By Bill & Sue Parker members of the Northern California/Lake Tahoe chapter

GUTH-A-WIN-GA II is a custom 23’ 1940 Chris-Craft Triple Cockpit powered by a 200hp engine. This boat, originally ordered with orange deck striping, left-hand steering and custom windshield, was delivered new to Lake Tahoe in June of 1940 for owner Hall C. Ross of Hillsborough, California, who named the boat after his Hurricane Bay estate. Only 32 of these boats were produced that year. This model boat sold for approximately $2,990 when new. The boat’s original engine was a Chris-Craft W; a 400+ cubic inch power plant producing 160hp. Its top speed was approximately 40mph. A custom detail required by Ross was her pigskin upholstery unique among Tahoe woodies. Several lucky families have owned this boat over the years, but today she is the cherished toy of ours, that we purchased in 1989. She was completely restored in 2005 and today is still enjoying life at Tahoe.

It is rumored that GUTH-A-WIN-GA is an Indian Washoe name meaning either ‘Peaceful waters and resting place’ or ‘Red Bird that flies backwards’.

Previous Concours awards:
1983 First Place 3 Cockpit Class
1984 Best of Show
1984 Murray Award – Best Chris Craft over 22’
1985 Jordy Carlton Memorial Trophy for Over-All Best of Show

Previous Concours Entries:
1997 Three Cockpit Runabouts over 23 feet
2006 Boats of the 1940’s Marque Class
2014 Marque Class – Barrelbacks

8 Comments

  1. good day all
    I am the happy owner of a1956 Chris Craft Capri and I just can’t seem to solve a problem I am having.
    When I run the boat I get air flow over the windshield and It reverses back into the cockpit with a terrible exhaust smell
    Have you ever heard of or experienced this and how can I fix this problem
    you can reply directly to me at
    Randy.krout1@gmail.com
    thanks for your help

  2. The fumes you smell are coming from the engine crankcase ventilation tube. At higher speeds, the wind over your windshield creates a negative pressure in the cockpit which then draws these fumes from the engine compartment. A PCV valve reduces these fumes considerably, but a PCV valve only operates well at higher engine speeds. When you have been idling around the fumes build up in your engine compartment and as you build up speed the fumes can be very annoying. Install a bilge blower and keep it running whenever the ignition switch is on.

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