Member Boats: Late Classic beginning in 1976

Boats presently or previously owned by members of the Heartland Classics Chapter.

The Antique and Classic Boat Society (ACBS) has designated age classifications which include boats of all hull material and purposes.  Although well known for wooden pleasure craft of the mid 20th century, the members’ appreciation of historic craftsmanship and styling blended with the purposeful utilitarian use of all vessels leads our members to be guardians of all types and ages of watercraft.

A Small Victory II

1976 IMP Aztec Hardtop owned by Robert & Schultz and Teddy Hutchins of Crocker, MO.

This 1976 Iola Molded Plastics (IMP) Model Aztec Hardtop was in its day, considered quite large for a “lake boat”. It was previously owned by a couple from Iowa that vacationed at the Lake of the Ozarks/ Mo. Despite acquiring many service hours, it was well cared for before being traded in at Raymond’s Boat and Motors in Gravois Mills, Mo for a more modern boat in 2003.

     From 2003 until 2020 it remained stored and unsold there until Purchased by me in the Spring of 2020. Despite its previous care, the boat still required a good amount of TLC in order to return it to its present condition. Mechanical and electrical systems were gone through, as well as the entire outer drive. Years of oxidizing was addressed on the gelcoat, chrome, and teak, The carpet was fully redone and upholstery was reconditioned. Efforts have been made along the way to keep as much of the boat period original as possible.

 

     In June of 2020, it was re-christened “A Small Victory II”.  The name was inspired by a song of the same title and carried over from my previous 1962 Sabrecraft. It captures the unique sense of joy in taking to the water between life’s many unavoidable struggles. On its maiden voyage, the boat demonstrated it is still a very capable boat compared to other modern runabouts. After some additional tuning and calm waters, it reached 51mph in the fall of 2020. Not bad for a late classic runabout. IMPs had a reputation for being heavy but stable boats and some even saw service in the U.S. Coast Guard.

 

     This boat is equipped with an OMC 235hp engine (Ford 351 Windsor modified) and OMC 400 series (electric shift) outdrive. This was the most potent engine offered by IMP at the time. Steering and controls are OMC as well. The True-Steering system and ball gear out-drive design give this semi-v hull a remarkably stable and tight turning radius.  Aztecs came in several configurations. The hardtop was a less common option and is still sought after by IMP collectors. The Aztec model was produced from 1966 to 1984.

 

      This boat has several options to note. Original period Insta-Trim trim tabs, Rayline remote spotlight, CB, lighted compass and cigar lighter, swivel cup and rod holders, Ray Jefferson 510 fish finder, ski tow package, and 1976 bicentennial flag.

 

       This boat was my first, but not the only IMP in my collection. There is also a 1967 Aztec, a 1979 Aztec Hardtop, 1982 Commanche cuddy, and a 1986 Liberty cabin cruiser to keep “A Small Victory” company. Fortunately, I have a commercial repair facility to house and service them which keeps costs down.

 

      Special thanks to fellow mechanic and IMP owner Teddy Hutchins, Rick Johnson, and my late father Don Schultz (who got me interested in old boats). 

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Class of ’77

1977 Chris Craft Super Sport 17.5′  powered with a Chris Craft engine with 305hp.  She is owned by Phil and Gay Hennage.

Daisy Mae

1977 Henry Boats, Inc. Hard Top 24′ “Daisy Mae” owned Wayne & Barbara Barnes

1977 Henry Boat Co. X240 Hard Top 24’ Powered by a Mercruiser I/O 228 hp
Owned by Wayne and Barbara Barnes of Springfield, MO

Daisy MaeDaisy Mae was manufactured in Ohio in the Columbus area and went to the northern Michigan area. She was at home on Lake Michigan.
We bought the boat in June of 2013. The boat had been restored in the Henry Skiff Craft Boat Factory in Ohio the year before.
She has a 228 HP 5 liter Mercruiser I/O. Her new home port is on Table Rock Lake in Missouri.
The name Daisy Mae was already on the boat but we do not know why she was named that or by whom. We are the third owner of this boat.

