EL CAPITAN. This boat has a fascinating story. A genuine Chris Craft design & specs, built of 2 skins mahogany in 1960 on his farm, by the owner at Ohakea. Still has original 2 x 6cyl 90hp Chrysler Crown Petrol engines (still only done 750 hours since new). Was used on Taupo & at the Sounds from 1960 to 1974 & then put back in shed at Ohakea for maintenance & never moved until owner died & she was sold to Tony Mitchell a professional self employed boat builder at Lake Rotoiti 8 years ago who has restored her beautifully in his spare time. She was relaunched Dec. 2012 & had been in the water 3 minutes when this pic was taken — I was at the relaunching at Lake Rotoiti.
She had never had a call sign, as the original owner was radio ham & used his ham call sign for marine use. —
I was instrumental in Radio Spectrum Management allocating ZMEC to her for life.
photo & story by Ken Ricketts
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Was built at Lansdale in the Manawatu.
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Now that Augustin’s own 40ft launch (Jacinta II or something like) has just gone under the trademe hammer, it looks to me like these two have the same hull, and that this boat’s styling cues are very much Augustin. His own boat was actually more close in coamings style to a large Chris Craft to this one.
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I suspect yes
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Perhaps Buck Rogers rather than ChrisCraft?
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Unusual for a Chris- Craft design in that she seems to have appendages everywhere and at unusual angles. Was there another ever built to this design in USA?
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Correct
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This would be the North Island Lake Rotoiti, I assume.
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