Chris Craft Step Hydro vs Chris Craft Cobra.
It was bound to happen. Ya take a freshly restored Cobra and Step Hydro out on the water at the same time, and ya gotta see what happens. Well, thats exactly what happened last week. It all started as a simple photo shoot. Now this is nothing like the never ending bantering between Alex Watson and Mike Mayer regarding there plastic classics. These two boats are owned and restored by the same folks. If you read Woody boater even once a month, you know that these two are from the house of Katz fine art collection. The Cobra sports a Van Ness Cadillac dual quad, and the Hydro a triple carb monstor. Anyway, have fun with the video. We certainly did. Thanks again to Katz’s marina, Texx and Jimmy, Terry, Tommy and Don for documenting all this.
As I suspected! Great music and the jiggly letters certainly added to the suspense! Thanks all
I’d still rather have the Hydro.
I am with you on this one Jim, but I am not certain that either of us would even fit in that little boat! Wonderful boats, both of them but the Hydro is in a combined class of rarity and desirability almost by itself. There may be more rare one of a kinds out there, but few more desirable, or less versatile. A collectors’ special it is, as is this Cobra.
Jiggles help EVERYTHING
No, not everything…..
Ha Nice one Woody gal. That was funny.
The hydo restoration is over the top…but I liked it just fine in the rough…..
John in Va.
Well, I must admit. The step hydro is more appealing and more desirable as a collection object but the Cobra does catch much well deserved attention on the water.
We used to enjoy Miss Step at Tavares on a trailer begging for a restore. She was treated to one, thanks to Craig Hartwig (previous owner) and Seth Katz of Katz’s Marina (present owner). Much thanks to both of you for doing her justice. I sure enjoyed seeing her in her original condition this year, but will miss seeing her being towed to the Festival on a vintage trailer by a vintage truck.
I wouldn’t choose either of these boats becasuse of their metrics being valuable, rare, collectable or of singular purpose…as they both are.
My prefrence for Miss Step, is simply because she has extremely clean lines and understated elegant proportions. She is exactly as she should be. (if that makes any sense)
Fat chance I’d ever have the opportunity to own a boat of this calibre but, Miss Step can still be my “pin up”!
The Cobra all the way. What a cool little film you made there boys. Ahhh now I can go to work happy.
The Cobra is obviously the sexier of the two, much sleeker. The Hydro, in the photos I have seen just looks a little tubby. Either one is very collectable for one reason or another.
if these two boats had the same power plants the result would not even be close, the hydro would bake the cobra for lunch.
both are great boats but nothing beats the heritage of the hydro; I have to acknowledge a basis as I have a 1955 step hull race boat as well.
Great boats and thanks for the video
Good point. I had a 16′ Barrelback with a Cadillac in it. It was Freaky fast! The modified V-8 idled at 1200rpm with a roller cam, boat was half on plane. Hard to take through no wake zones. I installed a K series in it and was way more user friendly but not as much fun.