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1977 Century Arabian

1977 Century Arabian owned by Roy Lynn Showalter of Searcy, AR

1977 Glastron-Carlson

1977GlastronCarlson CVX20 owned by Parker Showalter of Texarkana, AR

1977 Boston Whaler Montauk 17

1977 Boston Whaler Montauk 17 owned by Brian and Mimi Lipe of Camdenton, MO

 1977 Boston Whaler Montauk 17 is powered by an Evinrude 85 hp outboard, with an Evinrude 9.9 trolling motor.

My father bought his first Boston Whaler Montauk 17 in 1970. We fished for chinook salmon in Lake Superior and Lake Michigan for many years. I retired in 2019 and moved to Lake Of The Ozarks. I have a 2019 Chaparral which I keep in our community dock, where I noticed this early Boston Whaler Montauk 17 on a lift on the adjacent dock that had clearly been neglected. After some research, I discovered the boat was owned by a neighbor who had not used the boat in about 12 years. He agreed to sell it to me, and the journey began.

After I took possession, I spent several hours cleaning the boat. I replaced the spark plugs, connected a small tank with fresh fuel and installed a new battery. She started right up! Once I lubricated the control cables a bit, I took it out and it ran very well. I took it to my shop and began a nearly two-year journey to restore it. My intention was to use the boat for fishing, so it wasn’t to be a perfect restoration, rather a refresh. I completely diasassembled the boat, including removing the console. I refinished all the teak and completely rewired the boat. I redid the console with a new gelcoat. All the railings were polished, as was the hull. I did routine maintenance on the engine and the trolling motor, including water pump impellers, gearcase oil and carburetor rebuilds. I did install a modern switch panel, stereo and Garmin fish finder. 

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Stella Maris

1978 Chris Craft 78′ Roamer owned by Bill and Charlotte Snyder of Omaha, Nebraska

Her name is Stella Maris and she started life as one of two 70’ Roamers. She was lengthened in 1993 by Rybovich to 78’.  She is powered with a Detroit Diesel 12 cylinder with 665 hp.

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Heska Holka

Heska Holka is a 1978 18′ Century 2000 with a Mercruiser 470. She is owned by Richard Wrablik.

CHAPPY

1979 Pioneer 20’ Mini Day Cruiser
Chevy 400hp
Owned by Mike & Twyla Chapman

1979 Caravelle

1979 Caravelle I/O 17.5′ owned by Mike & Denese Yancey

1979 Caravelle 17.5’ Powered by a Mercruiser 165 hp

Owned by Mike & Denese Yancey of Tulsa, OK

Caravelle Boats were manufactured in Conway, AR by Centark Industries which went out of business in 1982. The brand was resurrected in California and is still being sold today.

This 17 ½ foot fiberglass boat, was manufactured in Oct. 1979 with Serial # CNHO4434M79C, with a 165 HP Mercruiser I/O. In 1986 she was advertised for sale in a very poor neighborhood as part of a bankruptcy sale, but the boat looked good and was affordable.

We used the boat regularly and in the spring of 1991 discovered a leak in the transom where the outdrive was mounted. Upon further analysis, discovered the flooring was getting spongy, so it was time to do a major renovation. Everything was removed and disconnected the top deck from the hull and set it to the side. When the flooring was removed, the plywood stringers were ground out. Then using what was left as a pattern, new ones were made. A local fiberglass guy made a new plywood transom and glassed everything back together. I then had all the upholstery recovered and installed new flooring and carpet. Effectively, she was back to new condition.

We have used the boat regularly for the following 20+ years, keeping it in a garage or carport and out of the weather. Original gelcoat still shines, however it may be time for another minor renovation soon as the upholstery is showing 20 plus years of wear.

