The following outline is from Dick Avery, designer of many of the most beautiful Chris Craft Commander designs of all times. This is a fascinating look inside the industry, directly from the source.
In Dick's words..........
"While working on a design for a 58’ Flush Deck Motor Yacht that dealers had requested, Dick Genth & Dale Murray went to the Bahama’s to see the Bertram – Hatteras “Shoot Out” fishing tournament. When they returned, they told me to forget the Motor Yacht and design a 58’ Sport Fisherman instead. They wanted two boats produced. They liked the designs I proposed and asked how long it would take to build them. I replied that since only two were to be produced, a mold could be made instead of a plug, the way we usually built production molds. Engineering made shop drawings for the molds, and we lined the frames with gloss Formica and wax for the best possible finish.
When we started laying the parts, Genth & Murray began looking for engines for their boats. Genth drove Murray nuts by telling him he was getting some super fast Diesels for his boat. He wouldn’t tell Murray what they were, so Murray fired Genth. We went on to finish the first boat for Murray. It turned out beautifully. I don’t know if they built the second boat, but Genth did not get his. This story is possibly a big part of why Murray Chris Craft went out of business."