11/23/2023 0 Comments 1936 chris craft runaboutAt a high point, a record 602 Chris Crafts were shipped to the military in one month. It was a time when everyone in the United States did what they could for the war effort. Anything over that was turned back to the government. Production changed to a mix of cost-plus and a small profit. In the span of only a few years, World War II started. Although the model offerings had been reduced significantly during those challenging years, 97 models were featured in its 1937 catalogue. Chris-Craft went into the black again in 1936, with a profit of $213,131. They had shown strong growth and good profits in the boat business until the Great Depression took its toll. Boatbuilding was their family’s livelihood, not just a hobby. It would be smart to point out that by the time World War II ended, the Christopher Smith family that owned Chris-Craft had been through several years of tough times. In other words, she was painted, not stained and varnished, because the cedar wood did not look right with a bright finish. According to LeCompte, one of these Chris-Craft racers arrived at his shop cedar planked with a plywood deck. War production had ended, but good mahogany wood and other materials were in short supply. Here’s some additional insight about those post-World War II Chris-Craft boats. This model Racing Runabout is being restored at Jerry LeCompte’s Dockside Boat Works in nearby Easton, MD. I have seen his boat’s decks and other seams still tight with top-show quality several years after he performed his restoration magic, in addition to using the boat regularly on the Chesapeake Bay. Michaels Antique and Classic Boat Show, and his storyboard content contributed a few details to this article. Chris-Craft built 51 of those earlier racers, which were actually two inches longer and an inch wider in the beam. These post-war Racing Runabouts were loosely based on the 19-foot Special Race Boats of 19. Together those factors achieved a stunning speed as high as 50 mph, which led to its reputation as Chris-Craft’s “sports car” boat. This model was a hit, and Chris-Craft built a total of 503 of them during that six-year period. These boats were built sleek and had larger engines. From 1948 to 1954, Chris-Craft produced this 19-foot Racing Runabout.įrom 1948 to 1954, Chris-Craft produced this 19-foot Racing Runabout. The bow stays down, and the ride is smoother than any other Chris-Craft wooden boat of this size. Here’s a boat that offers an incomparable feeling as you slice across the water.
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