The engine is all original, having never been rebuilt. With no hour meter, it is hard to say how many hours of use it has on it but still runs perfectly. Both of our kids learned to water ski behind this boat, and are still doing so today as it is still the best water skiing boat in the fleet.

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Small Fry

1980 Aqua 8′ Lark powered with a Mercury 20 hp outboard owned by Lane Fure of Inman, KS.

 

Pretty Penny

1980 SkiffCraft X-220 owned by Stephen & Becky Louallen of Rogersville, MO.

We purchased Pretty Penny in 2015 from a guy that bought the boat from the original owners’ estate.  The boat was used by that family on Lake of the Ozarks, then sat for a while, until it was sold to us.  The boat was in very good condition and we enjoyed it on the lake that year.  We noticed a bunch of wood boats at Rock Lane one weekend.  We went to see what was going on and that is how we were introduced to ACBS.

We used the boat some in 2016 but purchased some land and built a shop on it, had lots of work, so boating became a distant memory for a while.

SkiffCraft boats usually come with most of the wood covered or painted, while it makes for a boat that is much easier to care for, we wanted the wood boat to have the “wood boat look”.  I had intended to “make over” the boat when I had the time.  But when do you ever have time?

The boat was stored outside under a tarp waiting patiently for me to start work on it until the spring of 2019.  Realizing that running a business and life in general would not let me get to the refurbishing of the boat, we took it to SkiffCraft Manufacturing Facility in Plain City, Ohio where it was originally made.  They refurbished the boat as you see it today.  We named the boat Pretty Penny due to the copperish color and paying the bill for the restoration confirmed the name choice.  The interior was recovered by Aurora Canvas as well as having the bimini and storage cover made.

Original power was a 260 hp Merc, but we decided to have a fuel injected 5.7 Merc. which kicked the hp to 300.  It did not need the extra hp as now the boat will go faster than the hull is designed to go.  We keep it down to about 30-40 mph and it seems to like any of those speed and I like the reliability and not having to tinker with the carbs or timing with this engine.

We mostly cruise Table Rock Lake, cove out or take the boat to eat out. Pretty Penny lives on a lift all summer and in a climate controlled shop for the winter.  We enjoy this boat, and I don’t know of another SkiffCraft like it anywhere. 

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1980 Cobalt CD 19

Table Rock Lake is homeport for this 1980 Cobalt CD 19.  She is now owned by Don and Kathy Parker.

Sleeper

1981 28′ Bertram “Sleeper” owned by Alex and Linda Barry

1981 Glastron-Carlson

1981 Glastron-Carlson 16’ C-512
Mercruiser 140hp
Owned by Logan Fure

 

1981 Mako Shark

1981 Mako Shark owned by Greg Carney

Interview done at 2020 Margaritaville Rendezvous produced by Big Planet Media.

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HOWDY IV

1982 Lund 17’ Tyee is powered by a Mercury 75 hp outboard.  Howdy IV is owned by Cam and Marie Blazer, Leawood, Kansas. 

HOWDY IV was delivered to the Arrowhead Match Club on Lake Winnebago, Missouri.  She was named after a 1930 Race Boat owned and piloted by Howard Ingram, who raced HOWDY and won 3 of the 5 years the race was held.

Howdy II was my dad’s outboard boat on Okinawa at the end of WWII.  Howdy III was my Class D Stock Utility Runabout – one of four wood boats we built in the 1950’s.

