American Beauty Is For Sale, Troy Not Included. I Think!

Perfect!

Long time fellow Woody Boater and CCABC president Troy has placed his stunning Chris Craft Cruiser for sale. By the way, this is hands down one of our favorite cruisers out there. The style, usability and party like set up are the tops. You can service the engines without doing extra crap in the boat cabin. Troy is the kind of person that does stuff well, and has preserved the boats history. And for under $30K is a great deal.

Man oh man, she is like a better sized Betsy. But gotta keep focused on WECATCHEM and Stinky

Sandi says come on for a ride! Sandi and Troy are very fun nice folks!

Now, you can find others out there under $10K but you will end up putting more into them than the asking price here. One engine rebuild can be in the $10K range. So the fact that the engines are strong and one rebuilt is a very good thing. The other has 250 Hrs on it. Also we know that Troy did a bunch of work on her to get her going.
YOU CAN SEE IT HERE ON EBAY

She will be ready for you to see!

Oh yeah!

American Beauty was a header boat and a fantastic cruiser to turn heads!

18 replies
  1. Andy in Middletown
    Andy in Middletown says:

    Our family is young, so it’s a few years off, but my wife and I plan to purchase a cruiser such as this rather than an RV or yearly vacations at a resort. We both love the water and I look forward to the memories made with our daughter.

  2. Larry Jamieson
    Larry Jamieson says:

    Great cruiser. She is not only beautiful and well maintained but she is also so comfortable. She would be a great family boat.

  3. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    Here is the header from last summer.

    Just to let you all know AB is and has been a GREAT experience. I love every aspect of her, from the varnish high to the attention wherever your go. Sandi and I are looking to do more long distance cruising and while AB is a wonderful weekender, she is not a real live aboard and that is the main reason we are moving on to the next chapter in our story.

  4. Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.)
    Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.) says:

    Beautiful Boat! I have seen Troys posts on WB for years. I have always wondered what his “ride” was. If it was not so far away, and I did not have so much other “stuff”. I would buy it from just seeing the pics. I hope who ever buys it enjoys it a lot and treats it well.

  5. Rabbit
    Rabbit says:

    How can these stunning cruisers be worth so little? OK, I know why, but it still breaks my heart. I had dinner on Lake Minnetonka last Saturday night. The docks were wall to wall with quarter and half-million dollar Clorox bottle cabin cruisers… and this on an inland lake that doesn’t really have “big water”. Troy’s cruiser puts them all to shame.

    • tim
      tim says:

      Beautifully said Rabbit, my sentiments exactly! These classic yachts are an endangered species. You can wear them like a coat with the smell, the touch, the feel of the old wood and the glow-in-the-dark warmth of the varnished interior. Railroad Barons had their own splendid train cars that they called “Private Varnish” and living or cruising aboard you know exactly how they felt.

      • Greg Lewandowski
        Greg Lewandowski says:

        I totally agree with the sad state of what is happening with and to these glorious old cruisers. I have an acquaintance that is in her late 70’s. She and her husband enjoyed a CC Connie cruiser in the Lake St. Claire area of Michigan for many years. She sold the boat to a local person after her husband passed away. She asked me recently if I might now if the boat was still around. Knowing the name of the cruiser, I did some research and found out that the person she sold it to did not maintain it and it was eventually stripped for engines and hardware and destroyed.
        I told her that I heard the boat had been sold and moved up to the Thousand Islands area. She smiled approvingly and I knew that I had done the right thing.

        • Matt
          Matt says:

          The dog is at a farm line! It takes a special person to want to keep a cruiser going. But no matter how much you spend, its cheaper than buying a new one! Just saying

  6. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    I have been in contact with Troy about this major life style decision, on that I faced down a couple of years ago. He seems in a good frame of mind about parting with this true American Beauty…let’s spread the word and find this classic another caring owner.

    John in Va.

