restoring 1942 Chris Craft wood Special Runabout

17’ 0” by 5’ 8”, special light weight (by about 130 lbs – about 7%; with a lower hull side aft and a slightly narrower (5%) beam. A true double planked Mahogany wood Classic Chris Craft, although technically by ACBS rules she is within the designation of an “Antique”. An Antique Class wood boat is a boat built from the years 1919 and up to and including 1942.

The original Chris Craft engine has been rebuilt, the double bottom planking is now all replaced, and the hull side planking is new. The Deck is pretty much all original wood.

Coming along but more to do

This one is still in the shop with many happy hours of labor ahead for her owner to bring her up to high restoration standards in all areas. Since the boat is a 1942 model and the owner was born in 1942, he mentally associates her good health with his. An interesting standard for one’s health and a fine one by me.

Here's what she will look like when finished

This project is ongoing at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD.

The Museum runs an “Apprentice for a Day” program for several weekends each year.

You can watch, learn, and do at each stage of a wood boat Building along side a master craftsman boat builder.

Cheap, easy to join, call Dan Sutherland at 410-745-2916 ext 186.

Join anytime at any step of any boat building, but the next boat building project starts for 13-18 year old teens on June 19-20. Us old men should look to the project starting 10/16-17, 2010 or the one starting on 11/13-14, 2010.

special water ski offset helm and controls

If you are a boater, find and inspect this ski boat. It changes the game for water skiers. All other ski boats are now outdated and a distant second or lower place in the pecking order for WaterSki, Salom Ski, Trick Ski, and other water sports.

The Nautique 200 open bow / bow rider is all new. Ski Nautique looked at everything and made all the changes that no one else would.

Look at the new water ski bottom shape, look at the new water ski hull chine locations, the new water ski saddlebag ski gear and ski storage, the new water ski underseat storage, the double wide water ski observer’s seat, the new water ski engine hatch, the new pylon release, the waterski rearview, the waterski swim platform,  the water ski Dash and its location, the  water ski in/out rear seat, the easy walk over water and platform waterski access, water ski gear storage box, the water ski bow rider comfort…There is more, but see this boat for yourself.

Its won awards at the boat shows, on land in the magazine editor’s minds, on the water via setting at least three new records, and recognized by boat owner’s that it’s the new top bow rider boat in a WaterSki Boat.

She stays "glued-in" for the best water ski performance

LOA 20’ 0” boat

LOA 21’ 10” boat and swim platform together

Beam 7’ 11”

Weight 2,800 lbs

under seat storage bow and step

As they say…The Next Chapter In Ski Boat History.
And Only Nautique Could Write It…Introducing the all-new Ski Nautique 200 – Open Bow. It’s identical in weight, balance and wake to the new 200 – Closed Bow. Their common hull has greater lift, riding higher on the water, creating impeccable handling and the softest wake in ski boat history. You ride through it instead of over it, making the 200 the ideal ski boat for slalom skiers at all speeds and rope lengths.

The Ski Nautique 200 – Open Bow features comfortable bow seating and a tournament seat that can be stowed underneath the observer’s seat for easy bow access. The all-new dash is positioned to create a superior field of vision, and the 200 – Team Edition features the revolutionary Nautique LINC System. Twin saddlebag compartments hold up to 6 sets of water skis and gear. The new Ski Nautique 200 – Open Bow is the next chapter in ski boat history. And only Nautique could write it…

water ski saddle storage on both cockpit sides

Billed as a crossover this one is very good at wake board water sports and fair to good at family lake boating and not any better than a I/O at ski activities in my opinion… while wasting fuel in the process. Wasting fuel? Yes, an v drive inboard burns about 20% more fuel than an I/O, in general. Why? The I/O has power trim to get the boat to run at its most efficient cruising speed. While the 226 Nautique has a wake plate and ballast system, in this case, it does not cause the boat to be adjustable enough to get to the best fuel efficiency cruising speed. Just look at the top speed numbers in the low 40s compared to similar I/O boats getting speeds in the high 50s with 343 to 409 Hp engines. 

Check out the reversible skier observer seat to port, its great and a new idea in family boating. Or you have a looking-at-the-kids up front in the bow rider area with two easy flips of a sturdy cushion.

Boat hull length is 22’ 7” but the way most boats are listed in today’s marketplace that is an unfair measurement. Its more correct to use 24’ 10” as an LOA. That is the length of the hull and the swim platform combined. She has a narrow 8’ 2” beam with a weight of about 4,450 lbs. rated to carry 2150 lbs of people and gear as she does have a “dam” to step over to get into the cockpit from the swim platform. That dam allows for a heavier load before she takes on water as compared to a true walk-in transom. Look for it in the final photo in the boat to port at alongside the engine cover.

Malibu Boats re-did their 23 LSV for the 2010 model year and carried over the best from the past model and added some outstanding new features.

In my mind, for a land review  these three things first.

Check the bottom shape of the hull. This is very important to Malibu for their wake Setter leader. The first 10’ of the hull is special, but focus on the last 10’ of the hull to see all the design work and on-water testing that gives a pull for wakeboarding like few other.

Then check the venting around the driver’s seat / windshield area. Malibu got more air to the driver for 2010.

Finally, check the seating during an on-land inspection by climbing in and sitting in several places within the cockpit. The company uses three different foams in its seating to give the best comfort and shape for both a quick ride and a full morning of wake boarding activity.

Boat engine Power? Lots of boat power choices in 2010 for you. 350 Hp is standard and up to 505 Hp is available. But power does not change top speed that much between all the choices. Think water sports pulling ability out of the hole with your choice of engine. The 505 Hp has the reputation of being able to rip the rope handle out of your hand with a fully loaded boat. Do you need that? Save that decision for after a sea trial, on-the-water test.

The 23 LSV is astern engine location only boat, no center of the boat location for the engine?  Yes, it is the one Malibu designed for wakeboarding.

Transom boarding? No walk-thru, it’s a climb over design. Why? The higher, harder to climb over design allows for more “people carrying” as a capacity number under the Coast Guard rule book.

 www.malibuboats.com

Miami area Dealer…

www.lakeplacidmarine.com

My words but Malibu helped with the photos. Thanks.