Howard Hughes Yacht for Sale: $525,000

The ultimate piece of "Howard Hughes" memorabilia is being offered for sale in Palm Beach: his 1939 Trumpy Motoryacht.

February 7, 2005 -- The legendary Howard Hughes had many personasrecord-setting aviator, motion picture producer, billionaire tycoon and yachting enthusiast? Thats right, according to John Bermingham, New York antiques dealer and current owner of Eleanor, a 1939 Trumpy motoryacht owned by Hughes in the 1950s and kept at his ready in Miami, Florida for entertaining friends and clients. The yacht then known as Vita while Hughes owned her, has had several name changes since, but besides the name on her transom, little else about Eleanor appears different from the day she was launched in Camden, New Jersey over 64 years ago. The 71 yacht is one of only 15 or so Trumpy motor yachts still in existence from before World War II, and certainly one of the most faithfully maintained and restored, according to Bermingham. The three staterooms have even retained their original twin-bunk arrangement and original mahogany furniture so often removed in remodeling projects. Its a throwback to more understated times before mega-yachts and fiberglass. The interior of the saloon or deck-house is paneled in richly varnished mahogany, mounted with German-silver seashell fittings which pivot to allow a brass crank to roll each window up and down. The feel of the boat is decidedly 40s with slip-covered club chairs and custom built furniture all in a slightly deco style. The yacht originally had a crew of four men who could be signaled by the push of ivory-colored buttons discretely mounted into walls and furniture throughout the boat, ensuring that first-class service was always within Hughes' reach.

According to the book Trumpy by Robert Tolf, Hughes saw a listing for the vessel in a trade publication and purchased her immediately. The extent of his personal usage is not completely known due to the mysterious nature of the man, but at least one instance of Hughes traveling on board can be confirmed by Trumpy historian Jerry Foster who was in Ft. Lauderdale when Hughes took possession of the yacht. Foster has kept track of every known Trumpy yacht for the last thirty or more years and has a special affinity for the boat builder John Trumpy, whose name was synonymous with the finest craftsmanship available in its day. In addition to Eleanor, Trumpy built the presidential yacht Sequoia as well as yachts owned by celebrities such as Josephine Baker and John Wayne.

The yacht is currently in the Palm Beach area and is being listed for sale through the yacht brokerage firm of Bartram and Brakenhoff at a price of $525,000. She will be available for inspection at the Palm Beach Boat Show from March 17th through the 20th or privately by appointment.

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