“Classic Boating” Article: 2003 Meredith, NH, ACBS Boat Show
IMPROMPTU
Owner: Keith Gaylord
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"Impromptu" is hull number H23-033 in the 1951 Chris Craft Holiday
series. She was originally delivered to Buffalo, NY, then found her
way to Fort Erie, Ontario. In 1996 she was retrieved from the rafters
of a barn and relocated to Rochester, NY. Purchased as a "project
boat" she was disassembled and tinkered with until late 2002. Keith
Gaylord purchased all the parts and brought them back to Vermont
where a full restoration was undertaken in earnest which was completed
in June, 2003. Keith feels very fortunate to own "Impromptu" and be a
part of a very special community of wooden boat enthusiasts.
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Choosing a CC Holiday was very intentional. Features of greatest interest:
+ Very stylish - soft but expressive - lines, especially curved/raked
transom, windshield, bow features,... interior finish, two-tone mahogany, teak soul, etc.
+ Utility vs. runabout design to allow for a greater variety of use and numbers of passengers
+ Practical size, i.e., sufficient freeboard, overall length and beam (8' 2") to handle big lake conditions
With the help of George Darling, with whom I teamed with to
achieve a complete restoration, we looked at/surveyed a number of
Holidays in the East. With George's leadership and incredibly talented
and creative staff - you can see the results - we were able to put Impromptu on the water in under 6 months.
We do have some before/after digital photos that we'd be happy to share should you want them.
Some of those talented individuals/organizations that contributed to the finished project:
George Darling, Darling's Boatworks, Charlotte, VT
...Overall project management, hull restoration, staining, ...brightwork, etc.
Mickey Dupuis, D&S Custom, Holyoke, MA
...hardware restoration/chroming
Mike Lemire, Richmond Upholstery, Richmond, VT
...upholstery
Pat Powell, Franklin Park, IL
...instrument restoration
