TOPIC: Stainless steel Starcraft

Here's an unusual one! Just acquired a 12 ft. Starcraft rowboat made of stainless steel. The registration shows 1940 as the year it was built. The gunwales were replaced, so I am trying to find pictures of the original design for restoration.
Does anyone know anything about how many of these boats were made and for how long?

Can't answer your questions.

Star Tank & Boat Co. (Starcraft) purchased the magnesium boat buildiing operation of Dow Chemical in 1949.

Many builders of metal boats used stainless steel. Some also used magnesium, such as Dow above and later Starcraft. Some used glavanizzed steel.

Star Tank Co. of Goshen, IN made their first boats about 1926 from galvanized steel. The company name changed soon afterwards to Star Tank & Boat Co. Arthur Schrock started as an employee circa 1904, became an owner in 1922 and sole owner in 1926.

I don't know what type of records the company kept but since they are still very much in business, it may be worth contacting them.

Andreas

Mullins made rowboats and outboards out of bronze back before the depression. I imagine they all got made into shell casings in the forties.


Can you imagine one of those polished up?

This is a 1952 Starcraft ad for stainless steel boats:

Update on the boat:
Found out that it is a 1952-1954 boat. They made 12 and 14 footers during this era. Its restoration has begun to get ready for the antique outboard shows this summer.
Thanks all!