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Fiberglass Sea Skiff

Repair, or reconstruction. Gelocat or structural fiberglass. If it's hull related, you'll find it here

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Paul P
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Fiberglass Sea Skiff

Post by Paul P » Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:31 pm

I offer this post as "a point of information" because I never realized CC built a fiberglass Sea Skiff. I have a lot of reverence for the Sea Skiff line and Sea Skiff owners too, having owned a 35' Sea Skiff (1968 Clipper, featured in the 1996 Jan/Feb issue of Classic Boating, six pages) and knowing some very nice people who have wood Skiffs now! However, I recently discovered (and purchased) a 1966 fiberglass Sea Skiff, one of 70 made that year, with ten more to follow in 1967. It is 20-feet long, has a 8'-11" beam, and it's powered by a 327F. It was built in the Cortland, NY plant and carries a unique CC Sea Skiff badge on the side, and the Thompson/Corsair division of Chris Craft. This boat was later produced under the Corsair Sea V inboard badge, I believe, and something like 220 were produced. It has a GREEN HULL, just like the 1968 35' Sea Skiff Clipper! The boat is presently under restoration now, and heres' a photo as she sat on the south side of Lake Ontario a few weeks ago before being shipped to Nashville, Tennessee

Image

As you can see, it has many of the classic lines of the fine wood Sea Skiffs, and that is what attracted us to this particular boat, which will serve as a tender and support boat to our 1966 38 Commander.

Regards, Paul

[edited by moderator, moved image to postimage server to resize]
1956 17' CC Sportsman, 300-hp
1957 17' CC Sportsman, 95-hp
1966 20' CC fiberglass Sea Skiff, 210-hp+
1973 23' CC Lancer inboard project, 427/375-hp.
1966 38' CC Commander Express, 427/300-hp(2)

So many boats.........so little time.....but what a way to go!!

farupp
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Fiberglass Sea Skiff

Post by farupp » Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:21 am

Hi Paul:

Thank you for your post. I have heard about fiberglass Sea Skiffs similar to the earlier wooden 22 and 23 foot CC skiffs. Do you have any other pictures that you could email? What engine does your boat have, etc.? Have you found any others?

Thanks,
Frank
[email protected]
Frank Rupp
1959 22-foot Sea Skiff Ranger
283 Flywheel Forward engine

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Paul P
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Post by Paul P » Wed Nov 01, 2006 2:53 pm

Here are 2 links to addl photos. The links are provided to share lots of photos, don't mind the "chatter" that follows.

These first photos are provided by the seller.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/424840/m ... 1160361911


This second link is from my own "First Look" inside, and the shrink wrapping was still intact. Clearly it's a "project boat", but I see great potential for all new vinyl, new engine box, instrument rebuilds, and of course, lots of engine and drivetrain TLC. The steering system is presently frozen up, so we'll have to spend some time on that too.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/424840/m ... 1162070768

The hull, itself, is in remarkably good condition, and I am astounded that it has never been painted. Yes, that's original gelcoat everywhere. The boat is not as heavy as it looks (nowhere near as heavy as the 23' Commander, for instance). I believe it's a 2900 pound boat. I have initiated the full search through the Mariners Museum, and I'll gladly share the information when it arrives in about 3 weeks.

Shrink wrap and all upholstry will come out this week-end, more attention will be given to the engine by adding more fluid to the combustion chambers to assure it's loosened up. We'll rotate it with the starter with all plugs out first, and then we'll replace the carb and fuel pump and use a fresh gas cary-on container to see if we can fire it up. Time will tell if that 327F still has any service in it. I suspect it has plenty!.

So far I have not seen or even heard of another one. I emailed Wilson Wright regarding the Skiff and also some questions about his RED ROCKET, and he said he had not seen one. I have a yacht broker friend in Nashville (Dorman "Butch" Burtch) and he said he's heard of them, but has never seen one. Therefore, of the 80 built 40 years ago, I don't imagine there are too many of them still left. This one certainly has seen a lot of use, but it appears to have been used responsibly. I suspect many have gotten to the point where they experienced mechanical issues, and then got to the point of no return. I'll certainly be on the lookout for another one just to compare notes, etc.

Regards, Paul
1956 17' CC Sportsman, 300-hp
1957 17' CC Sportsman, 95-hp
1966 20' CC fiberglass Sea Skiff, 210-hp+
1973 23' CC Lancer inboard project, 427/375-hp.
1966 38' CC Commander Express, 427/300-hp(2)

So many boats.........so little time.....but what a way to go!!

farupp
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Thank you.

Post by farupp » Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:13 am

Paul, thanks for the update and the photo links. It looks like a great boat and should be lots of fun when done.

