On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 16:15:05 GMT, "Jack" wrote:

Hello all,
(This has probably been answered before )
My wife has this crazy idea that she wants me to restore an old Chris Craft
Riviera. She saw one on a local lake, and fell in love with it. She thinks
that since I am a decent carpenter, its only natural that I could restore a
boat, right ?? (oh my god, what am i writing!!)
I have no idea where to start. Have you seen first timers restore these
boats? If I find one to restore, what should would be something you look
for to not buy the project boat. (like missing bottom, etc, engine really
bad, etc.) We might just buy one, but I would like to give a restoration a
shot. I have already done cars, so I know that restoration work is tough.
Thanks for your time. Sorry for the long post.

I have restored antique speedboats for 30 years. Two things.

1. Get an expert, a real expert not just someone that thinks he is a
an expert, to examine the boat carefully. Be sure you are restoring a
boat that will reward your efforts in the best measure possible.

2. Look for Dan Danenberg book on runabout restauration. I don't
believe everything he says but it's a great start.

In article , P.C. Ford
wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 16:15:05 GMT, "Jack" wrote:

Hello all,
(This has probably been answered before )
My wife has this crazy idea that she wants me to restore an old Chris Craft
Riviera. She saw one on a local lake, and fell in love with it. She thinks
that since I am a decent carpenter, its only natural that I could restore a
boat, right ?? (oh my god, what am i writing!!)
I have no idea where to start. Have you seen first timers restore these
boats? If I find one to restore, what should would be something you look
for to not buy the project boat. (like missing bottom, etc, engine really
bad, etc.) We might just buy one, but I would like to give a restoration a
shot. I have already done cars, so I know that restoration work is tough.
Thanks for your time. Sorry for the long post.

I have restored antique speedboats for 30 years. Two things.

1. Get an expert, a real expert not just someone that thinks he is a
an expert, to examine the boat carefully. Be sure you are restoring a
boat that will reward your efforts in the best measure possible.

2. Look for Dan Danenberg book on runabout restauration. I don't
believe everything he says but it's a great start.

I agree on those two points but would add one other:

3. Consider building one yourself from scratch. There are designs for
wooden runabouts which are attractive and designed for the home
carpenter. Glen-L ( www,glenl.com) has four or five different models of
the type you are speaking of that have been built many, many times by
guys in their garage. They have full materials lists and packages for
fasteners, coverings and hardware so you could figure within 10% or so
what it might cost for you to build. You could follow the instructions
step by step until it is finished. Restoring something means that, for
the most part, you have to 'write your own instructions' as it were in
order to get it done.

So, if it would take a real Chris-Craft to make you happy, go for it.
Plug away at it and eventually you will get it done. However, if I were
doing it, based on other boat projects i've done and helped on, I'd
start from scratch and go from keel to deck with new materials and a
design that other guys like me managed to get finished.

Jeff

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 12:00:57 -0700, raoul wrote:

In article , P.C. Ford
wrote:

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 16:15:05 GMT, "Jack" wrote:

Hello all,
(This has probably been answered before )
My wife has this crazy idea that she wants me to restore an old Chris Craft
Riviera. She saw one on a local lake, and fell in love with it. She thinks
that since I am a decent carpenter, its only natural that I could restore a
boat, right ?? (oh my god, what am i writing!!)
I have no idea where to start. Have you seen first timers restore these
boats? If I find one to restore, what should would be something you look
for to not buy the project boat. (like missing bottom, etc, engine really
bad, etc.) We might just buy one, but I would like to give a restoration a
shot. I have already done cars, so I know that restoration work is tough.
Thanks for your time. Sorry for the long post.

I have restored antique speedboats for 30 years. Two things.

1. Get an expert, a real expert not just someone that thinks he is a
an expert, to examine the boat carefully. Be sure you are restoring a
boat that will reward your efforts in the best measure possible.

2. Look for Dan Danenberg book on runabout restauration. I don't
believe everything he says but it's a great start.

I agree on those two points but would add one other:

3. Consider building one yourself from scratch. There are designs for
wooden runabouts which are attractive and designed for the home
carpenter. Glen-L ( www,glenl.com) has four or five different models of
the type you are speaking of that have been built many, many times by
guys in their garage. They have full materials lists and packages for
fasteners, coverings and hardware so you could figure within 10% or so
what it might cost for you to build. You could follow the instructions
step by step until it is finished. Restoring something means that, for
the most part, you have to 'write your own instructions' as it were in
order to get it done.

So, if it would take a real Chris-Craft to make you happy, go for it.
Plug away at it and eventually you will get it done. However, if I were
doing it, based on other boat projects i've done and helped on, I'd
start from scratch and go from keel to deck with new materials and a
design that other guys like me managed to get finished.

Building from scratch is certainly a pleasure. However, the typical
home built boat does not have much of a resale value. If selling the
boat is in any way possible (and most boats are eventually sold) you
should note this.

Glenn-L boats in my opinion would have a particulary low value. One
would be better served to build a more complicate boat.

Hint: plywood is not fun to work with and does not produce a long
lasting boat. Stick with real wood.

I forget the name of the book but there is an excellent book on restoring a
Chris runabout. I have seen it in the library and at Borders. I would
recommend reading that and then re-reading it since there is a lot to the
project and potentially there is a lot more too ;-)

boats are actually easy, since nothing is level or straight mistakes don't
show right ;-) Don't I wish.

Just remember that Chriscraft boats were built to last 10 years, OK so they
have gone a lot longer. I like them too.

Brian

Boy, Now I'm shocked!! One of your group advised not to use Glen_L
plans due a poor resale value of plywood boats??

1. I"ve been doing some reading in books, mags, and internet forums for
about a year now and all I've seen is "Glen-L is one of the best".
2. All I've seen is a well built plywood boat, glassed on both sides,
is so much better than a fiberglassed production boat.
3. A good wooden boat is worth it's weight in gold due to the great
detail work that goes into them and last so much longer than present
day boats. Wouldn't this increase it's value, rather than decrease its
resale value.

So who's right? I do understand some home-builts look terrible,
squared off, with poor paint and overall poor quality. But I
understand this is in the minority of boat builds. The normal is a
"great looking, high quality, well made piece of art, built to last a
lifetime of enjoyment".

Mike,
Pensacola, Florida

On 10 Aug 2005 21:24:48 -0700, "Mike Sr."
wrote:

Boy, Now I'm shocked!! One of your group advised not to use Glen_L
plans due a poor resale value of plywood boats??

1. I"ve been doing some reading in books, mags, and internet forums for
about a year now and all I've seen is "Glen-L is one of the best".
2. All I've seen is a well built plywood boat, glassed on both sides,
is so much better than a fiberglassed production boat.
3. A good wooden boat is worth it's weight in gold due to the great
detail work that goes into them and last so much longer than present
day boats. Wouldn't this increase it's value, rather than decrease its
resale value.

So who's right? I do understand some home-builts look terrible,
squared off, with poor paint and overall poor quality. But I
understand this is in the minority of boat builds. The normal is a
"great looking, high quality, well made piece of art, built to last a
lifetime of enjoyment".

Mike,
Pensacola, Florida

If you are concerned about getting a decent return on investment, buy
a restorable boat.

On Fri, 12 Aug 2005 22:02:16 -0700, P.C. Ford
wrote:


If you are concerned about getting a decent return on investment, buy
a restorable boat.


On the other hand,
If your looking to build something that you can call your own, and
don't care what the other 1/2 of the world thinks whom actually have
never built a mashed potato mountain on a dinner plate, build whatever
you like and call it yours. You can always claim originality....)


M Russon