1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

[ASMech66]

Bought a boat from a charity auction 27 May 09. Its a nice classic looking boat. After a closer inspection after purchace I realized I had my boat buyers goggles on prior to buying. The cabin is rampant with mold and mildew, and there is something in the fwd bilge that smells like poo. Rot, lots of rot. The boat was sitting high and dry so I didn't think about water, when I got into the boat the cabing had water above the floor boards. Hmmm, how long was this? It is now June 26 and my wife and I have got the cabin ripped out. Long arduous process, and I/we will need your help. Its not a junk yard boat because if it can hold that much water the hulls gotta be good.

Cheers

 

[WizeOne]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

A lot of work there ASMech66. Should be a fine craft when you finish. Hope you have some good basic skills. You will definitely need them. The forum is always glad to help with specific questions.

 

[ASMech66]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

I'm a Navy mechanic, engines, transmissions, hydraulic, pnuematic, pnuedraulic, electrical, some electronics. My wife is going to be the resident sponge till next June when we anticioate it finished, she has enthuiasm, lots of it. Hope I don't wear her out. We're visiting Tidewater Machine next week and watch their process a little. They perform race builds and balancing of rotating assemblies which is .005, I'm not looking for high rpm's just something that's going to stay together. We're probably going to be putting more money into than it's worth but my/our philosiphy is if it's worth building, build it better. We've been experimenting on CPES penitration in scrap pieces of wood and just about got the formula down for our needs. Walking surfaces and below will be CPES'd and then urethane'd. The walking surfaces will be white oak unless someone tells me I can use standard red oak, the oak will be stained a honey oak color.

 

[ASMech66]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

Another thing is, I don't think Chris Craft was not very space concious in 1973, so we'll just have to try and utilize the square and cubic footage a little better. Our CPES scrap pieces also served another purpose,,, weight per square foot. That will be important while designing and installing new wood,,, the whole weight and balance thing is pretty important so we will have to be concious of how much goes in port, starboar, forward and aft. I know we won't be able to get it perfect but we will at least try. I've only done small areas of fiberglassing in the past, so that will be a learning curve. We may have acquired OCD since we bought it, hehehe

 

[lucid484]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

WOW you have a chris craft commander! one of the finest vessels built....the hull on some of them is almost 1 1/2" thick!

this might get you started! http://www.network54.com/Forum/424840/


or this http://www.commanderclub.com/

i've been searching for a commander for a decent price for a few years now!...i'm jealous lol

 

[ASMech66]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

The cabin is finally empty/gutted. The replacement wood deminsional and plywood will be purchased next week and allowed to dry for 5 weeks. We're going to put spacers between all the wood while it dries out to allow for circulation. The cabins framework will go in, then rewiring in August and then the surface wood work will begin. We're taking a ton of pictures of before and after so we'll know where the framework goes back in.

 

[keepNitreel]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

The cabin is finally empty/gutted. The replacement wood deminsional and plywood will be purchased next week and allowed to dry for 5 weeks. We're going to put spacers between all the wood while it dries out to allow for circulation. The cabins framework will go in, then rewiring in August and then the surface wood work will begin. We're taking a ton of pictures of before and after so we'll know where the framework goes back in.

Auh....we like picture too

Hint, Hint

 

[ASMech66]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

Some before pictures are on their way, then after demolition pictures.

 

[ASMech66]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

more cabin photos

 

[ASMech66]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

still more

 

[ASMech66]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

more

 

[Nico2112]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

What a beautiful boat

I can't wait to see how it looks once you "pimp" it

Keep us updated.

 

[lucid484]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

I LOVE chris craft commanders

just please please don't do anything stupid to ruin its classic lines like cut a hole to add an AC unit or add a sliding glass door to the back of the bridge. I cringe whenever I see a beutiful commander butchered by someone lol

 

[ASMech66]

Re: 1973 Chris Craft Sedan w/ Flybridge

We're going to close off the helm area with mahogany, door, three large windows, same size as the side and front windows. It will give it more room and I still get to fish off the back