TOPIC: Need info on 53 dolphin cruiser

I found this cruiser for sell. It looks like a nice little project boat. I had never heard of this manufacturer. It's emblem says :

Dolphin Fiberglass Boats
Nashville Tenn. Costa Mesa Calif.

It's about 16' long. Has a 100 horse Sea Ray motor and is sitting on a fairly new trailer. The owner says it is a 1953. The boat is solid. I have found no information on the Internet excepts for the Dolphin in the gallery on this site. If anyone knows this boat or could help me put a value on it, I would appreciate the help.

There's some information on the Dolphin Boats page in the Library:

www.fiberglassics.com/library/Dolphin_%28Fiberglass%29

Also, here's a photo of another Dolphin cruiser:

Andy is right about library.
We scanned/posted my literature and even the Prez biz card.
First year for the 16 Dolphin was 1959, as you can see in the library.
I think that is the same boat has been advertised off/on over the last few years on Clist, I think Missouri or somewhere inland.
The engine is a Mercury private labeled for Sea Ray, an inline 4 cyl 100hp if I recall.
These are wide boats, 8' beam see pic comparing my 16 Dolphin to a 17 Skagit. I think it is 6'10" from chine to chine across the bottom. Lots of room. Mine has same hull, just the deck is different. To my knowledge there were three four 16' models, the cabin cruiser, a runabout with plastic windshield, a runabout with flat windows and a windshield coaming, and the Salty with flybridge upper station like mine. Which in 17 years of old boats is the only one I've ever even seen. I had a picture of my model, it was the first Mystery Boat on this site in 1998, around 2001 alumaglass found it in an old book he had. So I know the feeling.
Phil on golden state glassics site has the same model if you go over there you'll see several pics of his.
goldenstateglassics.com/showthread.php?t=1018&highlight=dolphin

Thank you for the information. I'm driving to take a closer look at it Saturday. If I deside to get it, it will surly be only the beginning of my questions.
Thank you again,
Dave

I own and posted the picture of the Dolphin cruiser with the Volvo I/O setup. The original was an outboard motor as was common practice. The exact year is still a mystery. During the conversion to the I/O, the transom was reinforced and raised to the deck height. The whereabouts of the manufacturers ID plate is a mystery.

The change that is apparent is the single piece cabin window, rather than three pieces. Of course, the single piece may just cover three openings. Some things are hard to tell from photos.

As far as value, it you like it, pay whatever you need to get it home and fits into your budget.

I like the cruisers! I tell folks that the boat looks like a cross between a bath tub toy and something from a Dick Tracy comic. More seriously, it represents the transition from traditional wooden boat shapes to the wild fiberglass shapes that followed.

A last comment may be useful. I have seen a number of Dolphins (runabouts) and the interior seats and construction were as simple as possible. It seems the offering of a fiberglass hull was the main feature, since no added frills were part of the interior construction.

I look forward to more details of the (possible) acquisition.

There is a red/white Dolphin 16 runabout down around Riverside CA with a Volvo I/O conversion. It was in pretty nice condition. Where did you post pictures of your cruiser?? Love to see them.

The Dolphin cruiser I obtained had been sitting a field in the Kern River Valley (Wofford Heights) for years. Apparently, an accident had broken the coupler off the boat trailer. The boat has not moved very far. It is sitting at the house in Bodfish.

Visitors are welcome. Just contact me so our schedules can mesh.