Future Brown Water Cruiser: 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit

[Warby12]

Going great well done!

[q240z]

Thanks guys!

I'm getting it closer to being done with each passing week! Only a few more years to go!

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Last Varnished Mahogany Panels in the Forward Salon Cabinet

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

[q240z]

I'm soooo glad to be done with those cabinet interiors. I was getting sick of messing with all those little tiny 1/8" plywood veneers. To get the bilge vent ducts buttoned up on the starboard side, I first need to dig into the main electric panel in the salon and get it out of the way. It was a nice change of pace messing around with the electrical system.

I also was able to finally get an estimator to come out and look at the storm damage. He's supposed to get the estimate to me early next week, but he thinks it's going to come in around $20k. Geesh.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Removing the Original Electric Panel

Cheers,
Q

[q240z]

With that electrical panel out of the way, it was a lot easier to uninstall the ER vent panels that I installed a few years ago. I only coated the plywood with epoxy, but it was an especially thick version that didn't soak in very well. Cracks in the veneer ended up telegraphing through the epoxy. So I sanded it down, wetted it out with the usual, thin epoxy, and tossed on a layer of fiberglass cloth to bridge all of the cracks. I also added some length to the panel so it doesn't stop right at the salon floor. Instead, it'll go all the way into the engine room. Any water that comes in through the vent will end up in the bilge rather than messing with the salon floor.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Starboard Engine Room Vent Panel

Cheers,
Q

[q240z]

I keep hearing from the mobile paint and fiberglass repair guy that the estimate for repairs from the storm damage months ago is on the way. Yeah...check's in the mail. And like the proverbial check in the mail, I still haven't seen the danged estimate.

So I got busy on the forward salon bilge vent duct. It looked pretty good initially, but on closer inspection I decided to dig into it...and I'm very glad I did. I ended up fiberglassing the OE duct since it was still fairly solid. That gave me a chance to do some fillet work again, which always makes me happy. All told, it turned out much better than what Chris Craft did originally.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Starboard Salon Bilge Vent Duct

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

[q240z]

I got that vent duct all sealed up and installed the insulated panel next to it. Booyah.

I also finally got the estimate for repairs of the damage from the big Nor'easter a couple months go. The bill comes to $23k...and $1,000 of that was taxes!!!

We'll see what the insurance company says.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Starboard Salon Bilge Vent Duct

Cheers,
Q

[q240z]

Well, the work has begun to repair the damage from the big Nor'easter. Unfortunately, the insurance company is already starting to play dirty. Last time (after the big burglary in 2014), they didn't get nasty until the end. This time, they've got the surveyor telling me the labor estimate is high by 60%. When I told that to the estimator, he blew up and got mad at me! It took 10 minutes of talking before he finally understood I was simply relaying what the surveyor had said. So now, just like before, I'm spending a ton of time going back through old records to demonstrate that the surveyor is full of it and that he previously concurred on comparable labor hours for repairs from the burglary. What a buncha lyin' pieces of.....!

Anyway, I've also made more progress weatherproofing the boat. The starboard engine room vent panel is now installed. Booya.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Starboard Engine Room Main Vent Panel

Cheers
Q

[q240z]

I thought I'd wrapped up the exterior paint work in 2013, when the boat was first painted. Then I thought I'd wrapped it up again in 2015, after the big burglary repair. Yet here we are again in 2018 once again in full bodywork and paint mode. Two steps forward, one step back... I'll do a series of articles on the repair once it's all done.

In the meantime, the original electric panel is turning out very nicely, if I do say so myself.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Refurbing the Original Electric Panel

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

[q240z]

I used brown colorant in that thick US Composites epoxy to finish the backside of the electric panel. That 150 series epoxy has a 1:1 resin to hardener ratio, and its even cheaper than their regular 635 series epoxy. But I've learned that you can only use it in the summer. If temps go below 65° or so, the stuff is so viscous that bubbles won't float up and pop at the top. Below 50°, good luck mixing it at all. But above 80°, which is a daily thing in the tent during the summer, it mixes well and flows out very nicely. One heavy coat and you're done. It cures hard in less than 24 hours when it's warm, too. So parts are ready to be handled if I come back the next day.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Refurbing the Original Electric Panel II

Cheers,
Q

Before


After

[TooCoys]

FINALLY!!! I've been looking for this thread for a few days now! Steve Brigham over at Flagship Marine told me about your Chris Craft refit! I've got a 1967 Commander 31' that I'm currently rehabbing. Looking forward to using this thread for inspiration!

[TooCoys]

Now that I've skimmed the entire thread.... I don't think this is a "refit". I think you've basically taken a hull and built an entirely new boat! Looks great! I love the windshield!

When you get done with this one, wanna rebuild my 31'?

[q240z]

Thanks TooCoys, but I'll pass on doing another one of these. There are times when I regret having ever started this one!

Repairs from the Nor'easter damage are continuing, and while that's being done I got a ceiling panel installed inside the starboard salon cabinetry.
"Progress"

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Cutting and Fitting More Starboard Salon Plywood Panels

Cheers,
Q

[q240z]

I am spending waaaaay too much time with my head stuck inside cabinetry. Fortunately, I'm not claustrophobic! I've been working on the last salon bilge vent duct, and it's turning out pretty good. Not a particularly exciting post, but it's all 'progress.'

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Starboard Salon Aft Bilge Vent Duct

Cheers,
Q

[q240z]

I got the interior of the bilge duct box fiberglassed, so it's completely waterproof. Then I put a heavy coat of white-tinted epoxy on the exterior to seal that up. I've got a couple more steps to go, and it'll be ready to install.

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: The Starboard Salon Aft Bilge Vent Duct II

Cheers,
Q

[q240z]

I took some time away from the Roamer project around the Independence Day holiday, but last weekend got back at it and installed that bilge vent duct I've been working on recently. It turned out pretty good. I hope I never, ever have to mess with it again! I'm getting tired of spending weekends inside cabinetry! LOL

1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 Refit: Installing the Starboard Salon Aft Bilge Vent Duct

Cheers,
Q