You may remember my posting a year ago about the boat we found in Alexandria Bay NY(GLAD). We are in the process of restoration and repower and have many photos coming soon.
We have found another boat with a similar hull design but it is a hardtop configuration with a single helm. It has the look of a catalina but is referred to as a commander and looks very similar to the 1969 spread on a sportsman express you featured in your pic archive. We have made an offer on the hardtop and hope it will be accepted.
I could go for either one. The 27 is a lot more boat, in weight and beam, than a 23 Commander. The 23 Commander may be a lot more boat in seakeeping capabilities and other ways, due to the deep V, but still this 27 is ultra cool. A single motor in a 27 is going to put it more in cruiser speed ranges, but twins would be a scream. Either way, I still like the boat.
Looking at your photo of the hardtop, looks just like the 1963 through 1967 Ford Galaxie roof-line. You look at that big Galaxie Chris Wade posted a few days ago, this hardtop has the same roof-line and I like them both (the car and the boat). Nice job from Dick Avery!
Here is a flybridge model along with some photos from the archives of the open sportsman.
The 31 is four feet longer but a whole lotta boat more, much heavier, much more robust, much more room, and much more weight too, but you can see the family resemblence, naturally because both boats were penned by Dick Avery (and both are among the best looking Commanders). Hey look at that roofline, just like the 27.
I love that Express FB 31! The 27 is a pretty unique boat, right there in between the 23' Commander and the 31' Commander. Awesome boats, all.
I hope Steve is not reading this, but if someone finds me a nice twin engine 27, either in an open Sportsman or hardtop, I would be hard pressed to resist.
Paul,
I need advice on repair and or replacement of chrome fittings and hardware. For example, the inlet and exhaust vents are corroded pretty bad on the 27 HT. Can they typically be re-chromed or can you suggest a good supplier for NOS (or reproduction if that is the only availability)?
Thanks
Ray
brass, chances are they can be rechromed nicely. It seems as if every piece I took in that was a smallish size like a cleat turned out to be a fifty dollar chrome job. Bigger pieces cost more, naturally.
However, the clamshell vents on my Cortland built Sea Skiff are potmetal. These were also used on a lot of other Commander and Lancer models. When the potmetal gets pitted, you can not easily buff it out, and it tends to corrode deeper and faster than brass. I was astounded to get two bids, both around $175 each, just to restore some old potmetal ventilators. They had to strip them, and then flame overlay with solder or such, in order to get a smooth finish upon which to lay down chrome. I ended up finding a pair of good ones for forty bucks at Joel Lemanski's shop. He was happy and so was I.
If there is any doubt, take the piece in and let the chrome shop look at it. If it's potmetal they'll tell you right there, how much. Now I also had some potmetal cleats on the Skiff, and I was able to actually file and sand those out, took em in, the guy looked them over carefully and he said "fifty bucks". When the piece got chrome, it looks fabulous. It just depends on the depth of pitting.
On ebay, you have to be very careful about buying potmetal. People always say brass when their pieces are brass, but people never say potmetal, and many times I think people are buying potmetal and don't know it.
I will remove the vents and check inside the screw holes to see what base metal is. It never occurred to me that they could be pot metal. Thanks for the heads up.
Ray
Here are the potmetal vents on my Thompson Corsair Sea Skiff
August 9 2008, 7:44 PM
The vents on the back are potmetal. They look very cool, but when the time comes to replate these guys, better not wait too long. I got them for $40 each, but the cost to replate the originals (identical to these) was $175 each, due to having to fill all the pit holes.
This 27 has to feel like a big runabout, because the open boat is a big runabout. Add the hardtop and it transforms into a small cruiser. Add the flybridge and it takes on a totally different character. Would make a great picnic or fishing rig.
I like the smaller commanders, and the 27 is a really nice boat. Its like somewhere in between the "baby commanders" and the "big boys". Great looking boat!
We just received acceptance of our offer on the 1967 27' Hardtop. Thrilled to say the least. It has twin 283cid/185hp engines in it.
