196? Chris Craft Sea Skiff

I have a 22' Sea Skiff, and I can't figure out what year it is. I couldn't bring myself to drop 40$ on the essentials book. My hull number is SUA-22-2016C. I'm guessing it's a 1961, but i'm really not sure. I got the boat for a song <cough> 1$ <cough>. The engine runs great, and the vinyl and wiring are all brand new. Only a few small hull problems.

Picture 1

 

I was also wondering what the ballpark weight is of this thing, dry of course. Any other information that anyone could provide would be a great help too.

 

Frankly, not being able to bite the bullet on the Chris Craft bible "Essentials" suggests that your ownership of this fine little craft will be short lived, left to folks whom can spring for the book, new cleats, dock lines, etc. Old wooden boats are loaded with costs, unseen at first, until you start learning about the structure and systems, which WILL need attention, trust me. I've had a few Sea Skiffs (still have a 1960 27'er with original 283) You should check the stem and transom areas for issues.

All of your listed questions can be answered in the book. You could try an on line used book seller for a copy from an owner who has since sold and no longer needs it, for a slightly better price, though new dock lines of any real quality, will quickly out weight the cost of the book new. You also could weigh the boat and trailer at a land fill scale then launch and weigh the trailer alone, for a reasonable estimate of the weight.

 

Frankly, 40$ is alot of money and can buy quite a few things that will help in the restoration of this boat. I don't know how most people were raised but 40$ is alot of money either way. I have done as much research as i can by going to libraries and book stores and reading everything that is available (which isn't much). I know the engine front to back already, i've uncovered every plank possible. There are no problems areas on the interior. There is no dry rot anywhere. I have asked local boat people about the boat. I've started the engine, cleaned it almost completely. I've been meticulous in documenting every aspect of my restoration down to having each screw, nut and bolt categorized in its own drawer. I realize that this thing will draw alot of money, but i don't see the logic in spending 40$ on 1-2 pages of information. I hope some other sea skiff owners can put some information out there for me too as i am very interested in this boat and cannot wait to see it's completion.

 

Hello there kreativdesigns! I remember you from various other 'wood working' forums. It is very exciting to see someone who is so skilled in wood working take on a new project like such. I commend your interest in Chris Craft - and fully trust you'll see this project to the glorious end. While, I don't see any answers to your above questions yet- I assume you'll get some soon from individuals like Par and other informative members. I just joined to seek out information on my 1961 Lyman. Forums are great environments to accumulate the knowledge and resources of others. Saving cost on projects comes from the help of family, friends, and internet-peers. If your boat displays results like the intricate 'Grand Father Clock' you displayed on Woodnet.net, all of us are in for a good treat! Happy restoring.

 

Kreativdesigns, you're going to die when you find out what the local marine store wants for a gallon of bottom paint. A set of four new el-cheapo dock lines will run over 40 bucks, let alone the good double braided stuff. A new stainless bow eye for your boat is listed at half the price of the book and that's not the same style as the one you're equipped with, just one that will fit your stem.

Chris Craft Sea Skiffs have a large following. There are web sites for just them, clubs for just them, remanufactured and NOS hardware just for them. Most any antique boat show in this country will have several on display and a few vendors selling Chris Craft stuff (be educated, or you can easily buy the wrong year or style) They want a bunch for this stuff too, as they know they have a limited market and the availability is equally as limited. So if your rubber entry pads are spent, cracked and other wise in need of replacement, you'll sooner or later have to deal with these folks who specialize in Chris gear.

The other options are to rework the materials yourself. How good are you at casting bronze and then chrome plating it? Or finding good used stuff, knowing well that every one and their brother with a similar Chris will be looking for the same part. Or living with what you've described as a fine example of Sea Skiff.

I'm glad to hear you have gone over her and are methodical about the effort. It will be necessary, as you've seen there are loads of pieces to keep track of. If this boat is of any real value to you (certainly seems so) then you should have a survey done for a complete assessment of the structure. There will be rot in the structure, hopefully not much and was kept up carefully by former owners.

I fix these things for a living, trust me, you want the book. It will provide much more then a few pages of info, it will tell you how things go together, what materials were used, the techniques, the specifications, etc. These are not simple craft, but highly engineered pioneers of light weight lap construction. Chris Craft pulled off what many other companies tried, a tight, light, reasonably easy to construct power boat, that has survived the tests of time. You can always return the book with a lame excuse for ordering the wrong thing for a friend's birthday (photo copy the relevant pages)

Samuel J., I have a 1965 Lyman 25' sleeper here, just being completed. She spent nine months on the hard getting everything from the waterline down replaced, except the engine, it's beds and a few salvageable stringers. Her back was broken, ribs rotten, planking fastened too many times, a real mess. She looks nice now, what model is yours? Have you checked out the Lyman sites and clubs, as they too have a strong following, especially in the finger lakes and great lakes areas up north. Tom Koroknay (he'll be pissed if I screwed the spelling up again) has a new book out about Lyman's, worth a look see, though I haven't yet, have heard it's good. He's the guy who bought up the molds and jigs when Lyman went under in the late 60's and now provides stems, transoms, etc. cut on the original guides the factory used.

P.S. the gallon of correct color Lyman bilge paint (God it's ugly stuff too) was over 90 bucks (for Kreativdesigns benefit) got it from Tom . . .

 

You can find a remarkable amount of information about the Chris-Craft line at the Chris-Craft Museum in Newport News. Here's a link to their site.

http://www.mariner.org/library/chriscraft/index.php

Great boat, good luck on your project.

 

hi kreativdesigns,


According to the Essentials book, you have a 1966 Sportsman. It was built with either a 283 or a 327. fuel tank is 47 gallons and the dry weight is 3470-3690 lbs. I used to own a 1965,24 ft Ranger. If you want more info, contact the Mariners Museum in New Port News Virginia, and for I think $10 or 15 you can request a copy of the original hull card. If you want more info I can be contacted via email at scottvz@gentex.com