night. I have always wanted a separate house and engine battery as a back up or just to relax about hanging out in a bay at night with various electronics and lights on. So that is why I have the first two.

I then looked in to the Minnkota Riptide ST with i pilot which will basically allow the boat to stay with 5 feet of the position in which I press the virtual anchor button. From what I hear it works pretty well in a good current and wind. I like to fish for blackfish in the sound and you have to stop right over these guys to catch them. I have been getting better at anchoring but this may be secret weapon. (dont tell the fish). So with that I needed a 24 volt system dedicated to the trolling motors. It also has builtin bread crumb and auto pilot features that might actually be fun for preprogrammed coastline tours or lake fishing.

I had already bought the 27's before i planned on the trolling motor. So now I am thinking about using those for the trolling system and stepping down to the 24's for house and engine. I will be able to remove the trolling motor and batteries when desired. I also may consider just using the engine battery and removing the house. I could always use cables to jump from a trolling motor.

As far as the deck goes The floor only matters in a few locations. I have already lowered it about 1/2 inch. the contact points are only at the front around the base of the seat and at the transom around the engine. The Valance or overlap on the sides has plenty of extra material. I have not committed to this part of the project yet but will keep you informed.

I do appreciate you taking the time to write with questions and feedback. It helps a lot.

David

Ghost
02-03-2013, 03:02 PM
Yes, Stainless Marine on a smallblock should save a little over 80 lbs. Big block a bit more I'd guess, maybe 100. Steve (osur866) has the exact numbers in his head, at least for one smallblock variant.

David Hartmann
02-04-2013, 12:51 PM
I added a shelf for 6 rod holders to the front. I used to have a plastic one mounted there.
Opened up the front for complete access. Most of the electronics systems will be mounted in this area as well as two batteries. Also when the front is fully open the back of the seat becomes a table in the center of the bow area making a great lunch table for those in the bow seat.

I added a lower dash panel to the back of the center console. This will have a breaker panel, Battery switches, Stereo, VHF, Storage pocket, and 12v outlets. There is also an inverter that you have access from the end panel. The fuse panel is going to be mounted to the back of this panel which can easily be opened all the way to the floor. OR pins can be pulled and it can be laid next to the console while still fully connected. I also added 2 inches to the height of the console. I had already expanded the length (2") and width (4") to fill the floor cut out that was original.

I am intending to add a door for wash down hoses and for Plano Tackle boxes.

I look forward to any feed back as this is still in progress.

BUIZILLA
02-04-2013, 01:20 PM
my 28 Cary had a fold out drivers console work/gauge/switch station like this that REALLY helped clean up the upper work area... and that was done in 1973, great minds back then

Morgan's Cloud
02-05-2013, 07:08 AM
Wow , that conlole is trick now .. How will it fasten to the floor without the flange that was originally part of it that dropped into the floor molding ?

IMO , one of the things that make to St T so easy on the eye compared to most all other centre consoles regardless of size is the proportions of the console itself in relation to the rest of the boat. Unfortunately , its original size impacted on it's functionality quite a lot.

Steering , check .
Instruments , check.
Binnacle control , check .

oops , no more room .. :biggrin:

David Hartmann
02-05-2013, 01:00 PM
Wow , that conlole is trick now .. How will it fasten to the floor without the flange that was originally part of it that dropped into the floor molding ?

IMO , one of the things that make to St T so easy on the eye compared to most all other centre consoles regardless of size is the proportions of the console itself in relation to the rest of the boat. Unfortunately , its original size impacted on it's functionality quite a lot.
:

You might be right about the look. I am concerned about overall aesthetics as I work through this so I am trying styling tricks to try and maintain proportions. I have had the console enlarged footprint for several years and that has not been an issue. as far as lifting it 2 inches that will be new. But the floor is 1/2 - 3/4 lower so that also impacts this and if I raise the deck that will also be a factor.