HOWDY IV is docked at Lake Winnebago when not trailering to a river cruise or an annual trip to Ontario, Canada for more than 29 years.  Log of River Trips includes:

  • 2014  Mississippi River to St. Louis
  • 2015  Cumberland River, Nashville to Paducah, KY
  • 2016  Tennessee River, Knoxville to Chattanooga, TN
  • 2017  Ohio River, Pittsburgh to Gallipolis, OH
  • 2018  Muskingum River Stockport to Marietta, OH (hand operated locks)
  • 2019  Table Rock Lake, Heartland Classics Classics Cruisin’ event 

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Wave Toucher IV

1983 Skiff Craft Cuddy Cabin 24′ “Wave Toucher IV” owned by Dick Baner

1982 Skiffcraft 24’ Hardtop Powered by Mercruiser 488 188 hp

Owned by Dick and Janet Baner of Eureka, Illinois

Wave Toucher IV was purchased in the fall of 2014 from ACBS Sunnyland Chapter member Jim Flack, Mt. Dora, Florida. Post-purchase test run was on Lake Dora and the Dora Canal.

We did another section of “The Great Loop” in this boat, which replaced the ‘65 Carver, with John and Carolynn Thompson in February, 2015. We intended to run from Mobile Bay to Sarasota Bay. However, when we reached Carrabelle, FL where we had to leave the Intercoastal waterway and travel in the open Gulf of Mexico, we faced high winds and 5’ to 6’ waves. So we had to turn around and return to where we started. We will be doing another section, Chicago to Lake Barkley, Tennessee in September.

I seem to be hooked on Lapstrake boats.

All of my boats have the word “Toucher” in their name as a follow up to my homebuilt aircraft that were all named “To Touch the Sky”.

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Lily Pad

Lily Pad, 1984 24′ Skiff Craft “Lily Pad” owned by John & Carolynn Thompson

Owners: Carolynn and John Thompson
Marshfield, MO
Homeport: Table Rock Lake(Branson West, Mo)
24’ 1984 Skiff Craft X240
Powered by a 5.0 GM motor and an OMC outdrive
We believe we are the third owner of this boat which was originally used on Lake Erie, then on the Tennessee River, before being stationed on Table Rock Lake. It is pictured on Six Mile Creek off of the St. John’s River in Florida. We have taken this about on nearly 1,000 miles of the Great Loop Cruise.

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Three Hour Tour

1984 Monarch 24’ Workboat
Twin Evinrude 150hp
Owned by Jim, Pam & Karissa Peterson

1984 Cobalt CS7

1984 Cobalt CS7 is owned by Alex Barry of Afton, OK.

  This boat was found on a used car lot in Texas. 

It was originally sold new by Marine Sales, Inc. in Counce, Tennessee.

The boat was originally powered by a 5.0 L Mercruiser from the Cobalt Factory.  Somewhere, it was repowered with a 3.8 L Mercruiser, 185 hp, Alpha Drive which is a good package for this boat.

The rest of the boat is factory stock except for the stereo and speakers.

It’s a fun boat to drive!  

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The Good Times

This 1984 Trojan F-36 Convertible with twin 454 Crusaders owned by Chuck Gibbs.

Cara J

1985 Trojan Sedan 37′ “Cara J” owned by Dick & Cara Moist

Type: 1930 20 ft. Model 100 Chris Craft
“The Cara J” is a 1986, 11 meter Trojan sedan cruiser. Powered by two big block GM’s We brought the boat to Table Rock Lake in the year 2000. It resides at the Ozarks Yacht Club dock. The boat spent time on the Lake of the Ozarks and the Mississippi river at Polestar marina where we bought it.

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1986 Century Coronado

1986 Century 21′ Coronado powered with a Mercruiser 454.  She is owned by Mark Moser.

We have a lake cottage at LOTO, Gravois Mills, MO. We had our Resorter for 41 years. Always wanted a Coronado.  Was looking at Facebook one Sunday AM 2018. Came across this boat on Century Boat Club for sale. I nudged my wife Amy and had her look. She said “If you want it, buy it. Don’t spend any money.” Ok…I called Mr. Wormwood at Sebago Lake Maine. About a week later it was a “road trip to Maine”.  I had my 69 BSA Thunderbolt motorcycle, I never ride anymore, to sell, and my 1968 FG Resorter with trailer.  Anyway, I came out ahead after the sales. The BSA stayed in Missouri and the Resorter went to Smith Mountain Lake Virginia.  We have a nice 1987 Coronado and trailer. We love our boat.

