40 CLASSIC BOAT AUGUST 2016CHRIS CRAFT RESTORATION
Cruiser. Further searching showed that this could only be
one of three boats that were imported into England as
the storm clouds were gathering over Europe in 1939. By
process of elimination, her hull number was established.
What happened to the boat between then and when it
was found rotting beside the Sharpness Canal is
unknown, but it is tempting to think it played a part in
the defense of our waterways during World War II.
When Matthew and Pip saw the hull, they knew it
was the right one for them. The large cockpit had space
for all their guests, with the cabin under the foredeck
providing some limited overnight accommodation, but
most important for a dayboat on the Thames, a WC.
The big question was what motor to put in it.
Originally the boat would have probably had a V8
Chrysler, to give it a 30mph top speed. Putting in a
modern petrol unit was a possibility, but this would have
been ludicrously over-powered for the river, and required
a constant supply of fuel, which would have had to be
lugged down to the boat in jerrycans, as petrol pumps
have almost completely gone from the river, with fire
regulations making their installation prohibitive.
When it was found, the boat did have an old petrol
engine in it, but as with the original motor, this sat is a
huge box that dominated the cockpit.
Dennetts had worked previously with the Thames
Electric Launch Company (TELCO), most notably in therestoration of the 1898 Pike, one of the oldest electric-
powered boats on the Thames. TELCO’s design engineer
Ian Rutter calculated that not only would an electric
motor on the Chris Craft be smaller than a petrol,
but with careful measurement it could fit completely
under the sole, thus freeing up the whole of the cockpit,
yet retaining the existing propeller shaft.
Using the company’s latest ecodrive unit would still
give a smart turn of speed, with power in reserve for
overtaking, manoeuvring, and most importantly on the
Henley reach packed with small boats, stopping.
Gel batteries would require no topping up, making
this the ultimate plug and play craft, with enough range
for two days’ boating, or longer cruises if wished.
Meanwhile the restoration was well underway.
A plywood mould was set up inside the hull
to retain her shape while replacing her rotten
structural members. Her hull sides were stripped away
and all but two of her frames were replaced.
New^7 / 8 in Iroko planking was fastened on
her topsides. This was chosen over the original
mahogany as they needed a stable timber because it
had been decided to paint the hull.
A new four-layer deck was made using a half-inch
layer of sapele, two layers of half-inch marine plywood
with staggered joins, and a traditional mahogany
deck with white seams laid on top.Above clockwise
from top left:
Matthew and Pip
Gordon on their
mooring at
Henley Bridge;
the cabin under
the foredeck has
a double berth,
galley and WC;
1930s lines