Glad to find some info on the Taft 16 here. I just purchased a pristine 1974 orange/white model from the original owner (northern suburb of the Twin Cities, MN). It has the original sails, white trampoline, aluminum rudders, etc. - always stored in a shed at his lake cabin and not sailed since the mid-80's. The seller told me that his father purchased the boat directly from Taft and that they delivered it to the cabin pre-assembled. From what I've found online, it seems Taft boats were typically sold as a kit.
The only flaws are a few light stains on the sails (which I haven't tried to wash yet) and very minor scratches on hulls. The sails still feel crisp and there is no sign of wear on the batten pockets or elsewhere. There is a sewn-on T-16 logo on the head of the mainsail which gives it a great vintage look. The orange color coordination of the hulls and sails looks really sharp.
I washed off the dust today (with some help from my 2 little sailors) and assembled the hulls, crossbars, and tramp. The gelcoat still shines with only minor oxidation. Interestingly, the trampoline is the primary component for pulling the hulls onto the bars - no bolts connect them. They fit very snugly and it took some work to get them to fully seat. I'll step the mast later this week and hoist the sails for a dry-run before hauling it to the lake. I can't wait to see how she looks on the water in a nice breeze.
Here is a scan of the manual as a PDF:
https://drive.google.com/…LVBkTkxWbTh3&authuser=0
Photo of the sail and some of the gear:
https://drive.google.com/…OYnFEZ013eUY4&authuser=0
I also found this article on Taft Marine Woodcraft:
http://www.acbs-bslol.com…/taftmarinewoodcraft.pdf
This page has scans of old Taft ads for plywood powerboats:
http://www.fiberglassics.…m/library/Taft_Kit_BoatsEdited by adventuredadmn on Apr 12, 2015 - 11:59 PM.
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Glen
1974 Taft T-16
St. Paul, MN
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