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Wax On   Wax Off

1987 Cobalt 23’ Condessa
Mercruiser 330hp
Owned by Scott & Linda Hendren

Eliminator Jet

1987 ELIMINATOR JET 21′ owned by Clay and Patty Thompson.

Jet boats were a popular choice in the 70’s and 80’s, and many companies built them, but most think Eliminator built the best. This one is the 21’ Daytona model, and a nice survivor. It has a 502 Chevrolet dual 4 barrel engine, with a Dominator racing jet pump and lots of chrome. Eliminator was known for their excellent gelcoat finishes and that is represented here with the 9 color striking graphics.

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Black Betty

1988 Glastron-Carlson 23′ named Black Betty owned by Zack and Danielle Stafford

1988 Taylor 9235

This 1988 Taylor 23′ 9235 is powered by a GM 350 engine with 265hp.  She is owned by Forrest & Kally Bryant of Kansas City, Missouri.

Century Arabian

1989 Century Arabian 19′ owned by Chuck Gibbs.

1989 Century Arabian 19′ powered by a Mercruiser 454, 340 HP with a Velvet Drive transmission. She is owned by Chuck Gibbs.

This 1989 Century 19’ Arabian was acquired by Don & Kathy Parker in 2016. We wish she could tell her own story because the boat must have experienced a very difficult infancy and teenage years. Apparently, she got caught up in a Century Boats’ bankruptcy, acquisition by Glastream, and eventually was left outside, covered with a tarp that eventually disintegrated. At some point, she was acquired by a dealer in Kansas City who began to rebuild her which necessitated new stringers, flotation, fiberglass restoration, etc. The restoration stalled at some point and she was acquired by Jason St. Onge in Carthage, Missouri. Jason contracted with a fiberglass restorer in Nixa, Missouri who completed the work on the stringers and flotation. Mr. St. Onge then began the process of putting her back together.

She is powered with a Mercruiser 454, 340 HP with a Velvet Drive transmission. At the time we took delivery the engine had 6.1 original running hours. In 1987 Century had been acquired by Glastream Group and so her hull number (GSYDV053G889) actually indicates she was built by Glastream.

She was purchased by Chuck Gibbs in 2019 to be used on Grand Lake in Oklahoma.  She should be a great vessel for Grand Lake with her 7’3” beam, 19’1” length and deep v hull design.

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Barefoot

This 1989 Mastercraft Barefoot 190 19′ is powered with an Indmar 425 hp engine.  She is owned by Jerry & Becky Caddell.  Home port is at Shell Knob, MO on Table Rock Lake.

1990 Cobalt 21

This 1990 Cobalt 21 is owned by Ken and Ro Everett.  Home Port is Table Rock Lake, MO.

My Phoenix

This 1990 Cobalt  is owned by Mark Beacom of Omaha, Nebraska.

Mark Beacom says,”Just got her a few weeks ago. 5.7 Volvo DP. Hour meter says 138. I can’t verify that. I’ve been cleaning and buffing. Her name is My Phoenix. She is a really nice boat.”

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Untouchable

1991 Hacker Craft Triple Cockpit 30′ “Untouchable” owned by Jim & Marilyn Conner

1991 Hacker Craft Triple Cockpit 30′ with a Crusader 454.

 

Home Port is Grand Lake of the Cherokees, Oklahoma.

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1992 Tiara

1992 Tiara Bowrider owned by Jodee Winkle and Brad Pedersen of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1993 Cobalt

This 1993 Cobalt 198 open bow runabout is owned by Kerry and Bobbie Jensen.  Home port is Beaver Lake, Arkansas.

 The Cobalt 198 is the upgraded Cobalt 196.  The 198 includes additional amenities like full color hull, courtesy lights, walk-through doors, lockable glove box and ski locker, captains’ chairs, bench rear seat and sun-pad.

