THE CHRIS-CRAFT MYSTIQUE
WINNING THE HEARTS OF GRAND LAKE BOATERS FOR DECADES
By Cindy Kleh / Photos Courtesy of Chris Braaf

Bob & Chris Ann Braaf, founding members of the Rocky Mountain Classics Chapter, enjoy the lake on “Chris’ Craft,” their 1957 17-foot Cavalier. Chris Ann’s father, Christopher J. Smith, made modifications to the boat’s deck and swim platform.

Even if blindfolded, Steve The Mechanic can tell he’s riding in a Chris-Craft boat. “The older Chris-Crafts are wooden – heavier than most modern boats. They take the waves nicely, like riding a Cadillac.”

“And Chris-Crafts sound different – the exhaust pipes are at water level and it makes a bubbling sound. The engine vibrates through the wood and kind of talks to you.”

“The engine makes a wonderful, low throaty rumble … no other boats have quite the same roar,” says lakefront homeowner Ed Zneimer, who often calls Steve The Mechanic when he needs parts and work done on his 1937 Sport Utility Model. A mere 125 of these boats were made, and only 70 survive.

“‘The Tigrette’ is great for sunset cocktail parties but a little underpowered for the Rocky Mountains,” says Zneimer, adding that motors lose horsepower when they are taken up to higher elevations. “But it’s perfect for Grand Lake.”

This 1948 Chris-Craft, named "Walt's Woody," is a 17-foot Deluxe Runabout powered by a 105hp Hercules KL.

Some Chris-Craft owners, such as Tom Ludwig, owner of the Rapids Restaurant in Grand Lake, prefer to put the burden of upkeep in their own hands. Ludwig has done all of the work refinishing his 1947 Runabout, which has been berthed in Grand Lake its entire life. He has sanded all of the wood, then re-stained and re-varnished it numerous times. Almost all of the parts are original right down to the heavy-duty chrome and brass hardware, including a Studebaker steering wheel.

“It takes a lot of upkeep, but there’s nothing like riding in a wooden boat. It makes the newer ones seem like Clorox bottles.”

Heritage Still Resonates
Today In the prime of their popularity (1940s-60s), Chris-Craft speedboats were cherished by stars such as Frank Sinatra, Katharine Hepburn, Dean Martin, Henry Ford, William Randolph Hearst and Elvis Presley. Owning a Chris-Craft was considered quite fashionable with its high-quality appointments that included a liberal use of Philippine Mahogany, teak and brass.

Chris-Craft boats go back to 1874 when Christopher Columbus Smith of Algonac, Michigan, built his first duck hunting boat at the age of 13. By the turn of the century, Chris and his older brother had established themselves as leading boat builders, when the addition of motors to boats ushered in a whole new era – speedboats.

Often referred to as the “Cadillac” of boats, models from the era show off the 1940s 22-foot Deluxe Utility Chris-Crafts.

National motorboat competitions proved the superiority of Smith’s propeller and hull designs, and Chris-Craft’s popularity soared in the 1920s as the company became the first to manufacture standardized boats. By the 1950s, Chris-Craft became known as the “modern sports car of the waterways.”

About 50 of these classic Chris-Craft boats are berthed on Grand Lake, most docked in boathouses along waterfront homes. These classic boats bring back a time before wakeboarding and cell phones … a time when life along Colorado’s largest natural lake moved at a slower, quieter pace.

Among the Chris-Craft boats that call Grand Lake home, two belong to Chris Braaf of Tabernash, the great granddaughter of Christopher C. Smith. Chris owns two 1957 Chris-Crafts – a 28-foot Sedan Cruiser and a 17-foot Cavalier. Braaf rode Chris-Craft boats even before she was born. “I’ve never known my dad not to have a Chris-Craft,” she recalls. Her father gave her a Chris-Craft when she was just 12, and everyone in the family had to ask her first before taking the boat out.

Chris Braaf is spearheading the Rocky Mountain Classic, an annual Chris-Craft boat show on Grand Lake, held on July 10th. Stroll along the docks that morning to see these shining beauties up close with a parade starting at noon. Chris-Crafts represent class and fine workmanship to any boating enthusiast, and the backdrop of a crystal blue lake and snow-capped peaks only add to their glamour.

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• Afterwords: Footsteps of Ike - The Spirit of the 34th US President Still Lingers Here
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