My other boat!

[islandhopper00]

I wasn't sure where to post these. But I wanted to show off my project boat, 78 Chris Craft 251. I'm having a ball working on this thing. It is fun to drive....but it is LOUD as hell! I have mufflers on it, but not enough. lol



Here she is without my ugly mug in the way.



Underway




Ready for action where ever my truck will tow it to!

 

[eweise]

Nice Boat! What did it look like before?

 

[islandhopper00]

It needed a total rebuild. Everything needed something, but everything was there to be fixed. If that makes sence.

Engine is a long block rebuild. 5.7 merc
Transmission is a Paragon inboard straight drive set up.
New aluminum gas tank
Epoxy painted the bilge surfaces.
Bottom paint.
Exterior gel coat needed wet sand and waxing to bring it back from the dead.
Interior is still a work in progress.
New ceramic head with holding tank and pump out.
New 15 gal water tank and par max 4 water pump.
New shore power set up with cords.
New flip up bolster capt and crew seats.
New hatches on bow and in hard top.

Holy cow, I'm gonna stop listing and just say most everything is new or being replaced or cleaned and fixed!!!! Whew

 

[Hifirush]

It needed a total rebuild. Everything needed something, but everything was there to be fixed. If that makes sence.

Engine is a long block rebuild. 5.7 merc
Transmission is a Paragon inboard straight drive set up.
New aluminum gas tank
Epoxy painted the bilge surfaces.
Bottom paint.
Exterior gel coat needed wet sand and waxing to bring it back from the dead.
Interior is still a work in progress.
New ceramic head with holding tank and pump out.
New 15 gal water tank and par max 4 water pump.
New shore power set up with cords.
New flip up bolster capt and crew seats.
New hatches on bow and in hard top.

Holy cow, I'm gonna stop listing and just say most everything is new or being replaced or cleaned and fixed!!!! Whew

With all that, that shows its a labor of love! Nice looking boat.

Matt

 

[JimT]

Sweet!

 

[SCORPIO]

Looks a lot like my Dads old F26 Trojan. Brings back many good memories. Great job!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I847 using Tapatalk 2

 

[OldSkool]

Very cool. Chris Crafts are great boats too.

 

[sdarc]

Damn Mike... If I had known she that close to completion I would have begged a ride. Took the admiral to North Harbor today in my new land toy.

 

[chuck1]

Cool thanks for sharing.

 

[endless seas]

Very cool !!!

 

[Last Dollar]

Love the profile of older boats. Seems like the new shapes remind me of Batman. My son and I were walkking the docks at Lake Cumberland last week and we both came to the conclusion that something happend after 2007 or 08 in boat design. When looking at them from the side at a distance they look like a frown...low fore and aft but very tall midship.

This is a classic design. Good work!

 

[Larry]

Great boat! I had a 1983 Chris Craft 281 Catalina, I bought in 1989 and had for a few years

 

[islandhopper00]

Thanks everyone for the comments. It's a labor of love for sure.

Design is definetly a contrast next to my Sea Ray. My goal is to update everything but maintain the 1978 exterior styling.
I keep waiting for the boat manafacturers to "go retro" like the automobile manafacturers did. It's simply amazing how simple all the systems are on this boat. I guess these boats were built before manafacturers had to "child proof" everything!!! haha

When people describe these boats, "built like a tank", "solid", and "heavy", are terms used to describe them. AND they are correct, except, this 25ft Chris is lighter than my Sea Ray....alot lighter, by 1500lbs maybe. BUT, when on the water, the Chris seems to ride like it's alot heavier than it is. I wonder why. The Chris is wider than the SR, by a foot.
Thinking about it, the deadrise is way less on the Chris, so it probably is more stable...but crossing a wake it doesn't pound thru, it pushes thru and doesn't seem to bounce as much as the SR does. I haven't figured it out yet. Maybe one of y'all will enlighten me! haha

Don't get me wrong, I see the advantages of technology in the SR. Just not sure "we" need it in a lake boat!!! Specially when technology cost so much!!!

Oh and yes, my friends think I'm nuts. My beautiful Sea Ray sits on it trailer under cover while I play with my ugly Chris!!! haha They ask me things like. Are you going to take the Sea Ray for a ride this weekend? lol