1980 Grady-White Overnighter AKA Sport-Craft Fisherman?

[jefisherjr]

A year and a half ago I purchased a 1980 Sport-Craft Fisherman fixer-upper from a friend. Prior to the purchase I did my due dillegance and could find no record that Sport-Craft made a Fisherman model in 1980. Howerver, the boat was in solid shape, beautifully seaworthy and just needed upgrading and a little TLC. Last week I saw a carbon copy of the Sport-Craft at a local marina and upon closer inspection found that it is a 1980 Grady-White Overnighter. Did Grady-White make boats for Sport-Craft in 1980, or vise versa?

 

[jefisherjr]

C'mon guys. There must be some Grady-White historians out there.

 

[BobP]

What does the state registration read for manufacturer?

 

[jefisherjr]

The registration and HIN reads Sport-Craft (SCR) because it was originally sold as one by a Sport-Craft dealer. However, it is a carbon-copy of a 1980 GW Overnighter with one exception. The '80 Overnighter has a faux lapstrake fiberglass hull and my '80 SCR Family Fisherman has a smooth fiberglass hull. I found that later Overnighters (e.g. '84 and '86) did away with the lapstrake look as well.

I find it interesting that two 1980 boats sold by different companies would be near identical twins of each other other than the look of the hull. Particularly since NADA and all the other sources of information I've researched don't show that Sport-Craft made the Family Fisherman in 1980. My hypothisis is that GW agreed to make the boat to wear the Overnighter and Family Fisherman nameplates and that is why there is no record of SCR having made the Family Fisherman in 1980. Hopefully, someone will be able to confirm or refute the hypothisis.

 

[Seafarer228G]

How about posting some pics?

 

[BobP]

No one got it.

Try over at thehulltruth.com