Here's one I don't know much about, it's the newer generation boat (Uniflite roots), but this one was docked in the middle of the 2008 Chris Craft Commander Rendezvous and it fit right in. Here are a few details I have, anyone with more please comment.

Regards,

Paul

Here's a link with a little more info from our archives, we could use more so it anyone out there has one of these, please send photos, info, brochure info whatever you have! We'll share it here with the rest of the world.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/424840/message/1154698907

Regards,

Paul

Dale Murray and Dick Genth bought Uniflite because they wanted the Uniflite 46 and 50' hulls (old Pacemaker molds) along with Uniflite's Swansboro, NC plant. Many C.C. dealers were upset because C.C. took Uniflite models and just put the Chris Craft name on the side. I remember hearing how Genth hated the design of the Uniflite flybridges. They took the best Uniflite models (36-38-42-48-50) and changed the deck molds, and redid the interiors so they looked more Chris Craft. The 36 aft cabin became the 370 Catalina, and 48 Commander became the 502 Commander.
The 500 Constellation became the 501 Constellation (pilot house) Funny, the Uniflite Bellingham, WA plant built the 370 Stinger and 415 Stinger (Go Fast offshore boats) They also built the 480 and 370 Catalina's, and several small seahawk fishboats and cavalier sport boats.
Loyal Uniflite owners hated Chris Craft's takeover of Uniflite. But remember, this was after the famous Uniflite blister problem with their fire resistant resins. They were lucky Murray bought Unfilte, because they had lost their quality reputation. To me, the models will always be Uniflite/Chris Crafts. In fact, the Bellingham plant always answered the phone that way.

I have looked at the 382 and it is a nice boat. Did these hulls have blister problems? When was the problem fixed? I noticed the prices for the CC branded boats are more expensive then the Uniflite boats. I also wonder how the ride was different then the CC hulls.

Kevin

The blisters appeared on Uniflites built after 1975 when they switched fire resistant fiberglass resins. When Murray Chris Craft purchased Uniflite for $10 a share in 1984, they switched over to their production methods and materials. I do think Murray Chris Craft was on the hook for Uniflite boats sold still under warranty, and had to repair or replace some Uniflite models.
I also heard about a class action lawsuit from Uniflite owners for gelcoat blisters, but I don't know how that turned out. As far as the hulls and the ride, I believe they were well engineered.
The Uniflite 48 convertible, and later 480 Chris Craft Commander was a popular sportfisher. It was Dale Murray's personal boat before Dick Avery designed him his new 58' Commander, named "Hunter." All models ceased to exist when OMC bought Murray Chris Craft out of chapter 11 BK
in 1990.

....but I hate to hear about the demise of 1990. The history is fascinating, however.

Paul

In the mid-late 80's G.Dale Murray had made a fatal mistake. He had invested millions in a failed real estate venture in Florida. To cover his loss, he was forced to sell his controling interest in Murray Industries, which owned the Chris Craft boat production plants, and had the licensing rights to the Chris Craft name. Enter Saudi businessman Dr. Gaith Pharon, who at the time was one of the ten wealthiest men in the world. Not knowing how much Murray had lost, Pharon invested in Murray Industries(Chris Craft dealers had a meeting with Murray and Pharon at Pharon's estate in Savannah, Georgia once owned by Henry Ford.) Once Pharon found out what Murray had done, he quickly seized control and forced Murray out of his own company. In late 1989, the Pharon group put Murray Industies, and Murray Chris Craft into Chapter 11 bankrupchy. Irwin Jacobs (Genmar) and OMC had a bidding war for the assets of Murray Chris Craft, with OMC winning with a reported 53 million dollar bid.
WHERE THEY ARE NOW: Gaith Pharon is an international fugitive wanted by the FBI and IRS, being involved in the BCCI bank scandal defrauding investors of 12 billion dollars and leaving 250,000 unpaided creditors. He is reported to be in Pakistan, and travels international waters in his 197' yacht "Le Pharon."
G. Dale Murray was convicted in 2001 and sent to prison for 11 months for not paying $436,0000 in child support after fathering a 7 yr.old daughter as a result of an affair with a topless dancer. He was running a coal minning company for a group of investors, and at the time of sentencing was reported to be in poor health.
Dick Genth (Murray's old partner at Chris Craft) died of cancer in 2002 at the age of 77.