And now a 1959 Skagit 16 SkiMaster

[Kelly]

Left in the Oregon woods to die a slow painful death, she needed saved. That's where I came in...

She's #55 for 1959 according to the hull ID plate.

[Kelly]

Progress

[Helmar]

Can you show a plate ID and explain how to tell the year and number?

I wonder how many of these were built by Skagit as the hard top skimaster is thought to be fairly rare.

Nice score by they way, good save for sure !!

[Kelly]

I don't have a good pic of this particular hull ID plate but I'll refresh my other thread with hull ID plates.
The 16 SkiMaster is relatively rare. The hardtop version didn't start until 1959. There's no documentation for a hardtop SkiMaster in 1958.
Other hardtop runabouts in the 17 and 18 models were considered a Utility model with an "optional" hardtop although in 1960 they called the 17 a SkiMaster sooo... I don't think they offered the 17 as a SkiMaster in 1959.

[Kelly]

Helmar can you post a close up of where your hardtop and windshield connect?
I've seen two different versions of how they connect.

[Helmar]

Helmar can you post a close up of where your hardtop and windshield connect?
I've seen two different versions of how they connect.

I went around and around with Clint as he had one of these. He swore that the front lip went Over the front of the windshield and I thought it went behind..It looks better behind the windshield but mine has some strain on it were it mounts to the boat.
Was that what your looking for the mount to the boat ?

[Kelly]

Yes. It looks way better behind the windshield which is where the brochure shows it the best that I can tell.

[Kelly]

Perfect examples of why it's confusing on the hardtop mount. Look at all of these pics...different in nearly all of them.

[Kelly]

Found a better pic...

[Helmar]

Found a better pic...

With mine pushing the windshield forward or putting pressure on it, it cracked it. So, I guess it depends on the rear mount and were its located. One of those pictures you are showing is Don and Sharon Lee's Skimaster. Don Lee's house is right across from the Skagit Factory site and were we had the 50th Skagit Anniversary. Due to Sharons back issues, they sold it as it rode too rough for her.
Funny, even this little bell boy I am restoring for myself is going to be a rough ride. Seems as most of them produced back in the 50's were like barn doors with a motor on the back as if you ran them faster they beat the crap out of you with the pounding on rough water. Only way around that was to trim them and stuff the nose in the water..

With the hardtop, wherever it fits without pushing on the windshield is where I would mount it or your going to have to move the rear mounting to its just relaxed and not under stress..

Here is something to see. Not sure if you remember these or not. I remember Doug Griffith was looking and looking for one of these and found one. Not sure what happened to it. These are kind of rare to find too. Pretty thin skinned and made by Reinell
Image1.jpg

[Matthew]

Kelly,

Where do you find replacement parts? Tie downs, chrome etc?
That red 1959 SkiMaster looks awesome!

-Matthew

[Helmar]

Kelly,

Where do you find replacement parts? Tie downs, chrome etc?
That red 1959 SkiMaster looks awesome!

-Matthew

Kelly may have moved on as the last time he was logged in was back in August 23, 2019.
Finding the Skimasters with the hardtop is like finding hen's teeth.

About all you can do is Perko makes some older style hardware.
The only wood on that boat is the transom and deck as the rest including the stringers are fiberglass.
So, did you score one of these ??..