Largest Chris Craft Forum???

Metallica

I think the reason the responses are slow for you here is that, as our fearless leader often putz it, we are Roamer owners, therefore "we are metal heads". Good luck with your search, I am sure someone will post a suggestion where you can go, but I've only really hung here and on Eric's old yahoo site, also devoted to metal hulled Chris Crafts.

IS it Plywood?

I presume you read Chris Craft on some major component of the boat to determine the make. Since 'copy cat' boats were not outlawed in the 1960's, it is remotely possible that the boat is not a CC.

If the engines or some other main component identify it as a CC, and it is plywood as the picture seems. The boat is a Chris Craft Cavalier. This was CC's 'entry level' cruiser. The curved wind shild indicates early 60's my guess 61 -63. I could be wrong (I've slept since then- lol). We had several huge CC dealers on the east side of Michigan (CC was in Algonac at the time) and these plywood boats were everywhere.

Other 'look-alike' makes (legitamate companies - looked like a CC to the average joe) were Broadwater and Owens. But your pic looks like the original CC.

Art (just a 'wood guy' converting to metal).

Refinishing that plywood

Unless you are an absolute pro with that beltsander, leave it in the garage. This boat was built with a marine grade plywood which has a thick paper coatig on the exterior. The paper made an excellent 'finishing surface', but if you grind into it or through it looking for wood, you will add a life-time of work to your project. Bare wood will require surface sanding, sealing, more sanding, priming, more sanding, (oops, the grain still shows thru), more sanding, re- sealing, sanding, priming, sanding, finish coating. Getting the picture? Leave the paper there if it has not failed in some way. If the existing paint coating has good adhesion, leave it and sand smooth with a DA sander. areas that have flaking, pealing, etc need to be sanded more thuroughly and feathered in. Try to stop sanding at the original primer. If you sand deep enough to touch the paper, it will first show up as fine hairs (sand a piece of good corrogated cardboard and you'll see the effect). Good luck with your project.

Google 'wood boat restoration' for advice. There is nothing unique to refinishing a CC verses any other quality wood boat. Also, the interior will be mostly venier - so again, leave that belt sander in the garage. If you sand deeper than 1/32 of an inch, you will regret it.

Hi,

Wise words and very good sound advice from Artwork.

paper on plywood

I have to presume the paper was pressed onto the plywood during the manufacturing process. This product was also used in the sign industry. I cannot imagine a method of re-applying a surface material like that (other than fiberglas cloth and resin, of course).

As far as the paint, any marine store will sell all the supplies (should be 'on sale' this time of year). If you are looking to save a buck, the thinners, cleaners, and tools are pretty standard with home or commercial products. But Marine paint typically has higher 'solids' ratios to protect from intense UV. It is actually a higher quality product and of course lower production amounts always equate to higher prices. A wood boat forum may offer some alternative suppliers.

West Marine in San Diego will take as much money as you can supply with a smile on their faces, 619 225 8844. Frost hardwood will supply the paper plywood called MDO and any other boat building wood you might need, 619 455 9060.
That boat is a bit on the big side to trailer from where ever your are to the coast every time you want to hit the whale’s road for a day of sun and spray. Slips are extremely hard to get here and if you can find one, cost a fortune. Think twice before you commit the old man to a wealth transfer to the coast. A smaller glass boat would be safer out on the open ocean and you could still pour tones of money and time into it to your hearts content. The thought of an old dried out plywood boat that was designed to last ten years scares the hell out of me. Even when it was new, they weren’t very sea worthy in any kind of blow, to dammed light. You need a Roamer.
Wally Erickson
San Diego

To tell the truth....

..., if it not too late - what Wally said.
Yikes!