Salisbury, Maryland Sea Skiff Plant

[Grant Stanfield]

Hi, Skiffers-

You all sure are quiet this winter...no posts in quite awhile...don't worry- spring launching is just around the corner!

I've been diving DEEP into Sea Skiff history and research lately and I have some interesting images of the Chris-Craft Sea Skiff plant in Salisbury, Maryland. The "Building Chris-Craft" book published recently has some neat interior shots of the skiff production lines, and after digging around long enough online, I found the former C-C plant listed on some commercial real estate websites. Quite a complex! I gather that the Cavaliers were also built in Salisbury, along with those Corinthian and Sea Strake hybrid models. The plant was Salisbury's largest employer from 1954-1969, when the plant was closed.

I had fun using Bing Maps for some good aerial and bird's-eye views of the old skiff works...the address was (and is) 300 Moss Hill Lane, Salisbury, MD.

Of course, I'd love to see more images from the production lines; post 'em if you got 'em, OK?

[farupp]

Thanks, Grant. That's where mine was made.
Frank

[Mark Christensen]

Yeah, I have a 28' sea skiff hardtop, I'd love to see pictures of it in production. I realize mine probably wasn't made in the Salisbury plant, I think it was manufactured in MI. Post production pics! Mostly so I can figure out how to get my hardtop off for repairs!

[Grant Stanfield]

Mine too, Mr. Rupp!

The Salisbury plant was purpose-built to produce the new lapstrake hulls of the Sea Skiff Division beginning in 1954. I've heard the new skiff plant described as one of the largest and most modern boat factories in the world at the time.

Most (but not all) Sea Skiffs were born in Salisbury, but the prototype 22' Opens were constructed in Algonac, with the very first consumer batches built in the Cadillac, Michigan plant.

These very early 22' Opens are easy to tell from the later ones because the forward bulkhead was positioned 8-12" further into the bow, with the bulkhead access door jutting back into the cockpit. The instruments were set vertically into the bulkhead in a low position, with the steering column supported only by a low "bread box" housing on the floor.

My guess is that the bulkhead for the 22' Sea Skiff was moved rearward for series production to allow the optional forward-berth arrangement to fit under the foredeck, rather than just an optional head. These ancestral 22' Opens are very distinctive as a result; the instrument panel reminds me of the swanky "Holiday" model from the early '50's- (see the picture attached). If you own one- be proud!

The rare 1955 model 30' and 35' Semi-Enclosed Cruisers were also apparently built in the parent Algonac plant instead of Salisbury, but by 1956, both models had been significantly altered and lengthened by 4-5" (at the stem?). These '55-model cruisers had an altogether different profile, with a French curve in the cockpit coaming, rounder bridge side windows, and short cabin-top overhangs...has anybody ever seen one?

I gather that the big "mother-ship" 40-42 foot cruisers were built in Pompano Beach; photos of the lines in that plant show the startling 40' Sea Skiffs being built alongside the big carvel-hull Sport Fisherman models.

I'm glad to know that some of the production information is of interest to others...for me, knowing more about the history and context of these Sea Skiffs makes me appreciate them more! I just wish I had been around to take a plant tour and talk to the craftsmen that designed and built them.

Oh, to smell that fresh mahogany sawdust and curing Thiokol!

[Grant Stanfield]

Since we're talking about the Salisbury, MD plant here, I thought I'd try to provide a link to Bing Maps for you, so you can see the old factory site as it exists today:

ClickHere

Check out both the "Aerial" and "Bird's Eye" views to get the full experience...notice the convenient railroad track running just outside the plant walls along Old Ocean City Road, so the new Sea Skiffs could be easily loaded and shipped to all the happy new boaters!

Now go to the "Bird's-Eye" view and rotate the image 360 degrees; you will notice the huge 'boat-doors' at the short ends of the long, U-shaped plant complex. (It would have been FUN to see all the shiny new Sea Skiffs emerging from the production lines back in the day, huh?)

Also note the odd, oval-shaped track visible in the grassy 'back-yard' of the plant...I can't imagine what this might have been. In the Aerial shot, this has been overgrown by vegetation and is barely visible.

I had assumed the grouping of long sheds in the northeast corner of the property had been the plywood and marine-lumber curing sheds...not so; they are modern 'Public Storage' sheds. The entire plant site today plays host to manufacturing, storage and warehousing businesses.

Enjoy!

[Ronald Ford]

Grant, that is all very interesting information, I have hull 22-216 that was built in Cadillac, would you have hull breakdown info as to what #'s were built where, I understand the first few were 18's then 22's Thanks

[Grant Stanfield]

Hi, Mr. Ford-

I haven't got those specifics but I'd suggest a call or e-mail to the Chris-Craft Archives at the Mariner's Museum. They have been very helpful to me with Chris-Craft questions in the past. I may be contacting them to see if there are more photos of the Sea Skiff production lines, whether in Salisbury or Cadillac.

I'd love to see photos of your early 22!

Best regards-