Q: Can you determine the year of a Silver Line boat based on the serial number?
A: No, not if it was made before Nov. of 1972. Even the former President of SilverLine, Ray Stordahl, knew of no way to decode these cryptic, early numbering systems.
Now if you believe your boat was made after Nov. of 1972, visit boatsafe.com for an explanation of how to decode the "Hull Identification Number" found on your transom!
Q: How can I tell when my boat was made?
A: Have a look at the "Original Literature" section of this site and see which model/year looks most like your boat. Here are some tips to help narrow the search:
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If your boat has a chrome V "Silver Line" emblem mounted ABOVE the rub-rail, it was made between 1960 and 1963.
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If your boat has a big "V" of color on the sides, it was made between 1962 and 1966.
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If you think you have a 1960-66 boat, you can narrow it down by the type of script on the side:
1960-1963 1964-1966
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If your "Silver Line" emblem is oval, it was made after 1966.
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If your boat has a stylized "Circle-S" logo on it, it was made after 1969.
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Q: Where can I find a user manual for my boat?
A: No user manuals have yet been found for the early, smaller power boats. Only the large cabin cruiser models occasionally had manuals and even then it was usually for specific things like stove-tops and heads. You can easily find after-market manuals for most motor/outdrive systems, though.
Q: Where can I get a new top for my boat?
A: Silverline made all their own tops in-house from the very beginning. No one is currently making them. Our only hope is to find one intact and take measurements.
Q: Where can I find a new windshield?
A: If your boat had a plexiglass windshield, you have a couple of options. You can make a replacement yourself (I'm told it's not too difficult. The knowledgeable people at
Fiberglassics.com can suggest methods to fit your level of skill), or buy one off another Silverline. If your windshield was glass, you should have no trouble finding replacement tempered glass at a automotive glass shop.
Q: Were Silverline sailboats made by the same company?
A: Yes! Silverline bought out a small Kansas City based sailboat manufacturer and started offering a line of sailboats in 1974.
Q: I see it written "Silver Line" and "Silverline." Which is correct?
A: Both, depending on what year the boat was made. The company name "Moorhead Plastics" was changed to "Silverline" by board of directors vote in December of 1967, but they continued to use "Silver Line" on the boats and literature for three years afterward. When they merged with Arctic Enterprises in 1970, everything was changed to "Silverline."
