PLEASE NOTE: This boat is moored in the Sacramento Delta. [removed phone]' Chris Craft Constellation / Twin 275HP 327 engines / Paragon Forward/Reverse hydraulic transmissions
I am a (somewhat, I keep trying) retired mechanic & picked this up in Lake Tahoe last year to fix up a bit & resell with my Father-in-Law. He is an experienced sailor and a retired general contractor and has restored a number of boats. This boat was built in Texas for Erik Jonsson (http://www.ti.com/corp/docs/company/history/jonsson.shtml), one of the founders of Texas Instruments, & shipped to the Drum Estate (http://www.luxist.com/tag/drum+estate/) on the west shore of Lake Tahoe where it stayed for almost 45 years until last August when I had it shipped down to the Sacramento Delta. A Google search of his name & the Drum Estate will provide an interesting bit of history. I have the original hull ID # assignment paper & the little brass plaque with the his name. Also repair and owner's manuals. He had a boat house & railroad car custom built for the boat with railroad tracks going into the lake. It was stored in the boathouse when not in use as there was no dock to moor it. There were a couple small docks as part of the estate but no where big enough for a vessel of this size. Tahoe has some funny rules about docks. It has less than 600 hours on the boat with the Starboard engine being replaced about 20 years ago due to improper weatherization. That works out to an average of 11 hours per year. When Erik Jonsson died his son inherited the boat & property. When his son died it passed to his children. It was used very little the past 15 years and was somewhat neglected. They sold the property last year with the boat included in the sale & the new owner really didn't want it. He had other plans for the boathouse. We spent a few thousand dollars, a lot of man hours and did a lot of upgrades to bring it up to current specs and make it more liveable. A lot of paint & varnish work was done. Replaced some wood trim & stainless. It is still mostly in original condition. It is not perfect but it is in really nice shape for its age. A survey was done July 2010. 90% of all recommended upgrades and repairs have been completed. There was nothing major noted in the survey, mostly upgrades to meet current standards & cosmetics. The hull & transom are sound, absolutely no rot anywhere. The engines run great, rudders, propellers & shafts are in flawless shape. Transmissions shift good. Since the repairs we have taken it on a 200 mile round trip weekend cruise down the Delta to San Francisco and up the Delta to Old Town Sacramento for a weekend and it performs beautifully. When I look at this boat I imagine Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra cruising with a martini in hand while Marilyn Monroe & Jane Mansfield sun themselves on the forward deck. This boat is a classic beauty and you will be proud to own her.
If you pay full price I will convert the engines to closed cooling systems for salt water use. I will also include my mechanic services for any major mechanical repairs as long as you own this boat. No labor charge, just parts and cover any expenses I might incur. I am confident enough in the condition of this boat to offer this. It is a pretty good bet you will never need my services. I will also arrange delivery anywhere within 200 miles at no charge. And I will include a 1000W Honda Generator. If this does not interest you price is negotiable. I'm not in a big hurry to sell it. More pics available.
? Installed easy oil drain plumbing on both engines for ease of future oil changes
? Changed oil & filters, tuned up both engines.
? Changed oil in both transmissions.
? Changed fan belts both engine
? Replaced hoses, clamps as needed
? Repaired and/or replaced lots of misc. wiring.
? New ign sw, oil press sender & starter on Port engine
? New water cooled exhaust manifold on Starboard engine
? Removed Starboard transmission & replaced all seals & gaskets
? Installed brass thru-hull fresh water on/off intake valves on both engines
? Replaced both 6v engine batteries & both 6v boat accessory batteries with HD 12V Marine batteries
? New battery charger
? New shore power plug & cable
? New 12V Marine refrigerator
? Upgraded head to EPA & Coast Guard approved macerator system w/new plumbing & wiring
? Installed hot water heater & wiring
? New 12V fresh water pump, wiring, filter & hoses
? Remodeled bathroom & installed new hand held hot/cold shower & hoses.
? Replaced V berth headliner
? Installed mahogany swim platform
? Installed SS propane Bar-B-Q
? Installed 2 way Marine radio
? Replaced the old interior lights with new brass fixtures.
? New bilge pumps, wiring & hoses
