The Chrysler Crown Marine M47

Questionable?!

1957 Higgins Sports Speedster Deluxe comes home

One sunny Sunday afternoon after months of research and trolling ebay for the perfect boat I put an offer down on a 1957 Higgins Sports Speedster Deluxe. All chrome accounted for, Chrysler Crown M47 in very questionable condition. Twenty seconds before the end of the auction I pressed enter, and after that, I was a proud owner of a classic wood boat. I had never owned a boat before but I knew I wanted one. The only problem was that I did not have time to tell my wife. I spent the afternoon, evening wondering what to do. I also had to figure out how to bring the boat across the border into Canada from Washington State. In the morning, I started to drive south, before entering another country I called a friend to ask for advice. "Should I tell my wife before I leave the county or when I come back with the treasure". The advice was "Its not going to get better..." So I called my wife, the first thing that she said was "What did you buy?" because she had already seen the Paypal transaction...then she said "A boat!" What an understanding wife I have. I think I used up my one and only "Get out of Jail Card!"

The trip down to Gig Harbour Washington to pick up the boat was a bit nerve racking. I started having buyer's remorse... Upon arrival and seeing the boat I was Over the Moon. The owner had numerous wood boats (Fellows Stewart, etc) I was told the boat was owned by Don Saunders. Don was a part of the Bayliner Group during Orin Edson's ownership. The Higgins was a part of Don's estate in Bellingham Washington.