I will be screwing the console in from the inside into the edge of the floor panel so it will have 5 screws per side (failure mode will be in shear) plus 3m 4000 adhesive. I am also building a fiberglass tube structure inside the center console.

David Hartmann
02-05-2013, 10:07 PM
Working on the weight. Trading marine plywood core for Balsa

David Hartmann
02-06-2013, 01:31 PM
Yes, Stainless Marine on a smallblock should save a little over 80 lbs. Big block a bit more I'd guess, maybe 100. Steve (osur866) has the exact numbers in his head, at least for one smallblock variant.

sm manifold 11
sm riser 7.7
sm total 18.7

merc manifold 32.9
merc riser 19.3
merc total 52.2

difference 33.5
times 2

67.0 pounds

I just checked the weights. the total savings when going from the Merc 35MPI stock manifold and low risers to the stainless marine system is a savings of 67 pounds. It is a step in the right direction.

If I got real ambitious I suspect there is some weight to be saved on the intake manifold as well.

David Hartmann
02-08-2013, 10:56 AM
This makes for a total of 15 rod holders on the boat. Not counting the rod boxes (2) x 2 and not counting a T top if I decide I can install one.

David Hartmann
02-23-2013, 02:32 PM
Well you can see the swimming pool I built for bait fish. The numbers are gallons and in the gel coat.

When I am at the lake I can have my removable bow seat installed for coastline fishing. You can also see the the flat that is integrated into the topside, this is for the removable trolling motor. The surface allows the motor be positioned perfectly(centerline and shaft perpendicular to waterline) without spacers. Next to that you see the bow anchor locker.

The mount for the bow seat started life as a 1-1/8, 316 ss washer. We drilled, countersunk, and polished the washer. We used a traditional seat mount base on the underside of the deck. The base is drilled and tapped to receive the bolts from the washer. The outside of the base is screwed back up to the underside of the deck with large self tapping screws. This area of the deck was cored with plywood and not balsa that we used in most places. We made this custom mount so that we could have all the strength without the big ugly seat mount showing on the deck.

The deck has been raised by a half inch in this picture also. We are thinking we are going to go with it. It does add some chunkyness to the rub rail area but it does not take away from the original lines much and really gives it a heavy duty fishing boat feel. It is really nice in the cockpit having the extra depth to the floor . I think it will make saltwater fishing more secure feeling and therefore comfortable.

Morgan's Cloud
02-24-2013, 10:02 AM
When I saw the fish well I wondered for a second then remembered the clearance needed for the exhaust risers ..

How ,or what , did you extend for the raising of the deck , the deck lip or the hull lip ? Either way it must have been a pretty tedious buildup.

I reckon that if you could find inch and a half s/s rubrail (I'm using inch and a quarter) it ( the difference in height) would almost be imperceptible .

David Hartmann
02-25-2013, 09:38 AM
When I saw the fish well I wondered for a second then remembered the clearance needed for the exhaust risers ..

How ,or what , did you extend for the raising of the deck , the deck lip or the hull lip ? Either way it must have been a pretty tedious buildup.

I reckon that if you could find inch and a half s/s rubrail (I'm using inch and a quarter) it ( the difference in height) would almost be imperceptible .

We did not build up the lip at all Just inserted spacers on the underside of the shoe box joint. There was an 1-1/2 overlap now there is only 1". When we ut the boat back together It is going to be with permanent adhesive and 3 screws per foot. There is not really any need to fully seat the shoebox. There is a gap under the bow seat that will need to be filled but know other challenge due to the lift. We will put a solid filler and then maybe a stainless trim piece.

Yes the exhaust manifold is the reason for the size of the bait well. There will be a small drop-in bin in that space.

Tank
02-26-2013, 10:26 AM
Hi all
Dave nice job keep up the good work.
Hay MC how you bin how did you do with the pull on your st Tr?
I hit something and almost sunk thank God the beach was close! Found the crack and add some dumdum or clay like puddy pumped out went home.
Lost interest in it now I am in a 31 tiara open only because the wife and I had so much fun with the St Tropez.
Hope you all are doing good.
Brian

Morgan's Cloud
02-26-2013, 11:11 AM
Hey Brian !