  7. tim
    tim says:

    Classic yachting is definitely cheaper but the experience is so much richer. It’s a kinder gentler way to experience the element. The main difference between a big yacht and a room at the 4 Seasons is the drive from the airport. Cruising in a small (50ft or less) wooden boat is like being in your vacation lake house of long ago and immerses you in that childlike wonder that we still all have but often goes untouched. At night in bed with the mahogany glow and the waves murmuring upon the wood, there’s an enormous sense of pride that a creature 50, 60, or 70 years old can still cradle you inside her in safety and quiet.

  8. Dick Dow
    Dick Dow says:

    I understand what Troy is going through and going to do – As hard as it was to let go of “Itchin”, the enjoyment of cruising “Thisuldu” more than offset it. We’ll just hope that “American Beauty” finds a good, loving new port of call…

  9. Laclede
    Laclede says:

    I have had my 1940 44 ft Chris Craft Cruiser for going on five years now. When I first stepped into her, it was as if I had been waiting all my life to find her. The patina of her use, and the smell that can’t be artificially reproduced – the feel of the old upholstery; she has a life beyond her material being.

    When she is cruising – the size and weight of her are something from a grander time.

    If you are someone who has a response like this to an old boat, as I did, there isn’t anything but joy.

    If, on the other hand, you don’t feel this, but somehow think it is a status booster, get off the boat, and do not ever buy a cruiser.

    All boats can be fun, for sure, but I have never set foot on a fiberglass boat that had the feel of a huge old wooden cruiser.

    These big cruisers are gonna die off. My attitude is don’t fight it – simply enjoy the rarity while it (and you) are here.

    Troy’s boat will make the right person very happy.

    It would also make a great story for the new owner to show their changing thoughts and actions as time goes by.

    There is so much complaining and arguing about cost, and the right way to fix these – but too little time actually experiencing their beauty and use.

    Somebody be freaking brave and buy her. Take a chance. Do something that is senseless to many.
    It is between you and the boat. Before long, they will all be gone.

    I saw that the original boat used in the movie The African Queen, is being used down in the Florida Keys. The boat was used, before the movie, on The Belgian Congo, for thirty years.
    It has a new boiler, no varnish, all soaked in oil and paint, no chrome. But it got used, and few of us can say Katherine Hepburn rode us.

    These old wooden boats breathe history, and a grace and utility we seem to be losing.

  10. Mike P
    Mike P says:

    I bought this express cruiser and had transom ,decks and cabin rebuild ,, multiple side planks , new chrome , Kocian gadges , just need to finish it ! Purchased for 1k , now have 38k into it

  11. Ann Guldemond
    Ann Guldemond says:

    Classic cruisers are a way of life, they are comfortable, and keep you busy in the winter season, as our 48′ Connie is “like owning 10 speedboats” says my husband, Bob. But, we wouldn’t trade it ( except for a certain boat he has his eye on) for the world. It is easy to cruise in as it has three bedrooms and two baths just like home.

  12. Ron Y.
    Ron Y. says:

    Time waits for no man it seems. I grew up along the Detroit River and my family had wood boats of many types and sizes, mostly Chris Craft. We were a short ride down from the factory at Algonac.
    The simple draw to cruisers for me, mainly under 38′ Pocket – type cruisers, was that you could get out of the weather with spouse and friends, prepare a lunch, take a nap, handle easily, etc. and not be so uncomfortable as you may be on a day out in an open boat. They were warm and luxurious inside; yet still had all the appeal of a classic boat.
    Unfortunately the cost goes up considerably when you cant keep your boat on a two-wheel trailer in your garage until you feel like going down to the lake.
    As such, the herd of owners grows thin, and that’s from a herd that was thin to begin with.
    We use our cruiser almost every weekend, attend local shows, etc. as we live in a climate where that is possible and as such it is a worthwhile investment of our time and effort.
    Good news is, the pacific northwest, great lakes, thousand islands, and many other locales still have owners with the resources and passion to sustain a small stream of classic boats. Enjoy them while you can. That’s what we do.

    • Ollon
      Ollon says:

      Well put Ron. Comocean is my favorite boat in the harbor and its always great to see you out there using her.

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