Thanks For Tuning Into The Next Episode Of “Tarp Find”

,

Oh ya!

Thanks for having fun with yesterdays teaser. To Jim Grant, you nailed it. It always amazes me how someone can ID a boat from one small detail.  It is in fact a A Chris Craft Cobra. It’s been up in Canada, and yes, looks rough. But there is one more wonderful surprise. But of course we are going to play that out.

Ah. Its a mess

The Cobra needs to make it to Katzs Marina for an inspection to make double sure. But, if this is the Cobra that everyone thinks it is, Terry Fiest, Seth Katz, then this will be without a doubt the ultimate barn find of 2019.

Thare she blows…

Good lord

Maybe since it was living in a freezer, its still fresh once its thawed out?

The best part is we will be sharing with you all as we dig. Scrape and look for Hull cards and more info.

No one does it better

And it’s of course at the ultimate place for Cobras. Katzs Marina over the years has become the King Of Cobras, with the most jaw dropping examples on the planet. So stay tuned for more surprises.

On her way to her new home

20 replies
  1. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    Dang!

    I knew there had to be at least one more out there somewhere.

    I think what amazes me the most is that there are still people out there with boats like this that have NO idea what they have under the tarp.

    Sad to see, but what a great find!

  2. Dave Clyne
    Dave Clyne says:

    Tell us how it was found. Canada ? Lots of room up here. Where ? There’s another story here. Fantastic.

  3. Reddog
    Reddog says:

    This boat was buried under some snow? You guys gotta more sun above the border. Just imagine what “Global Warming” will help uncover next. You could actually find the real Noah’s Ark, Mastodons, Sabre tooths, Megalodons.

  4. Jim G
    Jim G says:

    Matt,

    As much as I would like to claim credit for guessing right. It was my son Jimmy logging in on my account who guessed it.

    I hadn’t even checked Woody Boater yesterday until he told me about it.

    Jim G

  5. Briant
    Briant says:

    How pathetically sad. Another classic killed off.

    Make no mistake, the owner knew exactly what they had. IMO, hoarding is a terrible disease. In their brain, the item under the tarp is and will be as it was when buried, when in reality nature is just reducing the item to piss.

    There is no way to look at this in a positive light. A once beautiful boat has been reduced to trash. No doubt a few bits can be salvaged, but that is not the point.

    • Troy in ANE
      Troy in ANE says:

      Briant:
      Make no mistake if this boat is going to Katz’s for a rebuild it will come out as good (probably better) than it did from the factory.
      The real discussion at that point is: Is it really a restoration or a replica. Since it has the original hull numbers, fin, and hopefully engine it will be a restoration in my mind.

  6. floyd r turbo
    floyd r turbo says:

    Way to go Jimmy, looks like he’s been sipping some of dad’s kool aid. That’s an amazing job of detection.

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

    I said yesterday that things are peeking out of snow banks this time if year. This is a great example.

  8. Lee Wangstad
    Lee Wangstad says:

    Briant,the only pathetically sad thing here is your take on this subject. Rather than sharing in the joy of someone finding a rare, still in-the-rough classic boat, you seem to be predestined to look at the unfortunate condition of the boat. You obviously have never had the opportunity to experience, first hand, a real classic boat “find.”

    For some of us, it’s the hunt, the discovery, and the resurrection of something that’s been forgotten to time that becomes the key. When Dave Selvig saw an advertisement for a Chris-Craft ocean racer out in the Dakota’s a few years ago, he had no idea he’d be looking at a Chris-Craft Cobra when he turned a corner and peered behind a weatherbeaten barn. Yes, it was gray and forlorn looking. Some would say way beyond hope, but Dave massaged it back into existence, taking his time, doing it right. It would see a continuance of life on the water once again. He held onto that dream.

    While you may think that there is no way to look on this find in a positive light, there are many more out there that share a dream of the impossible becoming real. Yes, it will take work. Much work. Someone will pour their sweat and muscle into this thing. And money. It will take large sums of money to bring this back to life. I’m glad that it has gone to a place where there is an owner that has a vision for this boat, a future.

