Unconventional? You betcha. But the net result is a hull that has five times the impact resistance of fiberglass. I owned a much smaller version of a poly boat at one time, which I used to slide into the bed of my pick-up truck. During one unforgettable mishap, it broke free and slid off onto the highway—while I was doing 60 miles per hour. The boat skidded across the asphalt, rolled several times, and came to a rest on the shoulder. When I went back to retrieve it I was astounded to find that aside from a few minor scratches, it was none the worse for wear. Indestructible? Again, you betcha!
The 215 CC comes with the basics, like four gunwale rodholders, hydraulic steering, a flip-top cooler seat, nav and courtesy lights, and a console with room (barely) for a Porta Potty. Bay anglers will want to plan on getting the Fish Package, which adds coaming bolsters, a 94-quart cooler, cushions for the bow and stern seats, a dual battery switch, raw water washdown, and a livewell. When well-rigged, it’ll be pushing 40K, and rigged to the teeth, closer to 50. Note, however, that it also comes with a galvanized trailer. Considering what a fiberglass boat of the same size goes for in today’s market, that makes the 215 CC a bargain.
Down sides? The biggest complaint about Roplene is its look, which isn’t quite as slick as gel coat. Then again, think about all the time you’ll save on waxing. Another issue is the tolerances with hatches, which is as good as many mass-produced boats but isn’t quite on par with high-end fiberglass manufacturing. As a result, you can’t expect compartments like the anchor locker to be 100-percent water tight.
Now let’s go for a ride. Not only is the Roplene hull rugged, it’s flexible. Bang on the hull of a 215 CC, and in some places you can actually see slight movement. This is a good thing; it translates into a slightly smoother ride than expected. The hull flexes a hair as you hit the waves, absorbing and dissipating the blows somewhat. I don’t have any hard numbers to quantify the feeling, but judging from experience, my best guess is it’s around five percent smoother than comparable hulls, due to the construction material. Otherwise, the boat handles just as you’d expect for one of this size with a 19-degree transom deadrise. It performs on par with fiberglass boats, too, zipping up to a 32-mph cruise (while burning about 8.5 GPH, for close to 3.8 MPG), and at wide-open hits 43-mph, when rigged with a 150-hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard.
You don’t believe me, when I say the boat deserves to be called indestructible? Fine—find out for yourself. There are videos on Triumph’s website which show these boats being dragged through the woods, dropped on concrete, and slammed with a sledgehammer. At many boat shows, the Triumph dealers will actually have a sledgehammer on hand, so you can try whacking it for yourself. And as long as you don’t burn it, blow it up, sink, or scuttle it on purpose, I’ll bet you agree—the Triumph 215 CC does deserve to be called indestructible.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 03:30
Yes, yes, I know, you’re never supposed to say a boat is “indestructible,” because someone will burn, blow up, sink, or scuttle one just to prove you wrong. But wouldn’t it be nice if you had a boat you could slam into pilings, run into oyster bars, and even drop onto a concrete boat ramp, without causing any damage? One that, although it could be intentionally destroyed, really does deserve to be called “indestructible?” Considering how many times I’ve done the above things—leading to ripped rubrails, cracked gel coat, and gouges in the hull—I know I’d sure like to have one. Such boats do exist. One that’s perfect for Chesapeake dwellers is the Triumph 215 CC.
This is the largest model in the Triumph line, and like all boats from this builder, it’s molded from a material they call Roplene. Simple version: it’s plastic. Triumph starts out with a polyethylene powder, which is poured into a mold. Then it’s heated in a convection oven big enough to roast 1000 or so turkeys, while the entire mold is being rotated. The heat melts the powder, and the rotation spreads it evenly throughout the mold. It’s allowed to cool, and then instead of roasted fowl, the oven spits out a boat.
Unconventional? You betcha. But the net result is a hull that has five times the impact resistance of fiberglass. I owned a much smaller version of a poly boat at one time, which I used to slide into the bed of my pick-up truck. During one unforgettable mishap, it broke free and slid off onto the highway—while I was doing 60 miles per hour. The boat skidded across the asphalt, rolled several times, and came to a rest on the shoulder. When I went back to retrieve it I was astounded to find that aside from a few minor scratches, it was none the worse for wear. Indestructible? Again, you betcha!
The 215 CC comes with the basics, like four gunwale rodholders, hydraulic steering, a flip-top cooler seat, nav and courtesy lights, and a console with room (barely) for a Porta Potty. Bay anglers will want to plan on getting the Fish Package, which adds coaming bolsters, a 94-quart cooler, cushions for the bow and stern seats, a dual battery switch, raw water washdown, and a livewell. When well-rigged, it’ll be pushing 40K, and rigged to the teeth, closer to 50. Note, however, that it also comes with a galvanized trailer. Considering what a fiberglass boat of the same size goes for in today’s market, that makes the 215 CC a bargain.
