Carri-Craft Catamaran Houseboat?

[?] Subscribe To This Site

Carri-Craft Catamaran Houseboat?

by Yani
(Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Is this a Carri Craft Catamaran Houseboat?

The catamaran houseboat picture above is very appealing. It looks like a catamaran house boat, and the hull looks great.

Can you please tell me who is the houseboat builder?

Reply - Answer
Yes Yani, that houseboat is a great looking catamaran. From my knowledge, it is a Carri-Craft Catamaran Houseboat, and I would presume from the late 60's.

I think it's a 57 foot Carri Craft with a fiberglass hull, and twin engines. They look very nice with the raised pilothouse, and have plenty of living area.

Hopefully some of our readers who have more experience with the Carri-Craft can share and post comments.

Comments for
Carri-Craft Catamaran Houseboat?

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Rating

1970 Carri-Craft houseboat
by: Anonymous

I piloted my 1970, 45 foot Carri-Craft houseboat from Seattle, Wa. to Panama City, Panama. It is a very stable craft and weathered two severe storms during the trip.

My yacht has twin Perkins diesels, and is turbocharged. It is currently undergoing a complete refit in Panama. Most of the work is done.

Brad

Rating

1967 Carri Craft
by: Anonymous

I owned a 1967 42 ft Carri Craft houseboat from about 1990 to 2005. It had great walk-around side decks and 302 Ford Blocks with huge TR2 outdrives. It also had a 6.5 onan.

My wife and I drove up to berlin Wisc. and have a picture of us standing on either side of the original Carri-Craft sign in front of the factory. When we pooked around we found 6 unfinished 57 Footers in a shed in various stages of completion.

When somebody bought the rights to Carri-Craft sometime in the 90's, they finished these 6 boats and sold them for capital. I even have a brochure from when they restarted making boats. I even have a houseboating magazine that has a article about the govenor of Missouri and their 42 Carri!

I sold my boat about 4 years ago, but sitting right in front of me is a framed set of the original blueprints from my boat that I'll always cherish.

Rating

Parts for a Carri-Craft
by: Eddy

We lost a rudder from our Carri-Craft and would like to find one that matches. Can anyone tell me where any Carri-Craft boats are that are being salvaged?

Rating

Carri Craft Hull Mould
by:

I own one of the moulds for this hull, if anyone is intrested let me know. I have a 40 foot layed up right now, looking for a buyer as I want to change to the full length 57.

Rating

Forgot something
by: Russell

We are getting ready for an extended trip from North Fort Myers around the Florida Keys and up the east coast to spend next summer gunkholing the Chesapeake Bay.

Then we'll head back down the coast, next fall, and out to the Bahamas for a while before heading around the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. We may head down to Belize but we have already been there so that may change with the winds of change.

This boat is one of the best offshore hulls on any houseboat that I have run. A friend had his down to Roatan and crossed over to Belize with 12 to 15 foot seas. A very rough crossing but the boat heald up better than the crew. They are good solid boats but like any boat you should check her very carefully.

If you are not boat savvy you should get a very good surveyor to look her over. Not cousin Bruce unless he is very good and knows older boats.

I found that furnishings can be thrown in the dumpster. This boat was set up for living at a dock or for going from one marina to another. There was not even a way to put water in the tank without hooking up to a hose on the dock and running the water through the interrior system. I added a deck fill on the port side right next to the tank. Fuel fills are flat on deck with no protection so I raised mine and am installing raised covers to keep water out of them.

There are many other changes but I'll get into them later. I intend to set up a website with lots of pictures later. Right now I am computer illiterate.

Have fun, I'm going up on the top deck and throw a nice porterhouse on the grill. See Ya!

