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1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Hi.
I'm one of several Chris Craft enthusiasts who frequent the HOF, though mostly as a lurker. I know a few of you Hatterii are also fond of Chris Crafts, so I thought I'd let you know about the blog I'm doing for my latest, longest and biggest old Chris rehab: http://1969chriscraftroamer46.wordpress.com/about/
Cheers,
Q
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
You guys HAVE to read this. It makes me embarrassed I ever complained about my little painting project last year. I think it would have been easier to build the boat from scratch. Wow.
You don't mention it in the blog, but I gather she has new engines- you didn't tow it to Deale, did you?
Anyway, well done, and I want to drive down and look at her, it's only an hour or less to Deale from here. Are you in Herrington Harbor North?
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Thanks, Jim!
It would be easier to start new, but they haven't made these beauties in 40 years! :p
I suspect that a brand-new aluminum build as robust as what Chris Craft did on the Roamers would also cost a fair amount more than what we'll be into this one all said and done. Fortunately, I work for free on m own stuff. lol
When we brought her around from Coltons, she had the rebuilt Lehman 120s. Turns out that was a bad idea that I'm in the process of correcting right now. Stay tuned...:cool:
Thus far I've been covering the historical work prior to May 2012. Two more posts on historical stuff, and I'll transition to everything that's been happening in the last eight months.
Very, very exciting stuff.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Maybe Cummins 450C remans? Or M11s if you want to go really fast....
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
What a beautiful boat! And one hell of a project!
Does she have a name yet?:cool:
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
HA! Everybody asks about the name! lol
We haven't decided yet. We've been calling it "the Roamer" for so long, I'm almost tempted to run with that.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
My kids would look at that and say.... "EPIC"
I do not think that would be overstating what you did.
Eric
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
HOW ABOUT
RE"CC"YCLED
:cool:
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Looking good - please keep us posted on progress with lots of pics!
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
I was just down in Deale and tried to find your boat at HH North. But the yard is so big I ended up lost, and didnt find it. I'd like to see it, though.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Yeah, the HH yard is HUGE. I sent you a PM, Jim.
Q
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2 Attachment(s)
Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
I had a 1969 ridgeway custom sportfisherman that had 534 ford seamasters. I bought the boat with the intention of putting diesels back in her. After my first trip to montauk I decided to keep them 20kts at 20 gph combined. I had Lab Machine works build me a new pair and ran the boat for the next 11 years. I never saw the turbo charged versions till your photos although I heard of them.
ArtAttachment 12761Attachment 12762
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
So what happened to the Lehmans?
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TROUBLE
I had a 1969 ridgeway custom sportfisherman that had 534 ford seamasters. I bought the boat with the intention of putting diesels back in her. After my first trip to montauk I decided to keep them 20kts at 20 gph combined. I had Lab Machine works build me a new pair and ran the boat for the next 11 years. I never saw the turbo charged versions till your photos although I heard of them.
Art
Attachment 12761Attachment 12762
Was that boat in Babylon in the 80's before the salon cabin was torn off?
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SKYCHENEY
So what happened to the Lehmans?
They're sitting in my garage in SoMD, along with TD502 gears, new mounts and couplers for 1.5" shafts. I haven't had time to advertise them yet. Too dang busy with refit!
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Quote:
Originally Posted by
smoothmove
My kids would look at that and say.... "EPIC"
I do not think that would be overstating what you did.
Eric
"EPIC"
Maybe that's what we should call her! ;-)
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Quote:
Originally Posted by
TROUBLE
I had a 1969 ridgeway custom sportfisherman that had 534 ford seamasters. I bought the boat with the intention of putting diesels back in her. After my first trip to montauk I decided to keep them 20kts at 20 gph combined. I had Lab Machine works build me a new pair and ran the boat for the next 11 years. I never saw the turbo charged versions till your photos although I heard of them.
Art
Art, it looks like you've got the earlier iteration of the 534, before Nautic bought the Seamaster brand. They went really nuts with 1/4" stainless bits and pieces, custom castings etc. They really were very well done.
And brutal power, from what I've heard. There's a fellow at the club who rode in my boat back in the day. He said the PO would put the sticks forward and there would be a bizarre yet subdued howling sound from below. The ER was lined in lead sheet over standard fiberglass batt insulation, so not much sound came through. But those four big ol' turbos spooling up (with no water cooling jacket) made a noise like no other. The nose of the boat would come waaaaaaay up, then hang in the air for just a bit before slapping down and VARRRROOOOOM! Off she'd go!
It must have been something!
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Quote:
Originally Posted by
q240z
They're sitting in my garage in SoMD, along with TD502 gears, new mounts and couplers for 1.5" shafts. I haven't had time to advertise them yet. Too dang busy with refit!
Must be I missing something then. What power is going in there now?