I will repower with new EFI Crusaders. Anyone interested in buying original engines? Both run. Paragon transmissions. Meters show approx. 1000 hours on each.
That is one SWEET looking 27. I asked Janet to take a look and she agrees. As a matter of fact, I think I could easily talk her into buying one of these. She likes the fact that it has a permanent sun screen with that hardtop, and I am nuts about the fact that you can get this one with twin V8 power. As you know, if a pair of 283 V8s will fit in this boat, any other small block will too, including everything up to the 383 strokers or the siamese cylinder 400. The character of this boat could be very robust.
I am reasonably sure you could have talked the dealership into ordering one of these with a pair of 327F, although the power offerings were a single 327F with 210 hp or a pair of 283Fs at 185 hp each. A pair of 300-hp small blocks would make this thing really fly.
You got a good one, congratulations to you. Nice choice!
Ohhhh Nooooo ( Now Ray scored yet ANOTHER 27, this one with flybridge )
August 4 2008, 7:22 AM
Ray,
It's good to see someone out there with the fever as bad or worse than I have, it is sort of comforting to know I'm not alone.
So now you have three of these? one open boat, one hardtop, and now this one?
Ray reported in over the last few days:
"
I made the trip to Clayton NY today for the antique boat auction. Some real nice boats in show and being auctioned as well. Of course I had to take all the back roads there and back just in case there might be a few dusty Commanders laying around. Needless to say, I found another one.
It is a 27' hardtop with the command bridge and twin 283cid/185hp. Boat is in very good condition. It had been in cradle for the last 3 years. Recent re-build on both engines. I have the owners number and am going to make a trip back up there tomorrow. I had forgotten my camera today but, I will send some pics of it to you and see what you think. (Jen is a very patient girl!)
Here is a pic of the 27 Commander I found yesterday. I have talked to the owner and made him an offer on the boat. Engines have low hours (approx 600) and was last in the water in 2005. As far as I can see, it just needs a good cleaning. We'll keep you posted.
The owner accepted our offer on the 27 Commander Sports Express w/the command bridge. I think I may have to invest in a hydraulic trailer.
The serial # is FSA27 303IN
We will send more photos when we get it back home.
Thanks again
Ray and Jen"
The Clayton, New York area, up on the St. Lawrence River, in and around Alexandria Bay, New York too, represents some of THE best boat hunting areas of the country. This is a boat-rich environment, people know how to maintain them well, it's the home of Hutchinson Boat Works of wood boat fame, with tons and tons of boating history throughout the entire "Thousand Island district". Looks like Ray made one too many trips to Clayton? Congrats Ray, and contratulations for having a spouse who will go along with this sort of action!
Wow, I can not believe that you have the next 27 built after mine. What are the chances of that. Amazing to say the least. And then for them to end up so many miles apart. Do you have more photos? I found 2 in the archives but sure would like to see more.
I think Didier found his numbers in the frontal rope locker area, glassed to the side of the hull. Other boats from where I think this one was built, in Cortland, New York, have the "N" suffix on them, and some of those have a serial number just below the nose rail on the frontal port side, and just below the rub rail on the aft starboard side.
Many times the numbers are stamped on the underside of drawers, and on occasion we have found it scrawled out in pencil in electrical cabinets too.
Just to let you know, I will probably sell the flybridge after a good cleaning, hull buff, tune-up, and survey. I really like the look of the other 2 boats (open 27 and HT 27) and have plans to keep one here on Oneida Lake and one in Alex Bay. I really wasn't looking for the 3rd configuration of the 27 hull but I have been bitten by the bug apparently. Jen is the most supportive woman that a boat nut could hope for. She is thrilled with my passion for boats and boating. To give you an example of her patience level, we also have a 1976 Century Arabian, a 1972 Penn Yan 21' tunnel drive, a 1985 Century Resorter, and next week I pick up a 1986 Century Coronado Cardel. It all started with the purchase of a 1971 Century Resorter back in 1990 and have had many other Centurys since then. I have always loved the Chris-Craft line and now that I can afford them they seem to be finding me (haha). Thanks again for all the interest and help.
Ray
