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1966 Sea Skiff Original Colors?

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Herman
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1966 Sea Skiff Original Colors?

Post by Herman » Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:56 am

When I purchased my 66 Sea Skiff the bottom section is brown then a white strip, then green and with a white top. Does anyone know the true original color combination of a 1966 18" Sea Skiff Sportsman?
Pictures that Paul sent me show the brown bottom but also show a green bottom with white line. A picture from the Detroit Boat Show in 2007 shows the brown bottom and also shows a red area just under the windshield.Trying to get it right! I sent e-mail to Chris Craft but have recieved no responce.

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Herman Vess
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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:42 am

Herman, welcome to the Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club. According to the 1966 Sea Skiff Catalog, which can be found in our online Archive at www.chris-craft.org/archive the bottoms appear to be gelcoated the same color as the hull sides. I, myself, have an early (1964) Corsair Division boat, which has the same white boot stripe, with matching hull bottom. This would be my best guess for original based on what I have seen. It's very possible that someone coated the bottom with anti-fouling paint.

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Bill Basler

Herman
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Location: Fort Worth, Texas 76036
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Post by Herman » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:15 am

Bill:

Thanks for the reply, The pictures you sent are what I based my thought that the entire bottom is green, but have seen several pictures of the boat with a brown bottom. I was out with the boat working on the trailer and took some wet sandpaper and I was able to take off the brown very easy which tells me it was painted. I am going to take it to total green bottom. The boat is in fair shape top and bottom to have been just sitting in the weather since 1996. I appears that everything that was put on the boat when it was new is there. Just need spit and polish. I bought new teak flooring and I am replacing the original white wood with 1/2" solid teak on 1/2 marine plywood glued and nailed. Final finish on the teak will be hand rubbed oil finish. Thanks again for the note. I have regestered the boat with as much information as I know at the present time.

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And Herman Vess
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Paul P
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Fiberglass Sea Skiff bottom color

Post by Paul P » Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:47 pm

I can say with 100% certainty, that the bottom of a factory stock 20' glass Skiff made in 1966 is green gelcoat and NO paint.

Here is the plug out of mine when I installed my flush mounted high speed depth sounder. That green is the ORIGINAL gel coat on the boat, which has never been painted. The bottom is in remarkable condition due to the fact that these boats used the same high quality resin and glass construction as the Commanders of the era, which are known to have bullet proof hulls. This twenty footer has a half inch bottom, which puts it into the bullet proof category too.

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By the way, I've discovered it's a great boat, but it needs those trim tabs to keep the bow down. It wants to ride bow high, which is fine for the driver who sites higher, but none of the passengers in the front seat can see where we're going otherwise! We're thrilled with ours, they are well worth saving if you find one!

Regards,

Paul
1956 17' CC Sportsman, 300-hp
1957 17' CC Sportsman, 95-hp
1966 20' CC fiberglass Sea Skiff, 210-hp+
1973 23' CC Lancer inboard project, 427/375-hp.
1966 38' CC Commander Express, 427/300-hp(2)

So many boats.........so little time.....but what a way to go!!

Herman
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 8:10 pm
Location: Fort Worth, Texas 76036
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Post by Herman » Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:13 pm

I thank you so much for all your help to date. I am going to keep her green all the way down. I did discover that the brown is some type of anti foul paint. I discovered this doing trailer repair. I almost did not make it home with the boat and blew out an axle three miles from the house so my first repair was the trailer. Pulled both 1000 pound axles and installed 3500 pound axles with new 10 " brakes on each wheel. Updated the trailer to new day trailer requirements on brakes and brake away brake systems. Just have to get the boat off so I can soda blast the trailer and repaint. I want to be safe when I pull it up to Tenn. to run along side your boat. I do plan on putting trim tabs as I had them on a Power Cat boat that I had. I will send some pictures when I get some clear weather. Trying to get out from under Hurricane Ike.

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Herman Vess
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Paul P
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Post by Paul P » Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:03 pm

Thanks for the good words Herman, and hey, I'm looking forward to seeing your project! You say you have an 18 footer, eh? I'm thinking it has the transdrive, which if that is the case, I'm wondering if you really need trim tabs on an outdrive boat. Isn't that transdrive adjustable? I wouldn't drill a hole to install tabs unless that particular boat needs em. My inboard does need them, however, and I heard from a long time Lake Michigan Chris Craft dealer, now retired, that the boat was known for riding bow high and did, indeed, need the tabs.


Here is a photo I posted here on the CCABC site before, but it shows those tabs working. The boat is a blast, I think the 18' version would be very cool too.

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Here is the boat ( TRADITION - II ) sitting at Gallatin Marina, on Old Hickory Lake, a couple weeks ago when we made the trip from Cedar Creek Yacht Club for breakfast. You can see we have the motor box installed now since I am finally comfortable with all the engine systems working as they should now. We get all kinds of double-looks, waves, thumbs-up, and dock gawkers with this boat, which is undoubtedly the only one like it in this area (and perhaps all of Tennessee??). We have not seen another one like it, and I fear most of them were allowed to get into a stage where they needed work, and eventually fell so far into disrepair that they never made it. It's a sad fate that many of the "not so premium" Chris Craft boats fell into, while most of the Cobras may still exist, the percentage of these that exist now is probably rather low.

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Good luck on the project, keep us posted! 8)

Paul
1956 17' CC Sportsman, 300-hp
1957 17' CC Sportsman, 95-hp
1966 20' CC fiberglass Sea Skiff, 210-hp+
1973 23' CC Lancer inboard project, 427/375-hp.
1966 38' CC Commander Express, 427/300-hp(2)

So many boats.........so little time.....but what a way to go!!

Herman
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 8:10 pm
Location: Fort Worth, Texas 76036
Contact:

20 foot & 18 Foot

Post by Herman » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:34 pm

Paul:

The 18' has the electric stringer out drive. It has the 225 CI Buick V6 rated at 150 Horse. The drive will tilt but is not a trim unit. You can lift at low speeds but have to watch your heat gauge if you do. trim was not out yet in 66. I think the trim tabs would be the thing as pictures indicate a high bow ride. I am going to keep everything orginal except the floor which will be Teak and the seats will be a green and white rolled and pleat. My seats are back to back and fold down. I just purchased a heavy industrial sewing machine and going to try and do the roll and plete myself. The boat was taken out of the water in 1966.Everything that was on the boat in 66 is still on the boat including spot lights and Air Horn.Even the 1966 AM radio is still in place. The engine turns over freely but I have not tried to start it yet as the exhaust manifold is leaking like crazy. Been trying to find a replacement. The floor is rotten from sitting out since 1966 and I do not like the beaded white wood floor. I feel this boat deserves a new teak floor. I have already purchased the teak. Shopped and found 1/2" Teak unfinished. When I finish it will look like the new Chris Craft boat floors. I do not think this will hurt the boats value. You sure have done a beautiful job on your 20 footer. I think they will look good running side by side. I regestered the hull and I have # 004. All for now as I want to review and read all you e-mail you sent. Thanks for all the information I will print it out and take my time reading it. I might have to get you to help me with the Morse control. It is laying in the floor and a cheap looking replacement in on the control panel.

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Herman Vess
Herman Vess

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Bill Basler
Posts: 1996
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:48 pm
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA

Post by Bill Basler » Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:55 pm

Paul, see my prior post.

http://www.chris-craft.org/discussion/v ... php?t=2886

Thank you!
Bill Basler

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