Chris Craft Concept
The Chris Craft Concept is a 23-foot boat, with model years from 1992 to 1997 in the listings we track. Across 27 listings we have observed (model years 1992–1997), the median asking price is $6,000, with most boats asking $3,500 to $11,500. The engine we see most often on this model is Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400) and Carbureted 2-stroke outboard (legacy).
BoatVerdict market snapshot
These are asking prices. No free or public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices, so nobody — us included — can honestly show you what these boats sold for. What we can show you is what 27 sellers are asking, which is the number you are actually negotiating against.
25 priced listings across 17 states is a national sample, so the range is stable.
Method: Asking prices from active listings, de-duplicated so a re-posted boat counts once (80 raw listings collapsed to 27 distinct boats). Quartiles, not averages, so one outlier cannot move the band. Rounded to $500.
Coverage: Model years 1992–1997, 17 states, 21 metro areas. New-boat listings excluded.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations (craigslist) · US state vessel registries (2,764 registered Chris Craft hulls)
Looking at a Chris Craft Concept for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.
The BoatVerdict take
- BoatVerdict listing data
Asking prices vary widely: the middle half of listings runs $3,500 to $11,500, a 3.3x spread. On this model the year and the condition matter far more than the badge, so a headline price tells you very little until you place the specific boat on the year table below.
- BoatVerdict listing data
Supply is national: we saw listings in 17 states. You can shop this model without flying somewhere, and you will not be the only boat on the market when you sell.
- Recall (USCG/CPSC)
3 federal recall campaigns on file touch this builder. Check the specific hull against the recall list below before you put money down; remedies are free but only if the work was actually done.
Each point is tagged with the evidence behind it. Nothing here is a claim we cannot trace back to a counted listing, a federal record, or a named analyst judgement.
Chris Craft Concept prices by model year
| Model year | Listings | Typical asking range | Median asking | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3 | $5,000 – $16,500 | $12,500 | |
| 1996 | 3 | $6,000 – $9,500 | $7,000 | |
| 1995 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 1994 | 3 | $2,500 – $6,000 | $3,000 | |
| 1993 | 2 | 2 priced — too few to publish a range | — | |
| 1992 | 6 | $6,000 – $11,500 | $6,500 |
Asking prices from active listings we observed, not sold prices. No public source publishes US used-boat transaction prices; anyone showing you "sold" data for this market is estimating it. Years with fewer than 3 priced listings show the count only.
Method: Median and quartiles per model year, computed only where at least 3 priced listings exist for that year.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations
Recalls affecting Chris Craft
3 federal recall campaigns on file. Recalls are issued against hull-identification ranges, so a campaign listed here may or may not cover the specific boat you are looking at — check the HIN. Remedies are free from the builder, but only if the work was actually performed, and there is no central database that proves it was.
- ⚠ Recall
980056S4/16/1998VENTILATION
- ⚠ Recall
950109T11/1/1995FUEL FILL FITTING CRACKS; FUEL FILL FITTING CRACKS
- ⚠ Recall
060067T10/16/2006FUEL FILL FITTING CRACKS
Method: Matched to the builder by normalized company name and MIC. A campaign is shown when it touches this builder; the model and year columns say how narrowly it applies.
Sources: US Coast Guard recall database · CPSC recalls
Engines we actually see on the Concept
- Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400)
Modern Mercury V8/V10 FourStroke and supercharged Verado are strong, smooth, and well-supported, a clear step up from the OptiMax era. Slightly behind Yamaha on resale trust but closing fast, and often better integrated (joystick, digital throttle).
Service reality: 100-hour service; supercharged Verado adds the supercharger oil interval. Check for corroded battery cables and the SmartCraft harness on saltwater boats.
Full Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400) reliability profile →
- Carbureted 2-stroke outboard (legacy)
Pre-DI carbureted 2-strokes (and Evinrude/Johnson, now an orphaned brand for parts/service). Simple and cheap to buy, but thirsty, smoky, and a resale anchor. An older 2-stroke is the single biggest reason a hull sits unsold.