No wonder you haven't been around for ages .... spending a whole lotta time and overnights/weekends on the Tiara maybe ? ?

They're very good all 'round boats . Nice timeless styling and very well built.
My dad had a 27 for years that he tried to break but failed .

I got the horrible torqueing issue sorted out by switching over to a DP unit.
What a difference ! Haven't had it over for two seasons now . I just completed a total refinishing of the lower unit and look forward to maybe getting it wet again this summer .

David Hartmann
03-07-2013, 08:47 PM
I have layed out the topside of the center console

Simrad NSS12 MFD
Raymarine ST70 AP
Merc Monitor Level II Smart craft display and NMEA 2k converter
Lenco Auto glide Tab control
Livorsi control

It may not have the classic look that (see photo) my first resto had but remember this is my personal boat and it does see a fair bit of ocean fishing. I grew up fishing in it. My dad do not buy it because it was on Donzi. He bought it because he wanted a fishing boat and Jim Wynne told him to get this one. It has always been a great fishing boat it just happened to be that the St Tropez always has been the best I/O fishing boat in this size.

I always worry about getting the Donzi purists upset with me. Maybe someday I will restore the old 16 ski sporter with a ford 260 and an Eaton Drive. that would not be practical but it would be cool.

Made a lot of progress this week on the St Tropez
deck pulled again. Most deck hardware hase been installed. Most of the routing has been done for flush mounti hinges. Latches have been a challenge
Was able to reconfigure bilge in front of the engine and now have all 4 batteries in between the stringers and still have access. Fresh water and raw water pums are in installed.

more to come

David

David Hartmann
03-20-2013, 10:13 PM
You can see many areas being roughed in. Once the boat is assembled it will be test run and then disassembled for all the finish work.

Grab rail between the rod holders. This boat needs this as the standard riding position is standing. These are the same as on our Hornet 17.

You can see the integrated vents. We built a mold for these and then pulled the parts and fiberglassed them into the topside. and built custom collector boxes underneath.

The trolling motor photo is not very good but what is unique is that it is installed on a custom pad on the bow that positions the motor on the centerline and such that the shaft is perpendicular to the surface of the water. This is for optimum efficiency and control. Also it is on a quick release mount so it can be removed completely and leaves only a small block of starboard on the mounting pad.

The batteries will all be held in place by a single fiberglass - aluminum bar that spans the stringers. Two are for the trolling motor, One House, one Engine.

Morgan's Cloud
03-21-2013, 10:49 AM
:eek!: OMG , look at those batteries... Did you by chance say that you might move the tank a little forward ? ?

With every new batch of pics I can't get over the amount of work that you're going through to make this 'your boat'.

The vents are very trick too , but are they a bit of overkill ? With only the (slightly improved) transom vent on mine I just rely on the huge gap around the deck/floor tub to do the job of ventilating the engine and bilge.

I know that somewhere along the line you must have recored the floor as well , what did you use ?

David Hartmann
03-21-2013, 04:15 PM
:eek!: OMG , look at those batteries... Did you by chance say that you might move the tank a little forward ? ?

With every new batch of pics I can't get over the amount of work that you're going through to make this 'your boat'.

The vents are very trick too , but are they a bit of overkill ? With only the (slightly improved) transom vent on mine I just rely on the huge gap around the deck/floor tub to do the job of ventilating the engine and bilge.

I know that somewhere along the line you must have recored the floor as well , what did you use ?

The vents are sized by coast guard regulations. When I am done with this boat there will not be any other input to the engine compartment except for these vents and one engine air intake on the starboard side. Everything is sealed up pretty tight. I did this mostly for sound proofing the engine. I want the boat to be as quite as possible.

