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Robert Trolian, Sr.- Honors Squadron Member
fromEd Hearn <edhearn2004@gmail.com>
tobltrolian@aol.com
dateWed, Nov 19, 2008 at 7:43 PM
subjectHonors Squadron
mailed-bygmail.com
hide details 11/19/08 Reply
Pops: Here is what I sent to Rick Sandstrom for your nomination into the Honors Squadron.
****
They say the measure of a man's contribution to his fellow man is in what others say about him when he cannot hear it.
You were not in earshot when I wrote this.
Your friend, Ed.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ed Hearn <edhearn2004@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Subject: Re: HS
To: "Prop Shop, Ltd." <info@propshopltd.com>
Mr. Sandstrom: I hereby nominate Robert Trolian, Sr. of Alexandria, Kentucky (Region 6) to the APBA Honors Squadron.
Robert "Ponch" or "Pops" Trolian started racing small outboards in 1964. He is a native of New Jersey who has competed all over the eastern seaboard since that time. In New Jersey, he grew up near water and was enamored with it. Boating became his life. Bob built his first boat in 1966 based upon several articles and plans in the magazine Popular Mechanics. He continues to manufacture small hydroplanes and runabouts for the Stock, Modified and PRO Categories to this day. But what made Trolian's boats so distinctive, however, was not that he manufactured them for such a long period of time, rather it was the materials he used to make them: plastic!
In the mid 1960's, Trolian began working for a small fledgling plastics company where he learned the art of plastic molding, design and manufacturing. In the mid 1970's, Trolian began making fiberglass racing runabouts. Then, in 1978, Trolian began working for Wellcraft Division of Genmar in Gainsville, Florida where he eventually became a Vice President of Manufacturing. There, he continued to develop his expertise in molded plastics manufacturing. When he later moved to the Glastron Division, this experience continued.
Many, during this time, began crafting fiberglass racing runabouts. Trolian's success, however, was in making his boats not only competitive in design, but also lightweight. Trolian's knowledge in the manufacturing process led him to be able to manufacture light boats that would withstand the rigors of competition. Few were and are able to do this. Most attempts to construct racing boats from fiberglass failed. Trolian's did not.
Trolian's endeavor into the molded plastics of boatracing continued, however. In the late 1970's, his son, Paul, convinced him that the task of building a plastic hydroplane should be undertaken. This development continued over the next decade. When OMC unleashed its new A Racing Engnine for the Stock Outboard division in the mid 1980's, Trolian's fiberglass hydroplane manufacturing was in full force.
During all of this time, Trolian continued to race small outboards. He was active in Stock Outboard racing in Regions 3, 4, 5 and 6 throughout the 1960's, 70's and 80's. But the combination of his molded plastic hydroplane and OMC's new A racing engine brought Trolian particular success in competition in the late 1980's and early 1990's. In 1989 and 1990, Trolian was the Eastern Divisional Champion in A Stock Hydro, the Region 5 High Point Champion in ASH in 1989 and the High Point Champion for Region 4 in 1990. 1991 was Trolian's most successful year in competion. Due to several early season crashes which eventually totalled his boat, Trolian rebuilt and redesigned his molded fiberglass hydroplanes and built one boat for himself right before the Stock Outboard Closed Course National Championships that year. Trolian almost did not even qualify for the finals. However, due to a late-race flip by another competitor, Trolian made the finals. That was all he needed. He won both final heats back-to-back and became the ASH National Champion that year. He went on to set four competition records in ASH and ASR that year and was enducted into the APBA Hall of Champions for the 1991 racing season.
But Trolian's boats have garnered success for others, too. Trolian has now build over 500 racing hulls which have competed in the APBA. His boats have won dozens of National Championships and set just as many APBA competition records. Trolian continues to build small hydroplanes and runabouts to this day and they are still winning national titles. In the last decade, Trolian has pioneered the development of plastic hulls constructed of carbon fiber through the use of open molds. While others have used carbon "panel construction", this type of construction has not lended itself well to the manufacture of small boats for APBA's A and B classes. Trolian's successful use of open molds, rather than panels, coupled with the revolutionary carbon fiber weave cloth have enabled him to construct hulls for these classes in a light-weight, competitive form. Racecraft carbon-fiber hulls have already won several Stock and Modified Outboard National Championships in the APBA and hold competition records.
All of this success in designing, building and racing boats, however, pales in comparison to benevolent generosity Bob Trolian has made to his fellow competitors in the sport of powerboat racing and the APBA. For Trolian, boat racing has and always will be a family affair. Four of his five children have raced boats. Now, two of his sons, Paul and Brian, continue on with the manufacture of Racecraft Racing Hulls, the brand name for Trolian's plastic design boats. That business, and the buisiness of APBA racing, has kept Trolian's family close. They all often attend local racing events in the midwest together. Team Racecraft is usually the largest contingency at any APBA small outboard event and boat racing has been his second family. Trolian has said: "There is no doubt about it- the people in the stock outboard division are my second family- or even in some ways... my first family. Even if I never won another race...," his voice trails off for a momment, "the fact that the family is all together is well worth it. And the fact that we have been successful as well- well, that's just a bonus."
