# 1958 Sea King aluminum boat 14ft



## bill7502 (May 20, 2014)

First off let me say this is an amazing site with that said I recently picked up this small jon boat from an elderly lady for $150 it also came with an 18hp johnson engine it is pretty much empty inside I'm kinda just fishing for ideas on fixing it up because I think it's a cool little boat any suggestions appreciated. I will upload some pics soon


----------



## satx78247 (May 20, 2014)

bill7502,

1st things first: WELCOME ABOARD.

Fyi, your boat is LIKELY a STARCRAFT, made for Sea King, i.e., a Montgomery Ward's boat.
(In the event that it is NOT a StarCraft, you have something truly rare as 99% of all the early Sea King boats were made by StarCraft. - In 40+ years, I've seen exactly ONE antique tin Sea King that was made by another contractor.= Aluma-Craft.)

ADDENDA: You may want to "check out" both the 1957 and 1958 "StarCraft line" of tin boats, as Montgomery Ward bought some incomplete/"left over" StarCraft boats from the previous year & "re-badged" them as Sea Kings in the late '50s.

Your 18HP Johnson is one of the BEST, TOUGHEST & LEAST COMPLICATED OB motors ever made, imVho. - They are so OVER-engineered that I've never seen one that was worn-out in service AND anybody who has 20 bucks worth of hand tools and a modicum of "common horse sense" can work on them successfully.
(I've seen MANY that were "abused to death".)

You didn't ask for my opinion but, IF it was my rig I would immediately buy a copy of CHEAP OUTBOARDS: THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO MAKING AN OLD MOTOR RUN FOREVER by Max Wawrzyniak and follow his WISE advice.
(Amazon.com has the book for sale at a discount over its "cover"/retail price. - In fact the "Kindle edition" is 9.00)

The "on-line library" at https://www.fiberglassics.com has lots of information on both your boat & the Johnson outboard motor.
Also do a search at https://www.iboats.com for more information.

beat wishes on your "new rig", satx


----------



## ccm (May 21, 2014)

Your boat could be made by Arkansas Traveler. I have a 1961 Sea King Model PDUT-14. Mine was built under a division ( REBCO ) of the parent company ( SOUTHWEST MFG. CO. out of Little Rock Arkansas ). I got mine from the second owner. My boat was originally a runabout style boat but sometime during it's life it was stripped down to a fishing boat. I believe my boat to be a re badged boat but have not been able to find enough info to know it's history for sure. Sea King boats were built by a variety of manufactures around the country. Cant wait to see pictures. Really interested to see what you got; most likely built by StarCraft but then again you never really know with Montgomery Wards boats. Glad to see another Sea King owner here and welcome to TinBoats! :WELCOME:


----------



## satx78247 (May 21, 2014)

ccm; All,

The "corporate archivist" of Montgomery Ward, Inc. stated (in the late 1980s) that VIRTUALLY all of the 1950s SeaKing boats were built by StarCraft. - By the time that you boat was built, the company had "contracted out" their boats to several "regional builders" to save $$$$$$$$.

yours, satx


----------



## ccm (May 21, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=353024#p353024 said:


> satx78247 » 21 May 2014, 11:40[/url]"]ccm; All,
> 
> The "corporate archivist" of Montgomery Ward, Inc. stated (in the late 1990s) that VIRTUALLY all of the 1950s SeaKing boats were built by StarCraft. - By the time that you boat was built, the company had "contracted out" their boats to several "regional builders" to save $$$$$$$$.
> 
> yours, satx


Thanks!  This really takes out all the mystery on my boat. I've only seen one other like it with the label SeaKing. Every other SeaKing I've seen has been built by StarCraft. It had me puzzled for awhile because SOUTHWEST MFG. CO. had their line of boats; Traveler/Arkansas Traveler, which is what the transom tag indicated ( But it wasn't labeled Traveler only REBCO DIVISION OF SOUTHWEST MFG. CO., LITTLE ROCK, ARK. ) but upon searching their records they had no such PDUT-14 model. So my logical conclusion, that it is titled as a SeaKing and the numbers match up so it must have been one of Montgomery Wards contracted out boats. My boat appears to be a re badged/labeled DUT-14. There are holes in the aluminum gunnel where the fiberglass top cap use to be and not to mention the pulleys/remnants of the old cable steer system.


----------



## satx78247 (May 21, 2014)

ccm,

I went to college in Arkansas from 1966-69 and MW was by that time "contracting out" aluminum/fiberglass SeaKing boats/canoes at least to:
Arkansas Traveler, 
General Marine Corporation, 
Ouachita Boat-works, 
DixieCraft, 
StarLite, 
Kenner of Pine Bluff, 
MonArk, 
Caravelle 
and
Razorback Boats, Inc. 

And those NINE companies are just those that were building SeaKing boats in Arkansas, at one time or another. - I've wondered (as a collector of Gale Products, Inc. like: Brooklure, Saber, Hiawatha, SeaBee & SeaKing OB motors & SeaKing boats) just how many 1960-1980 MW "outside contractors" that there were, total.

yours, satx


----------



## bill7502 (May 21, 2014)

Well here is the little boat I bought for $150 with the 18hp Johnson. Best I can tell it was made by StarCraft as it seems most are. It looks a little rough but the boat does not have a dent on it anywhere just some rough looking paint and some tree sap. I think with a little work it will make a really cool little boat. What's you guys opinion?


----------



## Gators5220 (May 21, 2014)

Looks like about how all of our builds started, it's fun watching them come together though.


----------



## satx78247 (May 21, 2014)

bill7502; gators5220,

Bill: Looks like a easy restoration!!! = GOOD PRICE TOO. 
WHICH Johnson 18hp???
(My latest acquisition is a FWE-12 from 1958.)

WISHING that I'd seen that trailer FIRST!!!
(I need one for my "new to me" 16ft LONE STAR KING COMMANDER.)

Gators: YEP.

yours, satx


----------



## bill7502 (May 22, 2014)

Satx,


> WHICH Johnson 18hp???
> (My latest acquisition is a FWE-12 from 1958.)



Mine is a FD-16a


----------



## ccm (May 22, 2014)

Very cool boat! Neat looking trailer too! Defiantly cleaner than when I got my boat. I finally got all 8-10 layers of paint off mine. Just waiting on getting a few spots welded up before I can start the repaint. Great looking boat cant wait to see how it turns out!!! :mrgreen:


----------



## Kismet (May 22, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=352887#p352887 said:


> bill7502 » 20 May 2014, 10:58[/url]"]First off let me say this is an amazing site with that said I recently picked up this small jon boat from an elderly lady for $150 it also came with an 18hp johnson engine it is pretty much empty inside I'm kinda just fishing for ideas on fixing it up because I think it's a cool little boat any suggestions appreciated. I will upload some pics soon



Hey Bill, Hiya.

Go give the little old lady another $100. She could use it and you will still have the bargain of the year (so far).

Gonna be a great little rig for you. Take your time, use it a lot before you start "improving" things, and be safe out there.

Nice purchase. =D> =D>


----------



## bill7502 (May 22, 2014)

I think I have found my inspiration!!!! Wow what an awesome mod this is!! Sgt. Stiglitz you done a fantastic job!!

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=15880&hilit=1960%27ish


----------



## satx78247 (May 23, 2014)

bill7502,

Your 18 horse Johnny is a 1962 model. = NICE/TOUGH/SIMPLE OB!!!!

yours, satx


----------

