WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Fox’s in Style...

Clank123

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
1,604
Reaction score
11,589
Just finished helping some friends re-power this 1957 23 foot Chris Craft, figured what a better place to run it than Parker.
Boat ran flawlessly.
Been to Fox’s hundreds of times over the years in just about anything that floats, this Ol’ Girl tops them all!
35D1255C-DC01-4631-BCDF-313CBE4A1C8B.jpeg
C6208BC4-09BF-48EE-B910-F8A4FB33E246.jpeg
E1B40E5C-5088-48CD-98D2-5578E294AD9D.jpeg
 

boatpi

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
7,925
Reaction score
11,688
Was the original engine a 283 or 265 V-8? Others came with sixes, better with plywood sides, no expansion issues in Parker dryness. Nice boat indeed.
 

Clank123

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
1,604
Reaction score
11,589
Was the original engine a 283 or 265 V-8? Others came with sixes, better with plywood sides, no expansion issues in Parker dryness. Nice boat indeed.
Original engine was a 365 Cadillac.
Still trying to find more history in terms of ownership and powerplants.
Boat was purchased with a blown up Fuel Injected Mercruiser engine.
We installed a 383 stroked Chevrolet with an Edelbrock intake and a 650 Holley with a Pertronix Marine Distributor.
Boat idles all day and makes plenty of torque. It is a pleasure to drive.
Andrew Games was supposed to Ski behind it this morning. Not sure since I headed home today.
Still have some detail work to do in the engine compartment, but we’re close.
Boat will live out on the coast with occasional trips to the River, so nothing a couple 5 gallon pails and a tight cover won’t do to keep things nice and moist.


FC0DB865-7E7B-4375-B425-4B81871102EA.jpeg
 

Sherpa

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
1,490
Reaction score
1,905
nice build Dave............. looks like a fun cruiser...

--Sherpa
 

Keymyster

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
2,898
Reaction score
1,573
Guy must have been drunk. He couldn't even dock it. Threw ropes out hoping some one could pull him in.
 

Water Romper

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2007
Messages
1,067
Reaction score
1,602
That ol' woody is beautiful. Used to go see them in Lake Arrowhead for the annual wooden boat show. (Huell Howser did a segment on them as well) I always wondered what the maintenance is on that wood. Sure is a classy looking boat !
 

Sharp Shooter

The "anti-yuppie"
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
7,243
Reaction score
17,493
Super nice Dave! That's what I call classy! Now I see what you were talking about on the phone (I had trouble hearing btw) enjoy!
 

Clank123

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
1,604
Reaction score
11,589
Maybe since this was a maiden voyage and he is still getting the feel of the boat? The classics like that aren’t exactly the best handling rigs.

Boat is beautiful and Id love to own one.
You hit the nail on the head. She is a handful for sure and you add in wind, current and water conditions at a place like Fox’s and at times your’re gonna have issues with any boat no matter how much seat time the operator has.
What’s great is, at Fox’s or Roadrunner, the dock usually has a fair number of boaters who know this and just like I do or the owner of this boat does, jumps up to help when anyone gets in trouble parallel parking on a busy day.
The owner/driver of the boat is one of the most safety minded guys I’ve ever been around and would never operate any type of vehicle while drinking.
Sadly the poster you responded to, as happens on a public forum, has to make a very ignorant comment. Not cool.
 

Clank123

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
1,604
Reaction score
11,589
Super nice Dave! That's what I call classy! Now I see what you were talking about on the phone (I had trouble hearing btw) enjoy!
Hey Jerry!
That connection we had was terrible.
To your point...the word I used to best describe it was “Elegant “. Very few boats we see on the Parker Strip fit that description.
 

Taboma

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
14,613
Reaction score
20,791
I'd seen this listed @ Stan Miller's. Very nice 23' Connie indeed. 👍 Cool that the bottom has already been epoxied, but with the 07' Mercruiser small block, why the repower ?
 

Tank

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
19,907
Reaction score
44,978
Sweet! I’ve always wanted an old school wood boat.
 

obnoxious001

Engine building character
Joined
Dec 28, 2007
Messages
6,467
Reaction score
3,816
I saw you guys go by my place the other day, wasn't in a position to get out on the dock with a camera quickly enough!
 

v6toy4x

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2019
Messages
2,480
Reaction score
3,790
We dont see anything like that here in northern CA, Lake quinault in WA but way to wet and cold to enjoy boating

Very nice
 

Don Johnson

Don Johnson
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
1,611
Reaction score
1,898
What a beauty!!!

I have started to look at old woodies just like this for the home we are building in Sandpoint ID. I plan to buy a Woodie for bar crawls and a twin outboard cat for touring the lake. Cannot wait to relocate!
 

CJ_Donahue

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 24, 2018
Messages
1,085
Reaction score
2,482
Ok, I finally need to ask. It is likely a stupid question but why does everyone seem to dock bow down river? I find it much easier to use the current with a slight turn at idle and basically side slide but I always see photos ass up, nose down (Pun intended).
 
