Thread: Boat ID?? chris craft?

It would be much easier to ID this boat if there where images of the inside framing. Each manufacture had a fairly unique way of doing things. How is it fastened? Any sawn frames in the forward sections? Do the frames go under a keelson? Are the frames "pocketed" in the forward sections?

That doesn't appear to be a Chris Craft Sea Skiff (I own a 27', 1960 Sea Skiff). The skeg is wrong, the bow not shaped right, though difficult to tell and you're correct they have flat transoms. The curved transom isn't a difficult addition and may have been added later. Also the plank count is wrong for a 21' Chris skiff.

Precise details of how she's built, will be a better way to ID her then looking at her naked profile.

thanks im not really sure what most of those terms mean but ill have a got at describing her. Fastened by copper rivets along planking and as shown by the picture it looks as if the frames do run under the keelson (still not sure on terms) hopefully this pic makes more sense of it ill put another few up tomorrow.

Nope, there's no keelson in the image, nor do the frames run under it. It's still difficult to tell, but it's surly not a Chris Craft, because all the frames are bent. It seems the wrong shape for a Lyman which is a clenched boat.

Are you sure about the rivets? Could they be clenches or screws? Are the frames also riveted or is the planking screwed to them? Can you invert the image and post others of the forefoot area? Close ups of the stem and how the frames land there would be helpful.

She appears to be very lightly built. Most American lapped builds would have two heavy engine bed stringers, running from the transom to as far forward as they could, stopping about where the dash is on this. These beds would be several inches tall, standing on edge, perpendicular to the LWL and usually notched for the seating area forward of the engine.

Ok all these photos where taken a few weeks ago as this boat is only worked apon during the university holidays but hopefully some of these following pics will help.
Im pretty sure they are rivets but as i havnt really spent much time inside the boat im not 100%. The frames/ribs also seem to be riveted. Also i did remove an old rotten engine mount which is kinda like what u describe the keelson to be and you can see the remnants of it on that photo of the transom.

Yep, those are the engine bed stringers. They provide a huge portion of the longitudinal stiffness to the hull, so be careful about moving her around, until they're returned to her.

She's not the usual lot of suspects. Can't be a Chris Craft, nor a Lyman, Thomson or Owens.

In all honesty, you may never find out what she is. During the 1940's and 50's lapstrake boats made huge inroads into the pleasure boat markets. They did because the pioneers developed very light weight structures that could tolerate the strains of being a powerboat. The lighter they where, the better and faster then ran. My Chris Craft is one of the smoothest riding things you can ask for at 35 knots. Unlike most era contemporaries and modern craft of similar size and configuration, she easily beats them, all on less then 200 HP too. The only major change I'd make to her is to install an I/O drive, instead of the straight shaft. It would clean up the cockpit without a big 'ol engine box in the middle, she'd steer a 1000% better, especially at low speed and I could have the helm seating on a single plane.

She may not be an American build. If it were me, I'd look under the aft deck and foredeck for clues as to what she is. Often a manufacture will hide a hull number, maybe a logo, etc. in these places.

Thanks heaps for that ill try and trace back through the previous owners to see if they have any idea. After the paints gone the engine bed stringers will be one of the first things i will replace. Ill continue posting pics and work done on her as i go and any help/advice along the way would be much appreciated as i am still an amateur when it comes to boat restoration. Any ideas on the internal layout/windscreen shape would also be helpful. cheers lachlan
ps ill have a look in a couple of weeks for a logo or hull number.