The Trumpy Yachts 63 marks the revival of the famous Trumpy name—specifically, John Trumpy & Sons, which built 450 all-wood boats throughout much of the 20th century.
Yachting aficionados were drawn to TrumpyÂ’s reputation for building durable, comfortable cruisers with elegant styling and house-like amenities. But a series of events led to the boatyardÂ’s decline, beginning with the death of John Sr. in 1958, a fire, and the death of one of the sons a few years later. By the time fiberglass began to dominate boat building in the late 1960s, the damage was nearly done. John Trumpy & Sons closed its doors in 1974.
Even with that, Trumpys remained much admired. In fact, a few years ago, Jock West, a marine-industry marketing representative, purchased a Trumpy built in 1969 and, with other industry veterans, refurbished it to serve as a floating product showcase and meeting platform at boat shows. “People loved the boat. We heard time and time again that it’s a real shame they don’t build boats like this anymore,” explains Jim Ewing, who was part of the team and is now Trumpy Yachts’ president. “That’s what led to the idea of ‘Let’s explore building a new yacht, a new Trumpy.’”
To pay homage to TrumpyÂ’s roots, West and Ewing contacted Johan Trumpy, John Sr.Â’s grandson, who also worked at the yard. They additionally tapped the wood-construction expertise of Vicem Yachts, which has a strong reputation for classically styled craft.
The 63 Flush Deck Motor Yacht shares many of the same design and construction elements as the original Trumpys. This includes the boatÂ’s profile and its mahogany-plank construction. DonÂ’t jump to conclusions over the latter, though: Thanks to techniques proven over many decades, special resins make the wood planks in the hull and superstructure resistant to moisture and increase their strength. The construction technique additionally makes the two sections into a unibody configuration.
Also compelling is the fact that the 63 Flush Deck Motor Yacht offers three interior configurations—an unusual flexibility. One layout features two queen staterooms, each with a private toilet and shower. Another offers a queen stateroom and a twin-bed stateroom, each getting private facilities. The final configuration has three staterooms: one queen and two twins, with the twins sharing a bathroom.
Base price: just under $3 million. —Diane M. Byrne
For more information, contact Trumpy Yachts (401) 846-0303. www.trumpyyachts.net.