I just ran across this picture of the 1953 Chris Craft 18' Riviera that I restored about 35 years ago and thought some of you might get a kick out it. Nostalgia kicking in, Bill
I just ran across this picture of the 1953 Chris Craft 18' Riviera that I restored about 35 years ago and thought some of you might get a kick out it. Nostalgia kicking in, Bill
1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma
There was a Riv story on "woodyboater" this week too....
Sean Conroy,
1964 Formula Jr. (hull #2) project
1972 Greavette Sunflash III
1981 Kavalk Mistral project
"A man can accomplish anything... as long as he doesn't care who gets the credit."
Nice! What sort of power was in that?
"I don't have time to get into it, but he went through a lot." -Pulp Fiction
great pic there. Are you in the WBA up there?
Craig
24' Nova Sprint 1971
You are what you drive!
I am almost sure it had the original 130HP 6 cylinder MBL Chris Craft engine. I bought the boat at a bank foreclosure in Topeka, Kansas for $750 while visiting my mother up there. It took me about 6 months to restore it, and it never missed a beat while I had it. I remember towing at least 4 boats back to the marina which was a real head turner since some of them were almost new performance boats -
1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma
WBA? Wooden Boat Association? The picture was taken here at Lake Texoma in about 1980. I was driving and my ex-wife was with me (she never really enjoyed boating). In the background are the limestone banks near the dam where many fossils and dinosaur remains have been found (some by me). The boat was great on calm days, but I never took it out in rough water since it has such a flat bottom. Bill
1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma
Check out the story at this link;
http://www.woodyboater.com/classic-b...-they-deserve/
Sean Conroy,
1964 Formula Jr. (hull #2) project
1972 Greavette Sunflash III
1981 Kavalk Mistral project
"A man can accomplish anything... as long as he doesn't care who gets the credit."
1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma
Loved the nostalgic photo! Beautiful boat...and what a mustache!
Regards,
Adam B. Lively
Previous owner of a 2002 Donzi Classic 18' Scorpion
Current owner of a restored 1974 Donzi X-18
Future owner of a bad-ass Donzi (planning stage)
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. "
My grandfather had a Chris Craft almost exactly like that.
He bought it new around that same time, 1953.
Great lake boats.
73 X-18 gabelerdesign.com
Thanks. I had a lot of fun with that boat, and it helped me during some tough years when I was younger. The woman with me in that picture was one of the 3 over the years who wanted to see me without a mustache - all 3 decided I looked better before shaving it off - never again. Lesson learned. Here is a picture when I let it all grow while on a long canoe trip in the Canadian wilderness. The beard was too much for me so back I went to the dirty upper lip - lol.
1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma
If you got to ride it much then you know how bad the ride can be in rough water. I absolutely loved mine since I had so much time in restoring it and everyone who saw it complimented it. I still think wooden boats are beautiful when the finish work looks like it should. I later tackled a 1939 17' Deluxe runabout and a 1963 Century Coronado with a Chrysler 413. I sold all of them beore the market got really hot for them - story of my life - lol.
1971 Donzi 18' 2+3
1985 Eliminator 23' Daytona Offshore - Kevlar hull
1988 23' Donzi CC F-23 with 250HP EFI Mercury OB
1989 28' Team Warlock Offshore - single 548CID/600HP
1990 23' Warlock Offshore - single 525HP
Bill from Denison, TX - Lake Texoma
This is my mahogony 1972 Greavette 18' Sunflash IV (Montique).
I sold my 18 2+3 Classic so I could concentrate on getting this boat done.
Over the winter I have repowered it with a modded 4.3/alpha combination. (I'm hoping to be somewhere in the 240HP area). With the old 165 IL6 she did about 45mph... so I'm expecting a bit more now
This 18' hull is a fairly modern design and has a 20* deadrise. She rides soft, and is great in the rougher water. However, without lifting strakes she still has too much wetted surface to be a real exciting ride but, these boats aren't really for top speed... and I think I'll still scare some of the ol' guys in their inboard launches.
I agree, wooden boats look great but, they can also be very useable and fun too.
Sean Conroy,
1964 Formula Jr. (hull #2) project
1972 Greavette Sunflash III
1981 Kavalk Mistral project
"A man can accomplish anything... as long as he doesn't care who gets the credit."
we had a greavette on our lake once, shame it had very nice lines
http://www.woodyboater.com/community...sic-boat-show/
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When the waves are high and the light is dying,
well raise a glass and think of me...
When I'm home again,
boys, I'll be buying!
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Greavette ribs 008.jpgseans greavette.jpgYup, I saw that... poor bugger!
That Greavette is an older version (of the same series) as my boat.
When I was racing cars we ALWAYS did a "nut & bolt" check before we hit the track to reduce the chance of "stupid" mistakes... (I suppose "smart" mistakes were okay.)
But this poor guy had a fresh restoration. Unfortunately it was mechanical and cosmetic only. It went down fast. I believe that the battery was not secured and pounded a huge hole through the (not replaced, old) plywood bottom. I can see how rushing to get something done can lead to catastrophic failure of this type but, I am a firm believer in triple checking and testing until satisfied all is the way it should be. Also, I would have replaced the bottom during the restoration (and did on my boat)
Sean Conroy,
1964 Formula Jr. (hull #2) project
1972 Greavette Sunflash III
1981 Kavalk Mistral project
"A man can accomplish anything... as long as he doesn't care who gets the credit."
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