Re: New Owner (maybe) Chris Craft 328 Express
We are the second owners of a 2003 CC 328 that we bought in 2010. The PO had bought it off the floor of the Chicago Boat Show and put about 125 hours on it up until we bought it so it was in really good condition. It has the Volvo GXI option for engines with duoprop so each one has 320 hp. Gsi is the more common option out there. I haven't seen any with the mercruiser. I've only seen one out there for sale in the last year with the GXi motors on the market.
We haven't had any significant issues with ours...most "issues" have been very minor things that need routine maintenance/replacing on any boat...eg., change shower sump switch, a lose enclosure button....really, nothing to do with the overall construction of the boat itself.
Normal cruise at about 3100rpm gets about 32mph; WOT I've had it up to about 48 mph but trimmed properly it is supposed to hit at least 52mph, according to the CC dealer around here. I haven't calculated fuel consumption lately but I believe my ballpark estimate initially came out to around 1 gallon per mile at cruise (I may be WAAAAY off on this estimate so take it with a grain of salt).
The models seem to vary the most in a couple of features (maybe they were options at the time and have nothing to do with the year itself):
1. long vs short swim platform
2. the starboard side passenger seat cushion can fold forward on a hinge and the backside of it then serves as a firm step to go to the bow/deck....mine has a removable seat cushion attached with buttons.
3. wood veneer in the cabin varies from sparse to on all surfaces
4. cabin hatches on the forward deck: oval custom (PITA to replace) by CC versus square standard (if I could I'd have these)
I haven't found any good websites out there about the 328...mostly spotty posts here and there....and the ads selling this model. THere is an old CC site that has info on it..the best site thus far:
http://www.uippet.it/chriscraft_site/models.html
This has all the models for the year this model was being produced.
Where are you located?