Down sides? The biggest complaint about Roplene is its look, which isn’t quite as slick as gel coat. Then again, think about all the time you’ll save on waxing. Another issue is the tolerances with hatches, which is as good as many mass-produced boats but isn’t quite on par with high-end fiberglass manufacturing. As a result, you can’t expect compartments like the anchor locker to be 100-percent water tight.
Now let’s go for a ride. Not only is the Roplene hull rugged, it’s flexible. Bang on the hull of a 215 CC, and in some places you can actually see slight movement. This is a good thing; it translates into a slightly smoother ride than expected. The hull flexes a hair as you hit the waves, absorbing and dissipating the blows somewhat. I don’t have any hard numbers to quantify the feeling, but judging from experience, my best guess is it’s around five percent smoother than comparable hulls, due to the construction material. Otherwise, the boat handles just as you’d expect for one of this size with a 19-degree transom deadrise. It performs on par with fiberglass boats, too, zipping up to a 32-mph cruise (while burning about 8.5 GPH, for close to 3.8 MPG), and at wide-open hits 43-mph, when rigged with a 150-hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard.
You don’t believe me, when I say the boat deserves to be called indestructible? Fine—find out for yourself. There are videos on Triumph’s website which show these boats being dragged through the woods, dropped on concrete, and slammed with a sledgehammer. At many boat shows, the Triumph dealers will actually have a sledgehammer on hand, so you can try whacking it for yourself. And as long as you don’t burn it, blow it up, sink, or scuttle it on purpose, I’ll bet you agree—the Triumph 215 CC does deserve to be called indestructible.
Unconventional? You betcha. But the net result is a hull that has five times the impact resistance of fiberglass. I owned a much smaller version of a poly boat at one time, which I used to slide into the bed of my pick-up truck. During one unforgettable mishap, it broke free and slid off onto the highway—while I was doing 60 miles per hour. The boat skidded across the asphalt, rolled several times, and came to a rest on the shoulder. When I went back to retrieve it I was astounded to find that aside from a few minor scratches, it was none the worse for wear. Indestructible? Again, you betcha!
The 215 CC comes with the basics, like four gunwale rodholders, hydraulic steering, a flip-top cooler seat, nav and courtesy lights, and a console with room (barely) for a Porta Potty. Bay anglers will want to plan on getting the Fish Package, which adds coaming bolsters, a 94-quart cooler, cushions for the bow and stern seats, a dual battery switch, raw water washdown, and a livewell. When well-rigged, it’ll be pushing 40K, and rigged to the teeth, closer to 50. Note, however, that it also comes with a galvanized trailer. Considering what a fiberglass boat of the same size goes for in today’s market, that makes the 215 CC a bargain.
Down sides? The biggest complaint about Roplene is its look, which isn’t quite as slick as gel coat. Then again, think about all the time you’ll save on waxing. Another issue is the tolerances with hatches, which is as good as many mass-produced boats but isn’t quite on par with high-end fiberglass manufacturing. As a result, you can’t expect compartments like the anchor locker to be 100-percent water tight.
Now let’s go for a ride. Not only is the Roplene hull rugged, it’s flexible. Bang on the hull of a 215 CC, and in some places you can actually see slight movement. This is a good thing; it translates into a slightly smoother ride than expected. The hull flexes a hair as you hit the waves, absorbing and dissipating the blows somewhat. I don’t have any hard numbers to quantify the feeling, but judging from experience, my best guess is it’s around five percent smoother than comparable hulls, due to the construction material. Otherwise, the boat handles just as you’d expect for one of this size with a 19-degree transom deadrise. It performs on par with fiberglass boats, too, zipping up to a 32-mph cruise (while burning about 8.5 GPH, for close to 3.8 MPG), and at wide-open hits 43-mph, when rigged with a 150-hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard.
You don’t believe me, when I say the boat deserves to be called indestructible? Fine—find out for yourself. There are videos on Triumph’s website which show these boats being dragged through the woods, dropped on concrete, and slammed with a sledgehammer. At many boat shows, the Triumph dealers will actually have a sledgehammer on hand, so you can try whacking it for yourself. And as long as you don’t burn it, blow it up, sink, or scuttle it on purpose, I’ll bet you agree—the Triumph 215 CC does deserve to be called indestructible.