International Telstar Owners Association

Interested in buying a telestar sounds like the perfect boat for my needs, but after reading through your forum I'm wondering about the build quality .Gelcoat coming off stress cracks around the amas hinges problems that should not be happening on newer boats.some one tell me there not that bad because the boat sounds good but if its coming unglued all the time I have to rethink my choice . ;
Thanks Jimbo

I'd say they're all structurally sound, as built, but the final "fit & finish" leaves something to be desired. I wouldn't shy away from one, but I'd check it out thoroughly...

Thanks for the feed back will consider what you said. Best regards jimbo

Hi, I had the same concern when I bought my boat. Fortunately it is mainly cosmetic. It doesn’t matter to me, the boat is so fun to sail and even live aboard. The Gemini Catamarans also have this gelcoat problem, the company seems to have a problem mastering the gelcoat. I guess we get what we pay for, i mean if you compare prices with other trimarans, the Telstar is quite affordable.

Michel

I would agree with the others who posted about the cosmetic issues with the Telstar. Every time I use it, I gain more respect for the design and capabilities it has. My only disappointment has been the integrity of the centerboard, which apparently has broken on a few of the Testars. It does not seem to create instability in the boat, but does impact the performance. I just returned from a 5 day trip from Summerland Key FL, to the Dry Tortugas, (190 miles) and the current and wind were sometimes brutal. Even with a broken centerboard, the boat performed safely and effectively in 20-25 knot winds, and 6-8 foot seas. I will put together a log of the trip and post a link to the forum when I am done.

The bottom line with this boat is that it performs well, it is easy to handle, it has excellent coastal cruising properties, it overnights well for 2 people, it can get into pretty shallow water, and it cleans up well. And one more thing, it get a great deal of attention because it looks "cool". It all depends on what you need, but I would buy the boat again in a minute, even knowing I have to spend some good money to replace the centerboard.

Hi All, thanks for the feed back does performance cruising still sell parts and pieces for the telestar or is it easier to custom
Build broken parts.

It is my understanding that many of the parts are "off the shelf" from various vendors. There is a vendor list in the back of the manual. There is a company in Annapolis that is in contact with the original designer, and has been very helpful. They are building a new centerboard for me, and I suspect they could provide a number of parts for the Telstar. You can find their contact information under the discussion on the centerboard elsewhere in this forum. Their name is CLC.

Steve Wooden