I originally posted a few pics of my 1972 Cary 28 Sportsman back in 2020 on another thread when several were wondering whatever had became of her. I’m still the owner and will probably be for life as she’s still quite the boat. Once we finally got the rebuilt 1970 vintage 427 Crusaders running right, the boat has been a blast. Not overly fast at 42-43 mph, she still sports lots of attitude and turns plenty of heads. This is the third set of engines she’s had, with original 440 Chryslers replaced in 1992 with 454 carbed Crusaders, which were unfortunately totaled when she filled up with water on the trailer and sat for several years and became an insurance loss, which is how I found her. She’s on the trailer or lift for the time being in Washington NC on the fresh and brackish waters, or fresh water Lake Norman in Mooresville NC, and I’ve towed her to inland central Fla several times also. We’ve changed very little but did swap out the helm seats for some classic ladder-back seats from Pompanette, but we definitely held on to the original wraparound buckets which are in need of a rebuild. We also managed to get some close to original hull graphics which add a perfect finishing touch IMO. Down the road I’m somewhat hell-bent on a power upgrade as you can feel the lineage just begging for more speed.

Nice and simple fun boat !!

gorgeous!

Beautiful rare model. I know them well. Good build quality and absolutely worthy of restoring and/or repowering.

Good to see an update on your beautiful Cary 28, and that you're still making plans for upgrades etc. The ex. owner Jim chewed me out

on Facebook the other day, since I'm not too fond of most politicians in the U.S. and I made some comment about how it's difficult for some

of us Veterans from the Korean-, Vietnam-, and the Cold War to respect the 47th POTUS. I always liked Jim years ago because he

knows his boats, and I got to befriend him on the old, no more forum Donzi.net 25 years ago. I await Jim's next bullying attempt and hope

he's in good vigor. The power of kindness should never be underestimated. I'll keep him as a Facebook friend until I check out this

life around. I saw the other day that Jim's ex. Donzi Criterion is up in Illinois. That model is as rare as a Cary 28, but not as well built or

great running. A fellow I know here in Newport, California stretched his Cary 28 to 31 feet and stuck triple Verados on it. He builds ocean

racing sailboats, but is still in way more than $250,000. The Cary on the program Florida Sportsman, Project Dreamboat: was also a

great resto. Tim McKernan has now sold the boat to an elderly couple though. There's just something about the inboards on these late

'60s early '70s boats though. The wood, classic fittings, etc. your boat is really something special. Here's the Florida Sportsman video,

a photo of Jim's ex. Donzi Criterion, and wishes for many hours running her. Don't wait with the power upgrade though or that Blackfin

might get too much attention.

Link? That Donzi is gorgeous. Plus you put the people you don't want to listen to, up front.

At the 13th annual 2008 Spring Dust Off up on beautiful Lake George, N.Y. run by the Donzi registry, there were 16's 18's Criterion's.....all beautiful boats!....my 18' won best Restored Donzi..in the Renaissance Classic category.

full resto and conversion of my 1995 32 hustler
way too much to list on a ripped to bare hull resto
outer hull is all new awlgrip paint ,blueprinted and regelcoated bottom with all new hull harware popm ups,plug in buy holders,ect
all new upholstry with sea deck,new tank and flooring,bulkheads,,,
cut out dashes and redesigned and glassed back to be able to add garmins,dual lathems and convert to sit down raised and recessed helm all the switches were in the fairing so glassed it all back and had custom recessed switch panels,grabb handles,cup holders,ect , made
12 jl spekers 3,jl amps dual zone sound,,,leds ,got rid of upholstered trim and used all white acrylic even inside fairing and all new dorrs,ect
built new transom and made the tripple motor flotation box for the custom triple 300s lots mere than can list,
cruises 50-85 all day long in the bay depending on water conditions and way past 100 opened up,,,,but set up for rough water more than max speed

beautiful example of, as you say, "ripped to bare hull resto"....reg says NJ ...is that were she was bought? noticed your location is Houston.

Let's see some pictures of the 18'..