Heartland Classics

1954 Chris Craft Runabout

Written by Dr. Richard Moist

Chickadee is a Christ Craft 15 foot utility runabout (# 221 V) powered by a 60 HP 4 cylinder engine.

Chickadee was purchased in Indianapolis, IN in 1955 by Dr. Jonathan “Chick” Comer for his brother Dr. Kenny Comer who had just bought a summer cottage on a lake in upper Wisconsin. Very soon after the purchase Dr. Chick passed away before he had an opportunity to ride in the boat. So you can see where the name came from.

In 1965 we met Dr. Chick’s son Dr. Jot and his wife Gwen at the Great Lakes Naval training Center where we were both serving as Dental officers. During the course of the next few years we met and became friends with all of those associated with the Chickadee. When Dr. Kenny died his wife Clair wanted Jot to have the boat so about 13 years ago it was hauled to Mooresville, IN where the families lived.

Cara and I travel to Mooresville each year for the Indy 500 and Jot and his family often came to Missouri in the summer to boat. We brought the boat to Springfield for minor repair and to have an opportunity to run it on Table Rock Lake. A couple of years later the boat went back to Indiana to be used there and that winter Jot passed away. Chickadee was stored for two years before we purchased it and brought it back to Springfield and treated it to a complete restoration and motor rebuild.

Chickadee now resides at the Ozarks Yacht Club dock on Indian Point on Table Rock Lake in the Missouri Ozarks. It often leaves the dock for evening rides and Heartland Chapter ACBS events.