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Yeah, I could see how that would be a bit confusing. My thinking was that it didn't make much sense to start with the current work in 2013. There was a lot of history to cover and, as I explain on the About page, first I'll go through the historical material, then transition to current work. I've tried to keep the dates as obvious as I can. The Lehmans did their duty for a brief moment in time and then...
Stay tuned! It's a blog! Enjoy the story! :p
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
BTW, there's a new blog post talking about the various tents I've used during this 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
It maybe a Chris Craft but yore as crazy as a lot of us here " maybe even the Commodore" Welcome to the Club I think :confused: Nice job also shes going to be sweet when she's done.
Seems he wants to be a Story telling and give it a little at a time :D That's fine with me I like good restoration/ boating story just finish the story not like some? Kiwi if your reading this Yes I am talking about you ;)
Keep going Thanks for sharing.
Dan
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Scott,
The boat "Weasel" spent most of its life in babylon. Yes Bill Cullen was the craftsman who converted it to an express.
Art
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Good old Bill. I worked with him at babylon marine in the 80,s and remember leaving about the time the owner decided to. Ut off the salon. Used to work on those seamonsters every year. Tune up and oil changes. The owners kid had a go fast too.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Quote:
Originally Posted by
34Hatt
It maybe a Chris Craft but yore as crazy as a lot of us here " maybe even the Commodore" Welcome to the Club I think :confused: Nice job also shes going to be sweet when she's done.
Seems he wants to be a Story telling and give it a little at a time :D That's fine with me I like good restoration/ boating story just finish the story not like some? Kiwi if your reading this Yes I am talking about you ;)
Keep going Thanks for sharing.
Dan
Thanks, Dan. With all the time and effort I've got into this one, I hope she does turn out sweet.
There's a new post on the blog-- 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Interior Concepts
Cheers,
Q
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
New post: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Paperwork SNAFU Resolved! Refit Resumes in 2012!
Cheers,
Q
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Looking good. Just remember to make passageways and doors wide enough to remove/replace the appliances if ever need be. Also, you'll need door latches on that refrigerator to keep the door from opening when underway since it points back towards the stern.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Thanks! I hadn't thought far enough ahead to worry about fridge door latches! lol
Unfortunately, there's no practical way to make the doors wide enough to remove the washer and dryer. If they ever need replacing, I'll probably just dismantle the appliance and reassemble as necessary. I've done that before with other appliances on my previous Connie. The fridge is counter depth, though, so it slides out the salon side windows once the doors are removed.
But, of course, these are new appliances, so they'll never need replacing! :p
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
LOL-- A fridge will open while underway in a sea regardless of whether it faces forward or aft. Ask me how I know :)
Cheryl
Cinderella
1971 53 MY
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1 Attachment(s)
Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Found this picture in my collection
ArtAttachment 12775
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Cool stuff there, Art. I believe those were prior to Nautic buying the Seamaster line in the late 1960s. Still, great engines for their time.
My latest blog entry brings us up to August 2013, with a set of low-hour Cummins 450 Diamonds sitting in the engine room of my Roamer 46. This boat ought to fly when it's done.
http://1969chriscraftroamer46.wordpr...nes-this-time/
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
It all makes sense now. All except the August 2013 reference. I think we're a few months away from that. :)
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
I'm sure most people can appreciate what you are doing. I surely do. Yachtsmanwilly did a great job on the Hat he was redoing, and his reports on the progress he made really added to the enjoyment of this forum. Good luck and I hope it all turns out the way you want it. Stay in touch, and keep us posted. Nobody really cares what make of boat you have, it's all about the experience, and comraderie.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Excellent repower choice. Did they come from Mako Marine?
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
They fit in there nicely. It will be easy to take care of them and performance will be brisk to say the least.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Thanks for the words of encouragement guys.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
saltshaker
Excellent repower choice. Did they come from Mako Marine?
No, they came from a different shop that used to be a nice looking...before Sandy, anyway.
New post: http://1969chriscraftroamer46.wordpr...tent-model-ix/
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
???
New blog post for anybody who's interested in the new bow seat on my Roamer 46: http://1969chriscraftroamer46.wordpr...-the-bow-seat/
Cheers,
Q
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
WOWEEE! I really did underestimate this guy ! He really is an EXSPUURT! ws
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Can we stop the personal stuff here and just hear about his repower and refit work on his boat, please.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Can we stop people from bashing vendors, please? Especially when they don't even explain the circumstances. Seems like there are two sides here that need to be addressed. Doesn't it say somehwere in the rules that vendor trashing is not welcomed? When I know of a bad vendor, I send a PM explaing the situation. I wish him luck with his rebuild, but no longer have any interest in following his blogs or posts.
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Re: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 refit
Looks like he edited the post to remove the vendors name and subsequent replies. Good move since we don't know the details of his issues with them and they have a good reputation around here. Vendor bashing is not uncommon around here. Even if it's warranted it should be avoided or at the very least qualified with a detailed concern. If you do have an issue, best practice is to state you can't recommend and offer a follow up PM for those interested.