1919 Trumpy on E-Bay

A 1919 wooden boat is going to be nothing but a money pit

1919 trumpy on ebay in keywest

I live in keywest and im also interested in this boat.i went and looked at it today and it doesnt look that bad to be honest.especially considering the fact that it selling with an opening bid of $5000 with no reserve.its totally liveable, the bilges looked good, and the owners sons living on it now. I also looked online and this is the second oldest trumpy out their,im going to make a bid in the $7500-$8000 range, this boats gotta lot of history and it floats and looks decent.let me know if im missing anything,thanks

Known as "Tramp" for many years, she has been kicking around Key West for decades. She was sold on craigslist some time ago. There was some minor discussion about it on the YachtForums Trumpy thread here: http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/trumpy-yacht/282-trumpy-yachts.html
She is indeed one of the oldest surviving Mathis/Trumpy yachts. "Mimosa" which survives in Ft Lauderdale is another.

More info….

Check out Free 1919 MATHIS TRUMPY 52' -- GRAND LADY (RIETTE II)), there's some telling photos in the link. For the right person its a worthy cause… there's only so many antiques and once they're gone, that's it. But as they say, one can make a small fortune restoring old boats… assuming one starts with a huge fortune!

I haven't heard anything about Grand Lady in a while. I wonder what's going on with her. I found this site: Grand Lady Foundation, Historic Yacht, 1919 Mathis Trumpy | Wix.com

1919 trumpy on ebay

Yes, your right, this boat is the old (tramp), the current owner bought it two or so years ago for 18k. A hell of alot of work and money has been spent on her since then. What do you think this,boat is worth? There is plenty of picture's on ebay and facebook.Also, is this really one off the earliest mathis trumpys out there? I do plan on taking a diesel mechanic to look the motor over this afternoon, my question is, is it rare? And whats a fair price? I would plan on keeping it at the same marina, but the cost there isnt an issue for me. The hull number is 100...

Just to inform you, on YachtForums we are discussing yachts, not the owners, so one sentence is deleted from your post.

1919 trumpy on ebay in keywest

Sorry about that, just somewhat excited about the boat. Im having the motor checked out this afternoon, im hopeful the motors not stuck. Anyone have any pointers that i need to look at? Im unsure how high to bid, any idea what its worth?

The problem is that it's really what it's worth to you. Have you gotten a reasonable estimate as to the range restoring it might cost? Then is that worth it to you to have it in it's restored condition? To many a boat they restored like that is worth far more than it's value would be to anyone else. To others pouring that amount of money into what is still an old boat when complete makes no sense.

The seller has now placed a very low value on what it's worth to him if he gave a $5000 opening and no reserve. After processing fees he ends up with even less. That's how it becomes personal. If you bid more than $5000 then you're making a statement that it's worth more to you than it is to the seller. That's true in all sales. Not like we can weigh gold, look up the price, and say this is it. The current owner has no desire to go through the rebuild process.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

1919 trumpy on ebay in keywest

I brought a diesel mechanic over to look over the motor and electrical. The motor has an oil leak in the oil pan thats why it was parked.new fuel,fuel filters, and oil pan should fix it.it also turns over. The battery,electrical box,head, and bilges are new. The boat is ready to be lived aboard. The problem is to get it to cruise the mechanic said it would cost double what i think it will cost just because you always find other problems once you start. I offered the guy $5000, but he said he would rather let the auction run its course because he's had alot of interest on ebay.I think im just going to try and stay under $10,000, with another 10-15k on need renovations.Does this sound do able? The boat has alot of character,and i doubt another will come up anytime soon.Thanks for the insight olderboater.

There are plenty of of interesting old wooden yachts out there at bargain prices. From a strictly value/condition standpoint, you may be able to do better than this particular boat. BUT - She is a Mathis/Trumpy. They have a certain mystique in the yachting world that cannot be replaced or duplicated. Geography is also key. If this boat is well located for your live aboard needs then that means a lot. If your true desire is to sail off into the sunset to far away destinations, then this probably isn't your boat. If you want a pure, original "like stepping back in time" experience, this is probably not your boat unless you have deep pockets. To make her 100% pure will take ton$ of ca$h. She's currently floating, livable, charming and located in Key West. If all of that hits your buttons then go for it.

As kids, we used to play on an old wooden wreck. Some twonk wanted to preserve her. It took a multi-millionaire Brit to sell it to the Japs, then onto Singapore for the poor old dear to find her place.

My Mum and Dad spent 2 years of their lives saving that boat. Have you got that sort of commitment?

1919 Trumpy on ebay

The boat and location works for me, its got a couple bids already so i got a few days to see where its heading price wise. I got a number in mind and im not gunna go over it. The fact that its an early old mathis trumpy, that i can spend weekends on while i work on it, really appeals to me. Wish me luck, thanks for the help guys.

One of the big questions is regarding you, your nature, your desires. Are you more restorer or boater? Do you enjoy bringing things back and maintaining a part of history? Or are you looking to just enjoy boating and simple spending time on a boat? When you have available time are you looking to spend that time working on your boat or using your boat? That's not to say that all boats don't have some mixture of these factors. But one like this one requires an owner who truly enjoys maintaining something like it.

Now we have tons of people here who do. I see the beautiful restoration projects done by owners. I see the boats brought back to life. On the other hand I am the opposite. The thought of spending my time that way as opposed to spending it on the water has no appeal to me.

So much of your answer isn't just about the boat, but about you.

Good luck on your bid. I would love to see an old Trumpy like that cared for.

More specifically was this the particular posting and photo you were referring to?
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/132167-post167.html

Yes. That's the one.

1919 trumpy on ebay

Yes thats the boat, but it sure looks alot better now.Their is alot of picture's on ebay of what she looks like now.