1941 Chris Craft Custom Runabout

OVERVIEW

1941 Chris-Craft 19’ Custom Runabout Barrelback
VIN: CF 8821 JK

One of most highly sought after models of Chris-Craft is the pre-war 19-foot Custom Runabout Barrelback. Only 22 Model 108s were produced for 1941. The world was embroiled in the beginnings of World War II and luxury items were few in the United States. $2290.00 for a boat was a great deal of money for most Americans. It wouldn’t be until the 1950s that discretionary income would return to the US, and Chris-Craft would become the boat of means. Stars such as Dean Martin, Katharine Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis Presley where readily identified with the Chris-Craft and the fashionable boating culture in those post-war years.

This pre-war Model 108 speedboat left the Chris-Craft plant in Algonac, Michigan on 29th of May 1941, headed for Reno, Nevada for final delivery to Lake Tahoe. The Model 108 was the top of the line version, and boasted a 145hp MB engine, the second most powerful engine available.

Time Out is a practically all factory original boat with all her original wood, numbers matching engine and original fittings, all in excellent condition. She was in dry storage near Tahoe for decades, and for those who know the High Sierras, you know its very dry. She was brought out of storage by a wood boat aficionado, and her mechanicals were completely gone through; rejuvenating, adjusting and restoring any nonfunctional items.

She now runs beautifully and planes at 2800 RPM, even at an elevation above 6000 feet, which leaves a few hundred more revs for that little extra go you always seem to need. Her hull has full structural integrity with a beautifully smooth polymer bottom installed under the supervision of the legendary Dick Clark while he was the technical director of Sierra Boat Works, Lake Tahoe.

At the 2014 Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance the featured marque class was Chris-Craft Barrelbacks, and with boats from all over the country judging between Barrelbacks was fierce. Time Out was judged First Place, and she was also awarded the Best Original Lake Tahoe Boat for 2014.

According to several of the Lake Tahoe judges who specialize in Barrelback boats, Time Out is one of the top 1% to 2% of existing Barrelbacks in terms of original materials and workmanship.

For 2014 she got fresh varnish, re-chromed fittings, and renewal of the upholstery using period correct leather, materials and techniques including brass tacks. Time Out is as fast and beautiful looking as when she left the Chris-Craft factory those last few months before the United States entered the Second World War.