I have a friend that has purchased a large tract of land that has an older fiberglass sailboat that has been sitting trailered for some time. She has offered me the boat in exchange for some work around the new home. The boat appears to be sound, but needs extensive cleaning, varnishing, etc. It is less than 20 ft, no motor but a spot for a small outboard, and no apparent mast. How can I find out what make/model, etc this boat is? I've looked all over, including in the cabin, for some kind of identification plate, to no avail. Also, there is not a clear place to put a mast. Strangely, there is a flat area on top of the cabin, where I would presume a mast would be affixed, but no readily available way to raise a mast. There is a 4x4 wooden mast on the boat, but is only about ten feet long that ends square. Very strange. Sorry about the long post. I'm hoping some of you folks can steer me towards some resources to find some info about this boat. I'm not an experienced sailor at all, and only intend to use this boat on lake areas in Maine. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me. If any of you have some thoughts about the mast issue, I'll be happy to post some pics for inspection tomorrow or the next day. -Jack
- Status
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
looking for a HIN
On the starbord upper transom you are looking for a Hull Identification Number. If is there, it will be in block letters about 1/2" tall starting with a four letter code, then followed by numbers then possibly a letter and more numbers. These will tell you the manufacturer, model, original sail number, month and year of manufacture. This is a fun game that most forum members like to play, so a combination of picture and HIN are the best clues you can provide. If there is no HIN, it is likely because it was manufactured before a certain date, likely Nov 1st 1972, the date manufacturers were required to apply a HIN to all manufactured boats. Pictures should show profile at the very least, as windows and cabin shape are great clues to id. Other good pics include cockpit or transom and rear cabin shots. Pictures from directly in front are less useful. HINs are most useful. Game on!
On the starbord upper transom you are looking for a Hull Identification Number. If is there, it will be in block letters about 1/2" tall starting with a four letter code, then followed by numbers then possibly a letter and more numbers. These will tell you the manufacturer, model, original sail number, month and year of manufacture. This is a fun game that most forum members like to play, so a combination of picture and HIN are the best clues you can provide. If there is no HIN, it is likely because it was manufactured before a certain date, likely Nov 1st 1972, the date manufacturers were required to apply a HIN to all manufactured boats. Pictures should show profile at the very least, as windows and cabin shape are great clues to id. Other good pics include cockpit or transom and rear cabin shots. Pictures from directly in front are less useful. HINs are most useful. Game on!
Will post pics
I'm at my office right now, but I'll post some pics later this afternoon. Thanks for the tips about finding the HIN. I looked all over the stern trying to find some kind of number stamped in. A friend here at work advised looking on the inside of the hull, rather than the outside. Thoughts? I'll be sure to post some pics later today. Stay tuned... As far as being sure it's a sailboat - I'm pretty sure, but I am a novice. It has a hand rudder, and only a very small area on the port side of the transom for an outboard. Maybe enough support for up to 10 hp, but not very large. Plus, there is rigging all over the place. Thanks again for the advice. I'm pretty excited about this boat, and I'm glad to find you guys online. -Jack
I'm at my office right now, but I'll post some pics later this afternoon. Thanks for the tips about finding the HIN. I looked all over the stern trying to find some kind of number stamped in. A friend here at work advised looking on the inside of the hull, rather than the outside. Thoughts? I'll be sure to post some pics later today. Stay tuned... As far as being sure it's a sailboat - I'm pretty sure, but I am a novice. It has a hand rudder, and only a very small area on the port side of the transom for an outboard. Maybe enough support for up to 10 hp, but not very large. Plus, there is rigging all over the place. Thanks again for the advice. I'm pretty excited about this boat, and I'm glad to find you guys online. -Jack
HIN
Maybe the boat is to old to have a HIN? I'm not sure when HINs became mandatory. Not suer how much work you are going to do in exchange, but I hope it's not a lot. Sounds like this boat is in rough shape.
Maybe the boat is to old to have a HIN? I'm not sure when HINs became mandatory. Not suer how much work you are going to do in exchange, but I hope it's not a lot. Sounds like this boat is in rough shape.
Not much capital
Not much work at all. I added some outside water spigots and a few other minor plumbing projects. I don't accept payment from friends for stuff like that, but she wanted to do something. All told, I think she's hoping to get a few sails out of it if I do fix it up. We made a deal that if I sold it for any major profit, that we'd split the proceeds. Otherwise, I gave her $10.00 to make it legal. I think this thing will take a lot of sweat equity, and it will be a good learning experience for me.
Not much work at all. I added some outside water spigots and a few other minor plumbing projects. I don't accept payment from friends for stuff like that, but she wanted to do something. All told, I think she's hoping to get a few sails out of it if I do fix it up. We made a deal that if I sold it for any major profit, that we'd split the proceeds. Otherwise, I gave her $10.00 to make it legal. I think this thing will take a lot of sweat equity, and it will be a good learning experience for me.
