Tripp American Galaxy info

hesper · Post by **hesper** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:18 pm

We're considering looking at what purports to be a Tripp American Galaxy. 1961, 32 feet. Owner has emailed some info but i'm confused. I have read that this boat is supposed to have a "bubble" cabin like a Columbia 40. From the pic's I've seen, looks like your standard coach house. The subject has the fin keel i've read about. Anyone out there familiar with this design?
Jim

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:53 pm

There was a fairly in-depth article on Bill Tripp, Jr. and his designs in Professional Boatbuilder a little over a year ago, and it does talk about the Galaxy. The author Ted Jones (who worked with Tripp) describes it this way:

"... an essentially flush deck surmounted by a low-profile gun-turret type doghouse, a wide beam, and a wide, plumb transom that 'just didn't look right' to most traditionalists."

And, "It also had a fin keel and spade rudder, predating Bill Lapworth's successful Cal 40 design by several years."

You can find the whole article here:

http://www.proboat-digital.com/proboat/20070203/?pg=59

Here's a photo, albeit small and not all that great at showing the cabintop:

I can't exactly describe the rudder skeg but I remember it as being fairly distinctive, with a bit of a reverse "bustle" shape on the forward side. There is a high bridge-deck, which you can see in the photo.

hebert01 · Post by **hebert01** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:03 pm

some Galaxy photos here...

http://members.acadia.net/catamount/Galaxy/

catamount · Post by **catamount** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:38 am

hebert01 wrote:some Galaxy photos here...

http:/sailing.thorpeallen.net/Galaxy/

I am very familiar with the Galaxy pictured in the link above (it's the same one as in Rachel's picture). I may have some pictures of the underwater parts around somewhere, or can get some for you in another week if you are interested. It is a fin keel with a bulb! (pretty forward thinking for 1958!) That particular boat had had it's cabin modified, although I don't think it was a bubble top originally.

The Galaxies were built by several different builders and there were many variations in skeg and rudder shape, possibly keel shape, and likely cabin shape -- I don't think they were all bubble tops....

The same design was also built by Paceship in Nova Scotia and is known as the Paceship 32 (versus Paceship's Chance 32).

Regards,

Tim A.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:37 am

A couple of years ago there were two or three Galaxys on Yachtworld, each with photos. I don't remember the cabintops being true "bubbles," as on the Columbias, but more like that on an Invicta I, or Mercer 44.

Suddenly Galaxy photos are rare as hen's teeth!

hesper · Post by **hesper** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:12 pm

Thanks everyone. I have seen pics of the boat named Galaxy pictured. I'll take it that this is "a" Galaxy. I guess the description of a "gun turret" is a bit exaggerated. Seems more a conventional cabin to me. The rest of the descriptions I've seen seem to line up with the info I have so far. I guess I'll have to go look at the actual boat. Any other info though would be greatly appreciated.

thanks again

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:59 pm

As I understood Catamount, that particular Galaxy's cabin has been modified. I think they were usually more "gun turretish" like the article mentioned them. Not the typical conventional cabintop shape. (I may not have been clear when I said "like the Invicta," but that is more like a small, rounded cabintop that's only overhead when you first go down below - not forward.)

catamount · Post by **catamount** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:05 am

Yes, the boat "GALAXY" from West Boothbay Harbor is a Galaxy 32 (a very original name, doncha think?)

Here are a couple other Galaxy 32's that do not appear to have "bubble" tops at least as I think of it:

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1559602/0/

http://www.usedboats.com/photo_galery/i ... e=12582751

Also, PHRF-NE has on their website a scan of a two-page document describing some of the variants of the Galaxy 32:

http://www.phrfne.org/html/boats/galaxy.htm

Finally, somewhere along the way I aquired a PDF of an old Paceship 32 (Galaxy) brochure:

http://sailing.thorpeallen.net/Galaxy/P ... ochure.pdf

Regards,

Tim A.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 11:20 am

I'll have to somewhat retract what I said before. The keel profile I've seen is definitely the first one (American Boatbuilding) - the part of the skeg that rounds forward is what I meant by a "reverse bustle."

But I guess I was off on the cabintop. Looks like more of a "Medalist meets NE 38."

Sorry if I misled anyone - I probably shouldn't have said anything unless I was absolutely sure.

Pretty interesting design for the mid-to-late 1950s.

Rachel

hesper · Post by **hesper** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:52 pm

Thanks again. I'm starting to think I understand some of the confusion. Hopefully I can connect with seller soon. This boat is interesting although I'm still not sure. Our main problem here is draft. Our area has precious little water. If I could find a centerboard boat for under $10k I'd really be excited. That's for another time though.