CLASSIC BOATS FOR SALE & VINTAGE REBUILT ENGINES
Specializing in Classic Chris Craft Boats
Serving the antique boat community for 40 years
USA - CANADA - EUROPE
Welcome to ClassicBoat.com
Your source for classic boat sales, restoration and information.
We hope you will enjoy browsing the pictures of our classic boats for sale . Here you will encounter exciting antique boats by Chris Craft, Hacker Craft, GarWood, Riva, Ventnor, Century and Stan Craft. You will no doubt notice that we no longer delete the "sold" boats, as they come in handy as a ready reference for hull style, instruments, deck hardware and all those details that go into identifying classic boats or obtaining correct parts. The newer boats are always near the top of the list for your convenience and the "sold" listings are clearly marked and moved further down.
Who Owns the Boats?
We own most of the classic boats that you see on this website, but we also serve as a classic boat broker in some cases.
Classic Boat Restoration Shop
We offer complete classic boat restoration services for all types of wooden boats including cruisers up to about 40 feet long, inboard runabouts, outboard boats and sail boats.
Visit Us in Glencoe, Mn.
Please call ahead! Mitch travels a lot, so let us know when you are coming and we will be ready to greet you! Our classic boat showroom and restoration shop is located just 45 minutes west of the Minneapolis / St. Paul International Airport in the town of Glencoe. You will enjoy the pleasant drive through farm country on paved highway all the way.
Call Anytime
Our antique boats often sell before we have a chance to photograph them and get them on the web site, so please feel free to call and find out what's in stock. We are here 10 am to 5 pm central time Mon-Fri, but you can often catch us after hours and on weekends as well.
Email Alerts
We recommend you sign up for the Email Alerts. Just type your email address into the box below. Each time we add a new listing to the web site, you will receive an email within minutes complete with a picture, description and price. Sometimes the really popular boats will sell the same day they are listed, so the Email Alerts are a good way to stay in the loop.
FAQ
Call us with all your questions about classic boat ownership. We are happy to answer your questions about storage, maintenance, towing and navigating.
952-471-3300 (10 am - 5 pm central time).
Why Buy A Boat from A Classic Boat Dealer?
Well, for one thing, our showroom has a wide assortment of antique and classic boats for you to compare. We offer lengths from 17 ft up to 31 feet and conditions range from project boat to show quality. As a dealer and restorer, we can also paint a new name on your transom, provide a new custom trailer, a canvas cover, or change out the upholstery. We rebuild engines and do every kind of electrical and mechanical work in our restoration shop and we deliver!
Classic Runabout vs Utility
Runabouts feature an engine under the deck, accessible through a hinged hatch. Utilities feature an engine under an engine box in the middle of the boat. Runabouts are often sleek and stylish, while utilities are are great for swimming and skiing. You will quickly discover that you can get more "stuff" in a utility, such as coolers, beach towels, swim toys, skiis and even the family dog. Examples of Chris-Craft runabouts include Barrel-Back, Riviera, Capri, Racing Runabout and Triple Cockpit boats. Examples of utilities that we sell include Sportsman, Holiday, Continental and Sea Skiff.
What about length?
First-time wooden boat owners sometimes go for the smallest speedboat they can find, assuming it will be easier to handle, but we generally recommend buying the largest classic wooden boat that will suit your purposes. You will notice a definate improvement in rough water performance for every added foot of length. In most cases wooden boats offer a smoother ride than fiberglass boats of the same length.
Classic Boat Prices
Since we own our classic boats, the price of each boat is relative to the others. The higher priced boats are more desirable due to features, looks, rarity and condition. You will notice that our inventory is priced with a high degree of consistency, relative to model and condition.
Other web sites may list classic boats for many different owners, and you will see prices all over the board. This is because inexperienced sellers tend to look at each other's ads for pricing information.
Antique Boat Maintenance Questions
How often do you have to varnish antique and classic boats? Well, that depends on how often you use them. Marine varnish has an ultra-violet absorber, but this chemical is used up when it reacts with sunlight, so eventually you need to apply more varnish. A good rule of thumb is that if you are using your boat every weekend during the summer, you will need to add 3-4 coats of varnish every 3-4 years. Classic boat bottoms are painted with either anti-fouling paint (less common) or hard racing bronze (very common) or a glossy topside enamel. The hard racing bottom paints last many years, as do the enamels. Anti-fouling paints need to be recoated every one or two years, and are not used much these days. All wooden boats require shelter from direct sunlight when not in use.
Rebuilt Engines for Classic Boats
We have about 60
Classic Chris
Craft engines
in stock, ready to rebuild and ship to your marina or mechanic in the 48 states. We will even take your old vintage engine on trade. We specialize in Chris Craft 6 cylinder Hercules engines and classic inboard V8 engines, including vintage Chevy 283 V8s.
Selling Your Classic Boat
Call Mitch to
sell your classic Chris Craft boat
in any condition, he will pick it up anywhere
in the continental USA, and pay you on the spot. In most cases, we prefer to buy your classic boat outright rather than consign it, but we do offer antique and classic boat broker services.
Identify Your Classic Chris Craft
Check out our Chris Craft Hull Numbers page to identify your Chris Craft antique boats by hull number, year manufactured, model name and length. Color photos included for identification purposes.
BOAT COLLECTION:
Brainerd, Minnesota
Call for appointment and directions.
PHONE: 952-471-3300
Office phone hours: Monday - Friday 10 am - 6 pm CST