Need Help Identifying runabout

craigjudge · Post by **craigjudge** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 9:28 pm

This boat is near my house and I'm having trouble with the identification. It appears based on the Essential Guide and a basic internet search, that it is a 61' Custom ski 16'. There are some boards in need of replacing but it seems to be very complete. According to the guide the interior should be black and red and not black and white but I guess over the decades that's likely to have been changed. As a fiberglass guy, I'm not real familiar with the wood boats. I may be able to pick this boat up reasonably and want to know what I'm getting. I know ski boats are not exactly rare but based on how hard it is to find information on-line, can I assume there are not many left? Any thoughts are appreciated.

mfine · Post by **mfine** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 6:05 am

I would guess it is a 62 or 63. Can you find the hull number? It should be on the upper left of the plank above the fuel tank when facing the stern. Basically where the back of the starboard side rear seat/bench would lean.

craigjudge · Post by **craigjudge** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 7:17 am

I'll go back and see if I can find it. I didn't know where to look. I didn't think the 62 and later ski boats had the vinyl decking carry all the way back to the stern. Also, I believe the later boats have a piece of mahogany that runs around the perimeter of the bow.

mfine · Post by **mfine** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 7:24 am

See the board over the tank in your second picture down? It is stamped into there. If it is a 62 it will be CUA-16-xxx where xxx is a number between 001 and 250. I am not sure about the 63 numbers but they should be a similar format.

craigjudge · Post by **craigjudge** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 3:02 pm

Thanks for the help finding the hull number. It is a 1962. Hull number CUA-16-155. Now if I can get ahold of who owns the house I might be able to save this boat. How rare are they these days? There's not many on the internet and none in the registry except the two ski-jets.

mfine · Post by **mfine** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 3:13 pm

I would guess pretty rare. I have seen a few over the years, but not many. I keep my eye out for them since I own one of the 62 ski-jets.

Al Benton · Post by **Al Benton** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:16 pm

As rare as these seem to be (only 250 built) this is the second one to show up in the last couple of weeks.

mfine · Post by **mfine** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:37 pm

I have a feeling the survival rate for these was lower than some of the more "desirable" CC models. I see a bunch of the 59-60 and 61 ski boats for every 62 that shows up. I wonder if the mahogany decks on the older models has inspired more people to save them vs. The plywood with white petiflute vinyl. Also the vinyl decks seem to have rotted faster. Most of the 62 ski-jets I have found have had the deck replaced long ago while the rest of the wood planking and framing is still in good shape. Half of them, including mine, acquired mahogany decks at some point.

craigjudge · Post by **craigjudge** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:55 pm

This boat seems to be complete with the original deck and still has all the vinyl intact. Based on the standard equipment and options listed in the 62 sales guide, this boat seems to have a few options that would make it similar to a custom ski in later years. It has the optional fuel gauge, ski hardware, vinyl cockpit flooring, cockpit vinyl side boards, etc.
I'm into the early glass boats but I find this boat intriguing and I just cant let it sit there rotting away.

Al Benton · Post by **Al Benton** » Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:56 pm

1962 marked the beginning of an era for vinyl decks on the small boats. Some kept a mahogany king plank and aft cover boards but that was about all. Well, except the 1968, 17' and 20' Grand Prix. Chris-Craft built fewer than 330 small (16-23') planked boats per year in this period ('62-'68 ) compared to over 1,100 per year in the prior 7 year period ('55-'61), almost all with solid mahogany forward planking. They are more desirable in appearance and there are more of most of the models still around.

This vinyl deck era may be less than 50 years old now but if some of these aren't kept around and preserved (restored) it will eventually be a loss to the hobby (lifestyle).

Al

mfine · Post by **mfine** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:12 am

Go for it. Like the early fiberglass boats, a full restoration is not going to make you any money since these boats are not going to command Cobra or barrel back pricing in any condition, but they are still a good fun boat.

craigjudge · Post by **craigjudge** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:52 am

I'm not concerned about making money on it. My view of the early glass boats (I'm into Lancers) is that first, they are great boats with a very cool design and they represent the beginning of a milestone in boat building.
In addition, when something is ignored and not considered valuable for as long as these boats have, they decline in numbers rapidly. There may be fewer than 100 of these boats left in usable or restorable condition. How much longer before there are so few left that the value does start to increase? Maybe never but I bet otherwise. For now, I do it for love. I think as the number of people In the hobby have childhood memories of glass boats and not wood, it will be those boats they will seek. You can't look at a Century Coronado or xk-22 and not recognize them for the pieces of art that they are. To think we can still pick these boats up for around 10 grand ready to use??? Maybe that's where the true value really is.

Wilson Wright · Post by **Wilson Wright** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:37 am

Al: Reminds me of when I had a 16' Riviera. Bob Speltz book said it was "rare" but when I went to boat shows there more 16s than the others. We figured it was small enuff to be left in the garage or get tucked in the corner of a warehouse and be saved.

mfine · Post by **mfine** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 8:59 am

Future value is hard to guess. Rarity helps but only if there is also demand. I would guess 100 left would be very much on the high side, so the big question is will interest in these boats grow?

I think as long as you go into it with the intention or restoring a cool boat for yourself, you are in good shape.

Al Benton · Post by **Al Benton** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 7:55 pm

Wilson, Bob Speltz was right. CC built 174 of the 16' Rivieras compared to 1,210 of the 18' version and 288 of the 20 footers. There are still quite a few of the 16' model around. Like you say, they were easier to store which may have a lot to do with their survival over the years.

You may be pleasantly surprised at the value that a '62, 16' Ski Boat might bring now and in the near future.

Wilson Wright · Post by **Wilson Wright** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 9:00 pm

Forgot to say that while the little Riv was cute, a 16 ft mahogany boat with a 60 hp Hercules Model B engine was grossly underpowered and wouldn't get up on a plane with more than one person in it.

Al Benton · Post by **Al Benton** » Sun Jun 26, 2011 10:13 pm

I'm sure that was a problem with these and it was all that was offered in them. The 6 cyl, 95 HP K wouldn't fit. The '62, 16' Ski Boat with a CC 283 and just a little more weight should perform very well and be a lot of fun.

In early May I rode in the back seat of a 15' Cavalier with an A engine that did very well with 3 of us in it. This boat only weighed in at about 1250.

Need Help Identifying runabout

Need Help Identifying runabout

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