MacGregorSailors.com

Sure appears to be the slightly shorter (one-porthole version) of Kevin's last picture, above. Note details of the aft cabin pillar, rounded prow shape, similar cabin windows, identical deck hatch & porthole, etc. So Kevin, what model did you picture last?

Well, that means it might be a Chris Craft Commander or Constellation from the mid-1950's... and if so, that's a VERY nice boat indeed... at least when fully restored! They are solid mahogany and are gorgeous when done up well.

Here's a nice 1954 Commander as an example of how it could look! Click the 'more images' link.

And here's anice 1957 Constellation for comparison.

My best guess is that it's a Constellation... but I'd have to see the boat from the side to really know.

Yep - looks like that Constellation to me. Now the questions are:

• Could one buy the derelict for ~$2,000?
  Could one restore it for $30,000 or less?

I doubt it could be good purely as an investment, so ya gotta factor in "yer love of old boats," or stick w/ a Mac.

(Not so different from British sports cars).

Frank C wrote:Yep - looks like that Constellation to me.

Yes, it does look like that is the case, though I think this boat is smaller (maybe 29ft?). Did the Constellation come in different sizes?

Could one buy the derelict for ~$2,000?

In this particular case, it could have been yours for about $2000 less than that. The previous owner got tired of paying slip fees for a boat he knew he'd never get around to fixing up (plus he got sick of frequently having to bring out his big gas-powered water pump to raise the boat whenever it sank for whatever reason).

He did the right thing... at least now, this boat has a fighting chance.

One thing I noticed... it appears that this boat has some fiberglass, particularly the cabin top, and even some on the deck there at the bow. Is that normal for this vintage boat, or was this possibly part of a repair job?

--Mike

mike wrote:Several years ago, I was very interested in the possibility of restoring the lighthouse. At that time, I assumed it was government-owned, and that the property could possibly be transferred to a non-profit organization that would be responsible for its care.

It is too bad that the lighthouse is going to seed. I toured Rock Island Lighthouse on Rock Island in Lake Superior last summer (great 26X trip). A man and his young son conducted the tour. They were part of a volunteer group that restored and maintain the lighthouse. They spend vacation time doing it.

In 1971, I went to the Michigan Island Lighthouse when on a family vacation. It was completely abandoned and in disrepair. Michigan Island is one of the Apostle Islands. The Apostle Islands became part of the National Park Service in 1972. The Michigan Island Lighthouse and others in the area were restored and made available for tours. Here again, volunteers conduct the tours.

I also toured the Rock Harbor Lighthouse on Isle Royale. It too had been restored and was open for self-guided tours.

It is a shame to let a lighthouse go to seed. They are imporant historically. They tell of the men who worked them, the families who lived there and what life was like back then. There are always interesting stories of ships and the sea associated with them.

Frank C wrote:I doubt it could be good purely as an investment, so ya gotta factor in "yer love of old boats," or stick w/ a Mac. (Not so different from British sports cars).

Hmm.. well, I'd venture to say that most Mac folks have waaayyy more invested in their boats than could ever get out of them when sold. I know I do! When dealing with restorations (or, Mac mods), rationality almost never comes into it!

kmclemore wrote:. . . I'd venture to say that most Mac folks have waaayyy more invested in their boats than could ever get out of them when sold. I know I do!

Me too, for sure. OTOH, assuming one elects to use it as delivered, I doubt there's any vehicle other than a Mac that could consistently deliver, upon resale, so high a percentage of original purchase cost.

A little more info... in chatting some more with my slip neighbor, I learned that the new owner intends to restore the boat to a seaworthy level and use it as a fishing vessel rather than do a "museum-like" restoration to perfect condition. Better than just sitting there rotting!

Also, the sailboat slipped next to it is 30ft, and this one seems a bit longer (hard to judge the exact relationship)... I'd guess that it is 32ft.

--Mike

Hey, Mike - interestingly enough, whilst looking for info regarding the "Toy Sailboats?" topic, I found THIS! The owner of that boat may want to have a scale model of his boat and I think this discontinued Sterling model may be about as close as he'll ever get. Sterling made very nice models, too... they even used real mahogany wood in them and often used the original manufacturer's factory plans to design the models. I've build their airplanes and their boats and all of them turn out nicely... it's a shame Sterling is out of business now... sigh. I'm gettin' too damned old.