Active Active   Unanswered Unanswered

My new 1958 Slick Craft

If it doesn't pertain to metal, wood, wire or fabric—but it is about vintage Chris-Crafts, ask your question or give your advice here.

Moderators: Don Ayers, Al Benton, Don Vogt

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by jbyers » Thu Dec 15, 2016 3:56 pm

I still have my 15 foot Cavalier CC and have acquired a 58 Slick Craft. I have done some research and there may only be a handful of these boats remaining. Information is understandably sparse however I have located the second owner who had a major restoration done when he purchased the boat in 2008.

Can someone recommend an appropriate club or forum to join that might be more appropriate for a wooden boat with an outboard?

Thanks in advance,

bflaherty
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 3:21 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by bflaherty » Thu Dec 15, 2016 6:10 pm

The Antique Outboard Motor Club would be a good start. Otherwise, a lot of the fiberglass clubs have folks knowledgeable about the classic outboards, and most of those clubs don't really care what the material of your hull is.

I am active with Northwest Classic Boat Club (based out of Seattle Washington) and we have an online forum with a wealth of threads about all types of outboards. You can register and check out the forum for free and if you see the value in the resource we ask for a $35 support fee which gets you unlimited access to the forum and resource database. Check it out here http://www.classicboatclub.com/forums/activity.php
Brian Flaherty
1969 Chris-Craft Cavalier 17 Ski Boat "TUPPERWARE"

"You'll never discover great lands, with your feet planted in the sand"

User avatar
Don Vogt
Club Executive Team
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Location: seattle, wa

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by Don Vogt » Thu Dec 15, 2016 9:32 pm

Cool. we would love to see some pictures if you would be kind enough to post them.
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by jbyers » Thu Dec 15, 2016 9:50 pm

Thanks Brian. I will check it out.........

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by jbyers » Thu Dec 15, 2016 9:57 pm

Pictures

http://imgur.com/a/ZUL0a (original boat and restoration pics
Attachments
John_Hilderbrandt_stern_underway_view.JPG
John_Hilderbrandt_stern_and_motor_view.JPG
John_Hilderbrandt_Port_Side_view.JPG
John_Hilderbrandt_original_owner_and_brochure_view.JPG
jim_cleaver.jpg
Original owner from 57-2008


User avatar
Don Vogt
Club Executive Team
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Location: seattle, wa

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by Don Vogt » Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:02 pm

Neat-o. thx.
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

User avatar
Don Vogt
Club Executive Team
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Location: seattle, wa

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by Don Vogt » Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:04 pm

One of the pictures seems to show some add-on fins? do you know the story there?
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by jbyers » Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:50 pm

Actually I do Don.......

The fins were not factory supplied. I am told by a boat historian in Holland MI who consulted on the restoration that it was not unusual in that time period to fabricate removable add on fins........... I had never heard that. I am torn about whether or not to remove them.........

Also, the original motor was a Mercury and the boat had a left side steering wheel. It now has a 58 Johnson motor and right hand steering wheel. I was told the reason is that Mercs and Johnsons rotated in opposite directions and the runabouts had the steering wheel on the side that would give the best balance with only one person (the driver) in the boat........... I would never have guessed.

Greg Wallace
Posts: 400
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:49 pm
Location: Indian Lake, Ohio
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by Greg Wallace » Fri Dec 16, 2016 9:19 am

I don't believe the steering location was changed to offset torque from the outboard. The only Mercs that had LH rotation at that time were the direct reversing models. More likely owner preference or perhaps to accommodate a balance situation.
Beautiful boat.
Greg Wallace 23 Custom 22166 former Chris-Craft dealer Russells Point, Oh.

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by jbyers » Fri Dec 16, 2016 9:29 am

Thanks Greg.... It didn't make sense to me, but that what I was told by the second owner who had the boat when they switched over from the Mercury to the Johnson and re did parts of the interior........ I think it's an interesting story, so I may perpetuate the myth.......... ha ha

User avatar
Don Vogt
Club Executive Team
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Location: seattle, wa

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by Don Vogt » Fri Dec 16, 2016 9:48 am

Interesting about the fins.

as far as outboard rotation, i know nothing. However, during those days it was not uncommon to see twin outboards utilized to increase power/speed. I wonder if outboards could be purchased with right or left rotation in order to serve this purpose? Could one mount two outboards together with both props spinning the same direction? If the answer to this is no, Is it possible if the owner at some point got a motor that spun the other way and adjusted the location of the steering wheel accordingly? ??
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by jbyers » Fri Dec 16, 2016 9:58 am

That was the reason I was given. Slick Crafts back then were equipped from the factory with a 75 or 80 HP Mercury. During the most recent restoration, a Johnson motor was installed. I am told, but don't know for sure, that these motors rotated in opposite directions. The hull only weighs about 750 pounds, so I would guess that the torque of the propeller might cause the boat to raise from the water more on one side vs. the other with no additional weight in the boat. I have read that in the old days (not anymore) that the driver location (left or right) was positioned to offset this torque with only the driver on board.

I have seen spirited discussions on the topic online........I am not sure who is right, but it does raise an interesting question.

User avatar
Don Vogt
Club Executive Team
Posts: 919
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:51 pm
Location: seattle, wa

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by Don Vogt » Fri Dec 16, 2016 10:14 am

Yes, although i dont know anything about outboards, I suspect that may have been the case.
1938 Chris Craft 17' Deluxe Runabout "Jennifer II"

bflaherty
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 3:21 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by bflaherty » Tue Dec 20, 2016 12:25 pm

It is not just an outboard thing.. All boats have the driver positioned to offset engine torque while being solo operated. I had a '65 Performer Havoc with a Mercury 1000 (100 hp tower or power) and it had starboard helm. I do not believe that Mercury and Johnson used different rotations. It is more likely that someone simply bought a left-hand rotation motor not realizing the boat was setup for right-hand rotation. All manufacturers has both options for use with twins. Having twins that rotate the same direction can make slow speed handling nearly impossible!
Brian Flaherty
1969 Chris-Craft Cavalier 17 Ski Boat "TUPPERWARE"

"You'll never discover great lands, with your feet planted in the sand"

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by jbyers » Tue Dec 20, 2016 2:28 pm

Thanks Brian

Greg Wallace
Posts: 400
Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 2:49 pm
Location: Indian Lake, Ohio
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by Greg Wallace » Tue Dec 20, 2016 4:08 pm

I'm pretty sure at that time period there was no counter rotation option. Mercs were RH with exception of direct rev models.
Counter rotation for twin installation did not come until much later as did boat mfg factory installed outboard programs. Motor choice was made at dealer level and generally influenced by what brand the dealer carried. In my experience the outboards of the period did not generate enough "torque" to influence helm location. By that time starboard helms were the most common unless specially requested. We represented slickcraft then tiara/ pursuit from the tail end of wood through the 1990's. You have a very special boat. Congrats on your acquisition.
Greg Wallace 23 Custom 22166 former Chris-Craft dealer Russells Point, Oh.

jbyers
Posts: 405
Joined: Wed May 20, 2015 1:45 pm
Contact:

Re: My new 1958 Slick Craft

Post by jbyers » Tue Dec 20, 2016 7:59 pm

Thanks Greg.................

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests