38 Riviera Restoration

Ja... First Restoration...

She's been done twice.. working on the second one. I mean, she's a 69...
Here she is crusing up the Potomac on her way for an eveing of booty gaffing in Georgetown/Washington Harbor. Hundreds of people stopping, one husband and wife having a bet as to whether she is a New Retro Chris Craft or a rehab.... The husband, pounding beer... voted REHAB, a condition he appeared familiar with.

Docked at the Pentagon

Just before 911. There is an inlet next tothe Pentagon on The Potomac with a fuel dock... here she sits gassing up.

She may be a Steel, I mean Steal!

I mean somebody has got to check this Roamer out.... can't believe she is still there? Is something wrong with her or has nobody bothered to call Bonnie Castle to check at 866-396-3898? http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1968-CHRIS-CRAFT-Roamer-90002763

She is a 41/Steel/ w/427's. Ok she's not diesel and ok she's not aluminum... BUT, she is fresh water and there is a good chance the steel is good.. the boating season up there is only 3.5 months so there is a decent chance on this one. She looks near mint from the photos.. worthy of investigation for sure. Think of it this way... when is the last time you heard of a freighter being made of aluminum? If you are thinking about it.. get a survey done.. THAT'S A MUST!
How much does a call cost.... 25cents? The snow up there is probably 4 feet deep and what a time to bargain.. ya gonna wait until Surfs up, economy is raging and the booty is on fire? "I buy when they're selling and I sell when they're buying."

I can tell you this too from when Homer Roamer was only 13 years old.. the guys with the 37's and 38's really wanted the 41.... it was the difference between being sort of successful and really successful if you pulled up in a 41... for those who do not know the history.. but its true...the 41 is a GREAT LOOKING ROAMER. Now the 38's are faster but where are you going anyway.. beer guzzles just as fast at 24 as it does at 35. 41 Roamers are not slow boats.. they were quite fast for the time. The steel is slower, but if you re looking for a Bull Dozer.. here's one to check-out.

Another thing... Owner Financing?.. in tough times you can spin deals you never could when the economy is up... why not try or at least call and see .. it's free to ask! Another thing.. you never know until you make an offer.. so what if they get mad at you.. but what if they bite? It is very depressed way up in northern upstate NY.... It would be cool if someone reading this makes the call and finds Gold at a pyrite price.

Now those of you who read this thread regularly know that Captain Roamer Yachtsman Bill mentioned a baby Roamer on this thread and an obscure previously unknown sailor named Travelinman saw it here. He went out and bought her... Now is that cool or what? Captain Billl Rocks!

And.. since I know Bonnie Castle (vacationed there as a kid) and these waters, as well as the fact that frankly the 41's are one of the best.. if not the best of all Roamers.. I mean, that's just my opinion...(all Roamers are the best of course) She is very well proprotioned, beamy, small enough to be a large cruiser, large enough to be considered a small Yacht.. real nice combo on this one.

HOMER

Classics are Classics... More Cool History

There was a tender to Homer's Roamer.... her name was "Recess." Dad bought it from Bonnie Castle for $2,200 used. It was formally owned by John Mcknight of Cutler Mail Chute/ ya know the Mailshutes we all see in skyscrapers. (Now banned) It was for his daughter. Anyway, there is some cool history here. I loved this 1967 Donzi and you can see a photo of Homer driving her at 14 years old and years later Homer skiing behind her. Little did he know he had a rare bird there and that the famed Brock Yates would later buy her and restore her. He found her in Rochester NY.

The cool thing is... well Dad sold her for 2k and then Brock Yates picked her up.. like the guy who was Executive Editor for Car and Driver magazine and the founder of the the notorious Cannonball Run!

He bought her because she was extremely rare and I mean.. who ever heard of a 14 foot Donzi? There are only a couple of them in the world. Well, his close buddy was Don Aronow!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Aronow .... the famous founder of Donzi, Formula and Cigarette, who as we all know was murdered. Brock bought Homer's 14' F-14 Donzi in honor of his buddy Don just after his untimely death. I called Brock years ago to say I was the son of the owner and gave him the scoop. Car and Driver would not let Homer talk to him, so Homer left a message saying he was the owner of his F-14 Donzi.. Sure enough, later that day he called Homer back for the history... is that cool or what!? Brock said.. You hung up on Homer?!! Surely that person lost their job .

Stay tuned for a couple of cool Donzi shots.. Brock's Donzi was tender to Homer's Roamer back in the 70's. And I mean back then.. a Donzi was like pulling up in a Lambrohgini. Below you can see a sister photo in red. The only one I have of Homer's F-14 is the white one you see here.

The Roamer Girls...