Service reality: Compression-test every cylinder; expect carb work. On any Evinrude/Johnson, confirm local parts and service availability before buying.
Full Carbureted 2-stroke outboard (legacy) reliability profile →
Method: Engine family matched from the listing's engine fields and title text against BoatVerdict's engine-family profiles. Prevalence is share of our sample, not factory fitment rates.
Sources: BoatVerdict market observations · BoatVerdict engine-family profiles
Chris Craft Concept specifications
| Length (median listed) | 23.0 ft | Our listing data |
|---|---|---|
| Model years traded | 1992–1997 | Our listing data |
| Chris Craft hulls in US registries | 2,764 | TX + NY open data |
Rows marked "our listing data" are measured from listings, not published by the builder, and will differ from a brochure. Rows without a source we can name are not shown at all.
What to inspect on a used Chris Craft Concept
- Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400): 100-hour service; supercharged Verado adds the supercharger oil interval. Check for corroded battery cables and the SmartCraft harness on saltwater boats. Seen on 2 of the 27 Concept listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 150 hours a year is heavy use for a Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400). Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for Mercury Verado / V8 FourStroke (250–400).
- Carbureted 2-stroke outboard (legacy): Compression-test every cylinder; expect carb work. On any Evinrude/Johnson, confirm local parts and service availability before buying. Seen on 1 of the 27 Concept listings we track.
- Get the hour meter reading and divide by the boat's age. Above 100 hours a year is heavy use for a Carbureted 2-stroke outboard (legacy). Threshold from BoatVerdict's engine-family profile for Carbureted 2-stroke outboard (legacy).
- Assume saltwater service unless the seller can prove otherwise: pull the engine cowling and look at the powerhead, check trim-cylinder rams for pitting, and open the battery and fuse boxes for green corrosion. 50% of the listings we observed for this model are in coastal states.
- On the older hulls, core moisture is the deal-breaker: sound the transom and the deck with a plastic mallet, and treat any soft or dull-sounding area as a survey-stopper rather than a bargaining chip. We observe listings back to 1992, so boats over 34 years old are actively traded in this model.
This list is specific to this model: analyst items for the hull, plus items driven by the engines and the regions we actually observe on Concept listings. It is not a generic pre-purchase checklist, and it does not replace a surveyor.
What a Concept costs to own
$3,500 – $9,000 per year
- 23 ft hull, the median observed length for this model
- Freshwater berth, based on where most listings we see are located (MN)
- Includes insurance, storage, routine service, fuel at moderate seasonal use, and a reserve for wear items
- Excludes loan payments, major engine replacement, and refit work
This is a modelled band, not observed spend. Real cost swings hard on where you keep the boat and how much you use it.
Method: The same ownership-cost model BoatVerdict's paid Deal Report uses: boat class and length set the base band, then saltwater berth and size adjust it.
Sources: BoatVerdict ownership-cost model
Where Concepts are for sale
- MN 4
- TN 3
- CA 3
- RI 2
- FL 2
- WA 2
- DC 1
- IL 1
- VA 1
- MI 1
Counts of distinct boats we observed per state, from 27 listings in 21 metro areas. We publish the distribution, not the listings themselves.
What else buyers cross-shop
- Malibu Wakesetter 23 LSV
- Harris Cruiser 230
- Nautique Super Air G23
- Yamaha SX230
- Yamaha AR230
- Moomba Mojo
Chosen by measured similarity — same builder first, then comparable length — and limited to models whose own page meets our evidence bar. No paid placements, no filler links.
Chris Craft Concept FAQ
How much does a used Chris Craft Concept cost?
Are there recalls on the Chris Craft Concept?
What engine does the Chris Craft Concept come with?
What does it cost to own a Chris Craft Concept per year?
Looking at a Chris Craft Concept for sale?
Paste the listing and we will score that specific boat against everything on this page: asking price versus our observed range, engine and hours risk, the known issues for its model year, and a negotiation position. The verdict is free.
Get the free verdict →No account needed. The paid Deal Report is optional and comes after.