Is my Smokercraft really a Starcraft SS?

[IDFISHER]

I have a 1979 16' Smokercraft that looks EXACTLY like a Starcraft SS. I mean EXACTLY, down to the rivet pattern on the hull. The HIN is SMKXXXXXXX which certainly indicates a Smokercraft but could it be a Starcraft in disguise? Were these boats made in the same factory around this time?

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Got pix?

 

[BWR1953]

From Wikipedia:

Starcraft Marine is now part of the Smoker Craft family of boats based in New Paris, Indiana.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starcraft_Marine

 

[IDFISHER]

[No message]

 

[IDFISHER]

[No message]

 

[IDFISHER]

[No message]

 

[GA_Boater]

Basically the same boat made in the same plant.

Look at it like this - A Starcraft=Ford and a Smoker Craft = Mercury. Mercury cars, not marine. And Mercury cars are gone, but the idea is one has slightly better standard equipment than the same version of the other.

 

[Watermann]

Starcraft, Sylvan and Smokercraft are all the same boats made by the same company just branded differently.

 

[DLNorth]

It's more complicated than that.

The short answer is in 1979, no, they were separate companies BUT,

in 1969 the guy who was the son of the Starcraft founder and who was the Starcraft president, lost his job.
At this time Starcraft was owned by Bangor Punta.
In response, the guy then (1969) bought Sylvan and in the 70's bought Smoker Craft, and then rolled Sylvan into the Smoker Craft comp.

In 1988 Starcraft Boats was sold to Brunswick.
In 1996 Brunswick sold Starcraft to Smoker Craft, and then all 3 brands were part of the same Comp.

So from early on to 1996, Starcraft was a separate company from Smoker Craft.
But note that the main guy of all 3 companies during this time period was the same guy, so it isn't surprising that the 3 boats could have been or were the same.

Dan

"I have a 1979 16' Smokercraft that looks EXACTLY like a Starcraft SS. I mean EXACTLY, down to the rivet pattern on the hull. The HIN is SMKXXXXXXX which certainly indicates a Smokercraft but could it be a Starcraft in disguise? Were these boats made in the same factory around this time?"