X Close Editor

Rating

Submitted by: Russell

Title

Comment
We are getting ready for an extended trip from North Fort Myers around the Florida Keys and up the east coast to spend next summer gunkholing the Chesapeake Bay. Then we'll head back down the coast, next fall, and out to the Bahamas for a while before heading around the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. We may head down to Belize but we have already been there so that may change with the winds of change. This boat is one of the best offshore hulls on any houseboat that I have run. A friend had his down to Roatan and crossed over to Belize with 12 to 15 foot seas. A very rough crossing but the boat heald up better than the crew. They are good solid boats but like any boat you should check her very carefully. If you are not boat savvy you should get a very good surveyor to look her over. Not cousin Bruce unless he is very good and knows older boats. I found that furnishings can be thrown in the dumpster. This boat was set up for living at a dock or for going from one marina to another. There was not even a way to put water in the tank without hooking up to a hose on the dock and running the water through the interrior system. I added a deck fill on the port side right next to the tank. Fuel fills are flat on deck with no protection so I raised mine and am installing raised covers to keep water out of them. There are many other changes but I'll get into them later. I intend to set up a website with lots of pictures later. Right now I am computer illiterate. Have fun, I'm going up on the top deck and throw a nice porterhouse on the grill. See Ya!

Cancel Delete Delete & Ban

throbber Updating Comments page...

Rating

Just some info
by: Russell

I can't speak for others but as far as mine is concerned;
Carri Craft is no longer in business. These were fairly expensive boats compared to other houseboats of the day. They are well built and very strong.

As with any houseboat they have a lot of freeboard. The distance from the waterline to the top of the boat. This gives you a bit of a push sideways if the winds are up when you are docking. However, they are heavy boats and do handle very well in all conditions that I have run into.

The large powerful engines have ample horsepower to bring the bow around into the wind when needed. I have had lots of chances to manuver in wind, rain and heavy traffic without any mishaps. They will spin about in their own length and seem to be very thrifty with the fuel if you behave behind the throttles. They beheave very well in rough water. I can send you pictures of this one in 12 foot seas.

Being Catamaran hulls they take very little power to move them. I was surprised the first few times I moved mine around in tight quarters. With no time behind her wheel I manuvered her out of a very narrow canal with large boats on both sides and several sharp turns involved in reaching open water.

At idle I was warned by the marine police to slow down. I was idling at 900 RPM's and doing about 7 knots. There was a small wake behind me and the police just wanted me to drop below 6 knots. The fuel consumption is very good for a boat registered at 39 tons. I know she actually weighs in a lot less but that is the documentation carved in the hull. I have not had the chance to actually get her weighed yet.

Engine space is good. I am 65 years old and have just reciently replaced all four exhaust manifolds and all hoses. I also replaced plugs, one alternator, changed oil in both engines, redesigned and replaced both seawater intakes and rebuilt both carburators. The only problems I had was the room between the manifolds and the hull. Eventually I figured out what I was doing wrong and corrected the problem.

As for newer Carri Crafta I can give you no opinion. Mine is a 1969 and very strong. I hope this helps. If you find one in good condition you can not go wrong with it. These boats are built as strong as tanks. Drop me an email and I'll help you out in any way I can. I have lots of pictures. pirate6245@hotmail.com

X Close Editor

Rating

Submitted by: Russell

Title

Comment
I can't speak for others but as far as mine is concerned; Carri Craft is no longer in business. These were fairly expensive boats compared to other houseboats of the day. They are well built and very strong. As with any houseboat they have a lot of freeboard. The distance from the waterline to the top of the boat. This gives you a bit of a push sideways if the winds are up when you are docking. However, they are heavy boats and do handle very well in all conditions that I have run into. The large powerful engines have ample horsepower to bring the bow around into the wind when needed. I have had lots of chances to manuver in wind, rain and heavy traffic without any mishaps. They will spin about in their own length and seem to be very thrifty with the fuel if you behave behind the throttles. They beheave very well in rough water. I can send you pictures of this one in 12 foot seas. Being Catamaran hulls they take very little power to move them. I was surprised the first few times I moved mine around in tight quarters. With no time behind her wheel I manuvered her out of a very narrow canal with large boats on both sides and several sharp turns involved in reaching open water. At idle I was warned by the marine police to slow down. I was idling at 900 RPM's and doing about 7 knots. There was a small wake behind me and the police just wanted me to drop below 6 knots. The fuel consumption is very good for a boat registered at 39 tons. I know she actually weighs in a lot less but that is the documentation carved in the hull. I have not had the chance to actually get her weighed yet. Engine space is good. I am 65 years old and have just reciently replaced all four exhaust manifolds and all hoses. I also replaced plugs, one alternator, changed oil in both engines, redesigned and replaced both seawater intakes and rebuilt both carburators. The only problems I had was the room between the manifolds and the hull. Eventually I figured out what I was doing wrong and corrected the problem. As for newer Carri Crafta I can give you no opinion. Mine is a 1969 and very strong. I hope this helps. If you find one in good condition you can not go wrong with it. These boats are built as strong as tanks. Drop me an email and I'll help you out in any way I can. I have lots of pictures. pirate6245@hotmail.com

Cancel Delete Delete & Ban

throbber Updating Comments page...

