Antique and Classic Boat Society - Chesapeake Bay Chapter

Chris Craft Kit Boats - Alive and Well!
By Capt. Jim Shotwell

In the summer of 1950 the Chris Craft Corporation of Algonac, Michigan introduced the Chris Craft Kit Boat and almost anyone could then afford a Chris Craft. The fact that the company was the world's largest builder of motor boats played a very large part in the instant success of the fastest selling new product in its history. In its first year three sizes were offered, an 8-foot pram, a 14-foot rowboat and a 14-foot outboard. The kits where so well engineered and milled that they could be assemble at home by fathers and sons with no boat building experience. They were marketed in the magazines of the day that catered to the do-it yourself crowd like Popular Mechanics and the scouting magazine Boys Life. By 1955 13 models were offered from 8 to 21 feet, both inboard and outboard powered.

The kits were of marine fir or mahogany plywood with mahogany seats, rails, chines and keels. The frames were pre-assembled of straight grained Douglas fir. The company started offering pre-assembled models through the Cavalier Division and in 1958 the Kit Boat Division was disassembled. Although kits were sold at close out prices through 1959 no new kits were manufactured.

Because of the Youth Development Program of the Antique and Classic Boat Society/Chesapeake Bay Chapter I have been working, over the last two years, on a plan to reintroduce exact reproductions of the Chris Craft Kit Boat kits to inspire a love for antique boats in our young and that goal is now in sight. In October, Allan Weidman, a Yacht Broker from Cape May Court House, NJ (609-602- 6406) phoned with the outstanding news that he and his son had two Chris Craft Boat Kits unassembled with one still in its original home on the New Jersey coast, a deal was made and we loaded them both in my truck for the trip to the boat shop. While this father and son team wanted to build a boat they realized the historical importance of these kits and passed the responsibility for their safe keeping to me. For this they will receive a kit to build and recognition when these originals are donated to a worthy Maritime museum. Thank you Allan and Allan, Jr.

So now we have in our possession all that's necessary to produce these marvelous kits and make them available, once again, to inspiring boat builders everywhere. The first of the new kits will be available to the youth programs. of all the ACBS Chapters in the US and Canada and will be introduced at the Chesapeake Bay Chapters Festival in St. Michaels, MD June 17 - 19, 2005. With our company, James Craft Marine Services, Inc. leading and producing the dimension lumber parts, JB Currels MAS Epoxy providing the adhesives, Mike Vermouths, Newfound Woodworks the precession cut plywood panels, Chris Winters of Beacon Container Corp. the packaging and with historical support from Wilson Wright of the Antique Chris Craft Boat Club the dream is almost reality. If you didn't get to build your kit boat in the 50's- how about now?

Capt. Jim Shotwell builds and restores Antique and Classic boats at his shops in PA, MD and FL and is the President of Antique and Classic Boat Charters, Inc. He can be reached at 800-554-BOAT (2628) or by e-mail at: jim@iimshotwellboats.com.

Spring 2005 Stuffing Box Issue

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