From Len Strahl:
For you Chrysler guys...
This boat is being put up for sale. She was brought out of storage by the widow this weekend to put in the water to make sure everything works. Today she is sitting in her trailer at Riverside Marina. This ChrisCraft was built in Algonac, Michigan in the 1930s for then President of Chrysler Corporation, K.T. Keller.
http://www.chryslerheritage.com/sec500_pdf/Kaufman%20Thuma%20Keller.pdf.
The boat's name is "Rellek" which is Mr. Keller's name spelled backwards. The boat is powered by twin Chrysler 318's. She is capeable of doing 80 mph and she has a long, colourful history of running booze across the Detroit River. Any takers?
The Boat's History and Sale Information:
1929 Chriscraft custom runabout
Walter P. Chrysler bought a 28 foot Chris Craft custom runabout in 1929. Chrysler's second in command, K.T. Keller, was taken with his bosses' boat and in 1933 ordered his own 28 footer. While all the 28ft. runabouts were custom built, Keller's was very custom. He insisted on twin Chrysler Crown engines and thus was built hull number 3172. The depression had been particularly difficult for Chris Craft resulting in left over model no. 214/216 hull components from 1931. Using these components and modifying the engine beds to accommodate the twin engines, Chris Craft delivered Keller's one off in September 1933. An avid fisherman, Keller had the engines modified by the Chrysler engineers to allow for extended periods of slow trolling speed. Chrysler Marine Division expert John Barts remembers the boat well, as he maintained the engines for Keller who kept the boat on the St. Clair River in Michigan. By 1949, Keller was President of Chrysler Motor Co. and the in house engineers thought they would surprise Keller and update his, by now 26 year old speedboat. They replaced the engines with new model Chrysler Crowns, and modified the deck layout aft of the windshield to provide a walkway between the engines and a larger rear cockpit. Along with these changes the engineers had, tongue in cheek, renamed the boat RELLEK which is of course Keller spelled backwards and provided a new steering wheel and hub with this name in brass letters. The boat currently carries this wheel and hub proudly showing her heritage. Combined with this wheel is a twin engine instrument panel and twin CLUM switches making for a distinctive and unique cockpit. John Barts said Keller did not like the changes and in 1956 the boat was sold to Peter McLean of Windsor Ontario. McLean sold the boat in 1966 to William Wilms of the Windsor area who again updated the boat. The twin engines were removed. An additional set of engine beds were installed, the original twin shaft holes were blocked and a single 413 C.I. Chrysler V8 engine fitted. The boat did not see a lot of use from this point on and was purchased by Jack Davidson from the then 93 year old Wilms in 1991. Subject of a major rebuild through the 1990's "RELLEK" was again launched in October 2002 for a late end of season ride. Fitted with 2, 318 C.I. Chrysler V8 engines she performed beautifully, justifying the countless hours and dollars expended in her restoration. - $inquireContact: Duffy Davidson Phone: 519-948-0041
For you Chrysler guys...
This boat is being put up for sale. She was brought out of storage by the widow this weekend to put in the water to make sure everything works. Today she is sitting in her trailer at Riverside Marina. This ChrisCraft was built in Algonac, Michigan in the 1930s for then President of Chrysler Corporation, K.T. Keller.
http://www.chryslerheritage.com/sec500_pdf/Kaufman%20Thuma%20Keller.pdf.
The boat's name is "Rellek" which is Mr. Keller's name spelled backwards. The boat is powered by twin Chrysler 318's. She is capeable of doing 80 mph and she has a long, colourful history of running booze across the Detroit River. Any takers?
The Boat's History and Sale Information:
1929 Chriscraft custom runabout
Walter P. Chrysler bought a 28 foot Chris Craft custom runabout in 1929. Chrysler's second in command, K.T. Keller, was taken with his bosses' boat and in 1933 ordered his own 28 footer. While all the 28ft. runabouts were custom built, Keller's was very custom. He insisted on twin Chrysler Crown engines and thus was built hull number 3172. The depression had been particularly difficult for Chris Craft resulting in left over model no. 214/216 hull components from 1931. Using these components and modifying the engine beds to accommodate the twin engines, Chris Craft delivered Keller's one off in September 1933. An avid fisherman, Keller had the engines modified by the Chrysler engineers to allow for extended periods of slow trolling speed. Chrysler Marine Division expert John Barts remembers the boat well, as he maintained the engines for Keller who kept the boat on the St. Clair River in Michigan. By 1949, Keller was President of Chrysler Motor Co. and the in house engineers thought they would surprise Keller and update his, by now 26 year old speedboat. They replaced the engines with new model Chrysler Crowns, and modified the deck layout aft of the windshield to provide a walkway between the engines and a larger rear cockpit. Along with these changes the engineers had, tongue in cheek, renamed the boat RELLEK which is of course Keller spelled backwards and provided a new steering wheel and hub with this name in brass letters. The boat currently carries this wheel and hub proudly showing her heritage. Combined with this wheel is a twin engine instrument panel and twin CLUM switches making for a distinctive and unique cockpit. John Barts said Keller did not like the changes and in 1956 the boat was sold to Peter McLean of Windsor Ontario. McLean sold the boat in 1966 to William Wilms of the Windsor area who again updated the boat. The twin engines were removed. An additional set of engine beds were installed, the original twin shaft holes were blocked and a single 413 C.I. Chrysler V8 engine fitted. The boat did not see a lot of use from this point on and was purchased by Jack Davidson from the then 93 year old Wilms in 1991. Subject of a major rebuild through the 1990's "RELLEK" was again launched in October 2002 for a late end of season ride. Fitted with 2, 318 C.I. Chrysler V8 engines she performed beautifully, justifying the countless hours and dollars expended in her restoration. - $inquireContact: Duffy Davidson Phone: 519-948-0041
Old Walkerville Connection:
This boat and others from Mr. Davidson's collection was stored and maintained in a historic brownstone on Chilver Road. Can you guess which one?
Clue: Up the street from an old Queen's Inn and across the field from an eatery adorned with an ancient bowsprit.
5 comments:
What a beauty! I grew up with wood Chris Crafts since my dad owned many over the years thru the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. (Actually, this one looks alot like one of the ones we had.) Early every spring my dad would spend countless weekends varnishing, etc, getting the boat ready for the late spring launch. It was an absolute labour of love for him. You just can't beat these old wood Chris Crafts. We never owned any other kind of boat. I wonder how much this baby is going for! Not that I would have the no-how to maintain it the way my dad did ours. Thanks so much for posting this! Sara V., at 896.
...oops, I meant "know-how"! Sara
That truly is a beauty. They certainly don't make 'em like that anymore. I wish I had both the money and the time to purchase a gem like that.
Hey, how about a Monmouth Road boat? Everybody could 'chip in' and then maintain it together!
What are we going to do with the boat we have now?
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