We recored the floor with marine plywood. If I were doing it again I would use end grain balsa.

a104freak
05-07-2013, 09:58 PM
Hello everybody;

I am new to this forum and this is officially my first post. I have recently been given the oportunity to own a 1968 Donzi 19 St. Tropez. New to boating I had no clue what that meant. After some research I have come to this forum and finally today was able to ID my boat. It is in fact a one owner 1968 Donzi St. Tropez powered by a Holman Moody prepped Ford 289 SB with the Holman Moody / Volvo outdrive. Being a racing fan since childhood I was very familiar with the Holman Moody name and what that meant to racing, however I had no clue they were involved in marine power at all until a couple of months ago. I was walking through a friends "boat boneyard" and saw this rather odd looking boat with a Holman Moody tag on the outdrive service cover. This intrigued me so I looked inside and saw the Holman Moody name all over the engine and instantly fell in love with the boat. I asked the guy what his plans were for this boat and he replied that he was going to scrap it out and junk it. I asked if he would consider selling it, and he said you want THAT boat? I said well yeah. he said you can have it. I thought he was joking but, after futher discussion I wound up being a Boat owner for free. He gave me this boat ya'll! There was a small catch however the boat was sitting on a really decent trailer which he could have made a bit of money off of so he told me I could have the boat but he wanted to keep the trailer. So.... I asked him what he would sell me the trailer for and he replied $200.00. So I now have a 1968 Donzi St. Tropez Holman Moody powered boat with a decent trailer for $200.00, best of all I do have a title for it too. The boat is still currently in florida but I soon hope to bring it home to Kentucky so I can bring it back to life.

Have I gotten lucky or am I cursed? Time will tell. Pictures to follow.

Jim O'Connell

a104freak
05-07-2013, 10:02 PM
758887588975890758917589275893

Conquistador_del_mar
05-07-2013, 10:22 PM
Very cool. Keep the pictures coming when you get to work on it - you might start a new thread. Bill

mattyboy
05-08-2013, 02:02 AM
Nice find. See if you can find a hull number or get the serial numbers off the bell housing and the top of the drive
Good luck

bertsboat
05-08-2013, 06:22 AM
Maybe if you look on the title there will be numbers ( ya think )

David Hartmann
05-08-2013, 01:11 PM
Hello everybody;

I am new to this forum and this is officially my first post. I have recently been given the oportunity to own a 1968 Donzi 19 St. Tropez. New to boating I had no clue what that meant. After some research I have come to this forum and finally today was able to ID my boat. It is in fact a one owner 1968 Donzi St. Tropez powered by a Holman Moody prepped Ford 289 SB with the Holman Moody / Volvo outdrive. Being a racing fan since childhood I was very familiar with the Holman Moody name and what that meant to racing, however I had no clue they were involved in marine power at all until a couple of months ago. I was walking through a friends "boat boneyard" and saw this rather odd looking boat with a Holman Moody tag on the outdrive service cover. This intrigued me so I looked inside and saw the Holman Moody name all over the engine and instantly fell in love with the boat. I asked the guy what his plans were for this boat and he replied that he was going to scrap it out and junk it. I asked if he would consider selling it, and he said you want THAT boat? I said well yeah. he said you can have it. I thought he was joking but, after futher discussion I wound up being a Boat owner for free. He gave me this boat ya'll! There was a small catch however the boat was sitting on a really decent trailer which he could have made a bit of money off of so he told me I could have the boat but he wanted to keep the trailer. So.... I asked him what he would sell me the trailer for and he replied $200.00. So I now have a 1968 Donzi St. Tropez Holman Moody powered boat with a decent trailer for $200.00, best of all I do have a title for it too. The boat is still currently in florida but I soon hope to bring it home to Kentucky so I can bring it back to life.

Have I gotten lucky or am I cursed? Time will tell. Pictures to follow.

Jim O'Connell


You will love this boat and it may be something that you could just flip and sell real quick and make a little cash if you dont want it.

I have a lot of stuff for a St Tropez if you decide to restore it. Including a full set of upholstery.(blue/white)

Mine started out with a ford 260 and a Eaton drive.