Frank
Frank Rupp
1959 22-foot Sea Skiff Ranger
283 Flywheel Forward engine

thompsonboatboy
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Post by thompsonboatboy » Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:19 am

Chris-Craft in January 1962 purchased Thompson Boat Company of New York, Inc. located at Cortland, NY. This was an independent firm, not associated with Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. of Peshtigo, WI. In fact they were competitors. The Cortalnd operation had been a branch of Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co. up until January 1959.

The all-fiberglass Corsair Chris-Craft boats were developed and built at Cortland, NY by Thompson Boat Company of New York, Inc. staring in late 1962-early 1963.

Andreas

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Post by Wood Commander » Fri Nov 10, 2006 10:24 am

As a follow on to Andreas' post, I always thought of the Cortland, NY Corair lapstrake type hulls (not Corsair Division Lancers or XK's) as being more like a fiberglass version of the plywood lapstrake Thompsons than fiberglass versions of Sea Skiffs. Perhaps there are elements of both found in the the Corsair hulls. In either case they are all good looking and great lapstrake or lapstrake type (in fiberglass) boats.
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Post by Wood Commander » Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:39 pm

..........of course I always thought that Sea Skiffs were a Chris Craft copy of a Lyman. Except for the very rare Lyman 35' Sea Hawk that looked like a copy of a 35' Sea Skiff Fly Bridge. I was lucky enough to have been up close to two out of only 6 to 10 of those that were ever built depending on who you talk to. I grew up boating in Lyman's home area near Sandusky, Oh on Lake Erie. You couldn't turn around without bumping into a Lyman. Lyman's are probably my second most favorite boat after Chris Craft. But all of these boats mentioned here are great boats.
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Paul P
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Post by Paul P » Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:46 pm

The Thompson extended family tree has some lapstrake wood windshield models that upon first look, appear to be very close in design and build to the Sea Skiff, Lyman, Century Raven format. Traditional clinker-built lapstrake boats, all good looking, some better than others.

Therefore, the Thompson family tree, extended as it may have been, was almost "already there" for a rebadge job and marketing scheme for a fiberglass "Sea Skiff". I understand the wood Skiff sales were on the way down, fiberglass was most certainly the preference of the future, and the writing was on the wall. This low run of fiberglass Sea Skiffs appeared to be a "test run" by Chris Craft to see what happened, and I think they soon found out that the boat may have been better positioned in the marketplace to sell as "The New Corsair Sea V" rather than to have just about everyone associate the fiberglass Sea Skiff with all the wood Skiffs that were built before, during, and after this one first hit the market in 1966.

70 were produced in 1966, 10 more in 1967. So far I've found two more in the ACBS directory, and I've had the pleasure of speaking with both owners, who are enthusiastic about the boat. One owner says he has been in six foot seas at 1900-rpm and the boat just rides up, over, and down into the trough, and the occupants stay dry. The other says he's had 10-people aboard.

The hulls of the traditional Sea Skiffs are all round bottoms, some with more of a keel than others. The glass version is a hybrid lapstrake and deep-V design, unlike any other Sea Skiff.

After the 10 were built in 1967, I understand from Conrad's book, that something like 220 more were sold as the Corsair Sea V inboard, along with another series sold with a transdrive setup.

Try finding a Corsair these days. They're almost transparent on the market. Do a Google for one, and you'll see hundreds of new photos of the resurrected name, all new Chris Craft boats, but not ONE vintage Corsair will appear (perhaps a couple will show, but the point is, there aren't many out there today for some reason).

My 1966 20-foot glass Sea Skiff says "Thompson Boat Company, a division of Corsair/Chris Craft" or something of that nature, on the bottoms of all the seat covers.

Image


On the water the lines of the boat could fool some of the best Sea Skiff fans. A wood boat restorer even bought one thinking it was wood, and eventually sold it to one of the gents I spoke with the other eve.


We bought ours because we always loved the Skiff lines, and we were looking for a solid stable inboard we could take up to 10 people to breakfast on the other side of the lake. This boat has the style, power, Chris Craft name, and Sea Skiff lines we love, and it just seemed right at the time.


In closing, I think this boat is an "almost Commander", because the Lancer is an "almost Commander" too. They were built under the same roof, and I understand the 23' Commander is essentially the same hull as the 23' Lancer inboard. In addition, the Commander SS and XK-19s were built in the same plant, along side the 19' Lancer from which the XK-19 hull originated.

Fascinating history back then, and it's part of the enjoyment we get from owning boats from this period.

Regards,

Paul
Last edited by Paul P on Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1956 17' CC Sportsman, 300-hp
1957 17' CC Sportsman, 95-hp
1966 20' CC fiberglass Sea Skiff, 210-hp+
1973 23' CC Lancer inboard project, 427/375-hp.
1966 38' CC Commander Express, 427/300-hp(2)

So many boats.........so little time.....but what a way to go!!

