Get It While You Can! 1972 Chris Craft Lancer Inboard/Outboard On Ebay.
First. Who knew, we certainly didn’t. These kinda hybrid-ish outboard in board boat things show up every know and then. They are a little strange and in an odd way..well..strange. Now we get it, the best of both worlds, we will have the convenience of an outboard with the style of an inboard. I learned a long time ago, that if you try and hide something that’s a bit odd, it just makes it worse. Be proud of your outboard. Wear it big and bold on the back of your boat. Hiding it just means your ashamed.
Now with all that said. This is a cool part of boating and Chris Craft history. Clearly it never really caught on and was the outcome of one to many focus groups. And for sure you would be the hit of any show you went to. Slap that sucker on the trailer hitch and drive around like its the Bees Knees. Be proud to be an inboard outboarder!
CLICK HERE TO SEE IT
Cool trailer
And Happy Header Day! It’s the weekend, get out there.
I did not know Chris Craft even made a boat like this.
I am used to inboard/outboard referencing a stern drive unit like a Mercruiser or OMC. I would think of this as more of an enclosed outboard.
Very Unique Indeed.
That is strange, almost looks like some kind of Homebuilt.
Always LOVE a header day!
Been caught too many times in this position. I now tie a line to the rear lifting ring to pull the tired old body out.
Looks like a good idea, but im sure in reality it wasn’t so good. I wonder if it had power tilt? Hard enough checking props without enclosing it. And the Higgins rocks!
I get the concept. You want an outboard, but in 1972, any outboard not powered by atleast two big Mercs is lame. So, CC came up with this great idea where you could have a low power OMC without coming out of the closet. Brilliant!
So what happens when you hit a log or rock going full tilt with that thing ?….Looks like it might just rip the whole rear end out of that boat…
Wonder is this thing anywhere in Jerry Conrad’s book ?
Looks to be enough room for tilting the motor.
Well, they were way ahead of their time on this, because Sea Ray and Pursuit (Tiara Yachts) just introduced versions of their own this past model year. With the outboard hidden. These are both much larger cruisers and fishing boats.
http://pursuitboats.com/SC365i.php
http://www.searay.com/page.aspx/pageid/160944/pmid/334210/370-Venture.aspx
Sea Ray Trade Marked it as a Concealed Outboard Propulsion. Pursuit Trade Marked theirs as
Integrated Outboard Technology.
I wonder what Chris Craft is thinking?
Now, back to my Coffee Varnish.
Yep…nothing better than catching up on WoodyBoater news with a piping hot cup of varnish…(thanks Matt- best mug in my kitchen!)?
Saw an airboard-outboard at the Millsite boat ramp the other day. M&M
David is right. As hair-brained as this solution might seem, I think we’ll keep seeing more variations on the theme. In the world of new plastic boats, outboards are taking over IO’s big time. They’re cleaner, lighter, more efficient and more reliable with huge power available. The only drawback is that they’re hanging out there in the way of the swim platform and interrupting the lines of the boat.
Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. was light years ahead of Chris-Craft. They had an “inboard” looking boat that was powered by an outboard under a deck way back in the 1920s. See picture.
Dee Wite also had a similar design in the 1920s with an outboard under a deck.
Andreas Jordahl Rhude
Is there enough room in there to steer that boat ?
Yes, it’s in the essential guide. It was referred to as an “Outboard Inboard” with a distinct model number. I’ve always thought they were cool in an amusement park kiddy ride sort of way. Whosever, the flaw in my eye is you don’t get one advantage to an outboard which is greater interior space. Not sure how bad the smoke would be on those old two strokes either. Like many cool boats CC had during this era, not many sold and they didn’t last long. Nice to see one has been brought back to stock”ish”. Every one I’ve seen has been really neglected and in rough shape.
We use our outboards as swim ladders. Now that we are getting older working on custom narrow ladder that hangs o er the edge of the Lyman transom next to the outboard. Need to get inthe water, need to get out.
Oh wow River Rat, that is a cool boarding ladder. I love the elegant mounting.
Dam, I missed out on that one. You see, I live like 2 miles from this guy, and I met him on Memorial weekend, and helped him launch this gem. I did not know it was even for sale!
And while we talked about this boat, somehow I completely missed the fact that there was an outboard tuck under there… For less than $4,000.00 the motor is worth half that alone. What a steel.