Once in a "Blue Moon" opportunity

April 2021,

Dear Friends,

My lawn seems even bigger this spring. Mowing took a good chunk of the day and it was on a riding mower. I thought the grass looked awful, but this morning after fresh rainfall overnight, it's that bright green unique to spring and absolutely gorgeous.

Just as spring means rebirth of my lawn, I'm hoping it will also mean rebirth to some of the boats that have meant a lot to me over the years.

We are wrapping up a new bottom on “Privateer,. It turned out beautifully. Some of the repairs that have been done on her in the past were dangerous, to say the least. There has been a problem in the stem so they poured polyester resin in to fill up the void. Two taps with the hammer and the chunks fell out. Why? It is not just unorthodox but dangerous because the bow takes the brunt of the waves.

We did something very interesting. We installed a new forward keel stem to foot, knee and spliced a new section then laminated the outside 6 or 8 layers of white oak over the whole thing. The cutwater is what it is called on a work boat, I do not know the name for it on a yacht. Then we fastened it in place, this added so much strength in a stealthy way. The old stem has been there for 69 years, I wonder how long ours will last. Maybe my grandsons’ can check it out years later.

My next stories have good news and bad and a possible new life in the future. I know that in past newsletters I have talked about James Walgreens’ Trumpy “Dixonia.” a 55 foot cockpit cruiser, contract 371, built in 1955 for J.B Rich. “Dixonia” had frozen in the ice and gone down and then her motors were removed and there in Michigan, she sat waiting in a covered shed for something or someone to come to her rescue. I recently had a talk with my friend Marty Isenburg who lives up there. He mentioned that it had a new owner, and they are doing a great job with her.

So, for the other news, the 67.6’ cruisers were one of John Trumpy’s finest designs of the modern yachts. There have been many discussions between Joe Bartram and me. “.”Tonda” contract 394, “Blue Moo”n contract 409, “Tireless” 410, “Georgeann” 421, “Paragon” 423, and Shamrock. “Paragon” burned in a dock fire and “Tireless” sunk in a hurricane. “Tonda” is famous for being fast and “Georgeann” lives in Coconut Grove Florida. She and “Blue Moon” have cockpits. Joe Bartram believed that the cockpit made the boat run faster and better. Smaller water tanks and less weight AFT for better ride. Now I am going out on a limb here but there are lots of pretty girls and then there are the most beautiful ones where all the lines are stretched out to that magic length. The graceful bow to how the cockpit gave a special charm to these yachts. Slid in the water with little to no drag from the angle of the cabin fronts it is true perfection, a true work of art.

So, where is this going? “Blue Moon” is sitting in a boatyard in Charleston at the Palmetto Bay Yacht Center. She needs to be saved and time is short. The boatyard has been bought and they want it out now. The boat will be cut up very soon. The owner is out of health and resources. We did a lot of work on her in 1998-1999 with new tanks, new wiring, engine rebuild, and ¾ of the bottom replaced. She needs to be saved before they start stripping her.

This is all the information I have and if you are interested do not procrastinate. She can be sealed up and moved. If you are a Trumpy lover this is the one to fall in love with.

Sorry to end on a low note but I would really like to see her saved!!!!

Until next time,

Jim Moores

Palmetto Bay Yacht Center, Kuy Scott (843) 384-3915

David Brown (305) 869-4006 (Owner)

Terry Daniels (252) 670-6502 (Owner's rep)