31' 1963 Chris Craft

[sbooy42]

OK so my dad texted me a picture of this boat and I thought he was joking about buying it... Well nope they bought it and the project is now mine. Besides the 2 photos I have yet to see this boat and probably wont for a couple weeks.

Title says 31' 1963 Chris Craft Cavalier. It has twin 327 V8s.
He said the interior is in good shape, engine compartment is clean and water free. Been 3 yrs since the boat has been in the water. The previous owner did winterize it 3 yrs ago when he pulled it out. From what my dad says the bottom just needs some new paint and some of the wood on top needs to be re-done.

I am posting here looking for info on this boat as I am having a hard time finding any... maybe a Chris Craft or wooden boat forum or something??

Thank you

 

[Ned L]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

There is a Chris Craft owners club, you should be able to find lots of information there. Also, if you contact the Mariners Museum in Newport News Va, they have all the build records of C.C. - send them the hull # (and a nominal fee) and they will send you all the original information (exactly when built, colors, options, & where she was shipped to). The "Cavalier" was sort of C.C.'s entry level of boats, they are sheet plywood construction. The C.C. marine engines were just small block Chevy's, so parts are no problem. Being a fresh water boat the engines may still have good life in them even if raw water cooled. The boat looks like it had been taken care of over the years. Enjoy!

 

[smclear]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

Wow. I would kill for that. You might check with these guys for info.

http://www.marinersmuseum.org/library/chris-craft

I'm not sure if they have the records for the cruisers. They certainly do have them for the runabouts. If nothing else, I guarantee they can steer you in the right direction. Might also try

ACBS.org


Beat me to it Ned L

 

[sbooy42]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

Thanks for the info guys

Ned, I hope your right about it being taken care of. I was little taken back when they said they bought it.. I already have enough boat projects. But your posts are making me feel better..=)

Hope to post more pics in the near future..

 

[Ned L]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

If it were me, the first thing I would do would be to look at how the boat is sitting on that trailer. If the trailer is built as a decent cradle that holds the boat properly then no problem. If it is just the two big I-beams then there may be all sorts of nasty issues with the bottom (mis-shapened, the I-beams pushing the bottom up). That should be real easy to see, and unfortunately not easy to fix if there are significant problems. The next thing I'd do woud be to check her bilge to see where the 3 years of rain water have been settling (to see if there is a large pool of water that could allow for rot). Hopefully there is a drain plug that was pulled (usually up forward probably just forward of the bulkhead between the dinette & foreward V-berth area (if there is how she is set up). Then I'd start a general survey.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

I hope your a hands on guy who loves and lives for working on the boat. That seems to be how every larger wood cabin cruiser owner (successful ones) seem to be. When they sit, most of them end up being scrapped.

The bones of the boat are in good shape? No rot, no bugs, no loose fasteners?

 

[sbooy42]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

I hope your a hands on guy who loves and lives for working on the boat. That seems to be how every larger wood cabin cruiser owner (successful ones) seem to be. When they sit, most of them end up being scrapped.

The bones of the boat are in good shape? No rot, no bugs, no loose fasteners?

Havent seen the boat in person.. I am a hands on, mechanical guy with the space and tools to do the job.. Time is the problem (3 kids & other projects) lol...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

I'd say hire a professional surveyor and if there are ANY structural issues with the hull, abandon ship; if the hull (including ribs, etc) are solid, have fun.

 

[sbooy42]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

I'd say hire a professional surveyor and if there are ANY structural issues with the hull, abandon ship; if the hull (including ribs, etc) are solid, have fun.

Yeah if I run into any of those issues I am out..Should have no problem recouping the money by selling a few things off it..

 

[82rude]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

ive owned woodys for many years now ,theres nothing that cant be fixed if your willing to work.mind you mine are a lot smaller but the work is the same just on a larger scale.good luck .

 

[sbooy42]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

Well my parents came up last night and my mom had pictures of the inside and WOW.. it looks nice.. Beautiful Mahogany and the upholstery looks really nice..They also told me it was shrink wrapped for the 3yrs that its been sitting. And come to find out a good friend of dads spend 10 yrs working on and refinishing Chris Craft Hulls and he is excited to help with the boat.. So things are looking good...

I will try to get some of the interior photos posted..

 

[Vankaye]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

I wanna see! I wanna see!!!!!

 

[Ned L]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

Things sound encouraging, good luck! ----- You know, boat for boat (wood vs plastic) there really isn't that much difference in the amount of work required between the two. Different kinds of work certainly, but to keep a glass boat and a wood boat up properly both take work. In the time it takes to properly clean, compound & wax a glasss hull you can pretty much sand & paint a wood hull, etc, etc. I think the biggest difference is that you can ignore glass longer and do no work at all and it will not suffer as much.

 

[TregoMark]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

Looking forward to seeing this one on the water...

 

[sbooy42]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

Me too Trego...=)
Heres the interior photos...

 

[25thmustang]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

I love the mahogany in those old Chris Crfts! Looks very nice inside!

 

[Ned L]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

Looks good. Nice traditional layout below, looks to be original (good thing). 'Cozy', but she is designed to sleep six (two up forward, two on the dinette (table top should fit betwen the seats and the backrests unhook to fill in on top of the table top), and two on he settee (the backrest hinges up and hangs from the two straps which clip to the overhead).
I'd check out below the port trunk cabin windows where the varnish is lifting & some water staining is beginning. Find out what is causing that and take care of it before something major develops.

 

[sbooy42]

Re: 31' 1963 Chris Craft

Yeah I noticed that too Ned... This weekend I am headed down to my parents and will get to put my eyes on her...