OMG - That Chris takes my breath away! 
For years in my young life we spent countless hours, days, weeks, even months aboard our 1948 23' Chris Craft Express with single screw 115 hp. Chrysler Crown engine.
I was about 6 when dad found her [we had a 16' cabined o/b cruiser before that]. She had good bones but needed refurbishment. I remember well the first day we boarded her; she was on the hard in a NY winter. Dad immediately set to it for getting her ready for that summer. I was with him the whole way... cause... I love to work and was good hand even though quite young. As the years passed I cut my teeth on that wood boat for repair, maintenance and a whole bunch of fun time family cruising. We'd go all over in our Chris. Often to Block Island and many cruises where we'd spend up to a month aboard. April through October, nary a weekend passed where we were not aboard Friday night to Sunday eve. Swimming galore!!! Beach fires to die for. And much fishing too. Every year we'd stock the home chest type freezer full of fish for winter months.
At my 14th year dad bought a [1951 keel laid] single screw 38' sport fisher raised deck, flying bridge one-off custom beauty that needed much refinishing,. He and I worked our butts off on that boat. She became a jewel with new 185 hp. Perkins diesel power; after her 155 hp. Nordberg Knight gasser was past prime.
We did a lot of long range New England coastal cruising in that stout, seaworthy, roomy and very pretty baby!! Having - my 13'3" 1961 Boston Whaler equipped with 1964 40 HP. Johnson in tow... or, often me being in the Whaler cruising along side and/or racing forward to scout anchorages we could hove to [i.e. anchor out] for the night.
Those
were the days... my friend!!