They just got cut from Rockette trials so casually interviewed for a new gig dockside in Georgetown's Washington Harbor one evening aboard a Roamer. Word got out to Radio City Music Hall and they wanted them back. The gals declined and decided to dance for Roamer. We suggest if you pull up to a city or even a small town with your Roamer that you anchor out otherwise you will have no peace... stray boarders, crazed fans and all sorts of aquatic privacy intrusions. It's not easy, or all it's cracked-up to be owning a restored Roamer... believe me, you'll be happier out to sea where your Roamer wants to be.

Cock your Drills....

Ready Aim Fire!! Are you working on your Roamer?
OR, are you waitng til summer only to find your Roamer is still on the dry?

1969 38' Roamer For Sale...

http://www.yachtbroker.com/boat-ad/display/ad_id/106124737

Aluminum?

I am not real familiar with the Comet, before my time. Is it yours? The 1969 38 aluminum Riviera is a hot one.. surprised it is still there. Is it beat up or something... What you know about it?

1969 Aluminum Riviera Hull#1 For Sale!

Ok folks.. here it is. The first 38' Aluminum Riviera ever built!RXP501... Homer's is RXP505. The last 1969 aluminum is RXP507.

Here's your chance!

According to Watjam, its in great shape with great 427's. Appears to be an estate sale. She's a fresh water 427. This is the same boat as Homer's Roamer.

Please paint the stripe on the hull.. it looks 10 times better. Price has been reduced.... FIRE SALE. Heck the 427 blocks are probably worth 12k themselves if not more.

Anyone interested should buzz Watjam for the inside scoop... he knew the owner and the boat as stated abovee.

Here is the link from the broker.. Now, if it is what Watjam says.. somebody make your move.. the hull and engies "appear to be excellent!"

Only 300 hours on 427's.. REBUILT

Here is link to spec sheet and photo page http://www.huronlagoons.com/38 cc 69 spen spec_sheet.htm
Should you have further questions contact Matt Solberg mailto:store@huronlagoons.com

Good Luck!!

HOMER

OK... Donzi's & Roamers

Hedgehog...

Oh I know it well... was not 1971 the first year of the rare X-18? That boat has got to do 85 MPH with power like that! Now you got the real thing there... a 188th Street Donzi! They weighed a bit more too.

It sits a bit lower in the rear than an average 18, must be The Bravo too.

The Donzi you see flipping up in the air on early pages was Homer's 18 2+3
1986 Lauderdale Lakes Donzi w/ a 350 Mag in it after Homer sunk it the first time.

That boat almost killed Homer a few times. It was the only boat Homer bought and sold for more than he paid for it... but that was years ago. Your's is downright dangerous and you know it.

I got tired of it and took the proceeds and began the Roamer restoration. My favorite Donzi is the very rare Corsican... only 54 of those were ever made. I got a ride in one in 1971 with a 427 Cobra and it gave Homer a colonectimy.... scared the excess out of little Homer.. (WAY OVER-POWERED) Donzi stopped putting big blocks in the 18's too as a few salors went to Heaven early. The guy who owned it loved my dad's 38' Roamer. At the time, I preferred the Donzi. We lost quite a few of them up on the Saint Lawrence when the Eaton Drives would literally fall our of them and sink... oh those were the days.. having a Donzi back then was really something big.

Anyway.. Roamers and Donzi's.. what's not to love.. The great American era before our dear relative Samuel traded the palce in.

So, where is your Big New Roamer... we are dying to see it!

Call Brock Yates

Who knows.. he may still have mine... it was a 1967 and it was not all that heavy and was designed to be a tender. She only had a Renault 80hp IO, but she did 43 and really performed well. Brock was putting in a 120hp Mercrusier at the time. If he does not own it anymore, may know who does or where others are. If you Google him you can probably dig him up.. but he defintiely owned my F-14.. and YES, probably the rarest of all.. and yes he was a close friend of Don Aronow. Hey small world. My dad bought it for 2,200, sold it year later for 2k to some guy who then a few years later sold it to Brock Yates who "had to have her" as he stated. He knew exaclty what it was. I was cruising around Shumway Marina one day many years later and saw it in the shop.. inquired and they said some famous dude bought her from Cannonball Run... turns out it was the editor of Car and Driver magazine.
I was really sad to see it, was my childhood dream. Though the big boys would go by wiht theri 18's with crazy power.... jsut having a Donzi was the bomb... that I remember. I di dnot knwo wht it was when my dad got it used, and frankly he did not know either. That Renault engine was piece of crap though, that much I do know.

I gotta say though.. Roamers have got to be the biggest secret out there in an old cool classsic boat that looks timeless and usually they are restorable.
A Roamer with a Donzi tender.. now that is "over the top" dude!

The First Roamer 58

Here she is... the first Roamer 58... Rendering 1969. When America was America and Roamers were King. The price... $225,000 including plush avacodo shag. Ahhh, the days of shag ... note Austin's charms on the starboard bow... "'Yeah Baby."