This Cobalt came into our lives around 1995. It was a neglected backyard boat that had been put on consignment at a local boat dealership that was an advertising client of mine. As luck would have it, I called on that dealership the afternoon she arrived.  She never made it off the back lot before we had purchased her. I had the dealership do a complete service job and then I added hours of TLC.  Friends thought we had a brand-new boat when we finished cleaning her up. This boat is known to the family as “The Cobalt”. She has been the everyday boat since her arrival for all cruising, water sports and trips to other lakes that our family has enjoyed. Her home is a covered slip on a boat lift in the family boat dock located in front of our home on Beaver Lake.

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Ready to Rumble

“Ready to Rumble” is a 1993 Fountain 32′  32 Fever with 2 Chevrolet Big Block engines.  She is owned by Ward & Karen Brasses of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Pub Decision

1995 Hacker Craft Gentleman’s Racer 18′ “Pub Decision” owned by Bruce Hurst

Pub Decision was purchased from Ron Montoya of Jefferson Yacht Sales in Michigan, November 2009.  It is 18 ft long and 5 ft beam. The seller had no idea who built the boat or much else about it for that matter.  The hull #PCK1802A595 identifies that she came from Packard Classic Boats in Sarasota, Florida.  The company was owned by Bud Finkl who apparently passed away in 2007.

I wrote Vintage Race Shop during the summer to ask them if they had ever seen the boat. Bill Johns thought a guy named John Ford had built the boat, which turned out to be a fact.  Bud Finkl built Packard boats but they were fiberglass reproductions of vintage runabouts, never a wood boat.  A call to Gary Scherb in Florida verified that Bud had contracted John Ford to build four boats, three 18 ft and one 26 ft.  Gary also told me his company did the finish work on the boat and installed the very hot (250 hp) V6 Chevy engine built by Flagship Marine Engine in Punta Gorda, Florida.  It has hydraulic steering and transmission.

My first outing in Pub Decision was on Lake Keystone, my home waters.  I got fairly comfortable with it on flat water before I pushed it to its limit, a mere 50 mph on the GPS, but it would start to bounce.  I later added some wedges under the transom which stopped the bouncing and slowed the boat a couple of miles per hour.
We made all of the Heartland events in 2010 and thoroughly enjoyed them. Pub Decision is so much fun to drive in calm waters.  I personally don’t mind a bit of chop but it gets quite wet!
I’m not sure who named “Pub Decision” but it suits me as I grew up in English Pubs.

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Sails Call

1995 Hunter Vision 36, owned by Kerry and Bobbie Jensen.  Located at the Grand Lake Sailing Club on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, OK

Sails Call is the 3rd cruising sailboat Bobbie and I have owned.  We decided to add a cruising sailboat to our fleet after chartering a 46 sailboat for a family vacation in the lower Florida Keys.  We rescued a 20-foot sailboat from Dallas, TX, then jumped to a 26-foot sailboat rescued in Manhattan, KS, then to a 36-foot Hunter 36 Vision that sort of floated into our cove and tied up to our dock.  Good friends of ours owned this sailboat but he had become ill. I offered to clean up the sailboat and he suggested relocating it to my dock on Beaver Lake, AR to do the work which I did.  Sadly, he passed away and we were offered the opportunity to purchase the boat already at our dock and we did.  So it did float down our cove, tied up to our dock and stayed.