    It’s all about the passion for this whole boating thing, not merely looking at the material or physical aspect. I don’t believe that nature has “reduced the item to piss.” For those with the ability to see the beauty of the original through the deterioration, the rot, there is still hope for this boat. But it takes the vision and determination of someone like Dave Selvig to see this thing through. Thank God that it will be in the hands of someone with vision, determination, and the ability to see the project through to completion.

  9. tom
    tom says:

    Is that an 18 or 21? From the pictures it looks to be the ultimate pattern boat,but you never know until you get into it.Either way it needs a ton of of wood replacement.No way could this be anything but a restored boat in the end.(my opinion).And as far as the front cleat/lift hook lying on the floor,that’s not part of a Cobra,but makes a little more sense being found in Canada.

  10. Michael A. Hill
    Michael A. Hill says:

    So I’m late to the party, but that’s almost always the case with me, so…….. But I feel the need to defend Briant here, because I think some are missing his point.

    I’ve been around old boats and other old stuff longer than I care to admit, and I’ve seen this kinda thing A LOT thru the years. Except it wasn’t ever a Cobra. Oh yes, it was a nice desirable boat, not on the level of a Cobra certainly, but a once-great boat for which the eventual out come wasn’t nearly as fortunate. Sawzall. Burn pile.

    This is an amazing story simply because it’s a Cobra, and because it’s a Cobra someone is going to be willing to put out the effort and the $$$$ to make it right again. But if it had been almost anything else of a lesser perceived value…..I guarantee the outcome would have been very different.
    I’m sure many of you have heard the stories like this yourself…”you know so-and-so has a U-22 behind his shed…been back there for years…was really nice when he put it under that tarp, just needed a head gasket….says he’s gunna get to it one day. He’s got a 19 Lyman next to it….gunna get to that one too.” Offers are made and declined. Good old wood boats do what good old boats do and go about their routine task of biodegrading. Days become months become years, many years. Then the farm sale, or the estate sale, or a change in life comes up, and the sad old boats are finally offered up to the public, in earnest. But by now, not worth the effort or money….Sawzall. Burn pile.
    I would never wish to deny anyone their hopes or aspirations. I have a couple of long-term projetcs myself- properly dry stored. But there comes a time when reality should prevail over hopes and dreams. Only wish that time would come sooner more to some, before the reality of decay overcomes the reality of $$$$

  11. Briant
    Briant says:

    With all due respect Lee, what Matt did with Stinky was a great find and resurrection into a great fun boat.

    This Cobra find is like digging up King Tut with his shiny gold trinkets, and someone has the task of making him wake up and start ruling the roost again.

    Reminds me of an old tv show…”Steve Austin, Astronaut, a man barely live….gentlemen, we can rebuild him, we have the technology”… Sure you can spend six million dollars and give Tut a new body and slap on his gold crown…but he ain’t the same guy.

    Same with this Cobra, sure you can spend billions, have an army of professionals with their knowledge and advice, build a complete new wood shell and slap in the engine and pretty big ol fin…

    But it ain’t the same boat. The original croaked under a tarp in the boonies of Canada.

  12. Duster
    Duster says:

    I disagree but I imagine that’s ok?
    I reckon it’s super exciting to see boats rescued like this and shared for future generations.
    The classic/vintage aircraft hobby face this issue everyday. Glacier Girl P-38. A squashed lightning brought back to flying condition. AvSpecs rebuilding of their 3rd Mosquito. ME 109’s and FW190 coming back from twisted wrecks.
    I’m extremely thankful that there are those out there who are so enthusiastic they’ll spend what it takes to rebuild these treasures. Hats off Terry and Seth.

  13. Steve L
    Steve L says:

    Hopefully we will find out the rest of the story tomorrow, but I think that Cobra must have hit something wiping out half the front bow?
    I think its damage, not rot? Maybe that’s why it was put into tarp storage?
    Briant, A rebuild was probably inevitable.

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