Looking for Original Owner of Commander

[Jaunty]

We are interested to know who owned our 1957 Chris Craft Commander '32. She was shipped from Michigan to Irwin Marine. We are assuming she was on the big lake and would love to let her owners know that she is alive and well with the original engines. Anyone with information please contact us.
603-746-4217
Thank You
Jean and John Tower
Hopkinton NH

[Descant]

First, Welcome to the Forum.
I imagine if you call Irwin Marine in Lakeport, they can tell you. Might even have records of subsequent owners. 524-6661. Let us know, if privacy considerations permit.

[Jaunty]

Unfortunately Irwin marine's Records are filed by owner name so I had no luck there . Thanks so much though.

[Descant]

I have a couple of name possibilities. We kept our family cruiser at Irwin's in Lakeport in the fifties, so we knew most of the other cruiser owners who were there. Of course, I knew kid's names and in the fifties, if you bought a cabin cruiser when you were 40+, you are now well over 100.

[Descant]

I have a couple of name possibilities. We kept our family cruiser at Irwin's in Lakeport in the fifties, so we knew most of the other cruiser owners who were there. Of course, I knew kid's names and in the fifties, if you bought a cabin cruiser when you were 40+, you are now well over 100.

[Descant]

OK. From my friend now in Palm Coast FL"
"There is a website where they can check the Vin number of the boat and trace back possible owner's"

She thinks it is possible it was her parent's boat, the "Snuggle Bunny II"
"dad bought it in 1957
He was in Irwin's boat show boat parade in 58"

Their last name was "Boddy".
See if you can track that down on the above mentioned website if you have the hull ID number. The other possible name is "Alt". I'm not in present contact with them.


This is really a boating question to me, not history. That's just me. If the above doesn't work out another post on the boating threads may be called for, or maybe the web master will move this one?

The Antique and Classic Boat Society might have a way to track this down.

[WJT2]

I have tried to find info from reg. #'s but the state of NH Dept of Safety will not or has not given out that info. In the photo there appears to be a NH reg # on starboard side of hull near the bow.
1957-1959 Chris Craft built 260 of this hull type. There don't appear to be any listed in the 2016 ACBS Directory for 1957. There is 1 listed as 1958 and 1 listed 1959. CA and Tonawanda NY respectfully. Good luck.

[ApS]

In case anyone was thinking the questioned boat could have been owned by Brad Frankum—at Johnson's Cove—this photo points to an elimination.



.

[Descant]

I recall that Brad had a 36-38 ft, 1956 Commander, green decks, mahogany rails, canvas top named the Sea Witch. Later owned by Ray Desrochers. I recall also a launch (laker) and a sailboat hull converted to steam called the Punkin Seed.

Does that sound right?

[SIKSUKR]

Now you have me curious about your story. How did you end up with this boat?

[secondcurve]

Originally Posted by Descant

OK. From my friend now in Palm Coast FL"
"There is a website where they can check the Vin number of the boat and trace back possible owner's"

She thinks it is possible it was her parent's boat, the "Snuggle Bunny II"
"dad bought it in 1957
He was in Irwin's boat show boat parade in 58"

Their last name was "Boddy".
See if you can track that down on the above mentioned website if you have the hull ID number. The other possible name is "Alt". I'm not in present contact with them.


This is really a boating question to me, not history. That's just me. If the above doesn't work out another post on the boating threads may be called for, or maybe the web master will move this one?

The Antique and Classic Boat Society might have a way to track this down.

The Snuggle Bunny II? Well I guess mom wore the pants in that family! How did dad live with himself cruising around in the Snuggle Bunny II. Too funny!!

[Descant]

Suppose the original "Snuggle Bunny" was an inflatable!!

[Jaunty]

We saw an ad on the internet, she was up in Tenants Harbor Maine. We went to see and she had been left uncovered and was in need of repair. We walked away but found ourselves back there a year later and she was still for sale so we made an offer and we brought her home. Not sure how she ended up there, we could get no information from the owner. The picture is how she looks today.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Descant

I recall that Brad had a 36-38 ft, 1956 Commander, green decks, mahogany rails, canvas top named the Sea Witch. Later owned by Ray Desrochers. I recall also a launch (laker) and a sailboat hull converted to steam called the Punkin Seed. Does that sound right?

Close enough. Didn't know about the sailboat part. Punkin Seed could have been correct, but Google doesn't return anything with that name. (Always referred to her as Pumpkinseed—one word).

I recall the Chris-Craft deck being a light blue, as suggested in Brad's photograph of Sea Witch above.

His 50-foot dock came off its pilings one Spring. Painted red, it floated around, showing only the posts above water during the day. (And a definite hazard at night ).

Other threads with this particular Chris-Craft are here and here.

.