TOPIC: Chris Craft Model?

I know we're uusually talking about smaller boats here,
ButI may have an opportunity to get this boat for a couple hundred bucks. I know it's a Chris Craft, I just don't know anything else about it, as she was abandoned at a marina and the info plate appears to have been striped from the boat along with the wheel, name plates, some lights and some vents.
If you could take a look at this picture and give me your guess as to what model and year it is (along with anything else you may know about this particular model), I it would be greatly appreciated.
Cabin top is fiberglass, bottom may be double planked, but I can't tell for sure. She has twin CC big V's for power. I think she's about 30' long.
Bottom looks pretty good, a few cupped planks, but nothing too bad. Interior is a shambles.
Sincerely,
Tom Carson

I canot tell if the hull planking is lapstrake or carvel. If it's lapstrake, then it is a Sea Skiff model. It has the shape of a 1960s era boat.

Look for the hull ID stamped into the wood of one of the stringers near one of the engines. It may also be on engine hatches.

Have you asked your questions at the Chris-Craft forum? www.chris-craft.org

Andreas

Looks to be one of the 1960's Constellation series. Bottom should be carvel over plywood, topsides are carvel with seam battens
Typically twin 318's if repowered (crusaders) but originally this came with twin 327's
Check this one out on yachtworld www.yachtworld.com/boats/1968/Chris-craft-Constellation-2104895/Traverse-City%2C/MI/United-States

You are in NC I see you may have a fighting chance with her. If she was a lake boat rule of thumb is if it smells like rot or mold it is. Check the bilge for oil damage to the wood, the 12 volt wiring will need to be brought up to code. I removed all wiring from my Owens and started over with all new marine boat cable. Starter with the motors and genset (12 volt side of it) to the cabin etc... then crescendo'd with the 110 volt. Check the bronze fasteners look at them see if they snap easily. Remove any stainless fasteners. The stainless comes out of the wood easier than the bronze but you need to carefully work to remove the bronze. Worth every dime for a proper refasten job. The metals are not that dis-similar but your insurance will want them out. Prove to them you are insurance worthy and blow some coin on some bronze! The fasteners may look good from the outside but what happens is the inside gets reddish and at that point they are no good they have no real strength left in them. Take a few months and do a good refastening program on her bottom then check the top sides real good. Remove the old DO NOT just drive a fastener in next to an old screw. If you want insurance when done try Heritage I use them. You will need a good survey from someone that knows wood boats. Use an insurance company that insures wooden boats. Not Geico, Progressive your home owners etc.....someone that specifically insures wooden boats.
Check for broken frames of course, leaking decks although these should be plywood but check your rub rails and so on. The cabin structure should be fiberglass but where they meet the wood was always a problem with leaking.
Smart looking with great lines I wish you good luck with it.

Thanks. I'll check for #'s around engines.

Thanks. I'll check for #'s around engines.

Hey I think you hit the nail on the head! It is double planked in plywood with 327's.....I'm from Ohio originally and the boat is sitting at a marina on Lake Erie, so she's probably only seen fresh water service. I would really like something to bring back to NC to work on. Neglected wood boats don't last long in NC with all of the humidity. Anything I've looked at that's been sitting around in NC or SC is rotton to the core. Just checked out a Richardson in NC that had been a beautiful boat, now totally rotton from stem to stern in just a few years.
Now the big question is is it worth it. Even if they give me the boat, it has to be hauled down to NC. It needs bottom work, and the engines are anybody's guess (winterized?). Plywood inner planking has several rotton spots as well as some bad outer planking.
May be better off spending a few thousand and getting something that is actually floating with engines that run, than pouring in $ and time into rescuing this one. I would probably end up even on the $ end...But damn she's a cool looking boat!

is it the boat of your dreams? There are others out there. My Owens came out to Massachusetts from Lake Minnetonka. She sat in a show room like a giant piece of furniture for about 11 years and then I came along. She had plenty of black mold in between her layers and plenty of stainless in her below the water line and other sins from the previous folks that worked on her. Twin 283's modified from BelAir config to Corvette (220 HP each) that ran like candy. I still get to see her from time to time.
Anyway between re wiring the boat both 12 volt and 110 volt, doing the heads on the motors over for unleaded fuel, new fuel pumps (yes jeggs will have yours), manifolds and risers, exhaust hose for the set of motors, carburetors rebuilt, new ethanol rated fuel lines, fuel tank sending units, fasteners galore I was into her for about $5000 not including my time. You would certainly do the same for this boat easily. You could go for it and end up OK for the money and sweat equity but I do think if you want a good 30 foot cruiser (in this economy) you could do well buying a decent one (vintage of course) that runs and looks decent. One that you could improve on over time while maintaining what you have. Go look at that boat first. put your hands on it, tap the hull and more importantly put a screw driver to some fasteners. I will be you will find some spinners. That means what you are fastening into is rotten. Check the chile logs also!!!! just some of the fun endured some enjoyed reward time on the water

when I first got her see how dry from being indoors and on concrete she was

Beautiful Owens!

Yes, I did back out several bottom fastenings...spinners!
I think I'm going to look around some more. I think something in the 25 - 28' range would suit me fine.
Not looking for something already renovated as I enjoy doing the woodwork myself. I'm ok with motor's but I don't want to get into having to haul a motor out to work on it or replace.
Yard storage on Lake Norman in NC is pricey, so long projects can add up quickly with yard storage bills.

I hear that. I brought my 25 foot Cruisers Inc Barnegat 25 home and put it in a portable shelter but now I need to get away from the woodies for a while at least (yea right). Me and my boat jonze.
I have a 20 foot Cruisers Inc as well. Which ever one sells 1st I will keep the other.

There is always just one more wood boat to tackle. The 20 footer bar this year we still use. Still registered just no time.