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38 1969 Aluminum Riviera Launched yesterday

Discussion in 'Chris Craft Roamer Yacht' started by homer1958, Nov 12, 2009.

  1. woodlund94

    woodlund94 New Member

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    Did I read that correctly? 37 miles per hour??
  2. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    Yes...

    But it does 36.5... again, 23x31 4 bladers. She moves for an ole gal. Not a creak either, all kinds of reinforcements were done to stop that.
  3. q240z

    q240z New Member

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    What was the source of those creaks and what did you do to eliminate them?
  4. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    West system Bridging...

    Since I was on this boat for 40 years can tell you all of its strengths and weakness. The commentary is suited for 37-38 foot aluminum Roamers.. steel ones have the same tops, so perhaps apply as well.

    Roamer hulls are strong, very much so. This is their great strength, the ultimate chicken machine in a head-on :) as well as design... many of the models are very good looking not only for those times, but these in our retro fashion world. They are hard-chined as well which means they do not roll like pigs causing your guests so york all over the place... very stable platforms indeed.

    This model and ones like it are weaker on their salon tops and helm area sedan top. All the glass leaves little rooom for real strong support, so as you know if you hit a big wave you can get some racking, rattles or shutter from your window areas so it appears around the helm area.

    The factory vertical support is not much as you can see by the photo here, however there is (was) a large horizontal mahogony board that filled in that niche and helm the seats are attached there. The rest was just the two vertical mahogony struts and that cheesy gray metal one you can see in the photos that also serve as a wire conduit.

    What we did is beyond what many Romerites woud do. If you notice there are 3" aluminum pipes going from welded plates in the hull floor into the aluminum sedantop superstructure (you can't see ceiling in this photo).

    If you look closely, you will see two large pieces of plywood fiberglassed and screwed and (West System Silica epoxyglued) attaching them to the posts in a sloped/(opposing side lean) manner.. this is done on both sides so it is impossible to "rack.".. which means salontop sway, particularly for those with flybridges. (Compliments of good thinking by a smart shipwright.. sorry, was not my idea... but he was correct)

    However, the factory philosophy was to get support from the two front windows being closed and tight. If you open both at the same time and go through waves you will note the cabintop is weaker than when they are closed. (Dumb system IMHO)

    Also, if you look at the area under the 2 front helm windows sometimes there will be some minor cracking. Underneath this (have to pull the headliner down to see) they aggressively poured in epoxy resin (mine never was really cured by the way) Hence since the front windows are largely a support area if the area under them is not well glassed (which it probably is not) the racking and cracking can appear. Part of the support comes from under the headliner area in this vee crossing the binnacle.. it was built upside down screwed and resin poured there... No glass fiber in this spot.. (Dumb)

    An easy way to help without major surgery is to make sure your front window gut is new and thick so when the windows are locked down it creates a tighter bond. (Anyone who can find this window gut let me know because it is impossible to find in the right size)

    Since the pipe method we used is a bit extreme, one can pull off the side walls and re-support the helm area fiberglass with the opposing wood trick fiberwelded into the side fiberglass will likely make the sway go away. If you are on a lake with no waves it is not big deal, but we go into heavy water ao we need to be tough.

    Also, we sprayed sound unsulation on the fiberglass as you can see in the photos and then sealed the wood from behind and went with 3/4 inch Sapppele marine grade veneer with two inches of cheap sounddown stuff.. (i.e. no lead.) Careful here, somtimes water can drip from the window tracks a hair so if you take your panels off make proper sealing at this time under window tracks from underneath.

    So, she is now quiet and strong and leakproof. We were going through big waves and no creaking was anywere in the boat not inside or out the other day.

    In the bow area, the stress is where she hits the water around the closets, also where she inherently can leak. If you look closely outside on your Roamer where the deck meets the sedan top at the front corners you may see a hairline crack... this is because the wood 2X 2 sedan top anchors tend to rot inside the boat (you can see by taking out the wood under your port and starboard inside front windows where the seat drains basically. So, the sedantop tends to loosen here and the crack starts and deck water starts to seep in (Also, the front windows can if not well calked.) ALSO.. Roamerites.. it is near impossible for leaks to occurr under your side windows in these models.. it is a solid U track fo fiberglass here.

    Imagine a boat you can see out of, that has windows, that you can walk around and you can sit upfront!! Why have sport boats regressed? If I want to live in a cave, I will go to the mountains!

    I will send a photo of another Roamer leak doing this at the deck so you can see.
    I am also not thrilled with the strength of the cabintop.. really Chris could have made it a bit thicker, but I am going to add some ribs while we are completing the interior.

