1932 Chris-Craft

This 1932 Chris-Craft is a Model 304 runabout that features a 21′ semi-planing mahogany hull with three cockpits and a barrel-back stern. In the early 1940s the vessel was purchased from Wayzata Boat Works by the Pattee family, who enjoyed it during summers on Minnesota’s Lake Minnetonka for approximately 15 years. The boat was named Dee Dee Pee after the Pattee family matriarch. The Pumphrey family relocated the boat to Lake Tahoe in 1990 and renamed it Phantasy III following a restoration. Power comes from a Chrysler straight-six, and additional features include a forward/reverse transmission, blue upholstery, and an epoxy-coated underside. Following its restoration, the vessel won first place and “Best Chris-Craft” at the 1996 Tahoe Yacht Club Concours d’Elegance. Phantasy III was donated in 2011 to the seller, the Tahoe Maritime Museum, and is now offered with a double-axle trailer and clean California titles in the museum’s name for the both the trailer and boat. The semi-planing mahogany hull measures 21′ long and 7′ 5″ wide. Dark-stained gunwales feature Chris-Craft rubber step pads, and polished brightwork includes the cutwater, rub rails, quarter rails, and engine compartment vents. The vessel was restored in the 1990s during the Pumphrey family’s ownership and subsequently scored 98 out of 100 points at the Tahoe Yacht Club’s annual concours d’elegance in 1996. The vessel’s registration number and marque are painted on the sides, while its name, Phantasy III, can be found on the transom. Note the rounded, “barrel back” stern shape. The triple-cockpit layout provides three separate seating areas, each equipped with varnished wood bulkheads, blue upholstery, and planked soles covered in black rubber mats. The forward cockpit features a split, V-shaped windscreen, and removable cover boards in the soles allow access to the bilges. A black, four-spoke steering wheel is located on the starboard side of the foremost cockpit, and a polished forward/reverse shifter extends up through the floorboard. The varnished mahogany dashboard contains a center-mounted instrument panel with a Stewart-Warner tachometer and gauges for amperage and oil pressure. The Chrysler straight-six was installed by a previous owner and turns a four-bladed propeller. The engine is said to run, though the starter motor does not disengage. The fuel system also needs to be flushed. A video of the engine turning over can be watched here. An epoxy finish was applied to the underside during the 1990s restoration, and the vessel was last in the water in 2008. The double-axle VM boat trailer is finished in blue and equipped with carpeted beds, side steps, and a manual winch. Phantasy III was featured on the cover of Classic Boating magazine in 1998, and the associated article can be read in the photo gallery below.