Chris Craft restoration

I'm looking at a 36' constellation for restoration. Needs new transom and chine along one side due to dry rot and some planking. I haven't looked at the boat in person yet (have pictures), but it's priced very low and the deck/cabins/motors are all in very good condition. Anyone with experience replacing transom and chine on this particular boat. Anything else I should be looking for?

Randy
Jamestown

 

The work you just described is major surgery and very expensive.

Everyone says "it is just the chine, everything else is rot free" "maybe just a few plank repairs", but it never works out like that.

Yes the chine may have the bulk of the trouble, but some of the frames, a floor or two, lower portion of the stem, loose hood ends, new caulk and refastening will also be affected and require attention.

If it is a great deal, someone who really knows wooden boats, will have passed it up by now, or you really got lucky, or you now own a derelict wooden yacht. There is a reason it has that price.

 

You need to find a marine surveyor that specializes in wooden boats and have them take a god long look at this boat. You will probably spend more restoring it than you pay to purchase it. It's up to you to decide if it's worth it or not.

Just a note; The Mariners Museum in Newport News, Virginia has all the old Chris Craft Records. When the Smiths sold out way back in the 70's they donated all the records on the boats they built to the museum. The collection is open to people looking for info on their Chris Craft. http://www.mariner.org/