Chris Craft Launch 28

Mark Chapman started out as a knockabout spannerman fixing out-of-order boat motors, but you wouldn't know it from the slick waterfront offices he now occupies at Rose Bay Marina. The views are to die for, beyond a café that does great coffee, extending down the gangway and across a raft of luxury boats bobbing on the harbour. Beyond which is shimmering water that unfurls like a magic carpet to eventually kiss the seawalls of some of Sydney's loftiest waterfront abodes at Point Piper.

Among the powerboats framed in that view today are the all-American Chris Crafts. Locals looking for something different, a prestige boat to match their glorious house and luxury car, have embraced these pleasure boats with vigour.

In fact, Chapman has just been awarded a dealer of the year award after putting more people into the comfortable seats of the iconic American Chris Crafts than anyone thought imaginable. But the newfound popularity of these boats also reflects a shift in attitude in the wider boating community, believes Chapman.

Apparently, boating enthusiasts are downsizing as well as upsizing. Those with deep pockets typically own two boats these days: a glamorous entertainer and home-away-from-home, and a dashing dayboat. For those who only have the wherewithal for one, a dayboat is the only choice.

"Those people with the small boats go out more often," Chapman said. "I look up as they pass by the office, scurry to their boat, pull down the covers, start the motor and throw the lines. A few hours later and they're back, pulling up those covers, walking off the marina. A quick spin. Meantime, the big boats out the back there haven't moved."

 So it was for the owner of this Chris Craft Launch 28; a busy celebrity who found he wasn't using his big boat berthed outside his waterfront home as often as he should. So he bought the 28 as a second no-fuss boat to run around in at the drop of a hat. Pull down the covers, turn the key, cast the lines and go. Quick as that. No crew or helping hands needed.

Indeed, for dayboating, the Chris Craft Launch 28 is the bomb. It's a deep and seaworthy boat that can tackle the big waves that roll around Sydney Harbour and big bays like Port Phillip. Being a bowrider, there are plenty of seats for guests and family to enjoy the views. Twin V8 Volvo inboards instead of a single engine, which is an option, ensure you make a fast getaway. And while you are away, should nature call, no worries, there is a decent enclosed head, which is to say nothing of the built-in picnic amenities. Do lunch and drinks while you're out there.

CHRIS CRAFT BADGE
A household name in America, Chris Craft harks back to 1874 when it began life as timber tubs for duck shooters. It wasn't until the golden age of pleasure boating in the 1950s, when petrol engines were more powerful, that the boats really took off. It was then that the classic timber Chris Crafts with romantic lines were born and then that they became symbols of good taste.

Since then, Chris Crafts have featured in movies such as On Golden Pond, become collectors' items among boating aficionados, and been commemorated by way of gold jewellery. The Chris Craft Antique Boat Club now has more than 3000 members and there are reportedly still some 15,000 of the classic timber craft kicking about from the more than 100,000 made in the heyday of pleasure boating.

In order to cast a wider net, Chris Craft turned its hand to making fibreglass boats in 1958. A decade's worth of combo timber-and-wooden boats were built before the company ramped up production of its all-GRP craft. But all was not lost. The Chris Craft legacy remains: classic lines, teak trim and nice chrome and stainless bits that wink in the sunlight.

QUALITY CONSTRUCTION
Starting life as a CAD design, the latest Launch 28 morphed into a full-sized model. Moulds were then created using CNC milling machines and the boat was put together. Chris Craft uses a six-step lamination process, 22mm gelcoat that includes the hull colour and graphics rather than transfers, and vinylester resin so there's little chance of osmosis when you keep your boat in the water.

The cosmetic enhancements range from solid teak trim to premium vinyl, dual-density foam cushions to custom-fabricated 316 stainless steel deck gear, a wooden wheel, Faria gauges, perforated dash and positive-click switches. Each boat is water tested before being shipped with a 10-year hull warranty and five-year bow-to-stern protection plan covering all the systems and components.

The hulls are designed for both looks and performance. The Launch 28 has a deep vee with a sharp 20 degrees of deadrise at the transom, which has a pretty reverse angle and tumblehome alongside. The hull also has a big flared bow and a wide 3.05m beam for stability and volume. With 28ft to work with, you can take eight adults for a day of cruising and a lazy lunch without any worry in the world – which brings us to the layout.

