I grew up near High Rock Lake, and spent many summer days on my dad’s old 1958 Wolverine. The Wolverine was a great boat, but in my opinion the classiest boats on the lake were the Chris Crafts. Even as a boy, I admired them and dreamed of owning one for myself one day.
Years later, in 1999 I found a 1950 Chris Craft in Minneapolis Minnesota. It was in fairly good shape, and I could easily see its tremendous potential. The quality of the wood and the craftsmanship of the boat promised a true treasure, if I was willing to take on the challenge. Woodworking has been a hobby of mine for a long time, and I have refinished many pieces of antique furniture. I knew the Chris Craft would require a lot of work, but I was excited to take on the project.
I spent many hours stripping the original finish, then sanding, then applying varnish. In all, I applied about twenty coats of varnish. The bottom had to also be redone. The old caulk had to be scraped out and then sanded, followed by new caulking and paint. When it was finished, the boat had the shine of a fine dining room table. It would’ve been worthy of a Pledge commercial, for sure!
Next, I had to make the boat seaworthy. You can’t just take a wooden boat to the boat ramp and drop it in the water, ready to go. Much preparation is involved. I had to soak the boat for several days. Using a garden hose, I filled the boat with water. Initially, the water dripped through the seams in the wood. The boat looked like a colander! As the water began to soak in the wood, the wood swelled, and finally sealed. It was sea worthy.
My maiden voyage was in 2000. Each year, I have to go through the soaking process before launching. I like to put it in the water in the early fall, when the weather is mild and the lake is not too crowded.
Lots of people comment on the amount of work to refinish and maintain a boat like this. But to me, it isn’t work. There are few things I love to do more than work on boats like this. It is relaxing, and tremendously rewarding to have a part in preserving a true American treasure!
Years later, in 1999 I found a 1950 Chris Craft in Minneapolis Minnesota. It was in fairly good shape, and I could easily see its tremendous potential. The quality of the wood and the craftsmanship of the boat promised a true treasure, if I was willing to take on the challenge. Woodworking has been a hobby of mine for a long time, and I have refinished many pieces of antique furniture. I knew the Chris Craft would require a lot of work, but I was excited to take on the project.
I spent many hours stripping the original finish, then sanding, then applying varnish. In all, I applied about twenty coats of varnish. The bottom had to also be redone. The old caulk had to be scraped out and then sanded, followed by new caulking and paint. When it was finished, the boat had the shine of a fine dining room table. It would’ve been worthy of a Pledge commercial, for sure!
Next, I had to make the boat seaworthy. You can’t just take a wooden boat to the boat ramp and drop it in the water, ready to go. Much preparation is involved. I had to soak the boat for several days. Using a garden hose, I filled the boat with water. Initially, the water dripped through the seams in the wood. The boat looked like a colander! As the water began to soak in the wood, the wood swelled, and finally sealed. It was sea worthy.
My maiden voyage was in 2000. Each year, I have to go through the soaking process before launching. I like to put it in the water in the early fall, when the weather is mild and the lake is not too crowded.
Lots of people comment on the amount of work to refinish and maintain a boat like this. But to me, it isn’t work. There are few things I love to do more than work on boats like this. It is relaxing, and tremendously rewarding to have a part in preserving a true American treasure!
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