Rating

Thinking about a Carri Craft
by: Anonymous

I have been shopping "Hatts", Defevers and Power type "Cats".
I want a live aboard that can easily travel from New England to "way south". Island hopping?

Saw some Carri's for sale. They are incredibly spacious but the ones I saw were furnished like they never ever moved.

Couple of questions:
1. Is Carri Craft still in business?
2. How is docking these boats?
3. Typical "cats" are supposed to be thrifty, are Carri?
4. The engine compartments seem very tight and might be difficult to work on. comments?
5. I see everybody waxing emotionally about the older Carri's, how about newer, say 1993?

Thanks, Ed Charter

Rating

Russell, I want a Carri Craft too !!
by: nick

I live on the Chesapeake, it's beautiful, with unbelievable sunrises and moon rises. I want my own Carri-Craft to cruise the bay and inter-coastal to Florida.

Rating

Visitors
by: Russell

I heard of one in Baltimore but don't know of any in Richmond. I am in South Florida, North Fort Myers, but you would be welcome to look at ours when we head north in the spring.

We intend to cruise the Chesapeake next summer and gunkhole all the little anchorages I have been to in the past when I lived in Cape Charles.

Then we will snowbird it down to the warmer climates for the winter again. I'll be glad to send some pictures of the boat if you want.

I'm sure you will hear from somone around there if you keep looking.

Rating

would like to buy a 57'.
by: nick

I live in Richmond, VA and would like to go aboard one to see what they are like.

Rating

You mentioned drawings of Carri Crafts
by: Russell

Yes, I do have several factory supplied drawings and feature options as offered by Carri Craft. I even have drawings for a sail powered Carri Craft. I believe it was about 60 or 70 feet but I'll have to dig out the designs and printed feature lists.

I have all sorts of additional information on Carri Craft systems from the previous owners files. He kept awsome records and every piece of information he ever got his hands on for Carri Craft is still here. Thank You Leonard!

Is there any such thing as a Carri Craft Club or gathering of these old Classic boats? I would be interested in getting a club of sorts together to have social gatherings along the rivers, coves, bays or even somewhere on the intercoastal from time to time.

I am on Florida's West coast at North Fort Myers but would be interested in going anywhere on the entire Gulf Coast or the East Coast as far up as the Chesapeake Bay. I live very near the Florida Keys.

How about a winter raftup there for a week or two? We live aboard and would love to meet other Carri Craft Owners.

Our Carri Craft is 57 feet and is a 1968 vintage with the original 427 engines. Still running and in first class condition they have been well cared for and rebuilt whenever they started showing signs of getting tired. Today they run like new.

Still, I would like to sell them or trade them for a small set of diesels. We don't need or use the 325 horses that they each provide. I also have the Technical & maintenance manuals on the engines, transmissions and V-Drives.

So, if anyone is interested in starting or participating in a Carri Craft Club let's get a page started here and see what kind of interest there is. We would even let other houseboaters join us in spite of not having a Carri Craft.

Ian, is something like a page for raftups possible? What do you think of the idea? Winter is headed our way and we will probably be staying in south Florida until spring. We don't like the cold and ice has no place on a boat unless it is in a glass or a cooler.

There are lots of places to have a raftup in the warm waters of the Keys or other lagoons and such down here and up north in the summer. Being snowbirds has it's advantages.

Just a thought! Russell

Reply - Answer
Well Russell, the raftup idea sounds like a good one. We could possibly use the site to handle / coordinate it all?

