“Puff” Powers To Her New Home In Florida! UPDATE READ COMMENTS!
Stunning!
Long time fellow Woody Boater Scott Ales pulled a major Woody Boater Road trip this weekend, bringing home “Puff” the amazing time capsule Chris Craft Express Cruiser we featured on Woody Boater a couple weeks ago.
Jay Elliott, Puff’s most recent caretaker! Getting her on her new trailer!
ROAD TRIP!
And as you know we love a road trip story, so here are some photos along the way. Scott flew into Detroit on Thursday, rented a U-haul, bot a trailer with the help of Fellow Woody Boater Tom Frye and next thing ya know you are ripping down the freeway, stopping at every gas station along the way. Wooohooo!
The Border Patrol, needs fuel as well.
Lots of gas station photos. HA
Clean as a whistle headed to her new home in Eustis Florida.
Wow!
Perfect color combo
As long as its still there all is good!
Thanks Scott for sending us in an update. We look forward to a boat ride in March! And of course photos of her launch in her new warm Florida water!
Two thumbs up for saving this beauty! Eustis – so she will be at Lake Dora/Lakeland event next year???
Absolutely! In all her original patina and unrestored condition.
Huge thank you to the following,
Mr. PUFF for ordering and caring for her over 50 years. MCL 175 no!
Jay Elliott ( pictured and owner #2) for continuing to preserve and care.
Tom Frye for going way out of his way helping with the trailer specs. Fits like a glove. She’s so happy resting on it!
Mike at Lakeside Formula for working with us on the trailer.
Phoenix Trailers for the build and 70 mph true track custom work. Even added the Chris Craft decal without me asking !
Jefferson Beach marina for over 61 years of in/ out, storage, and care.
And last, the new “least” version of Matt! Who must admit he also lost the weight to sneak around events unrecognizable! Who knows where Puff would be without his passion, site, and story.
We’re privileged to be the 3rd caretaker of this unusual relic.
Kentucky this morning, Eustis by nightfall we hope!
Way to go Scott. You know how much I love a road trip hauling a boat. And yes those Pheonix trailers are AMAZING! We love ours.
MCL 175 hp
Dang spellchecker.
By the way, here is the Website for Pheonix if you are interested. They totaly get it, Not a sponsor but a HUGE recomend!
Wow, over 1000 miles in a U-haul is serious self sacrifice!
Yeah, I came straight out of my autopilot Tesla into this pig with no cruise control! My right ankle is shot already.
Needed the truck to haul the amazing cradle. Pictures later.
Puff is a real beauty!
I hope to get a ride next spring in Sunnyland!
Way to go all involved.
Well done all. And an extra shout-out to Capt. Frye. Excellent team effort toward getting this boat to its new home.
Congratulations. Puff is a great boat and I hope you enjoy her as much as Eric Puff and Jay Elliott did. Here’s the video I made last Summer so you can share it with all of your friends.
Maybe there is another story…Chris Ann (Chris Smith’s daughter) & Bob Braff pulled their 28 foot Chris Craft cruiser from Colorado to Tavares for the boat show this year and then to the Florida Keys for sightseeing and then back up the Florida West Coast, stopping here before going on to Pensacola for a visit to the air museum and to New Orleans to see the WW !! Museum and then to Keels & Wheels before heading back home to Colorado.
Excellent…glad everything worked out with the trailer build. “Puff” is a Chris Craft time capsule. Look forward to launch pictures at her new home in Eustis, Florida. Congratulations!
Half way home!
More to come…
The first owner!
Pulling it with a T-bird, now that’s class!
Denis D
Safely in it’s new home state of ….
Did you notice the original owners blue shirt matches the boat top. You’ll need the shirt and T-Bird to complete the package. Good Luck and Happy Boating!
Woohooo
Heck, might as well get a matching color car too!
I also love the three aero-blade flag poles and flags. Maybe a string of lights hanging from bow, to mast, to stern?
In the barn!
Did anyone notice the boss with two thumbs up?
That makes it even better. It looks like a fantastic family boat! That color is perfection!
Congratulations on your purchase and that’s the nicest barn I’ve ever seen, way ahead of the one I have in KY.
Congratulations… my dream but never had the courage…. mac
The original Mr. Puff put that beast in the water with what looks to be a Ford Thunderbird???
You have to be shitting me.
10 gallons a minute during her first hour of soaking last night. Glad I had that 110V 1400 gph sump pump handy!! 6 volt bilge is running about every 3 minutes today. A few dock modifications planned for this afternoon with safety straps under her. She’s not going down on our watch.
From the dock…
Pulled the rear floor boards to check her and the bilge out today.
Amazing.
Resting nicely in her permanent home, post hurricane Irma. At least now she has 3 more feet of water under her!