Boat test for the 2006 Chris-Craft Corsair 33 with boat pictures, boat specifications, and boat test results. Includes pricing, videos, engine test reviews, and ratings for the 2006 Chris-Craft Corsair 33.

When you think of Chris-Craft, you likely think of a classic beauty; a jaw-dropping, solid-mahogany runabout that’s reminiscent of a bygone era. Indeed, during the 1950’s, the Chris-Craft name was practically a synonym for pleasureboating. But the builder’s 130-year-long career has not been all highs; in fact, during the 1980’s and 1990’s, Chris-Craft fell on hard times and lost much of its stature. Today, after rising out of the ashes of Outboard Marine Corporation’s (OMC) bankruptcy five years ago and thanks to a company president and vice president committed to restoring the brand to its former grandeur, Chris-Craft has a new lease on life.

Its latest launch, the 33 Corsair, exemplifies that rebirth, offering the classic beauty, stunning woodwork, and sleek lines Chris-Craft is known for with the agile handling, performance (a top speed just shy of 50 mph), and cruising comforts today’s boater demands.

The 33 is the result of a collaboration between company president Steven Julius, a European businessman who is not a boater and who once resurrected Riva before it was bought by the Ferretti Group, and vice president Bob Greenberg, who is a boater with 30 years’ experience in boating and boatbuilding. While Julius’ aim for the 33 was to deliver a boat that re-established the Chris-Craft image, Greenberg’s was to create a user-friendly and affordable (base price of $281,956) boat. The result is a beautiful vessel that merges form and function, fills the gap between the company’s 36 express and 28 cuddy cabin, and is ideal for either day-tripping for a crowd or overnighting for a couple.

Most noteworthy about the 33 is, undoubtedly, her classic exterior styling: a flared bow and tumblehome aft. Smooth, contoured lines and soft radiuses dominate; there are no blunt edges or hard lines. And everything is accented by custom 316 stainless steel (not aluminum) gauges, cleats, and vents that Greenberg fondly refers to as “jewelry,” which combined with the Heritage Edition package (a $26,000 extra) and burgundy hull on my test boat (white, blue, forest green, and black are also available) to create an eye-catching look. Details abound: The anchor is hidden inside a fiberglass bow compartment; grabrails are made of teak; a rub strip (accented in stainless steel) is under the cleats along the bow on both sides; and another three-foot-long one runs just above the waterline on the hull to prevent scratches when fenders don’t. It’s features like these that move Greenberg to claim that the 33 is not a “‘me-too kind of boat.”

The teak-sole cockpit is accessible by climbing aboard the teak swim platform (standard with the Heritage Edition) and over two teak steps (shore-power cords are concealed under the first step) in the middle. It has space for about eight guests on a double-layer-foam, vinyl-covered U-shape seating area with removable table aft and wet bar to starboard; the cushions have vents to prevent mildew. The seating area rises on hydraulic lifts to reveal the full-beam (12’3”) engine compartment, which is lined in acoustical insulation. It’s a crawl space, but all service points are accessible. My test boat featured optional twin 375-hp MerCruiser gasoline Bravo Three stern drives (twin 280-hp Volvo Penta 5.7 Gis are standard) and a standard 5-kW Westerbeke SafeCO genset.

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