IAN from www.all-about-houseboats.com

X Close Editor

Rating

Submitted by: Russell

Title

Comment
Yes, I do have several factory supplied drawings and feature options as offered by Carri Craft. I even have drawings for a sail powered Carri Craft. I believe it was about 60 or 70 feet but I'll have to dig out the designs and printed feature lists. I have all sorts of additional information on Carri Craft systems from the previous owners files. He kept awsome records and every piece of information he ever got his hands on for Carri Craft is still here. Thank You Leonard! Is there any such thing as a Carri Craft Club or gathering of these old Classic boats? I would be interested in getting a club of sorts together to have social gatherings along the rivers, coves, bays or even somewhere on the intercoastal from time to time. I am on Florida's West coast at North Fort Myers but would be interested in going anywhere on the entire Gulf Coast or the East Coast as far up as the Chesapeake Bay. I live very near the Florida Keys. How about a winter raftup there for a week or two? We live aboard and would love to meet other Carri Craft Owners. Our Carri Craft is 57 feet and is a 1968 vintage with the original 427 engines. Still running and in first class condition they have been well cared for and rebuilt whenever they started showing signs of getting tired. Today they run like new. Still, I would like to sell them or trade them for a small set of diesels. We don't need or use the 325 horses that they each provide. I also have the Technical & maintenance manuals on the engines, transmissions and V-Drives. So, if anyone is interested in starting or participating in a Carri Craft Club let's get a page started here and see what kind of interest there is. We would even let other houseboaters join us in spite of not having a Carri Craft. Ian, is something like a page for raftups possible? What do you think of the idea? Winter is headed our way and we will probably be staying in south Florida until spring. We don't like the cold and ice has no place on a boat unless it is in a glass or a cooler. There are lots of places to have a raftup in the warm waters of the Keys or other lagoons and such down here and up north in the summer. Being snowbirds has it's advantages. Just a thought! Russell Reply - Answer Well Russell, the raftup idea sounds like a good one. We could possibly use the site to handle / coordinate it all? IAN from www.all-about-houseboats.com

Cancel Delete Delete & Ban

throbber Updating Comments page...

Rating

Walk around - Gunnel
by: Russell

I was looking at other Carri Crafts and mine seemed to be the only one with a gunnel that goes all the way around the boat. This makes line handling a breeze if you are short of deckhands.

The Gunnel has stainless supports and is very strong. It may be on other models but I have talked to four other owners and none of them had this feature. They all complained about having to run down through the boat to handle lines.

I also have very heavy cleats at four points along both sides. If you want some pictures I can email you whatever you need. The gunnel is bolted through the hull and has very stout supports inside.

Ian, can you allow this member to contact me? If this feature is an aftermarket add on there may be others looking to add a gunnel. It really makes running down the side of the boat to handle lines a better option than trying to run through the cabin fending off guests and furniture.

I will be glad to help anyone with understanding how the gunnel is setup and attached. My email is pirate6245@hotmail.com

Thanks, Russell

Rating

Carri-Craft Catamaran Info Wanted
by: Joseph

Russell you wrote;

[SNIP}before the wider walkaround was added...{SNIP}

Would you have any photos with the wider walkaround?

Anyone have or know where to get technical information {shop drawings, etc] for Carri-Craft?

I am looking at a 57', and it requires major work.

Regards, Joseph

Rating

History? White Feather's got History.
by: Russell

Built in 1968 White Feather spent the first two years as a demo boat. Based out of Miami she was featured in the February 1970 issue of Playboy.

It was a feature article of HouseYachting in the Florida Keys. She was the highest priced vessel in the article. I have a copy of the issue that was aboard with the logs, sales receipts and every single piece of paperwork since she was built.

The previous owner had her for almost 40 years until his death about two years ago. She served as a Coast Guard Auxiliary Vessel for many years, and I am still finding out things about her service.

As I find out more, I will see what I can do about getting all the information together so I can post a feature article on her at a later date. Complete with pictures, of course. The Playboy article was a 15 page story complete with lots of Playboy pictures.

Reply - Answer
Wow, Russell, thanks for all the great information and history. We are all looking forward to the pictures.

IAN from www.all-about-houseboats.com

Rating

A bit of Carri Craft Catamaran history
by: Elfgen

The CarriCraft was built in Berlin, Wisc. I was the account executive of the advertising company for Carri Craft. I got the account by arranging for a berth in Burnham Harbor Chicago and help show the "car" to prospective buyers.

