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Post your Boat Buzz technical questions here. We will do our best to respond to your questions in a timely manner.

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robbspratt
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Excited New Member

Post by robbspratt » Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:05 pm

I just bought a 1967 Chris-Craft 36' Cavalier. It is my first wood boat and i am quite impressed so far with the condition of the boat, however it was neglected for quite awhile and was (sort of) fixed up by the previous owner. Now I am quite handy and have proven to be capable of fixing just about anything I laid my hands on, but this project is quite daunting considering I know little to nothing about wood boats or the old carbureted motors inside.

Where are my best sources for general information such as engine oil, carb rebuild kits, sealing deck/window leaks, exterior paint, etc?

Thank you in advance! I have heard great things about this club and I am VERY happy to be a part of it!

Robb Spratt

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Ken Miller
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Post by Ken Miller » Wed Jul 06, 2011 5:06 pm

Robb,

Welcome to the club. It is an invaluable resource for information for individuals such as yourself. Do what most of us do: read the forum daily to see new threads/posts, and read (or use the "search" tool) past threads to find specific topics. Good luck with your project.


Ken Miller.
1951 Chris Craft U-22-1705 "Miss Cynthia"

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mfine
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Post by mfine » Wed Jul 06, 2011 5:42 pm

find your hull number, and contact the Mariners Museum and order your info packet including what we call the "hull card."

The packet will contain plenty of information to help you and help others help, as well as a list of further documents you can purchase if needed or desired.

When asking questions or looking for info, it is best to have as much info as possible about what you have. For example you ask about carb rebuild kits, but what carb on what engine? We have no idea what you have because there is always the possibility that things have been changed since 1967. The engines may have been rebuilt, replaced or upgraded and may no longer resemble the original install. Pictures are often helpful if you can not identify the components yourself.

Good luck with your project, and happy boating!

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Al Benton
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Post by Al Benton » Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:57 pm

Robb,

I too would like to welcome you to Boat Buzz. It's great to have you with us.

The Chris-Craft 36' Cavaliers were the largest ones built by the Division. There were 3 models available in 1967, the Sea Strake, the Yacht and the Crusader. The Sea Strake and Yacht have similar layouts with an aft cabin and the Crusader has a large aft deck but no aft cabin. The Sea Strake has lapstrake topsides which were painted blue and the Yacht has smooth plywood topsides that were white. All of them are fabulous cruisers. Which model do you have? If you can, post a photo, we would love to see her.

Most of these had twin CC 327 engines, some may have been delivered with a pair of CC 283F's. I'm not much on mechanics but there is a world of experienced Boat Buzzers here that are and can help with any questions you may throw at them.

As for exterior paint, use a good marine grade product such as Interlux Brightside. Pettit, Z-Spar are good brand names too. There are others.

Window leaks is a subject that has been talked about frequently here. Mainly because they all leak. The tracks just don't drain rain away fast enough and the overflow into the interior. One of our members found a method that seems to work by installing a rubber-like trim on the exterior that seals the windows. It's similar to the edging on a garage door only smaller, a rubber flap stays tight against the glass but the window can still slide. It's fastened to the exterior frame.

You may need to let us know which decks need sealing, forward (vinyl covered) or aft (probably wood?).

As Ken & mfine say, read past posts, use the "search" feature, find the hull number and order a "Research Package" from The Mariners' Museum (Just click on this "link" and it will take you to the Chris-Craft Library page).

Al

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Matt Smith
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Post by Matt Smith » Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:55 am

Robbbbbbbbbb! Welcome to your new man cave. Ok its on line. But don't hesitate to ask even the dumbest questions. I have for years. And it never disapoints. Dont worry about spelling either. You have a great fun boat. Plop that sucker in the water and enjoy whats left of the summer.
1948 25' Chris Craft Sportsman
1937 16' Special Racer
1968 40' Rice Trawler
1968 11' Crab Skiff
2018 Hole in my head

WoodyBoater.com

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BrokenRule2
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Post by BrokenRule2 » Fri Jul 08, 2011 1:00 am

Rob - Welcome!
I kinda a newbie and can tell you that searching the Boat Buzz will answer 95% of your questions and a quick post will return a wealth of knowledge from folks. You will learn a lot and perhaps reduce the cost of the learning curve.

Expect when it comes to varnishing... but then redoing varnishing is better than working in the garden in my world!

please post photos!!!

Mike

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