TOPIC: Is a 1965, 14' Sea Star as rare as it seems?

I just acquired what was advertised as a 15' Starcraft. After driving 500 miles(each way)to pick it up, I discovered that it is a 14' Sea Star, by GlasTex. I was elated. After spending many hours online, trying to locate additional information on Sea Stars, or their owners, I have come up empty-handed.
The boat is 45 years old and looks like it just came out of the factory. Everything is original and works great. What a find!

We are men....men need pictures! If you get a chance please post more pictures Bow, Dash, Transome / Splashwell area.

Glastex of Monmouth, Illinois was making boats for Sea Sprite from 1962/63 up until 1968. At that time Sea Sprite was sold to Malvin Redeker and they started making their own boats at Crescent City, Illinois.

After Sea Sprite departed, Glastex started making the "Sea Star" line of fiberglass boats. So, your boat can date back to 1968 and not any earlier. Sea Star closed in 1981 when the Felt family sold out. The Felt's came back in 1982 as Mach I with the same location as Sea Star/Glastex. The Glastex name was dropped. They might be making boats at the same location to the present day.

A bunch of Sea Sprite brochures are in the Classic Library section here. I have not yet scanned or posted the Sea Star brochures that I borrowed from Lee Wangstad.

Andreas

I beg to differ. The stamped serial number on the transom, along with the Ohio title, clearly show that it is a 1965. The Glastex Company, Beginning in 1953, began to manufacture fiberglass boats, making it one of the earliest builders of molded fiberglass boats in the United States. From 1953 to 1962, Glastex built "Speed Queen" boats. After 1962, they were marketed as Sea Star Boats.

Hi DelRay, I just posted some additional photos on my profile page.

Very nice looking boat.

Yes, Glastex started in the 1950s. But they did not start to make "Sea Star" brand boats until 1968. That's right from the mouth of the co-owner of the company. Also, no Sea Star literature predates 1968.

From circa 1962/63 up to 1968 Glastex was making Sea Sprite boats.

Paperwork for boats such as bill of sale, title, and registration are notorious for being inaccurate. I cannot make any comment on the boat's hull ID.

Andreas

Thank you....one fine ride of a boat you have!! And the ROPE style steering wheel way cool.

www.fiberglassics.com/library/File:Seaspriteb6x005.jpg

It says this is from the 1960 catalog.

Thanks Jim, I saw several catalog references from 1960 through 1968 for the Sea Stars. Thanks for the clarification.

wow...exquisite boat. love that steering wheel. ron

I believe Sea Star was originally based in Ohio and later acquired by Glastex. The following advertising flyer might substantiate this (no larger image available- this was listed on Ebay a long while ago):

Thanks Handy Andy. That's my boat. Thanks for getting to its origin. I found one reference written on the white canopy which read..."1965 Ohio Marine 14'". I guess the information you found makes the boat even more obscure.

Thanks to all of you for taking an interest in this great boat. I plan to put her in the water for the first time tomorrow. If anyone has any information on "Ohio Marine" please let me know. Do you know of any other members who have Sea Stars?

There's a way to do a member search by boat make, if I recall correctly. I just don't remember how Ken said to do it, but I'll see if I can figure it out for ya. I think you go into the profiles area....

liaison,
you have to go "home"on the left side of the page.
there you will see "site search",click on it then type in yourboat make and check mark any of the variations you want,like "profiles only",i only found one guy with one but he didnt fill out his profile so thats no help.john

I have (belongs to Lee Wangsatd) a single sheet flyer from Sea Star Fiberglass Boats of Minerva, Ohio as well. Different boat than HandyAndy's scan. Same logo as was used by Glastex Sea Star. Has a dealer stamp on it: Van's Sport Shop, 207 So. Main St., Minerva, Ohio.

I'll scan and get this posted to the library.

I checked the November 1964 Marine Buyer's Guide published by The Boating Industry magazine. NO Sea Sprite, Sea Star, or Glastex entries. The November 1967 issue has an entry for Sea Sprite Boat Boat Co., Inc., 625 S. 1st St., Monmouth, ILL, Al Harding - President.

NO entry in November 1967 for Sea Star or Glastex.

Andreas

I don't have a better image of the ad flyer I posted- would be great to see a full size image of the other Sea Star ad flyer Andreas mentioned and get this all straightened out.

I believe the blue and white brochure, year unknown, in the Sea Sprite section might be a 1963- it is very similar to the 1962 Speed Queen brochure and one of the Sea Sprite models pictured (the Catalina Cruiser) is the same hull of the older Speed Queen Cruisette model, is pictured with a Speed Queen logo, and one of these models has even been found with a Speed Queen logo. The Sea Sprite "Sea Star I" model might or might not just be a coincidence with the Ohio Marine Sea Star. See the following link for some info about Sea Sprite:
www.fiberglassics.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2920&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

It's difficult to piece together the history of the boating industry in the 1950s and 1960s- we are relying on the memory of 70/80/90-yr old folks, our scrutiny of existing advertising and other company literature, as well as what boats actually turn up. From all indicators, the history of the boating industry is a tangled web of connections and affliations laced with spurned business partners, renegade employees, grudges, fraud, and outright greed. All of which led to the amazingly diverse array of boats still around today.

Also, here are a few other images of Sea Star boats similar to those that I have collected over the years for my own reference. Your boat is in exceptional condition relative to the other Sea Star boats I have come across:

Andy

The "other" flyer:

This is great information. Van's Sport Shop is located 12 miles from where I bought the boat, and it is still in business. Chances are Van's is the dealer that originally sold the boat. I can't wait until they open for business this morning and I can do some more investigating. You guys have been wonderful. It is a beautiful day on the Chesapeake Bay and she is about to get her salt water Baptism.

Now I know why you should always take along an oar. Took her out on the briny waves of the Chesapeake Bay today. Turned many heads and got lots of compliments. I THOUGHT I had plenty of fuel, but forgot that my 2009 30hp Mercury burns less fuel than the '59, 18hp Evinrude that came on the Sea Star. After a one mile, one oar, rowing trip to shore for more gas, (no one was home so I drained three gallons from the tank on their Carolina Skiff, left ten dollars and a note of thanks behind) we made it back home with no problems. The motor runs like a brand new model. A lot of elbow grease, soap and water, and wax, were liberally applied after taking her out of the salt water.

The '59, 18hp Evinrude, maxed out at 20 mph with two occupants. Although the motor couldn't run any better, I think I will trade it for the 30hp Mercury Sea Pro now on my 1965 16' aluminum Starcraft I just advertised for sale on "Craig's List". I plan to sell it with a late model Evinrude 25hp.

The 1,000 mile round trip to bring her from Ohio (near Lake Erie) to Moon, VA was well worth the cost of gas and lack of sleep.