A Modern Take On a Beloved Classic
The Wheeler family is building yachts again, and we found our latest inspiration for the new Wheeler 55 in the 1931 Wheeler catalog.
The New Wheeler 55
This luxury yacht blends the iconic look of the 1931 Wheeler Playmate with modern technology and unrivaled craftsmanship. Experience inspired luxury while cruising the open seas.
Wheeler was among the iconic custom boat builders of the 1930s – including Herreshoff, Trumpy, Elco and Matthews – who defined the classic look of the era and helped to transform the industry for decades to come.
In the 1930s, Wheeler’s custom-built, all-wood luxury yachts had displacement hulls and gasoline engines and were capable of just 13-15 miles per hour. Only the finest materials and premium equipment available at the time were used: Philippine mahogany interiors, Burmese teak cockpits, Sterling marine engines, monel tanks, oak frames and keels.
These high-end details and American craftsmanship earned Wheeler Yachts a reputation for being the best.
We are proud to continue our tradition of quality with our next generation of yachts. The new Wheeler 55 captures the nostalgia of this great period in shipbuilding history and couples it with today’s modern technologies and comforts.
Principle Characteristics
- Materials Douglas Fir, Sapele Mahogany, and Teak
- Length Overall 55’5”
- Length on Design Waterline 54’7”
- Beam 16’9”
- Draft 4’6”
- Displacement 56,000 lbs.
- Fuel Capacity 960 gallons
- Fresh Water Capacity 160 gallons
- Black Water Capacity 65 gallons
- Engines 2 x MAN V8-1000
- Standard Engines 2 x MAN i6-850
- Speed at Half-Load Displacement 27 Knots
- Speed at Cruising RPM 23 Knots
- Range at Cruising Speed 300 Miles
- Air Conditioning Unit Dometic
- Generator 21.5 KW Cummins
- Gyro Stabilizer SeaKeeper
- Dynamic Trim Tabs Zipwake
A Modern Take On a Beloved Classic
The Original 50-56′ Playmates
Built in the early 1930s, the original 50- to 56-foot Playmates were artfully constructed for superior seaworthiness and luxury. Wheeler meticulously incorporated the finest materials available, including mahogany cabin, trim and hulls; white oak ribs and frames; and all-bronze fasteners.
With its sleek design features and unrivaled speed, this vessel helped solidify Wheeler’s yacht-making legacy.
The 56-foot Playmate of 1931 was the inspiration for the Wheeler Family to reimagine the new 55-foot model. It was the ultimate luxury vessel for living abroad with two large state rooms, lounge, salon, gallery, promenade deck, and sleeping capacity for six. It was powered with twin Sterling 150 HP gasoline engines with reduction gear and would cruise at 14 to 16 miles per hour.