Last edited:

mesquito_creek

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2009
Messages
3,623
Reaction score
5,995
Ok, I finally need to ask. It is likely a stupid question but why does everyone seem to dock bow down river? I find it much easier to use the current with a little right turn at idle and basically side slide but I always see photos ass up, nose down (Pun intended).

It’s just how the water swirls around at foxes... it actually just perfectly pushes you into the dock if you point downriver. You would be correct at every other dock on the river except foxes
 

Taboma

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
14,613
Reaction score
20,791
It’s a 1957 23 foot Continental.
Dig your 55!

Why the repower on a 2007 previous Mercruiser retrofit ? More power ? I'd seen this advertised at Stan Miller's, nice Chris for sure.
 

Clank123

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
1,604
Reaction score
11,589
Why the repower on a 2007 previous Mercruiser retrofit ? More power ? I'd seen this advertised at Stan Miller's, nice Chris for sure.
When the boat was purchased we were told it had a blown headgasket. Engine wouldn’t rotate and since it was in a slip in Long Beach Harbor given it was run in Salt Water we figured it would be best to pull the engine and access the damage. Turns out it had about a half a quart of oil in it and a fair amount of water with the bearings smoked and a couple broken piston skirts.
Decided to go with a 383 crate motor, junked all the Mercruiser fuel injection and electronics and did a Holley Ultra carb and 2 wire Pertronix dizzy with a coil. Kept it simple. Obviously we used the MC exhaust and water system, which keeps the engine well circulated.
Thing runs really well. Nice torque out of the 383 to get the big girl moving.
 

Taboma

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
14,613
Reaction score
20,791
When the boat was purchased we were told it had a blown headgasket. Engine wouldn’t rotate and since it was in a slip in Long Beach Harbor given it was run in Salt Water we figured it would be best to pull the engine and access the damage. Turns out it had about a half a quart of oil in it and a fair amount of water with the bearings smoked and a couple broken piston skirts.
Decided to go with a 383 crate motor, junked all the Mercruiser fuel injection and electronics and did a Holley Ultra carb and 2 wire Pertronix dizzy with a coil. Kept it simple. Obviously we used the MC exhaust and water system, which keeps the engine well circulated.
Thing runs really well. Nice torque out of the 383 to get the big girl moving.

Had a feeling since it was listed by Stan Miller, saltwater use was a motivating factor.
Love those seats, looks real comfy 😁 During my Lake Arrowhead childhood, dad had a buddy who'd purchased a new Chris Cobra, due to some physical issues and using the boat as a water ski racer, in addition to the retrofitted Chrysler Hemi, he'd had a custom ' Automotive" type spring front bench seat made. Worked fine for him and my dad, really comfortable ride, but for my young light ass, it was all I could do to hang on tight enough to keep from getting bounced out. :eek:
 

RogerThat99

Parker Is Now OPEN
Joined
Sep 13, 2010
Messages
11,973
Reaction score
7,962
We dont see anything like that here in northern CA, Lake quinault in WA but way to wet and cold to enjoy boating

Very nice
There are actually quite a few woodies in NorCal. They have a couple of big runs on the Delta. Beautiful boats.

In fact, the Wood Boat that was selected to be put on a US Postage Stamp, was out of Auburn, CA.

Sent From Tapatalk
 

Clank123

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
1,604
Reaction score
11,589
Had a feeling since it was listed by Stan Miller, saltwater use was a motivating factor.
Love those seats, looks real comfy 😁 During my Lake Arrowhead childhood, dad had a buddy who'd purchased a new Chris Cobra, due to some physical issues and using the boat as a water ski racer, in addition to the retrofitted Chrysler Hemi, he'd had a custom ' Automotive" type spring front bench seat made. Worked fine for him and my dad, really comfortable ride, but for my young light ass, it was all I could do to hang on tight enough to keep from getting bounced out. :eek:
Every seat in it has the original automotive style spring design. Never had a more comfortable ride in a boat. Like driving a 50’s convertible on the water!
 

Taboma

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2008
Messages
14,613
Reaction score
20,791
Every seat in it has the original automotive style spring design. Never had a more comfortable ride in a boat. Like driving a 50’s convertible on the water!

I just recall one morning riding with my dad while he was doing a tune-up test run, early summer of 56' , 21' Cobra, I was all of 8 years old. Every wake we hit my ass bounced up off the seat, hit one and I swear my ass was higher than the gunnel and when I landed I was reaching in vain to grasp something, anything to hold onto., I think I left finger patterns in the upholstery. ;)
I know the seats in our (At the time) 1952 18' Sportsman weren't nearly that bouncy, or those in the 19' Racing Chris that followed.
I swear, those seats were like damned trampolines, at least for my 8 year old scrawny ass. 😂
 

v6toy4x

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2019
Messages
2,480
Reaction score
3,790
There are actually quite a few woodies in NorCal. They have a couple of big runs on the Delta. Beautiful boats.

In fact, the Wood Boat that was selected to be put on a US Postage Stamp, was out of Auburn, CA.

Sent From Tapatalk

I meant the lake itself with wooded shoreline like that, but I do like the boat too!!!
 
Top