Wood Commander
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Post by Wood Commander » Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:23 pm

I've always preferred a hard chine hull over a soft chine or round bilge. I think that this goes back to my youth and time spent on our family's dock mate's 1948 33' Owens sedan cruiser. It was fairly rickety and the engines were pretty tired and unreliable. The times spent anchored while perch jerking and wallowing around in the swells of Lake Erie and especially after an engine problem left a lasting impression on me. That soft chined boat at least was very tender.

Also, I had a guy contact me to ask about 20' Corsairs. He had owned a 20' Sea Vee in the past, the next name after the Sea Skiff years, and he was longing to find his old boat or a similiar one again. He had nothing but praise for it's performance. I saw one on ebay a while back during the summer, but it was a 17'er.

And I almost bought a 1968-69 23' Commander with a 427 Ford and a V- drive. It was almost identical to a 23' Lancer Premier. These Commanders along with the 19' Lancer- based Commanders are in some of the Commander sales brochures in those years. I hated to walk away but the boat was just too rough. I came cross country to buy it and found that they had it on a crappy low trailer built for an I/O that they had modified for the prop shaft and rudder. With the truck I had I would have drug the "new" trailer structure, the rudder and the prop on the road. There would have been a trail of sparks from Kentucky to Seattle. Or at least as long as the metal lasted. NOT! The fact that it was an original Commander with a 427 almost swayed me though.
The Commander had a large sunpad aft over the engine and the aft "flag deck" at the transom was shorter than on a Lancer. From what I can tell a Lancer Premier may have had a more traditional stern seat and engine box over the engine and V- drive. I think that a lancer Premier may have also had a 350 Chevy power option. I ended up buying a 1970 23' Lancer Offshore which has the "waterfall" inside cockpit sides aft of the lounge seats. This is where the side deck kind of rolls down almost to the main deck on the cockpit interior the same way all of the 19' Lancers do. Other 23' Lancers have the hollow cove opening around the the whole cockpit interior sides.

To me Lancers would be a lot closer to being almost a Commander than a Sea Skiff or Sea V. I'll have to look in my Lancer sales brochures but I think that there may have only been Lancers in the "Sportboat" brochures. I do have some with the 20' Corsair Sea V's, I'll have to check about the "sport boat" part, but none with the fiberglass Sea Skiffs. To me the Sea Skiff/Sea V is more of a link to the Thompson roots of the Corsair Division. It would be EXTREMELY cool to have either a 19' or 23' Commander Sport Boat to go along with bigger 38' or similiar Commander cruiser. But the 20' Sea Skiff/Sea V is also definately a very cool boat. I'd like to have one too! I'll be interested in seeing progress pictures and also when you finish it. It's all good!
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Paul P
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Post by Paul P » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:39 am

Hello friends!

It's been a while since I posted anythig on my Skiff project. Here is an update.

Last fall I got enough of the systems up and running to take the boat out on two shakedown cruises. What fun! We drove the boat by a couple workers on Alan Jackson's dock, and those guys know boats, but it didn't seem as though they knew what this one was. We got some appreciative stares, and they came over to take a look when we docked. The boat has yet to get the restored windshield, and it has a very cool look without it.

I am pretty much of a purist, so I guess that doesn't make me all that pure in the judged boat show circuit. This boat came with a masonite dashboard and a piece of vinyl on it. I couldn't bear to reproduce that, so I did one in mahogany. In the event I want to go back to the vinyl clad masonite (yawn) I can still do it. Chances of that happening are slim. 8)

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Here is a similar photo from Chris Craft marketing back in 1966, yes I know, the people aboard are dressed better, but they're not having any more fun!

Image

Since these photos were taken, I've continued to work on the boat over the winter and it's very ready for action now. I have a slight misalignment at the prop shaft I need to resolve, fume sniffer has been added, GPS has been added without drilling a hole (clamped on the vertical stainless rod holding the dashboard) and it is needed for exploration of Old Hickory and Cordell Hull Lakes this season. I added an Edelbrock 1409 600 cfm carb, and although that is more carb than the motor is supposed to take, it works exceedingly well from the one run I have experienced with it. First run was with an old speedboat carb taken from another boat, second run was with the Eddy. Electric choke is a piece of cake, works great.

