Chris Craft Model 3

“forever 1928”

I purchased my 1928 Chris Smith and Sons Boat Company Model 3, 24 foot runabout in 1989. Previously, I had restored my first boat which was a 1960 17 foot Chris-Craft ski boat. Before I left to go look/purchase the hull that was in Massachusetts, I asked John Dubickas when was the last time he saw a Chrysler Imperial LMC, which was the original engine listed on my hull card. He said that he had one in his warehouse and I asked him not to sell it until I got back. I towed the not quite gray hull home in an ice storm which made the hull look worse. (The toll taker at the New York State border asked me what part of the bottom of the ocean I had gotten it from.)

Then the restoration progress begins: I knew I was purchasing a pattern boat when I looked at it. The only hardware that came with the boat was a strut, a rudder and the forward and aft lifting rings. Over the next 34 years I replaced 80% of the hull; every side plank had a structural crack in it and were not usable. Realistically, there was only a small amount of rot in the upper deck beam at the transom. With the help from Northeast Machine, I rebuilt the 1920’s Chrysler Imperial that I purchased from John. I was very fortunate to have three sister boats in Western New York when I was doing my restoration for reference and help. A lot of hardware came from eBay and all of the usual sources. Because they were unavailable, I custom built the windshield frame and the cutwater along with many other pieces of deck hardware. About 10 years ago at a family dinner, my daughter says to me “Dad, it’s taking you forever to restore that boat” and I’m pretty sure I said, “I think you just named it!” I have gone to great lengths to put the boat back as close as I can get it to the day it was delivered. Feel free to look me up at the boat show; I have a full set of restoration photographs.

1928 Chris Smith and Sons Boat Company 24' Model 3

By Tom gruenauer

“forever 1928”

aWARDS