Tim R, I had a double post so I've fixed the count
and I think you may be right. My picture didn't show the underbody. The placement of the cuddy, mast, window, winches and combing blocks are extremely similar to the Ensign, But I do wear glasses and sometimes I still can't see so good. Have fun Joe S
and I think you may be right. My picture didn't show the underbody. The placement of the cuddy, mast, window, winches and combing blocks are extremely similar to the Ensign, But I do wear glasses and sometimes I still can't see so good. Have fun Joe S
You guys are
going through a lot of trouble for what is apparently a hunk of junk. A small sailboat that size shouldnt cost very much in decent condition. It will cost a lot more to fix one up. Tony B
going through a lot of trouble for what is apparently a hunk of junk. A small sailboat that size shouldnt cost very much in decent condition. It will cost a lot more to fix one up. Tony B
What about the mast step?
I'll check with the state tomorrow to see if they can provide any info. Thanks for the great comments! What do you folks think about the mast step? I'm confused about how this works... Could someone explain this further for me? I'm not sure how a mast would be supported on top of the cabin. Also, the long piece of wood is set up just like a mast, with the rigging at the top, guidelines, etc. This couldn't be what they used for the mast, could it? If you look at the second picture on the photobucket site, you can see the top of the "mast" hanging over the edge. That piece of wood is only about ten feet long. Thanks again for your advice!
I'll check with the state tomorrow to see if they can provide any info. Thanks for the great comments! What do you folks think about the mast step? I'm confused about how this works... Could someone explain this further for me? I'm not sure how a mast would be supported on top of the cabin. Also, the long piece of wood is set up just like a mast, with the rigging at the top, guidelines, etc. This couldn't be what they used for the mast, could it? If you look at the second picture on the photobucket site, you can see the top of the "mast" hanging over the edge. That piece of wood is only about ten feet long. Thanks again for your advice!
Could it be a Bristol 19 or Bristol knockoff?
Maybe the 4x4 is a gin pole or prop rod for a now missing alumn. mast. Just guessing.
Maybe the 4x4 is a gin pole or prop rod for a now missing alumn. mast. Just guessing.
"Mast step" looks as if there may have been...
a steel bracket fastened there in the past- sort of rusty, and I see at least 1 screw hole. Could be the original mast was broken and someone tried to rig something with the 4 x 4...? Good luck with this one! -Paul
a steel bracket fastened there in the past- sort of rusty, and I see at least 1 screw hole. Could be the original mast was broken and someone tried to rig something with the 4 x 4...? Good luck with this one! -Paul
Screw holes
There's a screw hole in each corner, but they do not appear to be large screws. I assumed that something securing the mast step would be large bolts, etc. Am I wrong? I might have the physics off here, because the mast could be held onto the step with tension, etc. Thanks for the replies...!
There's a screw hole in each corner, but they do not appear to be large screws. I assumed that something securing the mast step would be large bolts, etc. Am I wrong? I might have the physics off here, because the mast could be held onto the step with tension, etc. Thanks for the replies...!
Mystery solved??
The state of Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was very helpful. They list the boat's old registration as belonging to a 1968 Starcraft 19ft. The last digits of the serial number are 04536A. That's a start, at least. Anyone have more info about the Starcraft boats? -Jack
The state of Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife was very helpful. They list the boat's old registration as belonging to a 1968 Starcraft 19ft. The last digits of the serial number are 04536A. That's a start, at least. Anyone have more info about the Starcraft boats? -Jack
Probably not a Starcraft
I believe what you have is a Sailstar Conquest 20. I do not know of Starcraft ever making sailboats(although they might have). Check the link below. This looks like a cleaner version of what you listed. http://www.sailingtexas.com/ssailstar20a.html
I believe what you have is a Sailstar Conquest 20. I do not know of Starcraft ever making sailboats(although they might have). Check the link below. This looks like a cleaner version of what you listed. http://www.sailingtexas.com/ssailstar20a.html
Starcraft Boats
I owned 2 Starcraft Upstarts, they were made in the early seventies and were Flying Scot knock-offs. Starcraft also made some smaller scow-like boats called (I think) Skylark's. I don't think that they made that boat. I think the 16'Upstart was as large as the went.
I owned 2 Starcraft Upstarts, they were made in the early seventies and were Flying Scot knock-offs. Starcraft also made some smaller scow-like boats called (I think) Skylark's. I don't think that they made that boat. I think the 16'Upstart was as large as the went.
I was hopeful
That's what Maine had for their records. I've emailed Starcraft Marine themselves with this info to see if they might be able to help. The boat sure does look like the Sailstar Conquest 20, though, but I can't see the keel in those pictures. I'll keep investigating. I'm going to scour the boat today for a HIN in the hull. I'll be sure to keep you guys posted... -Jack
That's what Maine had for their records. I've emailed Starcraft Marine themselves with this info to see if they might be able to help. The boat sure does look like the Sailstar Conquest 20, though, but I can't see the keel in those pictures. I'll keep investigating. I'm going to scour the boat today for a HIN in the hull. I'll be sure to keep you guys posted... -Jack
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