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Chris Craft boats was a part time “duck hunting” wooden boat maker in 1874.

It became a fulltime boat building operation owned and run by Christopher Columbus Smith and his brother Henry later. The boats were a part of a mix of carving duck decoys and selling their “catch” at times.

1910 saw a two style boat builder, either boat runabouts or boat  race boats.

Now, in 1925, is the first use of the name “Chriscraft”, as a single word, run together. Boat sales were 111 units in 1925 including Chris Craft race boats.

In 1927 Chris Craft Boats first started building boats year around and 447 boats were made in runabouts, racing boats, commuters, and cabin boats called sedans..

Post WWII, Chris Craft used more and more styles of boats including cabin cruisers and cedar wood  joined various types of wood called mahogany. These pieces were made into planks and large panels, both in plywood sheets and also cut into planks arranged as both smooth-sided and clinker-built planked hulls.

In the fifties, by also expanding to other boat building material choices, Chris Craft reached higher sales levels. Steel, Aluminum, and Fiberglass added more choices and unit sales went over 8,000 units. Fiberglass cabin tops and other parts preceded  fiberglass hulls. Chris Craft boats, cruisers, and yachts built a good provn hull and they did not want to lose that in their transition to an all fiberglass boat.

Chris Craft had 10 open, two closed plants and an administration building in their business by 1965.

By the way, the latest good read on Chris Chris, the building of Chris Craft, and inside the factories is The new book by Tony Mollica and Chris Smith, ISBN 978-0-7603-3592-5.

Seabuddy recommends it as a great gift item to any boater.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, lives up to its nickname as “Yachting Capital of the World”, hosting the 51st Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show on October 28-November 1, 2010. With more than 3 million square feet of space over five locations, the show’s transportation network of bus shuttles, water taxis, and riverboats ensures attendees can easily navigate the boat show and its expansive waterways system.

Show exhibits range from yacht builders and designers to exotic cars and brokerage yachts. A wide variety of boats and sea vessels will be on display including runabouts, sportfishers, high performance boats, center consoles, cabin cruisers, flats boats, skiffs, express cruisers, sailing yachts, motor yachts, bowriders, catamarans, ski boats, jet boats, trawlers, inflatables, canoes, and extraordinary superyachts. Added attractions include The Blue Wild Dive Show, IGFA’s School of Sportfishing and Hook the Future’s Kids Fishing Clinics.

The simultaneous starting of a couple hundred engines and sounding of boat horns marked the close of the 39^th annual United States Powerboat Show in Annapolis Sunday evening.  A weekend of glorious weather followed the first day of rain, and people came out by the thousands to tour these magnificent boats.  Attendance more than doubled the rain-soaked 2009 show and rivaled the numbers of 2008, making this one of the best attendance years in the event’s history.

“This industry needed a shot in the arm and a signal that the worst of the sales slump is behind us,” said Paul Jacobs, General Manager of United States Yacht Shows, producers of the event.  “Large enthusiastic crowds, along with the many boats being sold over the four-day event could be a sign that the recovery has begun.  We certainly hope that is the case.  It felt like a far more positive mood among sellers and buyers than the past two years.”

Show Manager, Dee Newman, reported that “Boats of all sizes and styles were sold this year, according to our exhibitors.  Everything from runabouts to trawlers, and tugs to express cruisers shared in the success.  Many sea trials are scheduled to take place in the next few days,” she added.  “We are very happy for them.”

After two consecutive weekends of shows, the Annapolis Boat Shows crew began the daunting task of removing a city of tents and a marina of floating docks.  In just three days, 300 docks will be towed away and hauled out of the water for storage.  Sixty temporary pilings will be pulled from the harbor.  Two hundred and fifty tents, six hundred tent floors, and miles of electrical cable will be removed and put in storage for another year, awaiting next year’s extravaganza.  By Wednesday evening there will be no remaining indication that an event even took place here.  Only a fond memory of 90,000 people having toured hundreds of boats and over 1,100 exhibitors will remain; that and an estimated 60 million dollar economic impact to local business, non-profit organizations, and the state and local governments. 

Alter Ego with its 1,500 Hp engine sold for $92,500. Alter Ego is a 1958 unlimited hydroplane built by race boat builder Staudacher.

DESCRIPTION

Courtesy of Fred Farley:

Lester (“Les”) Staudacher designed and built some of the sport’s most successful Unlimited hydroplanes. Boats of his design won 51 races between 1953 and 1971. In 1956, Staudacher began construction on a conventional three-point hydroplane for Paul Sawyer that wasn’t put in the water for eighteen years. Tentatively titled ALTER EGO, the project was abandoned when Sawyer retired from racing. The unfinished craft was placed in storage. But Les and his helpers would occasionally “tinker” with it over the next decade when time permitted. The boat without a name was finally rescued from obscurity by Bob Schroeder.

I first read about ALTER EGO in 1956. It was mentioned in the Seafair Program as being in preparation (by designer/builder Les Staudacher). In 1959, it was reported being close to completion. Around this time, Paul’s wife became ill. He retired from racing and never realized his Unlimited Class ambition. The boat was placed in storage where it remained for many years.

Staudacher’s workers, throughout the 1960s, would occasionally “tinker” with ALTER EGO when they were between projects. Sawyer rejected all offers to buy ALTER EGO. He finally gave it to Bob Schroeder because Bob was “like family.” (Paul was in fact Bob Schroeder, Jr.’s Godfather.)

Schroeder finally put the boat in the water in 1974 and ran it in a few races as the unnamed CU-22, powered by an Allison. It finished 8th at both Detroit, Michigan, and Dayton, Ohio.

