The first items in the Mission Statement of the Antique and Classic Boat Society talk about (first) people, (second) preserving and restoring boats, and (third) enjoyment.
Today, let’s understand the second element a little more. In a judged boat show using ACBS standards, in all but the Contemporary Class, boats are designated as Preserved or Restored. The determination is made mainly by the owner of the boat following these guidelines:
Preserved boats must have at least 60% of the original wood in the deck and topsides and any restoration must follow the same construction method used by the original builder. Specifically, the use of plywood where it was not originally used causes a boat to be classified as restored. The judges, using information supplied by the owner and their own judgment, will ultimately confirm whether a boat should be judged in the Restored or Preserved category. Read the much more complete criteria of Preserved and Restored by clicking here.
Jim Frechette, a member of the Southwest, Heartland Classics, and Sunnyland Chapters of ACBS, has had CinCity at several shows. CinCity is a 1946 25′ Chris Craft Sportsman. How would you classify this boat? Here’s the story Jim tells about the boat:
Many years ago my wife, Cindy, and I saw one of this model at a show somewhere and we both fell in love with the size and comfort level of this boat. We finally made the decision to find one and I located this boat in Michigan. The wood looked rough but all the hardware was included. With the help of a friend, I drove up to get it with an empty trailer and loaded it up. We had to stop after a few hours of driving because what hardware that was on the boat was starting to come loose from the dry wood and rough road. We pulled everything off and continued home.
The boat received a new bottom, sides, and deck. There was no engine included with the boat as the original was a Scripps 208 and it had been removed years before to power someone else’s classic but I found a used Crusader 454 at the local marina that became the new power. It has been a smooth, reliable powerhouse that can push the boat over 40 MPH even with several passengers.