Russ’s love affair with mahogany boats began as a boy living on Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York. It was the 1950s, and wood was about the only available option for boats.
Years later, Russ set out to find a classic “woody” boat like the ones he’d grown up with and, after a lengthy search, found the 1931 Chris-Craft Model 199 near his childhood home and had it shipped to Colorado.
In the 1930s the country had fallen into the Great Depression, and Chris-Craft wanted to manufacture a boat that was at least moderately affordable. The Model 199 (same as the 1930 Model 99) was the lowest-price boat in the Chris-Craft inventory at $1,295.
The Dena Jo is number 197 of 225 built during the run. It’s estimated that perhaps 15 of the 225 originally built remain. This specific boat was displayed at the New York Boat Show in 1931; about 90 years ago!
As a pre-war (WW2) boat, the Dena Jo is classified by the Antique and Classic Boat Society as an “Antique.” Post-war wooden boats are known as “Classics”.
Dena Jo at the 1931 New York Boat Show.
To the best of our knowledge, all the wood is original. The bottom had been covered in fiberglass when we acquired it. It is most definitely an amateur restoration and intended to be a “daily use” boat, rather than a “show for judging” boat. That said, we’ve tried to stay very close to the original as we complete our restoration.
During restoration it was very difficult to find the unusual horizontal tachometer and the period-correct blue Russaloid upholstery. The only non-original feature is a replacement engine. It’s a “flat-head 6”, which is period correct but with a little more power than the original 4-cylinder.
Marcus Divita presents Russ and Dina the Presidents Choice Trophy in 2024.
It was a much longer project than we could have imagined, but fun and rewarding.
Russ and Dena are some of the most treasured members of the Rocky Mountain Classics chapter of the ACBS. They come to almost every event and, say chapter leadership, are the nicest people you will ever meet. They have been members of the ACBS for over 20 years, and the club awarded them the President’s Choice trophy in 2024. Rocky Mountain Classics is blessed to have them as members.