In 1983, Schroeder loaned ALTER EGO to Jim Sedam who ran it as MISS TOSTI ASTI. This was the first Unlimited to be driven by Todd Yarling. Todd’s best finish was a third in the Missouri Governor’s Cup at Lake-of-the-Ozarks.

Over the last two decades, Schroeder has entered ALTER EGO in quite a few Antique Boat Shows and taken many people for rides in it prior to selling the boat to the Warner Collection.

This Connecticut based, Canadian built wood classic boat was the one that the Judges selected for their own CHOICE. The Judges Choice Award is a top honor at the Chesapeake Bay Chapter – ACBS 11 acres of classic Wood Boats and other festival events that was held over father’s day weekend in the 18 acres of grounds of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD.

Shepherd at classic boat show

Chris’ Shepherd, at 22’, is the larger and more luxurious of the two sizes that Shepherd offered in 1961, with a rear mounted Chrysler Hemi engine that is the top power using a v-drive to get the power reversed so the prop shaft can be under the boat. Smooth and fast, the boat is perfectly matched with the V-8 “Hemi” marine power.

Shepherd’s Boats, made their fine craft during the time she was hand crafted, in Canada, at Niagara-On-The-Lake in the province of Ontario. The 7’ 4”beam boat features all mahogany planking. Double (two layers) on the bottom, with one layer on the sides backed up with battens behind the plank seams. Look at the photos, she looks like she was carved, not assembled with screws and bolts.

1961 Shepherd V-drive

Shepherd’s Boats, made their fine craft during the time she was hand crafted, in Canada, at Niagara-On-The-Lake in the province of Ontario. The 7’ 4”beam boat features all mahogany planking. Double (two layers) on the bottom, with one layer on the sides backed up with battens behind the plank seams. Look at the photos, she looks like she was carved, not assembled with screws and bolts.

The Shepherds started their company in 1928. they moved the plant to be closer to the water in 1939. The family sold the business to a private individual in the late 1950s. He ran the company with the same attention to detail until 1966, when Trojan Boat Company, from the USA, bought Shepherd  to import the Sheherds to the US and build popular Trojan models in Canada. Trojan was into Cabin Cruisers more than runabouts and re-shaped Shepherd into that mold. Shepherd went on to built up to 54’ in length yachts using fiberglass hulls. By the late 1970s, things had changed for Canadian Boat Builders. These changes caused Shepherd Boats to close its doors in early 1978.

…with their boats at a Classic Boat Show and afternoon Classic Boat River Lake Cruise

Save the date, Saturday, 10/2/2010 and for more info about this PA event call Brian Gagnon at (856) 596-3390 ext 2224. Note: if Brian is in town, he’ll get right back to you. If he is traveling, just wait a few days, he’ll get bak to you. If its two weeks and you still did not hear back from him, call again, as your message got lost somewhere.

Triple Award Winner - Rybovich yacht - Sam V

On June 20, 2010, Bob and Betsy’s Sam V won three Classic Boat Show top awards including “Best of Show – Preserved”.

Rybovich yacht - Sam V

SAM V has been owned by Bob and Betsy of Palm Beach Gardens, FL since 2000. They are primary members of the Sunnyland Chapter – ACBS and new secondary members of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter – ACBS.

Sam V at the St Michaels Maritime museum bulkhead

“Sam V was built in 1964 by Rybovich and Sons in West Palm Beach, Florida as the FRISKY LADY.  Hull number 58 (out of 126 rybovich boats to date), she was the third to last of the classic “Dayboats,” without a bulkhead separating the cockpit from the deckhouse. From 1965 on all Rybovich boats had bulkheads and were 40′ to 50′ plus. This boat measures 37 feet, with a 12 foot beam and draws 3.5 feet. She has no keel which makes her particularly maneuverable when fishing. This design is truly the precursor upon which all modern sportfishermen in America are based.  She was specifically designed for sailfishing off of Florida, tuna fishing in the Bahamas and marlin/tuna fishing in the Northeast US.

Each Rybovich is custom built to meet the owners preferences. For example, the first owner had the cabin painted in a light washed finish, so all the trim below was made of ash instead of the traditional mahogany. Of note however, the fighting chair, the transom door and outriggers are just as original.  Originally outfitted with V-8 gas engines, she has had Cummins diesel engines for the last 30 years and cruises at 20 knots and goes 27 knots wide open.”

Show Winner, Antique and Classic Boat Show

Crowd Stopper Show Boat

Sam V homeports in Fl while the Classic Boat Show is in St Michaels, MD

409 S Talbot St. or 410-745-3081go early to beat the crowd

Fresh, local caught, Rockfish (stripped bass) prepared by the Chef at Ava’s Wine Bar and  Pizza Café on Talbot St. (the main street in St. Miachaels) is the off menu special treat  for visitors and locals Sat-Sun, June 19-20 or until the fisherman’s catch runs out.

I tired to get some Friday, June 18 and had not come in yet. Seabuddy / chris brown chases this special  as its such a treat. I will have to come back on Sat., I guess.

Rockfish with a light Lemom-caper-pecan-butter sauce is just the right preparation to compliment off fresh fish.

For a pre-course, try the Green Bean and Prosciutto salad with Parmesan Cheese and Ponzu Style Dressing or share three of Ma’s Meatballs as a slider with house-made mozzarella.

Short Ribs is a good dinner if you do not want the fish special. Of course, there is also gourmet pizza that made the Café’s reputation, too.

BTW, do not pass up the opportunity to try a small order of the Desert Donuts for a unique treat.