The idea for the name Sails Call came from when I was in sales and my boss would call and ask where I was.  I would always answer saying I was on a sails call so it was the perfect name for the sailboat.   The Hunter 36 Vision is designed as a comfortable live-aboard for a cruising couple.  The free-standing mast eliminates the need for shrouds, backstays, and spreaders. The interior layout includes vast amounts of teak and is similar in usable space to many 46-foot sailboats. Bobbie and I spent many years sailing with our family, friends, and recently, grandchildren.  Many a quiet night was spent on the hook tucked into a cove as we enjoyed overnights and longer cruising on Beaver Lake.  We were limited to the north 2/3 of the lake as the Highway 12 bridge would not allow her 62 ft mast to go under.  We recently had Sails Call pulled for upgrades and service work.  Then relocated Sails Call to the Grand Lake Sailing Club. We are now enjoying exploring a new-to-us lake and training our son Brendan (Heartland Classics member) and his son Hunter to become the new Captains of the ship.

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1995 Bryant

1995 Bryant Capri owned by David and Loretta Sheets.

1995 Bryant Capri 210 is 21′ long powered with a 1995 Mercruiser 7.4L, 8 cyl, 310 hp engine.

She is in the “Late Classic” age classification which includes boats built from 1976 through the year 25 years prior to the present year.

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Free Spirit

1996 Hacker Craft Double Cockpit 26′ “Free Spirit” owned by Forrest & Kally Bryant

Free Spirit was first delivered to Mr. and Mrs. Williams at Lake George, NY on 2/26/1997. Kally and I purchased the boat from Mrs. Williams (92 years old) on 8/10/2006.
Free Spirit’s original name was “Gums” as Mr. Williams was a Periodontist. Her hull material is triple plank mahogany. In 2011 we discovered that Free Spirit was one of those Hackers built with ash frames, keels and chines. They were retaining moisture and there was some wood rot. A new bottom was built and installed by the Hacker Factory featuring a triple plank west system. She got new varnish inside and out, all chrome was polished and a new interior was installed. She also got a new mahogany banjo steering wheel and a second bilge pump was added. The restoration was completed in 2012. We also purchased a 2012 all aluminum Loadmaster tandem trailer.
She is a great, smooth riding boat that has an excellent sound out the dual exhaust. She can easily carry eight passengers.
We named her “Free Spirit” because that’s the feeling you get when you’re up to cruise speed with the wind in your face and hair blowing – you are a Free Spirit with no worries in the world. You’re as free as a bird. Just you, nature, and the cool blue waters of the lake with a white foamy wake spreading out in back of the transom.
Life is Truly Good!

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Liberty

2001 Chris Craft Constellation 26 (hull number of 42 of 84) owned by Kerry and Bobbie Jensen.  Home port is Beaver Lake, Arkansas.

Bobbie and I have enjoyed years of spending nights on the hook in our Hunter 36 sailboat on Beaver Lake.  As we reached retirement, we decided to transition from sail to power and we wanted a legally trailer-able cruiser that would allow us to go explore other bodies of water.  This started a long search for a legally trailer-able live aboard with windows large enough for a bright cabin. After months of searching, I spotted this Chris Craft Constellation 26 named Liberty. This boat is a limited edition as only 84 were made from 2000-2003. Liberty was in Connecticut and it was the height of Covid. We contacted the owners and following a couple of conversations, we decided to purchase Liberty.  Then work on how to get her back to Arkansas began. Those logistics included purchasing a truck found in Nashville, TN that could pull Liberty. Then working with a travel agent that could figure out what states we could stay in overnight. We arrived in Shelton, CT in August 2020 to see Liberty quietly resting in her slip on the Housatonic River. We took a test drive the next day and closed the deal. Liberty was lifted on her trailer and we started the marathon trip back to Arkansas – a little over 3,500 miles in 7 days.

We have since installed an inverter for on-the-go electric power, connected the hot water tank to the engine, and added a BBQ grill so we are truly self-contained and can enjoy extended trips and nights on the hook cruising new bodies of water. Liberty’s home is a slip in the family boat dock located in front of our home on Beaver Lake. 

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Bullet

This 2013 Chris Craft 20′ Silver Bullet is almost a Late Classic boat with its Chris Craft styling and wood accents.  Bullet is owned by Forrest & Kally Bryant of Kansas City, MO.