Unknown hull??? Free project???

[crackedglass]

I looked at a free boat on CL a while back, there's no paperwork with it but I like the hull and its potential.
The current owner says he was told it was made by Chris Craft but several emails to Chris Craft and lots of research say they never made any such hull.

Not that it matters in the end but I'd really like to know what this thing is.
I can title is as homemade to get on the water due to the level of reconstruction that will be needed.
The hull is a straight inboard set up, it had an Inline 6 motor, but the owner didn't remove it and isn't sure what brand the drive was.
His plan was to run a pair of Seadrives on back when they were still available new. The transom is 4" thick, what little wood that is in the hull is rock solid. The original layout was a basic 24' runabout with a shallow motor box. It will basically need to be repowered and have a floor installed, along with building a new motor box and what ever sort of enclosure I decide to go with.

Any ideas who may have built this thing?
Any idea as to its true age? I'm sort of guessing mid to late 60's?

Free Boat

 

[GWPSR]

Re: Unknown hull??? Free project???

It looks like someone took a cuddy cabin cruiser and tried to turn it into a runabout. The windows and bow rail suggest that there would have been a raised area in the bow over the cuddy. The 'things' on the side (They're too high to be strakes, and positioned oddly to be chines) look like they came off a donor tinny.

It looks like it might have had a walk-around helm too, which would make the profile unrecognizable now.

If those portholes are original, that and the crease in the hull midway down may be the best distinguishing feature to compare to online pics.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Unknown hull??? Free project???

That has to be one heavy glass boat. Almost looks like it could have had a sail on her. The high rails in front are different type of boat, not the type that would plane out, more like push through? Keep us posted oin this, looks like it could be a fun project.

 

[trooper2man]

Re: Unknown hull??? Free project???

That has to be one heavy glass boat. Almost looks like it could have had a sail on her. The high rails in front are different type of boat, not the type that would plane out, more like push through? Keep us posted oin this, looks like it could be a fun project.

Guys...pretty sure that is a sailboat in some previous life...with the cuddy cabin removed

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Unknown hull??? Free project???

1) What are NJ's rules for boats w/out titles? Are you positive you can register it as a homebuilt?
2) Ask for more pix, from the stern, looking forward into the boat & the bow, a few shots of the 'inboard setup'
3) A trailer to fit a 23ft boat isn't going to be inexpensive.
4) I doubt it used to be a sailboat, IMHO, the lines of the hull look completely wrong, not sleek & slender at all, the stern's profile doesn't look right for a sail rig either,

No title, no papers, hull only, no motor, no interior, no trailer.
This is a project boat.
Super solid construction, inboard set up hull

Interesting prospects, if you register it as homebuilt, do you really need to know the maker?

That said, best of luck getting an ID, not much to go on, but maybe enough for someone to recognize.

If I were interested in grabbing this rig, I'd start w/ Connecticut reg#'s on the hull, might try to get info that way....

Free boats are often some of the most expensive holes in the water ever.......

 

[crackedglass]

Re: Unknown hull??? Free project???

Connecticut was no help, they said the numbers have been off the books since long before they computerized their system. The last registration I believe is from 1983.
It don't appear to have ever been a sale boat, the stringers are all original and untouched and the motor sits almost midship. The only thing remaining from the old set up is the hole in the bottom for the prop shaft.
The boat had a stand alone windshield at one time, but there's no sign of a rear support or roof. My guess it was just a huge runabout.
The side strakes are typical from what I've seen on other older boats like this.
The hull is wide, at least a 9' beam, maybe more. The trailer its on is for a 19' boat at best, its half on the trailer, half on a pair of boat stands. It dwarfs the trailer under it.
The glass is an average of 3/4" thick from what I can see, maybe more in some places.
I sort of picture the interior to have been wide open with a couple of captains chairs at the dash with open storage under the forward deck. The floor appears to have been pretty high up, leaving most of the motor below deck. The stringers are deep, maybe 16" or so off the bottom of the boat.

The boat has no HIN numbers on it, and since the construction would mean a major redesign, and the hull is not identifiable as any particular make, they basically would have no other choice but to call it "Homemade" or 'Other' under manufacturer.
I have two boats right now that were done this way. Both were built by brands not in the system or too small or gone long before they issued MIC designations.

Either way, if for no other reason then pure curiosity, I'd like to figure out who made this thing. No doubt someone had a mold for this hull, its not likely its the only one ever made. It came from CT, so most likely it was built nearby, but that's never a definite either.
They were certainly going for the look of a 1950's Chris Craft wood hull, the windows and strakes make me think of a 1955 wooden CC Express model. Who ever built it was using some CC design cues such as the strakes, port windows, etc. The bow rail looks original, the hardware is old, the deck has reinforcement where it mounts, and there's foot wear where the chain section break in the rail is from boarding at the dock. The boat looks and feels huge for its size.
My thought was to either repower it with a small modern diesel or make and mount a motor bracket off the back. The transom is already reinforced to take a pair of sea drives, so a bracket and two outboards may be the ticket for a little more speed.
I don't figure it'll ever be fast, I don't care for it to be. Its just a cool looking old cruiser to fish from. I sort of picture it with a half cabin of sorts, a three sided glass structure with a glass roof or even just a soft enclosure.

The big cost would be in time more than money. I've still not decided if I want another project but I can picture what it could be when its all done.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Unknown hull??? Free project???

I would NOT touch that boat. For the money required to repair it and get it up to snuff would FAR FAR exceed the value.

Keep shopping. I would not spend more time with it.