Ski Boat
From ClassicBoatWiki
Chris-Craft manufactured many models referred to as "Ski Boats." The Ski Boat model was introduced in 1959, as a variant of the popular 17-foot Sportsman. The model was conceived to compete with the popular Century Resorter, which was gaining tremendous popularity with skiers due to its open utility floor plan. As with many other Chris-Craft models, one must be careful to properly identify Ski Boats, as there were also many similar model names such as, the Custom Ski, Custom Ski Boat, Ski Boat (this model), Ski Jet, Ski Jet XK-18, and SS Ski Boat. The late 50s and early 60s Ski Boats can also be easily confused with the 1959-1960 17-foot Sportsman. Hey, good to find soemnoe who agrees with me. GMTA.
So true. Hoentsy and everything recognized.
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[edit] 1961
[edit] 17-foot Ski Boat
The 1961 Ski Boat was a 17-foot mahogany, Plank on Frame boat manufactured by the Chris-Craft Division. The design of 1961 Ski Boat was pretty traditional with planked sides, and planked mahogany decks. The decks were finished in typical 50s and 60s fashion with two-tone dark mahogany planks and a blonde kingplank. The decks featured traditional white caulked seams. The hull sides sported styling details, such as a white painted "mock fin" on the upper stern hull sides, and canted chrome trim.
The interior of the 1961 Ski Boat was beautifully detailed, clearly inspired by early 60s automotive styling trends. Traditional mahogany stained and varnished ceiling planks were replaced by a "space age" metallic gold, engine turned composite panels. The dashboard repeated the engine turned detailing. The upholstery as elaborately detailed as any Chris-Craft boat in history with horizontally pleated, metallic gold seating areas, surrounded by broad white accent panels, in turn surrounded by metallic green vinyl. This created a beautiful tri-tone look, a great compliment to the deep red mahogany.
Image:1961 17-foot Ski Boat Color.jpg
Image:1961 17-foot Ski Boat BW.jpg
[edit] Specifications
- Hull no. series: CUB-17-001 to CUB 17-280
- Upholstery Metallic Green with White. Gold trim
- No. of hulls built: 280
- Length: 17' 0"
- Engines offered: Chris-Craft K, 283
- Beam: 6' 8"
- Draft: 19"
- Freeboard:
- Forward: 27"
- Aft: 22"
- Height: 4' 8"
- Weight: 1950-2100 lbs.
- Fuel capacity: 20 gals.
- Hull material: Mahogany
- Bottom color: Copper-bronze
- Waterline color: White
- Hull side color: Natural & White
- Deck color: Natural
As Charlie Sheen says, this artclie is WINNING!
[edit] 1963
How neat! Is it really this spmlie? You make it look easy.
[edit] 1967-1968
[edit] 17-foot Ski Boat (Cavalier Division)
The 17-foot Ski Boat of 1967-1968 followed, this time manufactured by Chris-Craft's Cavalier Division. Like all Cavalier Division boats, the Cavalier Ski Boat featured a plywood sheathed hull on full thickness mahogany framework. The Cavalier Ski Boat was a very sharp design, literally, with a squared, anodized aluminum framed windshield, rakish bow, and a reverse raked transom. This model had a fairly monochromatic appearance with blue or red hull sides and deck, with a matching color interior. The blue hulled boats were accented by a wide white boot stripe and a copper-bronze bottom color. The red hulled boats also featured a white boot stripe, but with a black bottom color.
As an option, the bottom could be overlaminated with fiberglass cloth for durability.
Image:1967-1968 17' Ski Boat Cavalier Division.jpg
[edit] Specifications
- Hull no. series:
- VUA-17-001 to VUA-17-070
- VUA-17-2001 to VUA-17-2036
- No. of hulls built: 106
- Length: 17' 1"
- Beam: 6' 10"
- Draft: 18"
- Freeboard:
- Forward: 26"
- Aft: 21"
- Height: 5' 9"
- Weight: 2150 lbs.
- Fuel capacity: 20 gals.
- Hull material Plywood
- Bottom color: Copper-bronze, black
- Water line color: White
- Hull side color: Blue, red
- Deck color: Blue vinyl, red
- Upholstery: Regatta Peacock (1967), El Paso Crimson (1968)
- Engines offered: Chris-Craft 283
- Special notes: Fiberglass sheathing for the bottom was offered on this model.
[edit] 1969
[edit] 17-foot Ski Boat (Cavalier Division)
The first fully fiberglass ski boat was sold in 1969. It was the 17-foot Cavalier Ski Boat. 100 were built in 1969. All were red in color with red vinyl interior and red Nautolex flooring. Two engine options were available, the 210-hp 307Q and the 230-hp 327Q. It is somewhat of a mystery why this all fiberglass boat was manufactured and marketed as a product of the Cavalier Division, as the Cavalier Division focused on plywood boat construction. A logical theory is that the prior Ski Boat model was a Cavalier Division offering, so perhaps Chris-Craft marketed this new ’glass boat as such, to continue with marketing the boat within the Cavalier catalogs. While the 1969 models were essentially identical to the 1970 models, the hull number series was different, as were power options.
Image:1969 Cavalier Ski Boat.jpg Kick the tires and light the fires, problem officially slveod!
[edit] 1970
[edit] 17-foot Ski Boat (Corsair Division)
By 1970, the all red fiberglass Cavalier Ski Boat made its way to the Corsair Division. This 1970 version of the prior year's model was essentially the same in every way, except for trimming the engine offerings to the 327Q only. 53 hulls were built in 1970 under the Corsair Division name.
[edit] Specifications
- Hull no. series: ORA-17-001 to ORA-17-053
- No. of hulls built: 53
- Length 17' 0"
- Beam: 7' 2"
- Draft: 20"
- Freeboard:
- Forward: 23"
- Aft: 20"
- Height: 5' 9"
- Weight: 2505 lbs.
- Fuel capacity: 25 gals.
- Hull material: Fiberglass
- Bottom color: Red
- Hull side color: Red
- Deck color: Red
- Upholstery: Red
- Engines offered: Chris-Craft 327Q
Too many copmliemnts too little space, thanks!