DESIGNS ON SUMMER
The Launch 28 driven here had the Heritage package, which includes a half-inch thick teak floor, table, and door to the navigator's storage well. The bow was graced with a stainless steel anchor and there was a Muir windlass fitted locally for easy anchoring. The supplied anchor locker is deep and accommodating. The stainless steel flagstaff (embroided pennant supplied), grabhandles and drinkholders point to this boat's saltwater intent.

Chris Craft calls it a sit pit, but really the Launch 28 is just a bowrider in disguise. Thanks to the volume, the seating up front is deep and comfortable, with no chance of shipping water aboard. The plush vinyl upholstery is comfortable and there is an infill to turn the bow into one big sunpad.

There is storage up front, too, but the head to starboard, forward of the helm, is the biggest compartment for stashing things. Not at all poky, the head had a top-shelf Tecma loo linked to a holding tank, a small stainless steel sink and vanity.

 The Speedster windscreen is a work of art, with a stylish retro frame and solid stainless steel support struts. Both co-pilot or navigator and skipper enjoy great views but not watering eyes. The co-pilot has a glovebox and the boat's sound system is mounted ahead on the dash, which includes a posh leather trim.

The twin-width helm seat, with a flip-up bolster, sits before a sporty driving station with Chris Craft logo. The twin Volvo 5.7 SX motors mean you get twin sets of Faria engine gauges, which add to the sportiness. There are spunky manual Morse SS controls, wooden wheel, trim tabs, and a stereo remote for the Kenwood system with subwoofer and tweeters. There is also a digital depthsounder and storage for personal effects.

The self-draining cockpit, which lets you leave this boat in the water, of course, is especially accommodating. Such is the floor space that you can wander about without tripping over legs or gear. The boat has a teak table for doing lunch and twin L-shaped lounges that can easily seat six. An infill converts the seating into an aft sunpad, giving the boat fore and aft sunpads for couples and/or kids to recline.

The spread of built-in dayboating amenities makes the Launch 28 keen to please. There's a 12V top-loading fridge for the prawns, a sink linked to a generous 133lt freshwater supply to wash the hands, and plenty of drinkholders dotted about the place. There's also a sub-floor ski locker for stowing gear and, I should add, a really nice lighting plan.

Looking for the canopy? It's neatly concealed in a groove just inside the electric-lift engine bay. Snap-lock stainless steel fittings make it easy to assemble. The stainless steel engine vents, trumpet horn and pop-up cleats are further evidence of the good gear.

Remove the padded infill that turns the two opposing L-shaped lounges into one continuous U-shaped lounge and you have a walk-through transom. The teak boarding platform welcomes guests aboard and provides room to hang out. There's the requisite swim ladder and handheld cold shower nearby, too.

A press-button engine hatch encourages pre-departure checks and the oil dipsticks, coolant reservoirs, belts and so on are easy enough to access. But the grid-matrix stringer system that stiffens the hull is inclined to trap water and engine oil. The dealer modifies the matrix so it drains to the bilge, which is fully gelcoated.

 The boat also had a shorepower connection so you can charge your batteries. There are three batteries, including a protected engine-start crank. There was also room in the engine bay to stow cleaning products and additional mooring lines and so on. But there's not a lot of fibreglass to keep clean. However, there is teak and stainless steel. Now for the drive.

DAYBOATING
I can vouch for the fact that there's something especially satisfying and special about a grab-it-and-go boat outing. Those impulse trips always seem the best, especially when you have no real plan and make it up as you go. So it was for us, midweek, on a boat that revealed itself to be a great cruising conveyance.

The twin Volvo Penta T-5.7L Gi MPI 280hp V8 motors have plenty of poke; the Launch 28 jumped to attention. But with SX (single) instead of DX (Duoprop) drives it did cavitate in tight turns. Nothing alarming, just not what I have come to expect from Volvo Penta. Or, perhaps, marine growth was to blame.

With the trim tabs called into action the boat cruised at 14kts at 2200rpm. A comfortable cruise of 27.5kts was clocked at 3000rpm, with 3600rpm and no trim tabs returning a fast and flighty 33kts.

The hull bottom was a little dirty, resulting in a recorded top speed of 37kts at 4600rpm. With the same Volvo Penta V8s, Chris Craft quotes a 48kt top speed of 5000rpm and range of 270 miles. I would go with those factory figures.

But fast or slow, this is a debonair dayboat for cruising around town, down the river, and across the bay. It's a perfect boat to share summer in with family and friends. Add a stop somewhere for lunch and a swim to shore afterwards and, well, your day's boating is done. Little wonder the little boats are out and about so often.

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