Can you tell how rotted out the floors, Stringers, and topside are? The floor inserts are easy to recore. The side parts of the floor take a deck removal which is not as bad as it seems. The bow can be recored in the boat and it is ok with no core as a usable boat. The core on mine was gone for years and i put a lot of hour on it. The stringers may be able to be repaired in the boat. IF they are in decent condition but not great you can bolt in cross braces in 3 or 4 places o stiffen the boat up. Makes a huge difference. I was able to save all of the finish surfaces on my boat and all recoreing was done from the back. You can tell how bad the problems are by checking near where hardware goes through the boat. the cleat on the bow. The control cables on the stringers.

The transom core is almost guaranteed to be rotted on that boat.

How well supported is it on the trailer. is it on bunks or rollers 2 or 4 bunks. are the bunks inline with the stringers? If it looks straight then it should be fine if it is on rollers and there are a lot of dents then it may not be worth the work.

I do not think there is a better 20 foot recreational center console on the market. If it has decent hull shape then it is worth restoring. If you are looking to have the boat cleaned up and recored we could take care of it for you. We are just finishing a major restoration of a St Tropez. In comparison your work is simple. We could get all done in just a couple weeks if you were in a hurry. Feel free to give me a call anytime with questions. I grew up with a St Tropez.

David Hartmann
Hornet Marine
860 516 3141

Morgan's Cloud
05-08-2013, 01:54 PM
Jim , wow , that was quite a find. I'd love to see some of the other stuff that your friend had in his boneyard if there was an original St Tropez there !

David and I are the two most active St T owners on the board , currently.

Extensive photos of my resto are in this same section somewhere else under a different heading but should be easy to search for if you type in the words 'St Tropez'
(NOT St Tropas , or St Tropaz)

Only after you give that thing a good cleanup will you have any real idea of what is going on , but I can assure you that it will need a lot of work.
Mine was a continuously used 1966 when I got it in 1987 and it had a whole lot of work needed.
Fortunately , David will have , or be able to make , any missing deck/floor parts that you might need .

Because it was basically given to you , you're in a far better place to justify a good (and costly) resto than most of us were , IMO

Steve

David Hartmann
05-08-2013, 02:25 PM
Actually talked to the production manager he thinks we can strip the boat of all hardware and recore floors, topside, transom, and stringers in a week. We could give the boat back to you ready to rig or paint or we could finish the whole thing at any level of performance and features. Mine is over the top I would scale back from that. But because we just did the work we can do it quickly right now we have all the appropriate cradles tools and recent experience.

It is just important to know how the hull and topside surfaces are.

a104freak
05-08-2013, 04:14 PM
Wow! Alot of things to think about that is for sure. The things that have my heart set on restoring this boat is #1 I have $200.00 in so far and wouldn't want to loose that. ;) But mainly I have been watching the Donzi videos on youtube and I am hooked. The sweet 16 speed run on Lake Geneva, and the video with the thread of "Reviving a Holman Moody 289".

Right now, The boat is at my brothers house in south Florida and I will not be able to go back down there until July:bawling:. Every waking moment all I can think about is going down there and being able to tinker with it. My brother is a very busy guy and I hate to ask him to do anymore than he already has for me with the boat, so any new info I get on the condition of the boat is not usually easy to get. My other brother who lives in central Florida has been by there to look at the boat, he is a boat mechanic by trade and his opinion is that as long as the motor is not locked up it is a project worth doing because, while dirty, the hull is still structurally sound. The floor is sagging in places but he says it is easily repaired (echoed by the comments I have seen here). My opinion is....I do not care if the motor is locked up I am building this boat if it kills me. LOL Both of my brothers are very knowledgeble when it comes to boats, they both want the boat, so.. that tells me also I have something really cool. I am sure once I get into it I will need some parts because after all the pictures I have looked at so far when I look at the pictures of my boat I can tell alot of things are missing especially the upholstry. When I do get to start working on my boat I plan to start a thread for it. I have only begun to read this thread as I found it late last night. It really has been helpfull to me already, if has instilled a resolve for sure.

