Chris Craft Roamer, The Official Battleship Of The Woodyboaterville
Cutting through the ice! YIKES
If you are a social media idiot like me, you no doubt saw this Chris Craft Roamer cutting its way through the ice up in Lake Minnetonka yesterday. The story went viral, pandemic viral. Yes while we all were debating Coke signs and there political agenda, a bunch of guys were out living the dream and extending the boating season right to the razors edge of ice.
How did this even happen? Its not like winter is a surprise up there?
I gotta admit, this could be the biggest balls winner of 2021.. Except it was so cold? Well?
And thanks to Turbine Guy Youtuber, who filmed 4 hrs of the journey. You can scan through it, but its cool to see, and good god, what an ad for the Roamer Hull. Aluminum BTW. Here ya go! Bask in the crazyness. And please, Turbine Guy has a political bend on things in his other videos. Just ignore that stuff here today. Or I will repost some more Coke signs I have. OH YES I WILL! HA Ugh!
And here is DAY 2.. Another 4 hrs. So call in sick, and enjoy. or not.
Gotta love the old cruisers, but not so sure about its current owner. I think I’ll pass on watching both videos in their entirety, but thanks for sharing.
Dang what a project. I really wanted to see them pull it out of the water. Is there a video for that?
I am sure that I am the only Nerd that noticed this guy wearing a Snap-on Jacket.
Remember Troy . Kenosha Wi. is where Snap on Tools are made. It is only about 400 miles from Kenosha to Lake Minnetonka. So the guy could be a tool dealer, a mechanic, or work at the factory. A good observation though.
Can’t beat a Roamer no matter what size.
27′ of fun
He was trying to win Matt’s last gasp award.
I think he won that one.
So it comes out and then what? Ya just don’t drive down the road with that. Fool but aren’t we all.
NR
I’m waiting for the next video when they realize that the trailer was driven off the end of the concrete ramp and the tires are sitting in muck. I’ve done crazy things in my life so these videos brought back bad memories. I hope the next video has a happy ending.
Hope they got it out before the nasty winds hit.
Needs a real big winch. Trailers can work. If you are putting them on a hydraulic trailer with an 80 ton Travel Lift. They move most of the boats except for the real big ones with the trailer at the storage facility I use.
Wow, massive boat & massive project!
Dear Matt,
Thank you for not “milking” that 4 hour video over the next few months!! I made it 4 seconds and feel like I got the jist.
And thank you for Woodyboater.
Your friend,
MikeM
No ship
Ice Breaking is a way of life on the Great Lakes. Just not with your private Yacht. Good story. I would love to see a follow up of taking her out and going down the road.
Couldn’t imagine stranger timing to pull this off. It got up into the 50’s here in Minneapolis, then plunged overnight so it won’t be a pleasant operation. If they manage to get it on a trailer, they aren’t getting it under any power lines without some deconstruction. What a sh*tshow!
Just how much a pound for scrap aluminum today?
Any one catch her name?
I think I saw it in the video at some point started with an S. I posted the link but it may have gotten hung up in Matt’s approval process. Whatever that is. Google Roamer Minneapolis and it should come up under moreboats.com Last reported price was $99k but I bet it went for less. Looks in good shape but dated.
much as I love Cruiser stories, rare as they are, I am not going to watch this one….
John in Va.
Its Never the boats fault
I did not see the specs for this boat, but there were a lot of steel roamers
https://moreboats.com/boats/chris-craft/roamer-riviera/243768
Just sort of fast forwarded through both videos. In the first skip right to 4:10 mark for the most important part. That’s where they finally nose her into the trailer and tie her off for the night. The next 4 hr video is the next day easing her onto the trailer by having winch trucks flanking the tractor trailer and pulling on the strap that belted around the transom and forward to the tow truck’s winches. Then finally its “berthed” for the day and is waiting for diver(s) to verify and adjust aft trailer bunks or boat position before hauling out of the water on another day.
Apparently there are permits which need to be addressed but the owner says we’re not going anywhere except to the parking lot until they make sure the boat is ready to travel, they he’ll procure the permits for the date and time needed. He’s obviously overwidth (17′ and has height clearance issues) so “townies” are circling like vultures to make sure he doesn’t move an inch without proper paperwork. Too bad they didn’t give the same hassle to those who burned down multiple blocks of Minneapolis a while ago.
Get those damn engines, generator and water systems winterized pronto!!!!!!
………says a marina owner…………… 🙂
I believe the name of the boat is Sea Note it has been used for many years as a charter boat on Lake Minnetonka I didn’t think it was in the water at all this summer I saw it blocked up on land at Tonka Bay Marine.
Brad Ernst
It’s 4:22 PM on day 3, the boat just cleared the water. The props are visible. I admit that I was watching this for a couple of hours today. They are still working on this. UGH!
I did the same thing and wish I had those 4 hours back but it was interesting except to listen to the babble. Now there’s hours of work fixing the trailer screw jacks that were bent up and are needed to stabilize the boat before transporting along with winterizing motors and plumbing
.
Screen shot for the benefit of the visual.
I watched some.of the video today, but mainly for the comments!
That’s the Seanote II. Chuck Gross captained it until his passing. It’s a 58 footer.