It had twin diesels and when you opened the throttles you could leave quick a wake. The boat was "Queen" at one Chicago boat show and was the press boat for Ventian night one year in Chicago.

It was also the press boat for a yearly event (I've forgotten the name) in San Francisco Bay.

Reply - Answer
Thanks Elfgen for the bit of Carri Craft history.

IAN from www.all-about-houseboats.com

Rating

Cruising Carri-Craft Catamaran
by: Anonymous

The Carri-Craft is called a "cruising catamaran" we have a 57' Casa Grande, hardly any aft deck, with engines in aft stateroom.

I have seen the generator mounted aft with port engine, forward under deck, and like our on the starboard side in salon area, stateroom on the port side forward was converted to laundry room, and port head converted to a pantry.

There is a complete awning covering the upperdeck, great for those hot days and rain. We still have Chrysler engines, they have been replaced, great liveaboard. This houseboat has had liveaboard for the last 22yrs, from Maryland to Florida Keys.

Rating

Carri-Craft houseboat in Panama
by: Brad

Hi Carri-Craft lovers, I am an owner of a modified 1970 carri-craft cruiser. I bought it in Seattle Wa, and piloted it eventually to Panama where it is now undergoing refit in Drydock.

It is only lacking about half the interier work. All exterior fiberglass has been reworked and repainted with a swim step added. The interior is being done in fine hardwoods.

This fine yacht is for sale where it is, as is, or completed to your satisfaction. Price $150,000 US. Negotiable depending on your needs.

With many spare parts and lots of extras, this wonderful yacht would make a perfect live aboard or addition to a tourist fleet. It is stable in high seas as I personally piloted it in over 20 ft seas off the Baja.

For more info contact me at bradb97496@hotmail.com

Rating

Greatest boat ever - just don't call it a houseboat!
by: Anonymous

You're exactly right - It's a Carri-Craft 57, and they're actually a very seaworthy hull. In the late 1960's, Carri-Craft, of Berlin, Wisconsin, built a 44 and a 57 foot model. Both were available with a shortened cabin and aft cockpit, and a number of other options, including an aircraft-type door in either or both sides.

They were normally powered by a Chrysler gas engine with V-drives, but various other options were available, including V-drive diesels or gas stern drives.

My father had a 44 Carri with 327 Chevrolets (250 hp) and the big Merc stern drive. I believe it was known as the R-type drive, but I'm not sure - whatever it was called, it was Mercruiser's first attempt at a high-horsepower-capable sterndrive, and it was a stinker.

The incredible part of the Carri-Craft was the speed it would run with very modest horsepower. For example, my dad's would run 25 knots with a pair of 327ci/250hp Mercruisers; my own 36 foot Uniflite will cruise about 19 knots with a pair of 440 cubic inch/330 hp Chrysler inboards.

The Carri-Craft had an enormous interior, plus a huge top deck. I agree with the earlier poster, they had lousy line-handling ability; you had to climb a ladder from the small stern deck to the top deck, run forward, back down a ladder through the pilothouse, then out to the front deck to deal with the lines. Also, they were a beast to climb aboard, being high out of the water.

Usually, they came with square-cornered windows, which had a tendency to leak; rounded weatherproof windows were an option, as was a wood-grain vinyl trim (like a 1960's Ford Country Squire station wagon) around the side windows. My dad's had both. They also came with formed seats on the foredeck, just ahead of the pilothouse, you had seat cushions that fit on the seat forms and were held in by bungee cords.

Their biggest advantage over the traditional houseboat is that they handle rough water incredibly well. I remember crossing Puget Sound in the dead of night (no radar) in a howling gale, with 8-10 foot seas. Pretty scary when you thought of the container ships and log ships running 15-plus knots in the shipping lanes we had to cross, at night with minimum visibility.

I remember my dad had a brochure from Carri that came with the boat; Carri-Craft had a unique factory with what was at the time the world's only "floating assembly line." When the hull form was pulled from the mold, it was dropped into a water-filled trough and pulled along the factory where the cabin assembly was dropped onto it, and trimmed out - all "in the water."

