Chris Craft Commander Rendezvous 2004

As you know I found my boat Web Commander via internet back in 1998. The net is also where I found a lot of knowledgeable people that seemed to know almost anything there is to know about Commanders. They hade formed a awesome internet community called the Chris Craft Commander Club (CCCC).

For years these wonderful people were mostly a set of e-mail addresses and aliases to me, albeit very trustworthy. 

In April 2004 I got to meet some of them at the annual CCCC Rendezvous in Florida, USA. What a treat! It was so fun!

This is a photo album with some of the pictures from the Rendez Vous.

 

Frist group of two lined up in front of the present Chris Craft head office and factory. First row from left: Alarik von Hofsten, Dick Avery...
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No doubt about which brand of boats are moored at the C-dock of Twin Dolphin Marina!
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Chris Craft Commander 31' Bonnie Dick, owned by Tim Gressett.
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Chris Craft Commander 31' Bonnie Dick, owned by Tim Gressett
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The lower helmstation of Bonnie Dick.
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The cabin of Bonnie Dick.
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Chris Craft Commander 38' Miss Jeanette, owned by Herb Brock.
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Chris Craft Commander 38' Miss Jeanette, owned by Herb Brock.
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Nice electric control stationon onboard Miss Jeanette.
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The head onboard Miss Jeanette.
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Chris Craft Catalina 381 Spindrift, owned by Dick Conrad.
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Chris Craft Catalina 381 Spindrift, owned by Dick Conrad.
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Dick Avery, designer of most of the Chris Craft Commanders made in the sixites. Dick was also on the team that organised the Rendezvous and acting as toastmaster at our dinner parties.
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Tim Gressett door prize presenter and member of the team that organised the Rendezvous.
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Tim Gressett door prize presenter and member of the team that organised the Rendezvous.
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John and Bev Colombo door prixe winners and members oganising team at  the Rendezvous.
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All laughs when trying to solve Tim's trivia questions. Jim Wick, Julie Thomas, Bob Bothum, Linda Orphal, Clif Orphal, Chris Orphal,
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Dick and Maureen Avery.
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Chris Crafts ready to cast off.
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Dick Morland and Patty Morland waiting for the Commander fleet to cast off for a Saturday morning cruise.
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Patty & Dick Morland proudly showing Pattys purse made in all wood closely resembling a classic motorboat transom. Dick claim the bottum paint is actually real antifouling paint!
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Jim Wick and Bob Bothum of LPX-Sales both wearing hats with the crest of the Royal Motorboat Club of Sweden (Kungliga Motorbat Klubben).
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Dick Avery at Captain's breifing meeting before cast off.
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John Colombo at Captain's breifing meeting before cast off.
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Dick Conrad at Captain's breifing meeting before cast off.
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Robert Cutchins, webmaster and editor of the club newsletter.
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Robert Cutchins, webmaster and editor of the club newsletter.
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Jamie Rollinson
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Tim Gressett easing Bonnie Dick out of the dock.
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Herb Brock easing Miss Jeanette out of the dock.
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Dick Conrad easing Spindrift out of the dock.
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Bonnie Dick moving out of the marina.
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Bonnie Dick making good speed.
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Bonnie Dick making good speed.
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Miss Jeanette proving she has got the strongest (and newest!) engines in the fleet. MerCruiser 7,4 makes for good speed.
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Miss Jeanette proving she has got the strongest (and newest!) engines in the fleet. MerCruiser 7,4 makes for good speed.
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Miss Jeanette proving she has got the strongest (and newest!) engines in the fleet. MerCruiser 7,4 makes for good speed.
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Miss Jeanette proving she has got the strongest (and newest!) engines in the fleet. MerCruiser 7,4 makes for good speed.
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Rob Cutchins on the bridge of Bonnie Dick
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Hard on the heals of Bonnie Dick.
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Miss Jeanette with lot of eager photographers on board!
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Spindrift following us into the Marina.
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Sue Conrad onbard Spindrift.
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Bonnie Dick preparing for docking in the marina. Time for lunch!
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Miss Jeanette preparing for docking in the marina.
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A lot of eager hands to help the skippers out!
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Chris Crafts all lined up in the dock at lunchtime.
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Chris Crafts all lined up in the dock at lunchtime.
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On our way to the lunch restaurant.
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The majestic bow of Tom & Wendy Giddings' Chris Craft Commander 60 Stardust.
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A very nice yacht indeed!
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The starboard gangway looking aft.
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Helmstation of Stardust.
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Owner Tom Giddings surprised us all by letting the original designer of the 60´Commander, Dick Avery,  sign his masterpiece. In spite of all boats he designed this is the first one he actually signed!
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The impressive helm station with Curt Radford happily living the dream of being the captain of a 60´Commander.
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The main salon, with Dick Avery and Robert Cutchins discussing the interior.
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The dinette opposite the galley
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Guest cabin.
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The maintenance and laundry room onboard Stardust. Plenyt of room for washer, dryer, tools, work bench etc.
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Guest cabin's head and shower
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Miss Jeanette
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Curt Radford on the bow of Stardust. Looking pleased!
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Miss Jeanette making her way back to Twin Dolphin Marina.
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Bruce Donaldson, former President of Chris Craft, giving a speach about the heydays of Chris Craft.
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Fred Delavan, Dick & Maureen Avery
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Gordon Howser, former advertising & public relations at Chris Craft told a lot of anectotes about Chris Craft marketing and PR.
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Dick  Avery brought along some of his original work as a designer at Chris Craft.
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Dick  Avery brought along some of his original work as a designer at Chris Craft.
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Tom Giddings proudly wearing his KMK hat. (Kungliga MotorbåtsKlubben).
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Dick  Avery brought along some of his original work as a designer at Chris Craft.
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Dick  Avery brought along some of his original work as a designer at Chris Craft.
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Dick  Avery brought along some of his original work as a designer at Chris Craft. During some difficult times in the boating industry Dick tried to create interest in something different, the Chris-Home!
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Curt Radford
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Dick  Avery brought along some of his original work as a designer at Chris Craft.
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Dick  Avery brought along some of his original work as a designer at Chris Craft.
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Design skeches of a very rare Commander, the 57´ Commander Sport Fisherman. It is infact so rare that most experts didn´t even know it existed.  This is one of several sketches proposed by Dick Avery.
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Design skeches of a very rare Commander, the 57´ Commander Sport Fisherman. It is infact so rare that most experts didn´t even know it existed.  Two were commissioned, but probably just one was buil. This is one of the Interior sketches proposed by Dick Avery.
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Design skeches of a very rare Commander, the 57´ Commander Sport Fisherman. It is infact so rare that most experts didn´t even know it existed.  Two were commissioned, but probably just one was buil. This is one of the Interior sketches proposed by Dick Avery.
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Dick Morland thanks Dick Avery for donating some of the original designs, sketches and photos to CCCC.
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The photos in this section are all in relatively low resolution. They are good enough for viewing on a computer screen and not too large for quick viewing even on slow internet conncections. The original photo files however, are high resolution images suitable for printouts, even as large as 11 x 17 format. Larger files are usually also better for cropping of details, manipulation etc. Upon request I can provide you with reasonable amounts of high resolution files of the photos of you choice. The files are up to 3072*2048 pixels and 2-2,5 MB large. Please drop me an e-mail with your request.

Photographer: Alarik von Hofsten.

 

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