Help with Montgomery Ward Boat ID

[ottingercw]

Hi I purchased this Montgomery Ward Chicago, ILL Boat today. I cannot find a year or any information in order to register / title the boat. The tag on the boat is pictured last and I had to use a marker to try and read the serial but this is all the info I have. Any and all help is much appreciated!

Model 26147 - Serial IS816-146
40 Certified Horsepower
4 person
or
935 lbs

I dont see a HIN on the back and the tag was mounted on the inside of the boat near where the motor mounts.

 

[mbullen]

hi ottingercw. A little background on the catalog boats might help clear up some confusion...forgive me if you're already aware...

Wards didn't actually make anything, they contracted other majors. This one has the looks of StarCraft, but they also used Span America, Wizard (California), Trailorboat, and others. (A pic of the transom knee would maybe help dial it in.)

Wards marine products were known as Sea King and each of the contracted majors would have a sister ship that's identical to the private badge model.
But for the sake of the water resources folks, it would be registered as a Sea King, model 26147.
The serial is actually the HIN in this situation as the 12-digit Federal HIN system didn't come into play until 1972.
The year, however, is going to be a bit of a guessing game. There might be some year info encoded in the serial (first digit being last digit of model year is one scenario -"816 would translate into 1968- but I'm not sure if that's the case with Sea King)
I can tell you that the five digit model system came into play around 1967, so I'm going to guess it's between '67 and '72. ...the lapstrake panels also go along with that time window.
Hope that helps a little. Some other members might be able to chime in with their Sea King experiences.

 

[ottingercw]

Thanks mbullen - here are some additional photos of the transom. No HIN on the back of the boat and in Indiana in order to apply for a HIN I need to try and determine a year make and model. I suspected StarCraft, but still having some trouble finding the exact model.

 

[mbullen]

Thanks mbullen - here are some additional photos of the transom. No HIN on the back of the boat and in Indiana in order to apply for a HIN I need to try and determine a year make and model. I suspected StarCraft, but still having some trouble finding the exact model.

For clarity, you have the make and the model. It is a Montgomery Ward, model 26147.
You have the ID plate to prove it. I've found that printing a picture of that data plate helps things a little at the county clerks office.

Even though the catalog boats were manufactured by other companies, and even though Wards marine products were badged as Sea King, your data plate states Montgomery Wards, so that is your make. Sea King did not use names for their models, so "26147" is your model, as stated on the plate.

For the year, I would randomly choose something prior to 1972. That would convey the absence of a federal HIN.
Personally, I would choose 1968 just because it make a little sense and your basically just hoping to fill out all the empty spaces on the paperwork, anyway.