a stretched v20 in disguise?

maritimer · #1 06-15-2011, 01:01 AM

I picked up a project boat and am told it's a 78 chris craft but I can't find any other boats like this one, the HIN is from 2001 with a manufacturer of zzz, not sure if this is from the importing to canada process or if the boat didn't have a hin engraved in it. The ad for the boat is at the following link and has some features found on chris craft boats but it has just as many features found in 74/75 wellcrafts.

Boat Ad

Just wondering if anyone here could shed some light on this below deck copy of a v20 hull that measures a couple inches shy of 22 feet. The ad is incorrect it has a 74-77 R233 mercruiser inboard with a serial number that is about midway through the range.

The transom has a built up area as found in some of the nova boats and the flared bow and v hull looks the same as the v20. The controls, steering and guages match the tournament sport fisherman mid 70's chris craft that is also a hunt design. The trim on the side of the boat at the stern seems to be in the same spirit as trim in the same location on some chris craft commanders from the same era.

She needs a bit of work but I should end up with a real fancy fishing / party cruise boat once the teak is cleaned up and oiled.

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

willy · #2 06-15-2011, 06:50 AM

no clue but it is a nice looking boat, good luck

reelapeelin · #3 06-15-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willy

no clue but it is a nice looking boat, good luck

I agree w/Willy...it does have some V20 styling, but differences also...sliding bow hatch , flair and bow are VERY similar...rub rail doesn't share the rise stern to bow as the V20 and there's some more tumblehome to the tranny...will be an interesting boat...keep us posted on your progress...pics always good...

THEFERMANATOR · #4 06-15-2011, 11:56 AM

Looks more like a CAROLINA CLASSIC or something along those lines to me. It has the curved transom with the flat portion protruding out for the I/O like a FORMULA 233, but the flared bow like a V or a CAROLINA CLASSIC.

maritimer · #5 06-15-2011, 03:37 PM

I took a quick look at the carolina classics that came up in a google images search and they all seem to have a pointed bow, this one is stubbish looking (well rounded with no point along the rub rail) like the v20 but I'll look more into their older models when I have time to spare in the next few days.

I'll take some better pictures when I head out to take the carb off for a rebuild once the rain let's up then post them here. Are there any certain angles / views or measurements that would help anyone with identifying the source of this boat?

The guy I bought the boat from was given a story that "it was a custom build for an exec in the upper ranks of chris craft to use as a launch" but without any documentation that's only a story. With chris craft releasing the ray hunt designed bertram styled sport fisherman around the same time, what are the chances that this boat was a prototype for another hunt designed chris craft that was close to a v20?

I've found a few references online about patent infringements on the v20 tunnel drive around this same time also but haven't yet found who was on the wrong end of that case. I could understand chris craft stopping development on a boat that may start a round 2 with wellcraft's patent lawyers.

In any event, I expect this to turn out to be a decent boat, the bow flares and deep v should come in handy for some near shore fishing runs and the straight shaft inboard deals with my fears of chewing up folks with the prop on ski/tube days. An outdrive would be nice for trimming (I'll add trim tabs if needed) and beach landings or shallow waters but the transom is solid and the gas tank is in the stern so I'm only going to go as far as a new deck and stringers if it needs them. There's a one square foot soft spot starting to give a bit of flex in the deck but I haven't gotten to test holes in the stringers.

Also, not sure if this is relevant in anyway but I have to find any foam under the deck or in the bow and I haven't taken the teak off the sides to see if there's any under the sides.

Bruce · #6 06-17-2011, 09:28 AM

Cool boat.

To me it looks like a REALLY early Dusky. Made out of florida. Even has the dusky logo on the side.... I'm guessing the Hull ID is either from import, or from a rebuild/recover gov't issued HID.

THEFERMANATOR · #7 06-17-2011, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce

Cool boat.

To me it looks like a REALLY early Dusky. Made out of florida. Even has the dusky logo on the side.... I'm guessing the Hull ID is either from import, or from a rebuild/recover gov't issued HID.

DUSKY did use the rounded carolina bow flare, but I've never seen one with the stepped transom bulge like a FORMULA 233. It could be an early COBIA though as they made a hull like that for a very short period of time back in the 60's-70's.

Bruce · #8 06-17-2011, 09:38 AM

If it had severe transom damage, could have been rebuilt with the step out transom and that would explain the wierd hull ID

wellcraftv20step · #9 06-21-2011, 11:26 AM

i agreewith bruce, it looks like a dusky. she's a beauty

good luck.

maritimer · #10 06-22-2011, 01:41 PM

Thanks for all the input so far, there doesn't seem to be many old cobia boats out there on google images but I'm going to keep digging till I find some history on these boats.

Here's a few more pictures of the hull as she sits on her trailer. I'll take a top down picture of the bow next time I'm on it. There's evidence that the cap was off the boat once before but I have yet to see any signs of the transom being rebuilt. I'm going to get a surveyor in to look her over and get an insurance appraisal in the next month or so once I take care of some much needed cleaning.

http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h350/ThisOldBoat/

I have her ready for the water as far as the mechanical side of things go and took her for a few trips out the mouth of the harbor. It's given a smooth dry ride so far and it handled the 1' - 2' chop in the basin and through the narrows like it was a flat lake. It rode great through the swells of the open ocean but I took it at low speed and didn't venture very far because I'm still working on building trust in the boat and my skills at the helm.

It's a lot of boat for the 5k I have into it so far with the purchase of the boat, new everything (except coupler and winch) that wasn't aluminum for the trailer and the new exhaust manifolds with a full engine tune up.