welcome
Chris-Craft barrelback enthusiasts
By now you’re probably wondering
who I am. Well,
I am Don Ayers,
a lifelong participant in boating. I have officially
declared myself obsessed with the research, documentation,
and restoration of wooden boats. I admit I am somewhat
addicted to vintage boats in general. I find them all
beautiful—a slice of history worth preserving.
The primary
focus of my research, however, has been the barrel-sterned
Chris-Crafts from 1939 through 1942—boats that today
we refer to as barrelbacks.
For quite a number of years now,
I have made it my serious hobby to research and document
as much as possible about these pre-war Chris-Crafts.
To that end, I have logged thousands of hours sifting
through the Chris-Craft
Archive, studying drawings, shop
memos and hull cards, making phone calls and finding
craftsmen that share the same goal as I do—to save
every hull that we find, and to bring museum-level research,
documentation and restoration processes to bear on each
project boat. Whether you are in need of a single
part or research for a total
restoration, this site should point you in the right
direction.
Through my judging experience
at Concours
d’’Elegance at
Lake Tahoe, I have seen the quality of restorations
get significantly better each year. We have learned
so much about these old boats, yet there is so much
yet to learn in order to accurately preserve this piece
of history. Herein lies the purpose of this
site.
I would like to thank all who
have helped me with this project. The time spent on the
phone and the face-to-face conversations have been invaluable.
It is certainly not over and I consider it a life long
project. If you are a barrelback owner, please take
the time to register your boat. Or if you know of someone
with a barrelback,please refer them to this site.
Sincerely,
Don Ayers
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