Starcraft Marine

Starcraft Marine, Starcraft Boats, or simply Starcraft is the name of a company that manufactures boats, campers and RVs. In the beginning, Starcraft also produced farm equipment including aluminum water tanks. The original name of the company was Star Tank Company.

Starcraft Marine
FoundedMay 28, 1903
FounderArthur E. Schrock
Headquarters
New Paris, Indiana
,
United States
ProductsFiberglass and aluminum recreational boats
Websitewww.starcraftmarine.com
Starcraft Islander near Santa Barbara

History

Starcraft was founded in 1903 by Arthur E. Schrock in the rural town of Goshen, Indiana. In 1969, Bangor Punta purchased Starcraft and it grew to over 700 employees. Bangor Punta would become the first of five parties to own Starcraft. In 1980, they moved from Goshen to Topeka, Indiana. In the late 80s, Starcraft became part of the Brunswick family of companies, which included Mercury Marine.[1] In 1996 Brunswick Corporation decided to divest itself of Starcraft. Doug Schrock, the son of Harold Schrock who had sold Starcraft, purchased Starcraft Boats. Starcraft's recreational vehicle business was sold to Jayco in the 1990s. Starcraft Marine is now part of the Smoker Craft family of boats based in New Paris, Indiana.

Aluminum boat models
  • Holiday- a closed-bow runabout ranging in size from 14' up to 22' in length
  • SuperSport- an open-bow versatile hull often used for fishing, cruising, or water sports
  • Jupiter- a closed-bow hull commonly built in a 16' length
  • Jet/JetStar- closed-bow light runabouts often used for water sports
  • Islander- 18'-26' cuddy cabin cruisers often used for deep-water fishing/cruising
  • Chieftain- Starcraft's original aluminum cuddy cabin model made in lengths from 18'-24'holiiday
  • Sunchief- the largest closed-bow model runabout available with inboard-outboard power
  • Marlin - 14 and 16 ft closed bow, tiller steering, wood bench seats. last produced in 1966
  • Sea Scamp- 12'-14' fishing hulls with bench-style seating
  • Seafarer- Similar to the Sea Scamp only more lightweight
  • Offshore V- A rare model of the SuperSport designed for open water fishingj

Fiberglass boat models

Older (1960s-1970s) Starcraft fiberglass boats were characterized by their simulated "wood-strake" side hull appearance (excepting the Safari model), one-piece curved windscreens, smooth fiberglass closed-bow tops, 4 place fold-down seating, and having a modest outboard engine capacity ranging from 45 hp up to around 75 hp/80 hp (excepting Newport & Imperial I/O models).

Lighter, more powerful, modern outboards can be accommodated on these study & well made hull transoms but torque forces developed by newer outboards do present some risk of damage to structural integrity if they exceed the rated capacity. Model names appear to have changed often in the 1960s, with different trim packages being the only true distinction between similarly sized models and engine capacities.

In the mid-1970s tri-hulled style models were offered and the traditional closed-bow models began using sleeker, smooth, modern side-hull appearance designs, losing their distinctive classic "faux wood-strake" appearance. By the 1980s deep-V hull, deck boat, and both cuddy & bowrider sportfisher/sport runabout models expanded Starcraft's pleasure and fishing boat offerings as Brunswick acquired the marine division & brought Starcraft into the modern fiberglass boat design mainstream.

1960s-early 1970s
  • Arrow- 14' fiberglass model rated for up to 45 hp outboard engines (circa 1968).
  • Mustang- Similar in size (14') and capacity (</=45 hp) to the Arrow (circa 1966).
  • Siren- 14' model similar to the Arrow & Mustang (circa 1965).
  • Bahama- 15' fiberglass closed-bow runabout/fishing model rated for up to 75 hp outboard engines (circa 1964).
  • Lancer- 15' fiberglass model similar to the Bahama & Saber models (circa 1962).
  • Saber- Similar in size (15') and capacity (</=75 hp) to the Bahama & Lancer models (circa 1963-1968).
  • Caravelle- 15' fiberglass model rated for up to 80 hp outboard engines (circa 1968).
  • Riviera- 17' closed-bow "wood-straked" appearance fiberglass offering from Starcraft (circa 1965).

•

  • American- 15' fiberglass Starcraft model differing in appearance with its more modern "smooth" rather than "wood-straked" hull sides look (circa 1973).
  • Safari- 16' fiberglass Starcraft model differing in appearance with its more modern "smooth" rather than "wood-straked" hull sides look (circa 1966).

•

  • Newport- 16' fiberglass ski boat model equipped with 120 hp Mercruiser I/O stern drive (circa 1968).
  • Imperial- 18' fiberglass model equipped with 250c.i./165 hp Mercruiser I/O stern drive (circa 1968).

•

  • Tri Star- 17' fiberglass tri-hull style model carrying the more modern appearance & appointments of present-day glass boats (circa 1978).

References
  1. Starcraft Marine LLC. "Starcraft Marine LLC - New Paris, IN (Indiana) | (260) 593-2500". Manta.com. Retrieved 2014-01-15.
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