Trident Shipworks Building High-Performance Luxury Catamarans

Florida's West Coast premier designer and builder of luxury yachts has expanded its services with the introduction of a new luxury catamaran series. Trident Shipworks Incorporated is working in conjunction with Royal Crown Yachts, Inc. to develop customized high-performance luxury catamarans. Stephen R. Nichols, President of Trident Shipworks, said, "Joining forces was a natural fit as well as a great opportunity for both companies. We have assembled a team of renowned experts who have created a new catamaran series that offers unparalleled riding comfort, range, safety, and styling. We are excited to be able to provide more options for those who are seeking a truly unique yachting experience." Trident Shipworks is a premier designer and builder of handcrafted high- tech composite state-of-the-art mega yachts. Since 1992, Trident has produced a growing fleet of unique super vessels and has earned the reputation as one of the leading builders of distinctive customized yachts. The Royal Crown Yachts, design team has focused on the development of high-quality, high-performance, composite motor yachts ranging in size from 50 to 90 feet. Uniting efforts, these two yacht companies are producing the ideal blend of advanced technology, performance, and luxury to establish new standards for catamarans. A team of international shipbuilders was assembled to create the new catamaran design. Each designer added their specialization, which offered a level of advisors no other product offering in this industry has had for a commercial project, says the comapny. Members of the team included: David Alan-Williams, whose background includes the record for the "Circumnavigation of the World" on a catamaran as well as being a key player in the construction of Prada, the first yacht in more than 140 years to keep the U.S. from contending in the America's Cup; Gary Carlin, recognized for more than 30 years as a pioneer in composite construction; Dr. Ronald Reichard, U.S. Navy advisor for composite construction projects; as well as Wes Carr, Steve Wedde, Nigel Gee, Lorene Cambell and Marc Boris, all whose knowledge and creative powers make a team of exceptional offering. The Royal Crown/Trident 50 feature two different 52-ft. designs, in the million-dollar range. One of the catamarans is a Fast Cruiser, picnic style, while the other is an express catamaran. Both are engineered to deliver the perfect blend of speed, luxury and operating efficiency. The distinctive design of the catamaran's twin hull and shallow draft design provide range comfort and security. Asymmetrical hulls with twin steps provide lift and reduce wetted surface area, which reduces water resistance, allowing the boat to plane quickly with minimal bow rise. As the boat moves forward, air is compressed in the tunnel between the hulls creating lift for a smooth, dry, efficient ride. The hulls simply skim over waves for outstanding rough-water performance. The combination of carbon fiber and Kevlar construction provide cruising speeds in excess of 40 mph with outstanding range and efficiency. The Trident Shipworks facility is located on 260,000 sq. ft. directly on Tampa Bay and can accommodate as many as six 150-ft. or larger yachts undercover. There are two fully covered 10,000-sq-ft. bays adjacent to a 450-ft. seawall. In addition to the 150-ft. plus yachts and catamaran series, Trident Shipworks Incorporated is adding a new Mega Yacht Refit Facility scheduled for completion this spring. This facility will increase Trident's service capabilities and is the only one of its kind on Florida's West Coast. The facility will also increase the number of employees adding an additional 100 people to the existing 250 employees. It is a $2 million dollar investment that increases the existing services for painting and renovation of private yachts. It includes an on-site millshop, a conditioned finishing spray booth and full mechanical ship system services.