
Traditionalists and a new generation of fans will have double the reasons to visit Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show -- with a one-of-its-kind, classic Chris Craft runabout which featured in the film On Golden Pond on show alongside the epitome of contemporary day-boat cruising and star of the film Breaking Dawn, the Chris Craft Silver Bullet.
Fans will remember the stunning silver vessel as the honeymoon getaway craft for the smouldering Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattinson) and his true love, Bella Swan (played by Kristin Stewart) as they cruise off to a private island on the Brazilian coast.
But you don’t have to be a die-hard Twilight fan to be dazzled by the 20ft, limited-edition luxury runabout, manufactured by Chris Craft in Sarasota, Florida. The Silver Bullet is the boating equivalent of a sports car and is destined to win hearts and souls at this year’s Sanctuary Cove boat show.
Equally sleek and beguiling is its companion, the 22ft timber Chris Craft runabout called Mistral also with an impressive heritage. Built from a kit of authentic parts shipped from the US to Tasmania in 1950, Mistral was then completely restored between 1992 and 2001 by only its second owner since the boat was built.
This design emanated from the WWII Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs) and is regarded as one of the finest designs ever to come out of the Chris Craft factory. To the best of the manufacturer's knowledge Mistral is one of the only survivors.
Mistral’s hull is made from King Billy Pine with Brazilian mahogany and Huon Pine for the deck and trim. A freshwater-cooled Chevrolet 350 cubic inch V8 powers this amazing craft, which uses as many of the original components as possible to retain her heritage. Her top speed is 40 knots and she'll cruise all day at 20 to 25 knots.
Mistral’s owner is now looking for a loving custodian for this marvellous piece of history and has established a sale price of $89,000.
Favoured by film stars and celebrities, Chris Craft runabouts have been the boating preference of Elvis, Katherine Hepburn, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, just to name a few.