TR Yachts Review

TR Design is based in Gabriola Island, British Columbia Canada. Founded by designer Tad Roberts in 2001. TR offers yacht design and naval architecture services for new power, sail and small boats, plus oversight of refitting and restoring existing vessels. Formerly a senior associate at Bruce King Yacht Design (BKYD), Roberts had previously worked on designs for such large sailing vessels as Sophie, Alejandra, and Scheherazade. Roberts also played a key role in producing such yachts at BKYD as the Hinckley Picnic Boats and the Talaria motor cruisers, some of the most acclaimed power designs in the yachting industry.

In the past decade, TR Yacht Design has had several projects on the drawing board. Roberts produced two 165-foot designs for classic steel motor yachts, featuring twin funnels similar to those of pre-war ocean liners,for a boatyard in Asia. The Philbrook’s Express 47, a cruiser design for production at Philbrook’s Boatyard in Australia features Robert’s signature semi-replacement hulls for efficient coastal cruising. Robert’s Passagemaker Lite series of 46, 56, and 80 foot ocean-crossing power yachts has been called “extremely brilliant” by reviewer Art Paine of Maine Boats & Harbors.

Reviewers of TR Designs drawings compliment the beauty and integrity of the vessels, and some of Robert’s retro-style designs, such as the Express 92, rate special kudos for the designer’s ability to translate the inimitable style of past yachts into contemporary, high performance vessels. TR’s 80 foot commuter yacht, Liberty, is also a retro-style motor yacht which displays the inspiration of Gatsby-era classic lines, yet incorporates all the best design innovations and technical updates made between the 1920s and the 21st century.

Pricing

Due to the customized nature of each TR design, plus the variations in price between various boat builders, prices for TR-designed crafts are unavailable. A good rule of thumb is using the costs of custom vessels of comparable size and construction as a rough indication of the cost of a TR designed craft.

Pros

• Classic styling with updated technology
• Each design is the product of years of experienced in the mega yacht industry
• Choose from small power boats to super-sized ocean cruisers,/li>

Cons

• Yachts are by custom order only
• Wide range of vessel designs mean less focus on refinement of a few specialties
• Very limited used market

Featured Models

Notable designs from Tad Roberts of TR Design include: motor yachts Memory 38 and 44, Christensen 48, 55, and 78: lobsteryachts White Pine 38 and Johns Bay Boat 40 and 32; Passagemaker Lite 39, 41, 46, 56, and 80; sailing yachts Ragsdale 36’ twin-keel schooner, Wildcat 42’ double-ended schooner, and Fin De Siecle 108’ cutter; plus many small boats ranging from 12’ to 29.5’ .

Conclusion

TR Designs, with experienced designer and yachting architect Tad Roberts at the helm, is based in British Columbia. Offering design services for many types of craft, from small motor and sail boats to luxury ocean-going yachts over 100 feet in length, TR Designs offers the versatility that a wider customer base demands. Among the variety of designs, TR’s retro cruisers have become a hallmark of the company, reviving the classic lines of yachts make in the previous century which enjoy the benefits of updated technology.