Now The Best Of Both Worlds – Chris-Craft Dealership, Back On Lake Hopatcong!
Hockenjoes Chris Craft dealership
We can officially announce that as of this morning, there is a brand new, Chris Craft dealership back on Lake Hopatcong. That’s right, Chris Craft is back at the same location that it was back in 1927 thanks to Seth Katz and the good folks that make the two Katz’s Marinas one of the nations top classic boat destinations. So now, no matter if you want a 1924 Chris Craft or 2015 one, you are covered.
Spank’n New Chris Crafts now on Lake Hopatcong
Spank’n renewed Chris Craft
A brand new Capri ready for you!
Or this Capri, the last Wooden Runabout made by Chris Craft. All at Katzs HERE
The coolest part of all this is that Katz’s On the Cove, was a Chris Craft dealer back in the day called Hockenjos. Katz’s is now the official dealership for that area in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Some of the original signage for Hockenjos Boat Co.
Original ad from 1928!
Thanks to Bob Kays for supplying some great old stuff regarding Hockenjos
Original Chris Craft Hockenjos Boat Co tag
Inside of the dealership, the Chris Craft heritage is strong
Katz’s marina is famous for its clean work areas.
And right now there is a nest of Cobras at Katzs being prepped for the big event in Tavares Florida..
We can not be more thrilled here at Woody Boater about Chris Craft as a company bringing back some of it’s dealer network around the country with many of its original dealers. And fellow Woody Boaters, Pete Beauregard in Algonac, the The Antique Boat Center in Ohio and now Katz’s in New Jersey. Woohooo! If you want to see what Chris Craft has got for you, visit the website HERE. And for Katzs marina, CLICK Here!
You may recall this photo series from a couple years back on Lake Dora. Katzs Cobra and Step Hydro with the latest design from Chris Craft. Now you can see the same thing in New Jersey!
you know, after looking at the header for awhile i just thought of something, the windscreen needs a little white vinneger! i must be getting old!
nice job katz, it looks like you made it through the set back from the roof cave in allright.
maybe one day we could do some side by side of katzs and steve bundras place to see who has less saw dust!
mike
Windscreen? Where?
Wrong gal, Mike…..the one who sits on the deck is the one who cleans the windshield and she’s not in this picture. She’s on her way to the shop for more white wine…..er….vinegar….
Plastic fantastic, but I’ll stick with wood!
GREAT opening picture. Can’t wait to go to Mt. Dora. Moving back home to Florida from Oklahoma. YEA!!!!!
In regards to the header…. What tight lines she has! Personally I would gives her a little slack to keep the chafing to a minimum!
Just Saying!
Congrats Seth! Now I don’t have to negotiate prices on new Capri’s for you anymore. Just pick up the phone and order one. BTW you owe me a ride on that new Capri….and then some.
Lake Hopatcong must have been a hot bed for Chris Crafts in the old days…My first boat, a 16′ Riviera was delivered there but to the Lakeland Marine Base which was another Chris Craft dealer. Never could find who was the first owner of that little boat, although some seemed to recall seeing it and Wayne Mocksfield’s uncle had one like it.
I like the Hockenjos sign indicating they were also a dealer for Winner fiberglass boats. Winner’s “Plasticraft” may have been the first maker of production fiberglass boats in North America in 1946. They certainly were a pioneer of RFP boats. And they eventually got gobbled up by Thompson Boat of Peshtigo, WI
Those damn Thompson Brothers were just everywhere!!!
AS of late I have been thinking that “Woody Boater” doesn’t seem to live up to its name. Todays header, however has changed that for me even though it has a plastic boat in it. Nice.
In the world of new plastic boats the Chris Crafts stand head and shoulders above the rest. The lines, the detail, the quality are outstanding. For some reason I get a free subscription to “Boating” magazine. They had a new MasterCraft 24′ wakeboard boat on the front cover. I know they have a good reputation for quality, but the thing looked hideous. And it cost $153,000. Insanity.
I concur….just got my “Boating Magazine” and I looked at the cover and quietly exclaimed:……..WTF??
Have you all seen the new plastic Hacker? Nice looking boat.
I also noticed the Winner name on the Hockenjos sign. I have a 1970 Winner Bimini that is solid as new given the all fiberglass construction. I guess it now qualifies as a classic in ACBS. Not a lot of info available on their line other than what is on the Fibeglassics website.
I have lots of “Winner” boats info. Much of what is in the Glassic Library at http://www.fiberglassics.com is compliments of me.
Thanks for that Andreas, that is the only info I have been able to find.
I agree with all of the comments about the new plastic Chris Craft design and quality, but I still wish they would offer a V Drive as an option. I guess I am just too much of a traditional purist, and can’t warm up to the appearance of the I/O!
I agree on the desire for a straight inboard or V-drive option – the only thing outdrives are good for is the revenue boat repair shops derive from them…
Nice header!
Go Seth go!
$68,000 for a new Capri 21? This is hardly within reach of the middle class family in the USA.
Why can’t CC make a boat with a price of $12-15,000 without all of the exotic materials and fluff – you know, a decent boat that gets more and more people out onto the water? More young families on the water now will mean more families a bit later who may want to upgrade to a nice old classic wood boat with the same trusted CC name on it.
Which means more ACBS members down the road….
We did not become a nation of millions of auto drivers by a company selling four people a darn Duesenburg. It was Uncle Henry with his black only Model T that got us to where we are now.
Simple answer Briant. That’s not the market segment Chris-Craft wants.
Bayliner was Uncle Henry. Back in the ’80’s they offered a 15′ Capri boat, motor, and trailer for $4,995. Cheap? You bet, but it was affordable. And it got them on the water hopefully hooked.
I grew up spending vacations on Lake Hopatcong in the ’60s and certainly remember all the classic wood boats, as well as the newer fiberglass boats. Back when there was still “old money” on the lake, I recall a long triple cockpit Chris Craft plowing by with a suited man at the helm wearing a chauffer’s hat and an old woman in the rear seat with a chiffon dress, white gloves and holding delicate parasol over her head.
Great memories, thanks for sharing them with us.