Twins! Double The Fun, Double The Oportunities?

Love the elliptical trainer look?

We got this cool 1950 28 ft Chris Craft listing on Carigslist from long time fellow Woody Boater Steve Bunda from Antique Wood Boat Restoration… First off. I have no idea where Cokato is? Yes I can do google earth, and yes its someplace in Minnesota, Heck they even don’t know since their tagline is . In The Midst Of Opportunity. Talk about depressing. Thats like saying “Cokato, Anyone have any ideas on how to save this place?” Or “Cokato, We had problems, but now we have opportunities.” Okay I digress into the abyss of bad marketing.

Insane lines and this was was special ordered without a top!

We are here to talk about this bad aft cool as ship twin screw 28 footer. I love these water suckers. They are in my mind what you might have traded up to from a 25 Sportsman. Not a cruiser, not a utility. just 28 ft of opportunities of fun. They look amazing, and the twins keep it going for sure.

Actually, the wood in the shots looks in good shape.

And this of course brings up an even more debatable conversation. Bottom job. Isnt this a cruiser hull? Whats the difference between doing a new bottom of this and restoring it vs a 28 ft cruiser base? Not a thing, yet, it seems less of a job? Which makes no sense rationally, but emotionally because its open like a utility seems like a more returnable restoration.

Actually not so bad of a project if you do it without diving to deep. Sand sand sand Varnish paint etc. Get the engines rolling or throw in two 283’s and soak this sucker up and go! Maybe not a bad candidate for a plywood bottom, or fiberglass. This boat is all about.. boating.

So. if you are looking for a whopper project, this is it. Expect no financial reward, BUT from a happiness reward. Like investing in Apple Stock in the 1980’s.. UGH, which I could have done.. but restored a boat instead.. SERENITY NOW!

Gotta say. Wonderful Minnesota boat, not a rotten pile of termite food, and could???? be a cool go boating boat. I wouldn’t dump big money in it, but big time DIY! Home depot is having a sale on drywall screws?

You can see the Craigslist ..ing RIGHT HERE

And if you want to see how bad aft this can look, or want to cut through the restoration process. Here is a great one on Antique Boat America. HERE

 

23 replies
  1. Jim Staib
    Jim Staib says:

    It’s 5 hours west of me. Let’s see, if I left now I’d be back right in the middle of the snow storm predicted for tonight. Jeff Stebbins has the same boat. A floating party. Best thing besides that it comes with a trailer is that at 8′ 5 3/4″ beam is is legally trailerable.

  2. Bilge Rat
    Bilge Rat says:

    Twin throttles on the steering wheel. Having one on my Sportsman is scary enough when I get it caught on my jacket but having two to deal with? Oh yeah, there’s a docking mishap waiting for me.

    Nice boat though.

    • Troy in ANE
      Troy in ANE says:

      Rat:

      The nice thing with twins is you “seldom” need to touch the throttle or the wheel while docking. All done with the shifters. I can see your jacket catching the throttles while reaching up for those shifters though.

      • Bilge Rat
        Bilge Rat says:

        I know someone (not me, honest!) that hit the steering wheel throttle while preparing to dock and the wife/first mate was standing getting lines ready and she went flying. That left a mark (on her).

  3. Rabbit
    Rabbit says:

    Cokato is about a half hour west of Lake Minnetonka, where this boat likely plied the waters. I’m betting Mark Setterholm has a project boat or two stashed in a barn nearby and I’m also betting he could squeeze on another. Right, Mark?

  4. Chug-A-Lug
    Chug-A-Lug says:

    I brought dad’s old Chris-Craft home from south of Bemidji,Mn.She was free from a friend.Or was it fiend.Fixing up was not free as motor was stuck and old trailer was made from old Buick frame.Don’t know why I’m posting this as I’m shadow banned anyway

  5. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    That boat would makes one heck of a floating party! Perfect for the St John’s river cruise if we ever have shows and river cruises again.

  6. Lee Wangstad
    Lee Wangstad says:

    Cokato?……Cokato? Hasn’t anyone ever heard of the Cokato Corn Carnival? Usually right around the second week of August. Located not too far from Winsted. Anyone ever heard of Winsted? Think back, back to the infamous Mecum boat auction. That will place you within 10 minutes of this boat. Yeah, I’ve been looking at this listing, but it just doesn’t fit my M.O.(this keeps me out of trouble at home).