Trolian's contributions to his second family are tremendous. Trolian's Team Racecraft has made numerous contributions to other boat racers who may be struggling to attend races, repair boats, or even to obtain a boat to compete in. Bob Trolian has often been known to manufacture a boat for a fellow racer and make delivery with a "pay-me-when-you-can" bill of sale. Trolian has even given boats away to APBA members who have damaged their craft beyond repair and are in need of another. Trolian will also often undertake repairs for other competitors either in his shop or right in the pit area. Nearly every younger powerboat racer who has needed some racing part, boat repair or set-up advice has received counsel from Bob Trolian. It is for this reason that many in the APBA pits will call him "Pops". Recently, Trolian donated one of his newest designs, a carbon fiber J Runabout floater boat, to the APBA's J Category for the purposes of raising funds for the J Category. The littany of examples of this generosity is too lengthy to list here. But, Trolian's gifts to the boat racing community are tremendous and anyone who has regularly attended an APBA small outboard event in the last 30 years well-knows it.
Having retired from active competition in the mid 1990's, Trolian then took up other contributions to the APBA as a Race Director. Since that time, Trolian has directed nearly a hundred APBA races including many Winternational Championships, Divisional Championships and even several APBA Closed Course National Championships. In the last five years, Trolian has served as the Race Director for the Stock Outboard National Championships three times. Trolian has an ability to bring together a diverse group of race officials and lead them in running large-scale events which cause competitors from across the country to believe that they have all been treated to a well and fairly-run event.
Robert Trolian, Sr.'s contributions to the APBA and the sport of powerboat racing began with innovative designs in plastics manufacturing for racing hulls. Those contributions continue to this day with the manufacture of competitive, state-of-the-art design, plastic racing hulls. But he has selflessly complimented those innovative contributions with the gifts of his talent, time and treasure to other competitors in assisting them in their racing careers and in serving as one of APBA's most respected race officials. These compliments and his underlying contributions to the sport of boat racing make him overly-qualified for induction into the APBA Honors Squadron.
Respectfully submitted,
Edward W. Hearn.
fromEd Hearn <edhearn2004@gmail.com>
tobltrolian@aol.com
dateWed, Nov 19, 2008 at 7:43 PM
subjectHonors Squadron
mailed-bygmail.com
hide details 11/19/08 Reply
Pops: Here is what I sent to Rick Sandstrom for your nomination into the Honors Squadron.
****
They say the measure of a man's contribution to his fellow man is in what others say about him when he cannot hear it.
You were not in earshot when I wrote this.
Your friend, Ed.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ed Hearn <edhearn2004@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Subject: Re: HS
To: "Prop Shop, Ltd." <info@propshopltd.com>
Mr. Sandstrom: I hereby nominate Robert Trolian, Sr. of Alexandria, Kentucky (Region 6) to the APBA Honors Squadron.
Robert "Ponch" or "Pops" Trolian started racing small outboards in 1964. He is a native of New Jersey who has competed all over the eastern seaboard since that time. In New Jersey, he grew up near water and was enamored with it. Boating became his life. Bob built his first boat in 1966 based upon several articles and plans in the magazine Popular Mechanics. He continues to manufacture small hydroplanes and runabouts for the Stock, Modified and PRO Categories to this day. But what made Trolian's boats so distinctive, however, was not that he manufactured them for such a long period of time, rather it was the materials he used to make them: plastic!
In the mid 1960's, Trolian began working for a small fledgling plastics company where he learned the art of plastic molding, design and manufacturing. In the mid 1970's, Trolian began making fiberglass racing runabouts. Then, in 1978, Trolian began working for Wellcraft Division of Genmar in Gainsville, Florida where he eventually became a Vice President of Manufacturing. There, he continued to develop his expertise in molded plastics manufacturing. When he later moved to the Glastron Division, this experience continued.
Many, during this time, began crafting fiberglass racing runabouts. Trolian's success, however, was in making his boats not only competitive in design, but also lightweight. Trolian's knowledge in the manufacturing process led him to be able to manufacture light boats that would withstand the rigors of competition. Few were and are able to do this. Most attempts to construct racing boats from fiberglass failed. Trolian's did not.
Trolian's endeavor into the molded plastics of boatracing continued, however. In the late 1970's, his son, Paul, convinced him that the task of building a plastic hydroplane should be undertaken. This development continued over the next decade. When OMC unleashed its new A Racing Engnine for the Stock Outboard division in the mid 1980's, Trolian's fiberglass hydroplane manufacturing was in full force.
