My uncle purchased a new 390 stinger and he cracked the hull jumping 10' waves outside the the inlet in ft. Lauderdale. I will post some pics. Chris craft bought the boat back after legal battles. They said he abused it but the brochure had a pic of the boat jumping waves. After several months they bought the boat back. Boat was totaled.

This has happened to some of the best boats.

A few years back a new 60' Bertram totally de laminated in rough seas off of Ft. Pierce and the owner is still in a court battle with the factory. This can be found in the archives of the "Hull Truth"

The average Chris Craft Stinger was never intended for heavy off shore use as some of the others (i.e. The Formula/Donzi/Magnum/Cigarette/Apache family) were. I remember during the taping of several of the Miami Vice episodes during the '80's the studio experience several "Stinger 390" failures...some of which involved engines ripping from mounts and drives tearing up transoms. One or more shops along NE 188th Street made some serious $$$$$ rigging these boats for stunt work so the failure rate dropped to near zero.

Rumor has it that Don Johnson's personal 390 "My Vice" was one of the "bullet proof" survivors. How would you like to get your hands on that one!!! I think I read somewhere that he gave it to his Dad and it is on a lake near Don's home town in Missouri.

Don Johnson was given a boat from Wellcraft not Chris Craft.
Chris's were only used in the filming of the pilot episode and season one. Season two through five used numerous Scarabs. The one Don Johnson was given had a pair of 502's in it if memory serves me correctly. To make a long story short...his boat was done up more than the ones used on the show and in one episode he actually used his own boat as it was faster than the other ones given to Universal studios by Wellcraft.

By the way...my 390X is now 27 years old and has seen brutal punishment from myself and the previous two owners since it was purchased new. Other than a few slights cracks in the gell on the sides of the boat, the hull is fairing perfectly over these many years and is standing the test of time and punishment. I even still have the original interior and fabrick both iside and out on the sun pad.(although I should sew a new zipper in the sun pads...)