Century

An opportunity like this does not come around often. This stunning Classic 1972 Century Arabian has been completely gone through, from stem to stern, so to speak. This is very likely the best example of this sought-after runabout to come on the market in the last decade or two...and the best part is that it's better than it was the day it came out of the factory. No, it's not "perfect", but with very little expense, it could well be.I'll do my best to describe everything that's been done to this fine craft, but it's been a labor of love, so there's no doubt that I'll forget many things...here goes:First of all this boat was purchased brand new by my step father in 1972, so it's "been in the family" all of it's 45 years. I inherited it in the early 1990's, and by that time, unfortunately, it had experienced some neglect. So I began a years long project, starting with the removal of the original Chrysler 440, Paragon tranny, and gutting the whole interior right down to the stringers. The stingers were replaced and "properly" glassed (unlike the original factory job); all of the wood used to reconstruct the interior is treated, again, unlike the factory original material. The interior, from the seat boxes to the firewall and dash, was rebuilt from scratch, and slightly modified from original to make for a better, more functional design. Professionally installed marine grade upholstery and carpeting; under-seat storage; custom teak swim step (original ladder will be included in sale); heater; stereo; instruments refurbished or replaced with OEM; most brightwork re-chromed; and other details which slip my mind now. Meanwhile, the engine work was progressing separately. My instructions to the engine builder were to make it "better and stronger", but DO NOT sacrifice reliability. He nailed it! I don't know the exact HP output, but it's got to be at least 20-30% more than the original 330 factory output. Among other things, the highlights are: Machined heads, heavy duty valve train springs and components (hardened, so no need to add lead to the fuel), cam, intake, exhaust, carburetor, balanced, and the list goes on, and on. This engine will idle all afternoon on a leisurely cruise, or sustain WOT until it runs out of fuel...it's bullet-proof. While all this was being done I took the Paragon transmission in for a check-up. The transmission technician asked me what kind of a vessel it was out of, and when I told him it was a 19 foot runabout, he thought that I was joking. He said, and this is as close to a quote as I can recall, "...this tranny would do just fine in a small tugboat, it's WAY overkill for a ski boat, even one with over 300 horsepower." Bottom line is that there was nothing at all wrong with it, so he replaced the seals, o-rings, etc., and put it back together, telling me that it would last for another 50 years or so, at least.As things started to come back together, the weak link became even more obvious; the factory wiring was a joke, and not a funny one. Fortunately I happen to have an electrical engineer in the family, and he "volunteered" to re-do the wiring better than new...and he did just that. The back of the instrument panel now looks like a work of art, instead of the rat's nest that it was from the factory. He also added more fuses and safety features, including the automatic halon fire extinguishing system. So here's what it all comes down to...your gain is my loss. You can spend less, much less, if a generic boat satisfies your needs. Or, if you've got to have the best and greatest new ski boat on the market, you can easily spend four or five times this much...or even more. In either case you'll have a boat just like every other one that you see on the lake, or in the marina...BORING! OR, you can start this gem up at the dock and watch every head turn, wondering what the heck it is. The downside is that you'll find yourself spending time talking to a bunch of folks who will appreciate this for what it is...FUN, and UNIQUE! Literally, ONE OF A KIND!For comparison sake, a similar boat, not restored, and not in nearly as good condition as this, was recently "totaled" in a storm here in the Seattle area, and the insurance company paid off nearly $30K! Don't miss this one, and it even includes the tandem Trail Rite trailer.If I were a rich man, this would be the ski/wakeboard boat sitting on the back of my yacht...unfortunately I haven't won the lottery yet.I will assist as reasonably necessary with shipping logistics, but shipping cost and arrangements are the sole responsibility of the purchaser.