HookedOnFishingBoats.com

Is this the world's toughest bay boat? Yep, we say yes.

 
          Have you ever wished for an indestructible boat? A 19-footer you could ram into piers, bounce off of rip-rap, and run aground without worry? Then it’s time to look at a Triumph.

            I’ve personally slammed, banged, and crashed these boats (on purpose, no less), without ever causing any harm. What gives? They’re built with Triumph’s proprietary Ropelene, a polymer material that can survive just about any torture tests you can come up with, so long as you don’t light them on fire and melt them. But don’t just take my word for it—at www.toughboats.com they have the proof on film, with videos of a triumph being towed down the road without a trailer, dropped from a crane, and hit with a sledgehammer.

            This unconventional boatbuilding material is nothing like fiberglass; Triumphs are actually molded in a 500-degree oven. Polymer beads are fed into the mold, melted, and baked. As this happens a computer-controlled system rotates the mold, so the Ropelene distributes and cools evenly. Next, foam is injected into the voids between the hull and deck, and stringers are filled with polyurethane foam. Since the foam and the Ropelene are very similar substances—the foam is basically aerated polyurethane—they bond much better then foam and fiberglass do. That means saturation and water migration won’t be a problem as the boat ages.

Net result? A boat that’s nearly indestructible and completely unsinkable. Wait a sec—wouldn’t the world’s toughest boat also be one of the most expensive? Nah – foot for foot Triumphs are relatively inexpensive. The 19’ Bay, for example, starts at a hair over $25K with a 90-hp outboard. That’s less expensive than 80-percent of the fiberglass boats in this class, plenty of which go for well over $35K.

            Yes, there are some down-sides to this construction technique. Roplene hulls are slightly heavier then fiberglass boats of the same size, which means less efficiency and speed then some competitors might provide. The performance numbers here are from a boat with no gear or top, and in the real world, a 30-mph top-end is about what you can expect without upping the power supply. Ropelene also doesn’t have the glossy shine of gel coat, so these boats don’t look as slick as some others. And small hatches and parts made of Ropelene tend to have more variation than fiberglass, and they don’t always fit as well as molded fiberglass parts do.

            One final up-side to running Ropelene: it seems to give somewhat, as you run through rough seas, and absorb the pounding. When I ran the 19 there was a one foot chop on the bay, and the hull simply soaked up the thumps and bumps.

            So, what’s the bottom line with the Triumph 19 Bay? If you just have to have the prettiest, slickest, most expensive bay boat on the water, this isn’t going to be your choice. But if an indestructible, smooth-riding, inexpensive boat fits the bill, check this one out. And give it a whack or two with a sledgehammer—it won’t mind.

LOA – 18’6”

Beam – 8’1”

Draft – 11”

Dry weight – 1,800

Fuel capacity -39

Max. HP - 150

Price – $25,663

Observed performance notes w/2 people and 1/2 load fuel, single 115-hp four stroke Yamaha outboard, swinging 15” x 19” three-bladed prop.