Heartland Classics

Spotlight on . . . . HIGH EXPECTATIONS

1937 Chris-Craft 19’ Custom
Written by Bob Kanak

This 1937 Chris-Craft 19’ Custom is owned by Bob and Linda Kanak of Fort Smith, Arkansas. It is powered by a Chris-Craft, ML,145 hp, rebuilt, balanced. Her Hull Number is 48237, 328. 19’ Customs were built between 1935 – 1938.
I bought the boat in July 2000 in Minnesota. The boat was built in Algonic, Michigan, was shipped 6/7/1937 to Wausau, Wisconsin.

The name “High Expectations” was given by my wife who used to work with me and she set a business goal to be met for the first 6 months of 2000. With her help we made it and she named the boat.

High Expectations was restored in 1991 by 3 guys in Minnesota - John Poole was the owner. I bought the boat through Todd Warner at Mahogany Bay. Three years ago I had a 5200 bottom put on in Indiana, the boat was damaged on the return trip and Howard Classic Boats put on a new aft deck and transom. I did a full strip down to bare wood and removed caulk from all seams, then sanded, stained, caulked and laid on 14 coats of varnish in 2 and one half months with a day job.

Unique options on this boat include a banjo steering wheel and tan leather interior.

High Expectations resides behind our house in a boat house on a cove off the Arkansas River. Its second home is Big Hollow Cove on Grand Lake in NE Oklahoma.

This boat has been seen on cruises such as the St. Johns River Mini Cruise in Florida, and Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri. High Expectations has been shown at the Heartland Classics shows at Grand Lake in Oklahoma and Garvan Woodland Gardens at Hot Springs, Arkansas, Mt. Dora, Florida, Wooden Boat Show in Austin, Texas, Keels and Wheels at Lakewood Yacht Club in Houston, Texas, Dixieland Show at Pickwick, Tennessee, and Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri.
Checkout my website www.bobsboats.us/ for more pictures of High Expectations including a scratch built model, some of my other boats, videos of High Expectations with music, pictures of shows and friends’ boats.