1947 Chris Craft U22 Chine Frame Damage

With her bottom completely stripped and cleaned, we gained a clearer view of the frame components, and discovered one more significantly damaged component.

Remember, her bottom initially slammed into a submerged rock or ledge about halfway forward of the transom, leaving a huge gash/scrape in the affected bottom plank.

Next her running gear bottomed out, being hit from the starboard side and driven towards port. Until today, when Joe was installing two replacement frames, he discovered that the hull, especially aft of the prop shaft tunnel will rack laterally when shaken from side-to-side. Why?

The bottoming, which drove the running gear to port, also drove the two destroyed frames to port and through the chine frame. As the clip shows, the port chine frame was broken through-and-through in two places where the bottom frames land on the chine frame. The carriage bolt securing the port end of the more forward of the two destroyed frames was snapped in the process.

This is why, when working on a bottom, releasing the chine plank is critical. Doing so exposes the chine-frame-bottom-frame joints, which permits close inspection of each landing, as well as the bolts holding things together.

We will cut a sixty-degree angle scarf into the time frame two bays forward, fabricate a new aft section and then secure everything together with silicon bronze carriage bolts passing through a scarf block and through the new and old frame sections. Everything will be joined using 3M5200 adhesive.

Great discovery, Joe!