1926 1927 1928 Chris Craft 26 foot custom sedan commissioned by Marjorie Merrieweather Post being restored by MBBW

Macatawa Bay Boat Works Restoration

1928 Chris Craft 26' Custom Sedan
This is a rare one-off boat that was purchased new by Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973), heiress to the Post Cereal fortune. She used the boat on her "Topridge" estate in upstate New York. The original configuration of the boat from Chris-Craft was a triple cockpit runabout. She commissioned a New York boat shop to convert the boat from a runabout to the interior layout of a utility with a sedan top. The boat is being restored for our customer who acquired the boat and will use it on Lake Placid, NY.	Marjorie Merriweather Post

Below are photos of the men stripping the paint from the bottom.


We have removed the interior flooring to reveal a remarkably preserved bottom that is still serviceable. The inner bottom is all original and in very good condition, one of the best preserved boats from this era that we have ever seen - still has original batons and inner bottom.




We have refasten the bottom and made some minor repairs. The transom framing has been repaired and a knee added for reinforcement. The transom will be replanked in mahogany.


After the bottom has been refastened, the screws are covered with waterproof putty and the entire bottom is sanded in preparation for painting.





One transom frame was replaced and new transom cheeks are made. Knees were added to the cheeks for added strength. The entire structure was cleaned and sealed prior to installing the new planking.

The first transom plank is dry fit in location. A second plank with book match grain will be fit next.


Bottom is painted with an initial coat of blue.

Below, Sam paints the bilge




Mike had removed the old king plank that had a hole in it from a search light that had been removed by a previous owner. He cleans the area in preparation for new plank.

Mike dry fits the new king plank in place.


Above, Sam has touched up areas of the stain for color match and consistency and has overstained the covering boards and king plank. Below, Sam applies the second builder coat of varnish.



The boat sits in our finish room nicely between a 1936 Earl Barns 19' Runabout (left) and her younger sister: a 1949 Chris Craft 22' Streamlined Sedan (right).



Engine being installed
New custom motor box with fold down jump seat



Interior taking shape...








Project complete, it is time to deliver her back home to Lake Placid, New York as the protective cardboard covering the windshield glass proudly proclaimed: "Lake Placid or Bust!"


Back home on Lake Placid, N.Y.!