1937 Hacker Craft Triple-Cockpit Runabout Chris-Craft

This 1937 Hacker Craft is a 19′ runabout that features a semi-planing mahogany hull with three cockpits. The boat is named High Hopes and was donated in 2008 to the seller, the Tahoe Maritime Museum. The fore cockpit features a starboard-side helm, and a Chrysler straight-six drives a bronze propeller through a forward/reverse transmission. Additional equipment includes green tuck-and-roll upholstery, a fiberglass wet-hull overlay, and a raked two-piece windscreen. High Hopes has not been in the water since 2003 and is now offered out of Carson City, Nevada, with a 2008 marine survey and a clean California title in the museum’s name. The semi-planing hull and flush deck feature seam-and-batten mahogany construction. The boat measures 19′ long and 7′ 9″ wide with a 25″ draft. Dark-stained gunwales feature Hacker Craft rubber step pads, and polished brightwork includes the cutwater, rub rails, quarter rails, and engine compartment vents. The vessel was restored at an unknown point in the past, and a fiberglass skin was added to the underside and painted green. The vessel’s registration number and marque are painted on the sides, while its name, High Hopes, can be found on the transom. Imperfections in the finish are pictured up close in the gallery below, and the seller notes that the trailer is not included in the sale. The triple-cockpit layout provides three separate seating areas, each equipped with green tuck-and-roll upholstery and varnished wood side paneling. The forward cockpit features a split, V-shaped windscreen, and the aft cockpit is separated by the engine compartment. A three-spoke steering wheel is located on the starboard side of the foremost cockpit and is equipped with a central throttle lever. A forward/reverse lever extends up through the floorboard. The varnished mahogany dashboard contains a center-mounted instrument panel with a 4k-rpm tachometer and gauges for amperage, temperature, fuel level, and oil pressure. The Chrysler Crown straight-six turns a three-blade bronze propeller through a forward/reverse transmission. The engine is said to run on starting fluid but requires fuel system maintenance. The fiberglass wet-hull overlay was applied during a past restoration and features a green finish with a white boot stripe. The vessel was last in the water in 2003. High Hopes was surveyed by Admiralty Marine Services in June 2008, and the report can be read in the gallery below.