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Bruce - Chris Craft - The final years

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8122pbrainard View Drop Down
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    Posted: September-02-2008 at 9:19pm
Bruce,
I can't find the thread where you were asking about and couldn't remember seeing wood hull Chris's in the mid to late 60's, I just pulled my Bob's Speltz's books and took a look. Sorry I don't have scanner here to post pictures.

The first vinyl deck came out in 62. It was all vinyl on the Ski and other models had some wood mixed in. The 185 HP 283 Chris V8 was it on the Ski. Larger hulls had options up to 275 HP.

64 there were some minor changes in trim.

65, 66 and 67 there were again some minor trim changes but all the 3 years all the models were the same. Still wood hulls with lots of vinyl on the decks and the 283 still the base engine.

In 68 it's the end of the Chris wood. 3 models were built but the Ski was glass.

They sure hung on to the wood till the very last. I'm sure the last 4 or 5 years the sales were terrible! It's probably why you don't see many. The last one I do remember had to be a 65 or 66 Super Sport up north. It was a beautiful boat. I would have loved it but back then we were all into speed and the weight of the wood hull made it slower that the CC's!! I don't even see mid to late 60's Chris's at all the wood boat shows I go to!!



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64 X55 Dunphy

Keep it original, Pete
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Riley View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Riley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-02-2008 at 10:16pm
Pete, I have a Chris Craft book I looked through and found a picture of a boat like the poster of that thread, too. (I can't remember which thread either). Mahognay plank with a vinyl deck. I don't know who wrote the book, but I bought it at a ABS meet in Naples Maine. I've seen the super sports with the big white fins on the side, but never a late model boat like in those pictures. They are really nice looking boats. I've never seen a glass Chris Craft ski boat, either, nor did I know they even made one.

I know where there is a nice early 60's Cavelier ski boat in Maine that I don't believe has been used for years, but I don't think the owner will ever sell it.

I wish someone would write a Correct Craft book. Maybe with all the reference material on CCF and the knowlege in the forums, someday someone will go for it.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jbear Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-03-2008 at 2:12am
Pete: I gotta say it sure is a pleasure to have you and BKH on here with us. What a wealth of info you guys are.

john
"Loud pipes save lives"



AdamT sez "I'm Canadian and a beaver lover myself"...
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8122pbrainard View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8122pbrainard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-03-2008 at 9:12am
Bruce, Bob wasn't very specific in his book on the 68 glass Ski. Maybe they ran a couple prototypes but it was too late to save themselves in the marketplace. It could have also been one of their experiments with glassing over a wood hull!!

John, Thanks but really this whole site is a wealth of knowledge. What a group of CCfaner's!!!

BTW, In volume II of Bob's "The Real Runabouts" He's got about a 8 page spread on the early Correct Craft's. Then in I believe volume IV he touches on Correct Craft again in the chapter on early classic glass.


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Keep it original, Pete
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75 stang View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 75 stang Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-03-2008 at 1:03pm
My wifes Chris is a 68 283 ss. Vinyl deck and wood plank hull yet. As near as we can tell there were less than 10 made that way in 68. My father in law says there was a 69 plywood hull version and has pointed one out on Lake Gage whenever we have been there.

The vinyl deck does not do anything for me, I would like to replace it with wood but am still struggling with that decision. Hopefully it will see the water again next summer...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Riley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-03-2008 at 1:38pm
Keep it original. Century made a fiberglass Resorter in 67 or 68 that had a wood deck with vinyl. Someone posted a pic of one that the owner converted to all wood deck. It's ugly as h**l. You've got a rare and beautiful boat.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8122pbrainard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-03-2008 at 1:59pm
Originally posted by Riley Riley wrote:

Keep it original. Century made a fiberglass Resorter in 67 or 68 that had a wood deck with vinyl. Someone posted a pic of one that the owner converted to all wood deck. It's ugly as h**l. You've got a rare and beautiful boat.


Yup - But you did expect the confirmation from me!!!


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 75 stang Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September-03-2008 at 2:07pm
I know you guys are sticklers for originality but i cant help feel cheated by the decisions to use vinyl instead of finished wood as the erlier years did. Vinyl kind of gives me a cheap feel. pictures from the previous years they at least left a wood ring around the deck with the vinyl insert on the bow. Im still searching for pics and options, I guess its not a real priority till the bottom is finished and it is rolled back over where i can see the deck again.
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