Active Active   Unanswered Unanswered

Where does the Blonde go?

Are you in need of information regarding "the way it was?" Or are you are a walking "who's-who" of Chris-Craft history? Share what you don't know—or do know here.

Moderators: Don Ayers, Al Benton, Don Vogt

User avatar
ClassOf56
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:03 pm
Location: Harsens Island, MI
Contact:

Where does the Blonde go?

Post by ClassOf56 » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:57 am

In most pictures of 55/56 Continentals that I find, the blonde area near the windshield starts about 4" in front of the windshield and wraps around to the sides. In all of the brochures that I can find, all of the '56 continentals have the blonde area about 4" behind the windshield. The Capri's in the photos have it in front of the windshield, but if you look at the continentals, it is a much smaller area near there.

Did they just do it that way for the brochures? Or is that how it should be?

Thanks for the help,
Steve A
1956 18' Chris-Craft Continental

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

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by Greg Wallace » Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:33 am

They started out in 55 with the smaller band of "blonde" behind the windshield. This area became wider later. I am not sure when. Someone on this forum will probably let us know. If you still have original decks there should be a "false" seam delineating the dark from the blonde.
Greg Wallace 23 Custom 22166 former Chris-Craft dealer Russells Point, Oh.

User avatar
ClassOf56
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:03 pm
Location: Harsens Island, MI
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by ClassOf56 » Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:56 am

Thanks Greg. Not much on mine seems original. There was some damage to the king plank, and someone added another on top of the first so that it stands proud.There is no blonde left, everything was stained walnut, and the seams run all the way back to the cockpit edge, rather than all tight in the blonde area. The curved seam on mine does go in front of the windshild, but that could have been an attempt to make it look 'newer' at some point.
Steve A
1956 18' Chris-Craft Continental

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

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by Greg Wallace » Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:31 am

Steve, seems odd to me that someone would go to the trouble of replacing decks with the deck seams running all the way back and then put the delineation seam back in and then stain it all mahagony with no blonde. There is still hope (in my view) that your decks may still be original and just cosmetically "adjusted".

It was common to see these boats refinished without the blonde to avoid the bleach hassel.

A photo might help.

In the mean time look under the decks to see if they are sealed and not stained (factory) and if so compare the grain on each side with the corresponding plank on the other. The battens running fore and aft will tell you where each plank starts and stops. If you find matching grain patterns then there is a strong potential that your deck planks are the bookmatched originals.
Greg Wallace 23 Custom 22166 former Chris-Craft dealer Russells Point, Oh.

User avatar
ClassOf56
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:03 pm
Location: Harsens Island, MI
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by ClassOf56 » Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:00 am

You are right, the underside does look original...
Attachments
Under deck small.jpg
Steve A
1956 18' Chris-Craft Continental

User avatar
ClassOf56
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:03 pm
Location: Harsens Island, MI
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by ClassOf56 » Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:02 am

Perhaps the panels shrank, leaving gaps, so he just caulked them and painted them?

Of course, it looks like he had his 5 year old paint the seams, with a 1" brush!
Attachments
Front Deck 3 small.jpg
Steve A
1956 18' Chris-Craft Continental

User avatar
ClassOf56
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:03 pm
Location: Harsens Island, MI
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by ClassOf56 » Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:05 am

Another thought on the subject, maybe they moved the line from behind the winshield to in front of it for the 1956 models, but used 1955 boats in the brochure?
Steve A
1956 18' Chris-Craft Continental

cc-woodboats
Posts: 79
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:24 pm
Location: Pittsburgh,Pa.
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by cc-woodboats » Mon Jun 15, 2015 8:23 pm

this is the original blond pattern ,20' 57 continental
Attachments
2014-06-22 08.36.26.jpg
57 20 ft Continental

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by tkhersom » Tue Jun 16, 2015 5:11 am

ClassOf56 wrote:Another thought on the subject, maybe they moved the line from behind the winshield to in front of it for the 1956 models, but used 1955 boats in the brochure?
This sounds like a pretty good assumption. I would guess that the curved seam in front of the windshield was the delineation line, but have no proof of that.
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
Doug P
Posts: 1036
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:24 pm
Location: Pacific NorthWest
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by Doug P » Tue Jun 16, 2015 10:14 am

tkhersom wrote:
ClassOf56 wrote:Another thought on the subject, maybe they moved the line from behind the winshield to in front of it for the 1956 models, but used 1955 boats in the brochure?
This sounds like a pretty good assumption. I would guess that the curved seam in front of the windshield was the delineation line, but have no proof of that.