During all of this time, Trolian continued to race small outboards. He was active in Stock Outboard racing in Regions 3, 4, 5 and 6 throughout the 1960's, 70's and 80's. But the combination of his molded plastic hydroplane and OMC's new A racing engine brought Trolian particular success in competition in the late 1980's and early 1990's. In 1989 and 1990, Trolian was the Eastern Divisional Champion in A Stock Hydro, the Region 5 High Point Champion in ASH in 1989 and the High Point Champion for Region 4 in 1990. 1991 was Trolian's most successful year in competion. Due to several early season crashes which eventually totalled his boat, Trolian rebuilt and redesigned his molded fiberglass hydroplanes and built one boat for himself right before the Stock Outboard Closed Course National Championships that year. Trolian almost did not even qualify for the finals. However, due to a late-race flip by another competitor, Trolian made the finals. That was all he needed. He won both final heats back-to-back and became the ASH National Champion that year. He went on to set four competition records in ASH and ASR that year and was enducted into the APBA Hall of Champions for the 1991 racing season.
But Trolian's boats have garnered success for others, too. Trolian has now build over 500 racing hulls which have competed in the APBA. His boats have won dozens of National Championships and set just as many APBA competition records. Trolian continues to build small hydroplanes and runabouts to this day and they are still winning national titles. In the last decade, Trolian has pioneered the development of plastic hulls constructed of carbon fiber through the use of open molds. While others have used carbon "panel construction", this type of construction has not lended itself well to the manufacture of small boats for APBA's A and B classes. Trolian's successful use of open molds, rather than panels, coupled with the revolutionary carbon fiber weave cloth have enabled him to construct hulls for these classes in a light-weight, competitive form. Racecraft carbon-fiber hulls have already won several Stock and Modified Outboard National Championships in the APBA and hold competition records.
All of this success in designing, building and racing boats, however, pales in comparison to benevolent generosity Bob Trolian has made to his fellow competitors in the sport of powerboat racing and the APBA. For Trolian, boat racing has and always will be a family affair. Four of his five children have raced boats. Now, two of his sons, Paul and Brian, continue on with the manufacture of Racecraft Racing Hulls, the brand name for Trolian's plastic design boats. That business, and the buisiness of APBA racing, has kept Trolian's family close. They all often attend local racing events in the midwest together. Team Racecraft is usually the largest contingency at any APBA small outboard event and boat racing has been his second family. Trolian has said: "There is no doubt about it- the people in the stock outboard division are my second family- or even in some ways... my first family. Even if I never won another race...," his voice trails off for a momment, "the fact that the family is all together is well worth it. And the fact that we have been successful as well- well, that's just a bonus."
Trolian's contributions to his second family are tremendous. Trolian's Team Racecraft has made numerous contributions to other boat racers who may be struggling to attend races, repair boats, or even to obtain a boat to compete in. Bob Trolian has often been known to manufacture a boat for a fellow racer and make delivery with a "pay-me-when-you-can" bill of sale. Trolian has even given boats away to APBA members who have damaged their craft beyond repair and are in need of another. Trolian will also often undertake repairs for other competitors either in his shop or right in the pit area. Nearly every younger powerboat racer who has needed some racing part, boat repair or set-up advice has received counsel from Bob Trolian. It is for this reason that many in the APBA pits will call him "Pops". Recently, Trolian donated one of his newest designs, a carbon fiber J Runabout floater boat, to the APBA's J Category for the purposes of raising funds for the J Category. The littany of examples of this generosity is too lengthy to list here. But, Trolian's gifts to the boat racing community are tremendous and anyone who has regularly attended an APBA small outboard event in the last 30 years well-knows it.
Having retired from active competition in the mid 1990's, Trolian then took up other contributions to the APBA as a Race Director. Since that time, Trolian has directed nearly a hundred APBA races including many Winternational Championships, Divisional Championships and even several APBA Closed Course National Championships. In the last five years, Trolian has served as the Race Director for the Stock Outboard National Championships three times. Trolian has an ability to bring together a diverse group of race officials and lead them in running large-scale events which cause competitors from across the country to believe that they have all been treated to a well and fairly-run event.
Robert Trolian, Sr.'s contributions to the APBA and the sport of powerboat racing began with innovative designs in plastics manufacturing for racing hulls. Those contributions continue to this day with the manufacture of competitive, state-of-the-art design, plastic racing hulls. But he has selflessly complimented those innovative contributions with the gifts of his talent, time and treasure to other competitors in assisting them in their racing careers and in serving as one of APBA's most respected race officials. These compliments and his underlying contributions to the sport of boat racing make him overly-qualified for induction into the APBA Honors Squadron.
Respectfully submitted,
Edward W. Hearn.
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