In search of Chris Craft 55 TF last spotted in the SC area.

[saltshaker]

The first shot looks like they updated the look to be more like a Donzi. I look looked at a 58 Chris Craft that was built by Roscioli. Great boat with real nice lines. Interior may have been finished by Chris Craft as it looked just like the '80s style Murray boats.

[No Fly Zone]

Good morning Jack.
The one of the most impresive characteristics of this boat is the structural integrity. The hull has cross section alum ribs running the enitre length of the hull every 6 inches. I had the opportunity to sea trial 001 multiple times down in DR where the seas get sporty, and you never felt a shutter or vibration when pounding through the waves.
001 was brought to Miami in 91 where they repowered with 12v92 DDEC which turned out to be the kiss of death. The owner spent over 1 million updating only to have problem after problem between engines, and exterior paint job literally sagging as a result of improper Microbaloons application.
The name Virens was given to her by George Irvine, founder of Pipe Welders who was president of CC at the time.
My father left CC in 77 and went on to be vice president of Allied Marine in Miami working for Win Rockefeller. Many of his CC co-workers ended up at Hatt, and dad was very involved with Hatt helping them out with tech support down in latin america.
As the matter of fact when Hatteras threw in the towel on the search for Knit Whitts, Ray Myers called my father to lend a hand, and he located the boat in Panama within a couple of hours.
If my pursuit to acquire this boat fails, the I will be looking for a Hatt 52C to update and make new again and take the family to tour the Caribbean.
I see you are a 65 driver. Great boat that can take on anything you throw her way. Is she powered
with DD12 or 16?
Regards,
Rick

[q240z]

Hi Rick.

OT, sort of, but I'm doing a refit of a 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46, which is also an aluminum hull. I update a thread here when I post new blog articles. The ribs you describe being spaced every 6" is very different than what they used on the Roamers, even the big 60s that were stretched to 70+ footers, where rib spacing varied but was generally ~1 foot or so at the bow but then several feet from the first bulkhead to the stern. I've heard that Marinette used many more ribs spaced much closer together, but that the material was thinner than what Chris Craft used on Roamers. Any idea what the hull and rib plate thickness was on the 55TF?

Cheers,
Q

[saltshaker]

My 65 has 1080HP 12V92TA's

[rtrafford]

Good morning Jack.

001 was brought to Miami in 91 where they repowered with 12v92 DDEC which turned out to be the kiss of death. The owner spent over 1 million updating only to have problem after problem between engines, and exterior paint job literally sagging as a result of improper Microbaloons application.

Ironic. There was a 53c that had been hacked apart and glued back together to try to fit 12v92 DDEC's only to also fail financially prior to hitting the water---thank goodness for all that would have been aboard. Bank took her back while on the hard at Cracker Boy in Ft Pierce, and she was sold to a marine salvage team that gutted her. Five Nations.

I bought her as a shell and fully rebuilt her back to a modern Carolina atop the Hatt hull, cut no corners, but ended up with a boat better than Hatt built...no disrespect intended or implied. Hatt built a hell of a boat in the 70's.

I, too, did it for the passion regarding the boat.

[Boatsb]

Just a question.

They built 5. 1 survives because the others burned or sank from serious failures


Do you really want to take the family out on one of them?

[No Fly Zone]

They built 3. 001 was purposely sunk which turned out to be a failed insurance scam. 002 burned down most likely as result of poor maint, and never having any updates after spending 24 years fishing the carribean. I knew the boat and my father even overhauled both engines about 10 years before she sunk. even then she had her signs of neglect from the cheap owner at the time.
in other words the loss was not a result of design, or construction error.
now lets lok at the other end of the spectrum. 003 is still alive and running in Louisiana 40 years later. Just from the pics I found of her online she has is in her original condition and still fishing.
So you tell me if I go through her bow to stern and make her better than new if safety should be a concern?

Rick

[Boatsb]

If one was sunk purposely that should be removed from the equation. Now we have 2 and one burned and sank.

Whats the number cause of boat fires?

[Stripes]

What's the number one cause of boat fires?

What is it, please?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Thanks in advance!

Cheers

[No Fly Zone]

Electrical fire was most likely the cause. She burned sitting unattended at the dock in Boca Chica DR.
If I was to acquire 003 the entire electrical, fuel, ac, and engines, will be redone.
That is a no brainer on a boat of this age.