Troy. The Blonde goes with the guy with the unugliest boat :D

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by tkhersom » Tue Jun 16, 2015 12:44 pm

Doug: I thought she went with the guy who has the "BIGGEST BOAT"! :mrgreen:
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
Doug P
Posts: 1036
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:24 pm
Location: Pacific NorthWest
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by Doug P » Tue Jun 16, 2015 4:28 pm

tkhersom wrote:Doug: I thought she went with the guy who has the "BIGGEST BOAT"! :mrgreen:
If that's the case, neither of us will get the blonde....wait a moment. We both married blondes :D

User avatar
ClassOf56
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:03 pm
Location: Harsens Island, MI
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by ClassOf56 » Tue Jun 16, 2015 7:43 pm

FUnny guys!

PS I also married a Blonde!
Steve A
1956 18' Chris-Craft Continental

Bob B
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:42 pm
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by Bob B » Tue Jun 16, 2015 8:53 pm

There's a boat in here somewhere! (I married a redhead.)

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by tkhersom » Wed Jun 17, 2015 5:31 am

I'm not even going to touch the redhead comment. I want to live. :shock:

BTW: is unugliest really a word? :?

PS: Looks like the blonde went to DC.
Attachments
Potomac-Ham-15.jpg
Photo Credit Matt Smith WoodyBoater
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
ClassOf56
Posts: 112
Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:03 pm
Location: Harsens Island, MI
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by ClassOf56 » Wed Jun 17, 2015 12:29 pm

cc-woodboats wrote:this is the original blond pattern ,20' 57 continental
Just curious, I thought the '57's went to the curved windshields?

Beautiful boat.
Steve A
1956 18' Chris-Craft Continental

cc-woodboats
Posts: 79
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:24 pm
Location: Pittsburgh,Pa.
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by cc-woodboats » Wed Jun 17, 2015 7:16 pm

All the 57s I have seen have the flat windshield.
the same one as the Holiday.
I always thought that Chris Craft decided to use the windshields on both boats
because it was less expensive than the curved Continental windshield
and this was the last year for this style Continental.

User avatar
tkhersom
Posts: 983
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 6:56 pm
Location: Edgecomb, Maine
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by tkhersom » Wed Jun 17, 2015 9:29 pm

From what I have read CC was know to use up stock before changing a design so something like a curved windshield may actually change mid-year.

I know the '57 21' Continental has a curved windshield.

Here the Blonde is on the engine cover. :lol:
Attachments
ModME_to_FL_2008_011.JPG
A Boat Load
Troy in ANE - Former President CCABC

1957 CC 21' Continental "Yorktown" (Mom's boat)
https://www.chris-craft.org/boats/22625/
1985 Formula 242LS "Gottago"
1991 Formula 36PC "Band Aids"

Life Is Too Short To Own An Ugly Boat

User avatar
Doug P
Posts: 1036
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:24 pm
Location: Pacific NorthWest
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by Doug P » Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:10 pm

11424334_1147367758622489_1811150232_n.jpg
11424334_1147367758622489_1811150232_n.jpg (17.09 KiB) Viewed 1637 times

laclede
Posts: 1436
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:43 am
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by laclede » Sun Jun 21, 2015 8:09 pm

I don't recall where this Chris Craft Ad Photo came from - Mahogany Memories? Inside The Factories? It does appear to answer the proposed question. The Blonde goes on the half of the boat that is finished and seaworthy. The guys on the other side of the boat appear focused on their work, and perhaps not having the beaming smile fun that she is having . According to this Ad, Blondes belong on the Port side, and do appear to have more fun.


Evernote Camera Roll 20140502 215910.jpg
Evernote Camera Roll 20140502 215910.jpg (30.64 KiB) Viewed 1600 times

joanroy
Posts: 686
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:46 pm
Contact:

Re: Where does the Blonde go?

Post by joanroy » Mon Jun 22, 2015 6:01 am

Yaaa, the port side sure looks fun, but I think I'll hang out with the guys on the starboard. Lot less trouble and cheaper in the long run.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests