Chris Craft has never failed to impress in the 144 years they’ve been designing pleasure craft. Their brand is legendary, an American classic through and through. From the first boat the founder Christopher Columbus Smith fashioned all those years ago in Algonac, Mich., Chris Craft has never lost its tendency toward the sublime in boat building.
That’s why it’s no surprise to see how their newest model, the Launch 28 GT, radiates with the same passion for grandeur that has always driven the iconic brand to new levels of excellence.
The gorgeous vessel made its debut at the Miami International Boat Show this last February, where it was met with absolute delight and the crowd reveled in its rapture. Gavan Hunt, Chris Craft’s vice president of sales, was there and had the pleasure of gathering the crowd’s reaction to the 28 GT.
“It was amazing,” shared Hunt. “They loved the boat. It was one of the best new product introductions that we’ve had.”
Reimagined Innovation
The 28 GT successfully reimagines an innovative design while still maintaining the integrity of the Chris Craft brand. The vessel comes in both stern drive and outboard versions with an available beach boarding ladder on the bow, giving the boat some customizable appeal. It also has an available windlass. However, what makes the boat really slice through the water is its new hull design.
“It’s an amazing ride because of the hull design,” attested Hunt.
Just imagining cruising around on the water on this vessel is enough to make any boater’s heart skip a beat with anticipation. The vessel’s reversible sun pad moves forward and backward to accommodate the ultimate lounging experience while simultaneously supplying additional seating while underway. It’s also available with a variety of tops so you can be sure to relax in the most luxurious style.
Another feature the boat sports which is unique for Chris Craft is the walk-through transom, giving the boat a fluent feel when boarding. The 28GT also has a walk-through side gate, which Hunt mentioned was a big selling feature for this boat.
Boarding the boat will always be a pleasure with so many options available. You can step aboard the 28 GT from the transom, the dive door or from one of the three swim ladders. One of Hunt’s favorite features is the dive door because most of his customers have a dock where they like to keep their boat near their home and by having the dive door they can step right aboard the boat without having to step over the hull side.
“That makes it easier to board the boat,” explained Hunt, “and even their pets can walk right onto the boat.”
Convenience and customization will never be a question when it comes to the 28 GT because Chris Craft thought of everything down to the last detail.
All In The Details
They say the devil is in the details because it’s often easy to overlook the small things, but the 28 GT excels for this very reason because of the undeniable attention to detail that went into its realization.
The boat comes standard with CZone, which means the switches come integrated with the Garmin screen on the vessel’s dash. It has a standard Garmin GPS and all the engine and stereo functions also integrate through the Garmin, making it easier to operate and navigate while still controlling the entertainment. Additionally, the craft has an amazing amount of storage for a boat of its size.
Another feature that sets this boat apart from the rest is its tastefully styled folding tower. The tower supplies shade for the cockpit area and can also be used for watersports. Then when it’s not in use, the electric tower folds forward for safe towing and storage. The tower provides all the benefits for comfort and sports while never getting in the way.
The upholstery is also something special because the 28 GT includes Chris Craft’s brand-new upholstery pattern throughout the cockpit. From the handling to the stitching, Chris Craft left nothing wanting on the luxurious vessel.
Perfect Paint Job
Chris Craft imbued the same level of attention in all aspects of the 28 GT, including the painting of the vessel. In fact, this brand is famous for their paint jobs.
The company takes special pride in their painting and every boat that comes from the factory undergoes a meticulous 50-hour painting methodology from talented craftsmen with impressive painting experience. It’s a process that’s been honed over the last 144 years, bringing every paint job closer to perfection.
First they clean and tape the boats to ensure each hull is flawless before the paint even touches the surface. Then after sanding and covering with a gray primer, the craftsmen paint the boat and top it off with a clear urethane coating for that glassy finish. After the paint has dried, they go over it again under fluorescent lighting for a final quality check. The end product is durable and results in years of brilliant color.
“We do a great job of painting our boats since we use paint instead of gel for the hull side colors in most cases,” described Hunt.
Wondrous Woodwork
The 28 GT also boasts varnished mahogany throughout the vessel, which is yet another example of Chris Craft’s devotion to craftsmanship.
“Our teak and mahogany accents on the boat are very special to us,” shared Hunt.
Right from the birth of the brand, the founder Christopher Columbus Smith was well known for his love of wood. His woodworking skills were so famous that lumber yards started referring to the highest grades of wood as “Chris Craft quality.” The 28 GT carries on Chris Craft’s love affair with wood that made the brand so famous in the first place, hosting only the highest quality woods in its makeup.
A Lasting Impression
Christopher Columbus Smith was only 13 years old when he built his first boat in 1844, and from there his reputation only gained momentum, thrusting Chris Craft forward and branding it as one of the ultimate boat building companies of today.
Chris Crafts have made numerous appearances in movies, television shows and books such as Mission Impossible 3, On Golden Pond and Miami Vice. The famed, satirical American writer Kurt Vonnegut even featured a Chris Craft in his classic novel Cat’s Cradle. In the scene the boat appeared, everything was going wrong for the protagonist yet he never failed to refer to his Chris Craft as his “pleasure craft.” Not “boat,” not “vessel,” not simply “craft,” but “pleasure craft.”
Such appearances reinforce Chris Craft’s position as an authentic expression of individuality, hope and luxury. Just this past May, Rizzoli International published Chris Craft: An American Classic, a book by Nick Voulgaris III detailing the Chris Craft legacy and featuring more than 175 photographs of the iconic boats.
There isn’t a shadow of a doubt Chris Craft boats have left a lasting impression on all those lucky enough to come across them, especially when they keep bubbling to the surface of popular media. Certainly, the 28 GT is yet another example of Chris Craft’s renowned reputation for attention to detail, devotion to luxury and commitment to excellence.
Specifications
Length: 28’ 10”
Beam: 8’ 6”
Dry Weight: 6,948 lbs.
Fuel Capacity: 85 gals.
Person Capacity: Yacht Certified
www.chriscraft.com
Winnebago Buys Chris-Craft
Back in June it was announced that Winnebago Industries Inc. had acquired Chris Craft from Stellican Ltd., which had owned Chris-Craft since 2001. Chris-Craft is still led by the same leadership team in Sarasota, Fla., but the purchase marks Winnebago’s entry into the marine industry as the two industries continue to cross pollinate.
“Importantly, this acquisition aligns with our strategic initiative to further diversify Winnebago Industries within the outdoor lifestyle market and gives us a strong base on which to consider building an additional revenue platform over time,” said Winnebago Industries president and CEO Michael Happe.
