1948 Chris-Craft 17ft Deluxe Runabout
Lent by Gerald Sheehan & L. Knife & Son, Kingston MA
Varnished Mahogany Hull and Interior
Chris Craft Marine/Hercules KBL Inboard Engine
Dual Row Red Vinyl Seating
Automotive Style Steering Wheel and Dash
Chris Craft Marine of Algonac, MI created many of the iconic bright finished wood power boats that defined recreational boating in the post-war era. This 17’ Deluxe Runabout model with mahogany planks and frames, commonly fitted a 130 hp inboard gasoline engine and typified sporty styling that carried over from pre-war racing boats. With shiny varnish highlighting flared forward hull sections that gracefully transition to a sweeping tumblehome as the lines go aft, this premium cruising boat still looks fast and sleek even on the trailer. The Deluxe Runabout model was introduced in the 1930s despite the economic hardships of the Great Depression
The origins of the Chris Craft Company date back to the 1870s when Christopher Columbus Smith built his first wood skiff at age 13, later joining his brother to produce wood runabouts and forming the Smith Ryan Boat Company. In 1927, Chris Smith’s son Jay took control of the company, changing the name to Chris Craft and for the next 31 years became the world’s largest producer of mahogany runabout boats. During WW2, Chris Craft aided the war effort by building over 12,000 military vessels including patrol boats, launches, and rescue vessels for the US Navy.
With the end of the war came prosperity for many and Chris Craft benefitted by supplying speed boats that became popular at lakes throughout the upper Midwest and Northeast. Utilizing manufacturing efficiencies learned in wartime, Chris Craft was able to expand its market to both middle-class and wealthy owners. However, cheap fiberglass boats were still years away, and to preserve the varnished finish of the boats, owners often built enclosed boathouses reaching out over the docks at their lakeside summer homes. And as engines and power output grew in size, the boats of the era adopted more automobile-style controls and amenities. The boat on display features a two-piece chrome framed windshield, steering wheel mounted throttle with stainless steel, and chrome hardware throughout the boat. The engine is an inline raw water-cooled Hercules 6-cylinder powerplant, turning a single propeller. The interior has dual rows of automotive-style bench seats with bright red vinyl covering that was standard on the Deluxe runabout.
Specifications:
Length Overall: 17 ft
Beam: 7 ft
Engine: Inline-Six Cylinder
Horsepower: 131 HP
Weight: 2000 lbs.