Need help determining the year of my 15' Holiday

[schmidty_nd]

Hi everyone. I just bought my first boat. A 15' Holiday OB. I am trying to determine what year it is. It's registered as a '73, and the Johnson 50HP I have been able to determine is a '73. So I am reasonably sure that it's a '73. But, the anal side of me wants to know for sure!

I can not locate a HIN anywhere. All I can find is a nameplate on the inside of the boat up by the throttle. It has the model and serial number stamped into it. The serial number is 7 numbers, no letters. Does this make it a pre-HIN boat? If I understand correctly, that would mean it was built pre-November 1972, right?

 

[dozerII]

:welcome: to the Starmada schmidty. You are correct if there is no tag riveted just under the starboard transom corner cap it would be pre 73. Show us some picture of her, the one in your avatar is too small:hungry:

 

[schmidty_nd]

Thanks for the welcome dozer! I tried posting a pic, but I get a "file is corrupted" error. I'm off to buy a trolling motor now, I'll try to post pics again after I get back on line.

 

[jbcurt00]

Welcome to the Tin-sanity.

Try a 3rd party pix host site like photobucket, there are others. I use photobucket.

 

[schmidty_nd]

I finally figured it out. It apparently was a setting on my phone camera. I saved them as a png. and then back to .jpg and now they aren't "corrupt" anymore.

 

[jbcurt00]

Mid 60's to early 70s by the windshield, but it doesn't look like a 16ft'r, more like a 14 of 15ftr, which if shown as a Holiday on the tag at the helm, and doesn't have an HIN, which makes it pre-74, it doesn't match any of the pre-74 Holidays I could find in the SC brochures.......

Look up under the dash, is there any evidence that the windshield has been replaced?

It definitely looks like a 1972 15ft Jetstream:

 

[schmidty_nd]

I agree that it doesn't look like any pre-74 Holidays....but the '73 brochure hasn't been added to the list. I agree that it looks VERY much like the '72 Jetstream 15'. And I mean VERY much. Even the motor looks like the 50hp Johnson on mine. And the recommended capacities in the brochure all match my helm tag.

But...here's the helm tag

 

[hayko1971]

Welcome and congrats on your first boat!

 

[jbcurt00]

I dont think Starcraft stamped all the info on the plates on boats of this era, they were printed, only the serial# was stamped

IMO, your id plate was added by a previous owner, and it probably really IS a Jetstream. Compare the actual length and beam to the ads listed diminsions.

 

[schmidty_nd]

Thanks jbcurt. To answer your earlier question; no, I see no signs of someone changing the windshield either above or below. No extra holes, filled holes, etc. Looks original. At least to my newbie eyes.

Per your suggestion I will measure the boat and compare to the '72 Jetstream. I'll post my findings.

I really appreciate the warm welcome and the help everyone has posted here! I'm glad I joined!

 

[schmidty_nd]

I get 15'4" length and 66" beam. I'm off to compare it to the brochures.

 

[schmidty_nd]

My numbers are fairly close to the '72 Jetstream. But the ID plate sure looks legit. It sure would be nice if there was a '73 brochure to look at. That may answer all my questions. '72 Holidays were no shorter than 18'. By '74 the Jetstreams were gone and the Holidays were available in 14' and 16'...no 15'.

Maybe '73 was a "transition" year and they retired the Jetstream and re-tagged the remaining stock as Holidays? Oh well, I am probably obsessing about this too much.

 

[MNhunter1]

I don't believe there was a jetstream in the 1973 line. I think 1972 was the last year.
You can find some additional specs on iboats and/or nada guides under the manufacturer, unfortunately, I'm not quite as smart as this smart phone I'm on and can't seem to copy the direct link.

 

[MNhunter1]

You can also measure your gunnel length. Start at one of the back corners and measure along the rubrail all the way to the point of the bow following the curve as you go. That, combined with the actual length from bow to stern, and the beam, should give you a pretty good match to the 72 Jetstream specs.

 

[schmidty_nd]

Ahhh...I hadn't thought of NADA. Thanks MNhunter. According to them, there was a 15' Holiday in '73. And the beam spec matches my 66".

I suppose the explanation for no HIN plate is that it even though it is a '73, it came off the assembly line before Nov '72; therefore beating the cut-in date for the requirement. Or, like I supposed earlier, maybe they had some '72 Jetstreams at the factory that didn't sell. Since they were retiring the Jetstream badge, they re-badged them as "new" '73 Holidays to get rid of them.

Whatever, I'm going to call it a '73 Holiday and move on with my life. Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[MNhunter1]

Yeah, if you google 72 jetstream and 73 holiday, you'll find similar boats to yours with the same paint scheme identified as both. Just click on images and scroll through all the pics.

 

[schmidty_nd]

Yeah, I noticed that too. It kind of added to my confusion!

I actually wanted it to be a '72 Jetstream...I was born in '72 and "Jetstream" sounds cooler than "Holiday"! Ha-ha. But assuming the helm tag is original, that and it's 15' length means it has to be a '73 Holiday.

Whatever it is, I love floating around in it already! I should have gotten a boat years ago! Even the little work I've had to do and the other upcoming "projects" I have planned don't bother me. It's fun working on it...although not as fun as being in the water!

 

[Watermann]

It's great to see another boater especially a Starcraft iboater! I see people at the dock and they always ask me "how many you catch?" I reply not even close to my limit. They're referring to fish and I'm referring to the good times just being on the water. If I get pressed further I tell them I'm not fishing, it's just too stressful worrying about catching something. :lol:

 

[schmidty_nd]

Thanks for the welcome, Watermann! In my short time here, the Starmada seems to be a very friendly bunch. I've been searching posts to find answers to my newbie boating questions and will probably be posting some soon. I've never owned a boat, nor had any friends or family who have. So I have a LOT to learn!