Boating on big water is a completely different discipline than inland lake boating. Andrew Raycroft knows just what separates the two. Growing up on Long Island Sound, he became accustomed to dealing with the tides, swells, and rough chop prevalent in his native waters.

"The boats in my neighborhood were quite a mix," remembers Andrew. "We had a taste of everything."

Andrew got away from boating when his family moved off of the water in his later high school years. But, as with anyone who has been heavily influenced by growing up on or near the water, Andrew would find his way back.

Later in life, living near the nation's capitol, he found himself sailing on the Potomac River in a number of small craft. However, with his sons Tristan and Dylan urging him to get something with more speed, he knew that there was a powerboat in his future.

"I was looking for a boat that had character, one that had its own value," reflects Andrew. "I wanted something made of wood, maybe a lapstrake boat." In 1993, he found a 1965 Cruisers Inc. Commander up at Lake Winnepesaukee, Connecticut, that was well-built and had the classic styling that he was looking for. It was a great boat for his boys, who eventually learned to water ski and wakeboard behind it. Andrew just recently sold it to his cousin. "It was hard to let it go, but I had to," says Andrew. "There just wasn't enough room."

Looking for something bigger with less maintenance, he narrowed his selection to three boats: a Bertram Moppie, a Wellcraft V-20 and a 1967 Chris-Craft Lancer.

"We all have a certain sense of style, what we feel are classic lines," says Andrew. "You do a certain amount of research before you buy a boat. You eventually decide on the one that makes the most sense and also satisfies your need for style."

In deciding between the three boats, Andrew says, "they all made sense to me, but the Chris-Craft came to the top of the list, as there were just more of them available at the time. It'd be very do-able and would come at a good price."

The Lancer marked a transitional period at Chris-Craft that began in 1963, when the company constructed a new plant in Cortland, New York, to manufacture its new Corsair line of fiberglass boats. As the decade progressed, Chris-Craft continued making bold moves away from the wooden runabout market that it had built its solid reputation on. The switch from mahogony to fiberglass was effectively made with the Lancer, a luxury fiberglass boat introduced in 1966. Designed by Jim Wynne and Walt Waters, the Lancer had a pedigree from a team that had established themselves in every major performance and endurance competition held on either coast and Europe.

Standard power on the 23-foot Lancer was a 150-hp Transdrive (stern drive) with either 185-hp or twin 120-hp drives available as options. Andrew was fortunate to find a Lancer with the optional 283 Chris-Craft V8 with 185 hp running through a Volvo-Penta outdrive.

Everything that Andrew was looking for in a boat is exactly what Chris-Craft delivered with the Lancer: proven big-water performance, classic lines, and enough room to entertain.

"It's a great day boat," relates Andrew. "It's perfect for picnics and day cruises. It has such a large cockpit. It will easily fit six people in it for several hours without feeling cramped at all. There's a ton of storage space. It's also a very seaworthy boat. It has a heavy feel to it - cuts through the waves, doesn't bounce at all."

"I think I'll keep this Lancer forever," says Andrew. "If it came down to it, I'd re-power it before I'd get another boat. This boat has so much going for it, how would you ever replace that?"