It's not an antique boat. It's a slighly modified classic that has been lovingly put back together. I have literally hundreds of photos of this restoration, rebuilding the floor structure, all sorts of looks into the Morse gear selector, whatever. In the event anyone is doing a similar project, I will be delighted to share anything I have or know with a fellow boater. I can be readhed via email here at CCABC or at [email protected]


The photo boat? A classic Chris Craft Commander, of course! That's my Mom at the helm, and my Dad was the photographer. Yes, it runs in the family, we have somewhere around 140' of Chris Crafts right now, but that's down a little :roll:

Image


Regards,

Paul Pletcher
Nashville
1956 17' CC Sportsman, 300-hp
1957 17' CC Sportsman, 95-hp
1966 20' CC fiberglass Sea Skiff, 210-hp+
1973 23' CC Lancer inboard project, 427/375-hp.
1966 38' CC Commander Express, 427/300-hp(2)

So many boats.........so little time.....but what a way to go!!

jkorsman
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Help?

Post by jkorsman » Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:20 pm

Paul,
I have a boat that is similar to the one you describe. It is in the 18-20 foot range and GREEN. One thing I notice that is different is that mine has an out-drive with a v-6 mounted at the rear. Any help you could provide in identifying this boat would be appreciated. I have just towed the boat to the Marine Shop in Nashua NH. He has doubts as to whether parts are going to be found to restore this boat to working condition.
John

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Paul P
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Post by Paul P » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:15 pm

Hi John,

Yes indeed, they made green hull 18 and 20' Sea Skiffs, and all fifty (50) of them were 225B v6 powered. I think my 20' hull is pretty rare, only a few are out there now in running condition, and a couple being restored, but your 18-footer is QUITE rare because they were only made in 1966 as noted in the Essential Guide, perhaps some in 1967 too but I'll have to check further on that.

As for the guy who "doubted" you could find parts, perhaps if it had dual plug Aston Martin power that would be the case, but Buick V6, you should be able to find parts. You'll have to hunt for them, and also the outdrive will be a challenge too. It would be viable to replace the entire drive with updated Volvo power if you want to spend the bucks, or perhaps pull a good setup off a boat that has been damaged.

So far with these boats I've only seen one in person, and that's mine. I've corresponded and talked with a couple guys who have found some 20' Sea Skiff hulls, Dave Krugler notably in Michigan is doing a proper total restoration on one now. I've never seen a 18' hull, and I have never seen a contemporary photo of one either, so I would consider it quite the rare and fun project to restore one. With ours, part of the fun is seeing so many boaters who look and then look again, and nobody knows what it is. We enjoy the attention, and the fun of running something that was a hiccup in Chris Craft manufacturing out of Cortland New York's Corsair Sport Boat Division.

They only made the 20' hulls in 1966 and 1967, and then the Sea Skiff name was given up in favor of the Corsair name, and they called the model the 18' Sea-V, of which 130 were built with 225B, Eaton 140, and OMC HUE 150 power. All of those were white hulls, cool looking boats. 55 of those were built in 1965, 50 in 1966 and another 25 in 1967 so those are quite rare too.

Don't let a boat mechanic who anticipates "trouble" finding parts knock you out of the fun, there are numerous ways to make things work. Yes indeed, you will have to hunt for parts, he's right, but it "can" be done! 8)

Regards, good luck,

Paul
1956 17' CC Sportsman, 300-hp
1957 17' CC Sportsman, 95-hp
1966 20' CC fiberglass Sea Skiff, 210-hp+
1973 23' CC Lancer inboard project, 427/375-hp.
1966 38' CC Commander Express, 427/300-hp(2)

So many boats.........so little time.....but what a way to go!!

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Paul P
Posts: 622
Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:48 pm
Location: Nashville, Tennessee, Cumberland River and Lake system
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The beam on this model was incorrectly stated initially

Post by Paul P » Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:23 am

Hello all, ( Beam = 7'-11" and not 8'-11" as stated )

I got a note from a fellow Sea Skiff owner who asked about my initial posting where I said the beam was 8'-11" wide. Upon getting the note I walked out and put my arms across the transom and guys, that boat is nowhere near NINE FEET WIDE, so I looked at the Chris Craft Essential Guide Data for this model and sure enough, it says 8'-11" and that is dead wrong. In this case "the Guide" is Essential but it is not entirely accurate. There are other issues such as no mention of the 327F as the base motor for the 38 Commander, but back to the story here, the 20' Fiberglass Sea Skiff is 7'-11" wide. See attached documentation from CC, and also know I put a tape on one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/ ... r11104.jpg

I would have edited my initial posting but it is too old, so if a moderator happens to have some spare time......please change that 8'-11" to 7'-11". The inquiry I got was regarding potential difficulty putting a boat that wide on a lift, so I hate for the incorrect info to be out there.

Regards,

Best,

Paul
1956 17' CC Sportsman, 300-hp
1957 17' CC Sportsman, 95-hp
1966 20' CC fiberglass Sea Skiff, 210-hp+
1973 23' CC Lancer inboard project, 427/375-hp.
1966 38' CC Commander Express, 427/300-hp(2)

So many boats.........so little time.....but what a way to go!!

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