Yes, I had a Chris Craft on a pond ................

Really, I'm OK. Yes, it's a rather small pond, and, yes, it is a Chris Craft, and, yes, that is me, going round and round on the pond.

Doesn't everyone have a Chris Craft on their farm pond?

Some thought I was losing my mind, some just thought I was nuts.

A friend and his gal rode around the pond with me. He kept saying, "Dooley, this is crazy, this is great, fun, neat, Dooley, you are crazy, this is so much fun, but, you are crazy. Let's go round a few more times."

I had two other boats, an aluminum 12 footer and a fiberglass pram that had been made out at the Owens Corning Fiberglas Tech Center when they were experimenting with their new product, fiberglass reinforced plastics. It was a great fishing boat, very stable.

About where someone is taking this picture was a spot where we did some swimming, there was a fairly shallow area near a spillway, the kids loved to play in the water down there. I would go to the end of the pond, turn around, open her up, get close to the shore, much nearer than I am here, do a sharp left, and the kids loved the waves coming in, and it did kick up a pretty good wave.

At night, I would turn the running lights off, idle about where this photo was taken, and to the right, was the dam, which was our driveway, and went up to the road. I had it times pretty good, I would hear a car, see the lights, shove the throttle all the way forward, run the length of the dam, make a sharp left, go along the bank that you can see, and there was a car, going down a deserted farm road, at night, and looking down to the left, was a boat, running light glowing, the mast on the back, lighted, and that Chris Craft sound, the low rumble. I saw many an owner later on and some related their shock and awe at the experience.

I quit though, one almost lost control, and swerved and was able to stop, but the headlights were right in my eyes. Shortly after that, I pulled it out of the water and was going to refinish her. I don't know why, remember, impulsive. I ended up selling the motor and, well, I'd rather not say what happened. Damned ADD...................

The New Masthead

I think it needs a bit more explaining.

Joe Conforte, Nevada brothel owner, who I dealt craps to on numerous occasions in Reno, is in this photograph seen shooting craps in prison in Carson City, Nevada. Gambling, of course, is legal in Nevada, so they had a casino in the state prison. It was reportedly the most honest game in the state. You didn't want to get thrown out of there, there was no place else to go. Joe is not living in Brazil.

I remember Joe pulling up in front of the Primmadonna in a cordovan colored Lincoln Continental convertible, camel top coat, nice fedora, big cigar, walking in to the club with a few of his girls, all nicely dressed, in town for some entertainment, generally on a Thursday night.

Ernie Primm had a special bottle of something, just for Joe, and a box of cigars for him also. Joe spread his money around pretty good, so everyone took good care of him. I had a few occasions to not only deal to him, but also to chat. I always liked him.

The Chris Craft on the pond. Well, I always loved boats, in those days they were all wooden. I had driven a Chris Craft on one occasion, in Michigan, on Burt Lake, that was owned by Hoppie, I think his name was John Hopkins. He was a dashing figure of a man, vacationed at the lake, made a lot of money during the war and moved up to the lake. He bought John Greenmans's store and tavern, turned it into a full time tavern, and it still is there today, changed quite a bit, but still Hoppies.

We had the pond, I saw a Chris Craft for sale, and the practical person I was, bought it, put it on the pond, got it running and had a ball with it. Don't ask what happened to it. I decided to refinish it, ADD kicked in, end of story.

Don't bring up the subject if you talk with my wife, please.

Can't compete with the below craft. Years ago,, we lived in the country and had a rather nice sized pond.
I have always loved old boats, and driving around one day, came across a Chris-Craft for sale.
Bought it, put it on the pond, got it running, and had a great time. Most thought I was nuts, a boat like that on a small pond, but I liked it.
We had a front screened in porch, and in the evening I would take the boat out a bit, anchor it, turn the running lights on, and be in heaven.
The kids loved it, I could take a wide swing, get close to shore, take a hard to port, and create great waves for the swimmers.
Then, one day ............... I decided to re-finish her, stripped all the metal off .......... it ended up in a back yard ...........ruined ...................... ended up, giving her away.
Same boat now, about the same condition as she was before .............. about five thousand.......
You're supposed to live and learn, I don't think I ever have ...............