Most of the Carri's in the Northwest ended their lives ignominously as crew boats for fishing fleets in Alaska, due to their huge interior spaces and great seaworthiness. If I could find a good early Carri, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

All in all, an awesome boat.

Reply - Answer
What an excellent post, and thank you for taking the time and effort.

IAN from www.all-about-houseboats.com

X Close Editor

Rating

Submitted by: Anonymous

Title

Comment
You're exactly right - It's a Carri-Craft 57, and they're actually a very seaworthy hull. In the late 1960's, Carri-Craft, of Berlin, Wisconsin, built a 44 and a 57 foot model. Both were available with a shortened cabin and aft cockpit, and a number of other options, including an aircraft-type door in either or both sides. They were normally powered by a Chrysler gas engine with V-drives, but various other options were available, including V-drive diesels or gas stern drives. My father had a 44 Carri with 327 Chevrolets (250 hp) and the big Merc stern drive. I believe it was known as the R-type drive, but I'm not sure - whatever it was called, it was Mercruiser's first attempt at a high-horsepower-capable sterndrive, and it was a stinker. The incredible part of the Carri-Craft was the speed it would run with very modest horsepower. For example, my dad's would run 25 knots with a pair of 327ci/250hp Mercruisers; my own 36 foot Uniflite will cruise about 19 knots with a pair of 440 cubic inch/330 hp Chrysler inboards. The Carri-Craft had an enormous interior, plus a huge top deck. I agree with the earlier poster, they had lousy line-handling ability; you had to climb a ladder from the small stern deck to the top deck, run forward, back down a ladder through the pilothouse, then out to the front deck to deal with the lines. Also, they were a beast to climb aboard, being high out of the water. Usually, they came with square-cornered windows, which had a tendency to leak; rounded weatherproof windows were an option, as was a wood-grain vinyl trim (like a 1960's Ford Country Squire station wagon) around the side windows. My dad's had both. They also came with formed seats on the foredeck, just ahead of the pilothouse, you had seat cushions that fit on the seat forms and were held in by bungee cords. Their biggest advantage over the traditional houseboat is that they handle rough water incredibly well. I remember crossing Puget Sound in the dead of night (no radar) in a howling gale, with 8-10 foot seas. Pretty scary when you thought of the container ships and log ships running 15-plus knots in the shipping lanes we had to cross, at night with minimum visibility. I remember my dad had a brochure from Carri that came with the boat; Carri-Craft had a unique factory with what was at the time the world's only "floating assembly line." When the hull form was pulled from the mold, it was dropped into a water-filled trough and pulled along the factory where the cabin assembly was dropped onto it, and trimmed out - all "in the water." Most of the Carri's in the Northwest ended their lives ignominously as crew boats for fishing fleets in Alaska, due to their huge interior spaces and great seaworthiness. If I could find a good early Carri, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. All in all, an awesome boat. Reply - Answer What an excellent post, and thank you for taking the time and effort. IAN from www.all-about-houseboats.com

Cancel Delete Delete & Ban

throbber Updating Comments page...

Rating

1968 Carri Craft houseboat
by: Russell

Your picture is exactly the same as our 68 Carri Craft before the wider walkaround was added. Not having gunnels makes single handling a bit rough when you have to run through the boat to catch a stern line in a cross wind.

Answer; add a walk around gunnel. This is probubly an addition you won't see every day.... if ever! Drawback? Well, try telling the haulout people that your beam is 16 foot but is reduce-able. Yeah, suck it in and tighten the slings.
Anyhow, I'd almost swear it is a "68"

Rating

Carri Craft Houseboats
by: Anonymous

I've been looking at some used Carri Craft houseboats too. They look to be built pretty well.

Some have a pilot house way up front and up high, other have it back a bit and more deck room up front.

Rating

Carri-craft houseboat employee
by: Don Timm

I live near Berlin wis and worked at Carri-Craft from 1990 to 1996 , and we built 11 boats in that time with the last one being a 65' with cat engines. I have pictures and contacts if anyone is interested.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Review of Houseboat Manufacturers

Carri-Craft Catamaran Houseboat?

Comments for Carri-Craft Catamaran Houseboat?

Comments for
Carri-Craft Catamaran Houseboat?