  7. Jim Staib
    Jim Staib says:

    I have a friend in Northern Illinois with one for sale. In the water and usable for about a third of the Canadian one. With trailer. Click on my name to contact me.

  8. Howard Lehman
    Howard Lehman says:

    Yes, I used to own this boat. In my opinion it is restorable. I got it from a guy who always stored it in a large pole building with gravel or dirt floor. When I got it I stored it in a rented, unheated pole building and hoped to start a restoration. My problem was the monthly rent of the building, unheated so I couldn’t work on it in winter (Northern Wisconsin), was too expensive and my wife finally said “it had to go”, so it went to someone who had the facilities to store it and work on it. He also passed it on to someone else. I have drawings of this from CC archives at the Mariner’s Museum showing it was built with no hardtop, still has the folding top hardware, and was sent to Clark & Lund in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for use in the Lake Winnebago system. The decks and topsides look good. The bottom would need attention, and because of its weight and size, I couldn’t lift in off the trailer to best examine the bottom. But most of the boards looked OK. The trailer is very good. We took it 170 miles with no problems. I still wish I could have restored it as we live 17 miles from Lake Superior, but I felt that boating in that lake needed better cabin protection from weather conditions. However, in my opinion the boat would be better suited for rivers, Lake Minnetonka/Lake Vermillion-like lakes where the need for a permanent top wasn’t that necessary. I know people will ask about the bottom: if I could have had the boat safely setting on proper stands with engines removed of course, I would have started removing the follower bottom planks from the transom forward to get a thorough look at lower transom bow, keel, chines and bottom frames. Yes, it would cost some money but with marine plywood inner bottom and replacement outer bottom planks, you’d have a very nice boat and an interior where you could go as original, or a redesign. I seem to remember that the boat was last in the water in the early 90’s in Lake Michigan. I saw no visible rot when I had it. I’m not sure I can be of anymore help, but I’d be pleased to answer any questions readers might have as per the boat when I had it. Also, in checking specs from the 1949-1950 Super Semi Enclosed cruisers versus the similar boat built in the following years, the 1949-50 SE cruiser was a heavier boat and could have MBL’s as engines, whereas the following years didn’t offer that engine. I believe this boat would be a great boat to restore, but it would have taken more $$ than I had available. Happy boating to all! Howard

    • Richard Daley
      Richard Daley says:

      So missed yesterday’s post because of a power outage caused by 85 MPH winds that wrecked havoc
      I would like to make a donation to the Woody Boater cause to help keep this life line going.
      Not sure how to process that Matt.
      Can you pls provide details?
      Would encourage every one else to make a similar donation.
      As mentioned it costs money to keep this platform alive.
      In these times we need it more than ever.
      Tks for everything you do Matt
      R

  9. G & T SkiffCraft
    G & T SkiffCraft says:

    Bought a nice Case tractor with a front end loader about 20 years ago in Cokato . It had a nice reach & could easily lift a V8 . Farming community , boats over 20’ not so much.

  10. Mike U
    Mike U says:

    It’s been listed for sale for a year now – here’s the Facebook Market Place ad & it’s cheaper too – only $9k

  11. Mahogany mafia
    Mahogany mafia says:

    Okay so u have mentioned a whopper two day in a row now is the secret x project turning sweet pea into a floating burger king franchise damn it now im hungry thanks

  12. Johnny V.
    Johnny V. says:

    If I had a fully loaded currency cannon and a few shots of liquid ambition I’d love to own it. Lacking those, I just hope it goes to a good home and gets back in the water.

  13. tom
    tom says:

    Looks like a good, honest boat. Doesn’t look like it’s seen any amateur butchering.After looking at the one in Canada,I think I would get plans for putting the hardtop on it.Great looking boat.Of course the only way to make any financial sense at all would be to make it a DIY project.I’d love to take it on but it’s not gonna happen.(time,money).Same old story.

  14. thomas d
    thomas d says:

    i found one of these huge twins and a 24ft? single engine chris crafts sitting side by side on the back roads of middle tennessee in 1995. guy said if he couldn’t sell them he was pushing them down a hill. a year later when i went back to check on them and that’s exactly what he did. now i cant remember where to look for them. all i remember is they were on the west side of kentucky lake not far off the interstate.

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