TOPIC: Boat in Need of Identity!

I am in desperate need of some information. 2 years ago I bought this boat off of craigslist. I did not know a thing about a boat and was told stories about when my dad was young that he had a blast for 3 summers with a boat that cost him $75.00! Well I found this old (what I believe to be) fiberglass 1975 17’ Rinkerbuilt Deep V, inboard/outboard, closed bow. It has the original 1974 3.0L GM Mercruiser 140 engine. The odd thing was that the title did not have a Model outline on it. After some lower unit repairs the boat ran great (mind you I never touched a boat/driven a boat until the day we backed her into the lake).
To make a long story short, the transom and front motor mount were the consistency of pudding in some areas. I received a quote of $2,500.00 to complete the repairs, and that was if I pulled and reinstalled the engine myself. So being a relatively poor college student I embarked on a journey to repair and slowly restore the boat to its structural integrity of factory. After some legal disputes and a hefty refund from the first mechanic that told me my transom was solid, I took that money and bought fiberglass matt (1708) and bulk resin and I was off.
I completely replaced the transom with marine grade plywood, as well as the motor mount, as well as the floor of the boat (because why not, even though it was solid). The stringers were in perfect condition. I did replace the bow eye wood and reinforced it from within. I put new carpet and the (what I believe to be) the original interior. I replaced the 140’s head gasket (it was blown between cylinders 2 & 3) and gave her a paint job. Fixed the crack in the exhaust manifold and bought and installed a rebuilt carburetor, replaced all of the U-joints and replaced the gaskets in the lower unit.
Now if you are still reading, then maybe you will be able to help me.. I have reached out to Rinker, formally Rinkerbuilt, but has been Rinker since about 1980 and they only have information back to 1980.. I want to know if this is a rare boat, or if I should just consider it rare by my standards of putting in all of this time and money? All I can find from searching is Tri-hull, Outboard boats, and occasionally some Tri-hull I/o’s. I have once found a V-hull, but it was open bow and an outboard.
Again, I have a fiberglass, closed bow, V hull, 17’, Mercruiser 140 I/O (3.0L, original 1974 engine) Rinkerbuilt from 1975. It has an orange hull with the orange strip on white for the top. If anyone has any information on this I would so greatly appreciate it!
Thank you, and by the way my name is Zach and I am 22.

rear

Very cool, you did an excellent job. Unfortunately I don't know much about them. Andreas (Thompson Boat) is the expert at finding info on old boats, well I think he's the expert anyway. He might know something.

Bob

Thank you Bob. How would I get in touch with Andreas?
Ps, I am debating overhauling the engine this winter.
She still has great compression (120's on all 4) but there is considerable valve noise..
but I do not want to sink more money into a boat that I am already going to possibly loose my butt on unless I find out it is worth something.
Thank you

Zach

Orange Crush,

WELCOME ABOARD. = Never even seen one of those in Texas, so I can offer nothing at all, except that I LIKE IT!

yours, satx

Zach,
Andreas scans through like most of us so he'll probably see it. I know he's a busy guy though.

Bob

Welcome aboard Zach. Looks like you have a really nice outfit there, definitely worth the time and effort to keep her afloat IMHO. The gang here is great about helping out when you need some info or direction with your project, hope you decide to keep her...

Thank you for the support. I have really fallen for this boat (being my first one and all). I just feel like I know it inside and out, but I don't know her name yet (model and all the historical stuff)
Actually I have not given her an official name yet either.. hence my screen name "Orange Crush". Orange Crush and Dreamsicle are the two names that have been proposed over the last 2 years.
I love it because there is not 1 other orange boat on the lake, nor have I ever seen one ever, and you can see me coming from 7 miles across the like I always go to.

Thanks for the welcome's and support!
Zach

You love the boat and it's orange- I vote for Orange Crush. Its value is what it's worth to you. You almost never make money on a resto, so keep it and enjoy it. The winter rebuild is a good idea, just be mindful of the noise, hope it doesn't get worse. BTW, you could always contact Rinker boats for info, as they are still in business. Hull I.D. number should be stamped on the transom, right side. Good luck and happy boating.

Welcome aboard

If the boat was made after November 1972 there should be a 12 character Manufacturer's identification Code (MIC) embossed into the fiberglass of the transom, outside the boat, starboard side. The first three letters are a code for the manufacturer.

Once you find the MIC, go the MIC website which is part of the US Coast Guard to decipher it.

I have a brochure copy from Rinker Boat Company, a part of Nautic Global Group, that indicates Rinker boats date back to 1945.

Dairy farmer Lossie Rinker started building boats in the 1945 near Noblesville, IN. His sons Jan and John joined the fun too. They were called "Famous Craft" starting in 1945. Jan and John returned from the Korean War and continued as "Rinkerbuilt" at Syracuse, IN. In 1958 they started making fiberglass boats. In the 1980s they drop "built" from the name and it's just "Rinker"

In 2004 the company was taken over by an investment group from the Rinker family. In 2005 Rinker and Godfrey boats merged.

Lossie Rinker died about 04 March 1964. His obituary said he started building boats in 1928. Jan Rinker died 15 March 2005.

Andreas

Andreas, as usual you are the man!!!!!!!!!!!

Bob

Andrea's,

I used the coast guard's website and was unable to locate anything.
Maybe I could give you the hull ID and see if you could come up with anything?
Judging from the support from people so far, I am feeling more comfortable with holding on to her for quite a while. But I would be so thankful to discover the actual model that the boat is..
I would love to find some old advertisements or brochures for the boat, and maybe even how many were produced?

Thanks

Zach

Here is a link to the MIC site:
www.uscgboating.org/content/manufacturers-identification.php

I just purchased a Rinkerbuilt myself...an old tri-hull from the 70's with a 60hp Evinrude. I got the whole thing for a song, but no paperwork on the boat or trailer and the engine doesn't run, YET.

I also contacted Rinker and she didn't have any info. My hull has been hand-engraved with what appears to be a Dremel tool and the number starts with "IN", which I assume is a state issued HIN# because the original wasn't available.

I live just 30 minutes from Syracuse, IN where Rinker is located and I also wish I had more info on the boat I have. I can't believe the company doesn't have any archives of any type. Most companies keep stuff like that.

Yours looks great. Love the orange!

ScottRod <><

Scott,

Sounds like a nice piece!
I go up to Wawasee/Syracuse all the time with my boat.

Hopefully someone finds some old magazines or manuals in an attic someday and we can get a hold of something that tells us more.