    BUT.. as in many Chris Crafts, particulalry Commanders and Roamers.. the hulls are TOUGH AS NAILS... I often wonder which hull is stronger an old 60's-early 70's Roamer or Commander? I can say this, you can't get hulls today as thick and strong as Commanders made back then.. what great boats and what a great buy they are today. A new paint job is not that expensive if you do the prep yourself.

    I would take a 1966-1973 Commander or Roamer over a Hatteras double cabin any day. BUT, the Aluminum Roamers are the fastest and most fuel efficient of all. Still they are faster than most new boats their size and with 425horses, a 38 can hit 40 mph and have no problem and no creaks :)

    Hope this answers your questions?

    HOMER

    Attached Files:

  5. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    See Aluminum top

    Look closely at the helm header and you can see the aluminum work that was done.. a bit overkill, but tough as nails in all regards. No sway, no sag. just tough. The aluminum pipes are welded into the hull struts and up to the top and sway-supported in between wiht the marine plywood glassed.

    Attached Files:

  6. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    Insulate your Roamer

    Shhhhhhhhhhh... this is 3/4 Sappelle, sealed from behind, insualtion sprayed and then 2 more inches.. shhhhhhhh. Chris cut a corner here too.. very thin venner from the factory... 3/8" at best.. no big deal to rip that out either. Again, hull strength and slick looks was Chris' forte.. but you can take what was not as strong and make it that way and not change the look at all. No the rudders you see are not original.. they used steel which rusted away the posts hence why many Roamer rudders bang around a bit.

    Attached Files:

  7. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    Does your Roamer leak above the waterline?

    Here it is.. look at this phot of another Roamer .. a 1967 37 footer... look at the seam where the cabintop meets deck.. see the crack.. H20 runs right in,

    You can temprarily repair by caulk, but the real problm is behind it inside. The anchor wood that holds the top down rots-out there.. again, this is the spot the boat hits the water and bangs so it is the stress spot that causes this. There is also a copper pipe that connects to the seat area to drain it.... sometimes they leak but not the likliest cultprit. As the boat bangs, over the years this place loosens up, the water leaks in and runs down your front wood or slowly drips not visible at first... you need to pull the wood on both sides under the windows, tear out the rotted wood, put in new epoxies wood and rescrew it down.. the leak will go away ALL Roamers of this size and era have this issue I believe.

    Leaks can come from three places, your front windows need to be rebedded or your copper pipe is leaking or the salon top loosens up allowing water to go into this crack... that's it.. mystery solved! Many Roamerites complain of this very problem.

    Ok.. enough for today.. keep checking back new photos will be added regulalry of new things.

    Point is.. will the Roamer take over the Bertram 31 as the New Cult Boat? ... seems to be on its way! The more folks who do a quality restoration is the key... not for those who want to get a boat cheap and slap on another coat of housepaint with a brush. Please do not be one of those.

    HOMER

    Attached Files:

  8. Oneiros

    Oneiros Member

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    Nice to see your job Im gong to insulate whit steel plates it a swede company
    who have invented the plates they have small hole like a strainer and when sounds pass it will die. Hard to explane http://www.sontech.se/ check the web site
    Erik
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2009
  9. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    I do not understand

    I do not understand what you are trying to say?
  10. Oneiros

    Oneiros Member

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    okey shall get a dicetionary so I can write proper english.
  11. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    Your English is better than my Sweedish

    Your Sweedish :) are better than our English :-(
  12. Oneiros

    Oneiros Member

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    check the pic from 06 the flybridge was on .but we took it off because is not the right one think is from a connie
  13. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    What happens when you restore your Roamer?

    Standing Room only.... we had 23 people for 21 hours.. we could not get rid of them.. they begged to buy more fuel.. but enough is enough. Ended-up anchoring out all night.. in the morning.. shwabbys were found hanging from hooks.

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  14. Oneiros

    Oneiros Member

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    lovely boating:)
  15. q240z

    q240z New Member

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    HA! Shwabbys! lol

    4th of July in DC?
  16. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    You got it!

    Pre-flybridge.... you must be local.
  17. Travlinman1352

    Travlinman1352 Member

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    Shwabbys!!

    At least the shwabbys were buying gas.....I guess you would have hung them by hooks sooner if not. She is a beautiful boat...job well done!!! Enjoy and happy sailing.
  18. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    Thanks

    She's hotter with her clothes off :)... But what's under the hood?
  19. homer1958

    homer1958 Member

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    Where are the Roamers?

    What 's going on? I was looking for Roamers in the 37' to 41' range for an associate who has been searching and we can't find hardly any. I figured with the recesssion there would be a few more up for sale. Anyone have any idea why? I found a few steel and only one aluminum... what's up with that?
  20. Oneiros

    Oneiros Member

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    Hello, Yes, and they put up for sale've been long for Sale And of course there should be more for sale