I am no stranger to fiberglass, however on a much smaller scale. My hobby is radio controlled model jet aircraft, and mostly these are designed and built useing fiberglass. I also have experience using vacuum bagging to help with lay-ups and construction. I am certain this is going to be a learning experience for me though.

Thank you everyone for your advise and input.

Jim

Morgan's Cloud
05-09-2013, 06:59 AM
Jim , besides the photos that David has posted , these will give you a further idea as to how much the St T can come apart and what you'll probably have to do.

They weren't exactly the most heavily laid up boats , and even if your deck is ok the floor tub sounds like it will have to come out and be recored like mine had to .
You might also have a fuel tank under the forward floor area like mine did . It was full of holes and unuseable in 1987.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?59029-Klub-St-Tropez-gt-The-working-class-Donzi-lt&highlight=St+Tropez+restoration++Morgan%27s+Cloud

Christian
05-09-2013, 07:02 AM
So do we have a final number on how many of these cool boats have been produced?

Morgan's Cloud
05-09-2013, 07:38 AM
When captaindennis found this one and came on line here it was the most recent find of a really nice St T and some very interesting build numbers and timelines were revealed.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?55343-New-toy&highlight=St+tropez+captdennger

mattyboy
05-09-2013, 07:44 AM
So do we have a final number on how many of these cool boats have been produced?

pretty much all you need click on the literature tab and member ride for some more pics btw gotta luv the floppy hat , the 4 way and the seaplane !


David hope we get to see you St Tropez at the dustoff this year the mods look awesome



http://www.lgdonziclassic.com/pages/sttropez.asp

David Hartmann
05-09-2013, 10:31 AM
David hope we get to see you St Tropez at the dustoff this year the mods look awesome



http://www.lgdonziclassic.com/pages/sttropez.asp


That is my goal for completion but you know how that goes.

bertsboat
05-09-2013, 11:00 AM
I love the lines of this hull!

Morgan's Cloud
05-09-2013, 11:56 AM
As with the Hornet , no doubt , you can take a straight edge to one of these boats and have great difficulty finding a straight line anywhere .
Except for the cockpit floor , of course !

I think they used a similar method on the Parthenon ....

bertsboat
05-09-2013, 01:55 PM
And Walt did it all by hand.... no computers.
And, how did we do it by hand young people will ask.

mattyboy
05-09-2013, 02:35 PM
That is my goal for completion but you know how that goes.


David
yeah I know all too well how that goes, sometimes just not enough hours in the day.

5 weeks hope to see you up there remind me when she is done to update your member ride pictures

Morgan's Cloud
05-09-2013, 03:11 PM
And Walt did it all by hand.... no computers.
And, how did we do it by hand young people will ask.

Probably hard (no, impossible) for them to fathom that it wasn't done on a cellphone while having a meal at a Mc Donalds simultaneously texting their friends about nothing. :biggrin:

Those guys were incredibly talented and creative beyond description.

Earlier today I eyeballed a Bertram 31 FBC up close , for about the millionth time, and I still couldn't get over how beautifully and functionally it was designed.
Late 1950's marine ingenuity at it's best.

David Hartmann
05-24-2013, 10:28 AM
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44760394@N03/sets/72157633622840065/

I put this together a while ago for those that are interested. Just a few pictures of as many different St Tropez I could find

bertsboat
09-27-2013, 03:49 PM
So, please tell us what this week of work might cost someone that might want to bring their boat to you for the same job.
Thanks in advance.


Actually talked to the production manager he thinks we can strip the boat of all hardware and recore floors, topside, transom, and stringers in a week. We could give the boat back to you ready to rig or paint or we could finish the whole thing at any level of performance and features. Mine is over the top I would scale back from that. But because we just did the work we can do it quickly right now we have all the appropriate cradles tools and recent experience.

It is just important to know how the hull and topside surfaces are.