# Silver King



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

When the Silver King flats skiff first came out,
the gossip was that it was a cut down Mako.
I don't know if it's true, but the lines were close
on the first hulls I saw. Here's a restoration:

http://donaldmarine.com/1978SilverKing.html


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Again another Classic I LOVE! For a guide boat I doubt one could do better aside for an Egret. Great ride, great build... before they were sold. Can anyone post the years they were under private ownership before they were sold to Bass Pro.

Cheers


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## snark (Feb 19, 2009)

Nice layout, but suspect construction. I was in a guide's Silver King in the Keys and the bilge pump kept coming on. At first it wasn't much, but after a while it became obvious there was an issue. Mid afternoon haulout revealed a nice 12-inch crack along a strake if I recall. It was pretty though.


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## Weedy (Dec 11, 2006)

Action Craft looked at buying them approx. 94-95, I think it was with in the next 2 years that they were sold. However, I don't think it went to BPS then, I still think it was a private sale.


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## GCook (Aug 19, 2013)

Post '97 is when the molds were sold to Bass Pro and branded as Silver Kings by either Mako or Tracker I believe...


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

wow, a 4 1/2 year old thread.


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## Bodeedabop (May 20, 2015)

I have owned a Silver King 16 since 1993, the earliest boats were called Campbell's and a few of those were built up near Homosassa Florida, Chris Klingel bought the company and began to make major improvements, took out all of the wood and re designed the hull, there a number of early boats that had the hulls crack, for awhile they were referred to as Silver Cracks, the company again redesigned the hull making it much stronger and replaced every cracked hull for free, Mark Scott became the mgr and designer in the early 90's and di a major re design on the hull and deck, the boats all look nearly the same but the Mark Scott built thru 1996 are considered by many to be the best ones ever built, the company was sold to Dave Stanky in Clearwater and Mark Scott remained with them during that period, Bass pro bought the company in 1997 or so, they made the cardinal sin of trying to improve a boat that had become a legend, the vast majority of the Mark Scott boats were built for Fly Fishing Guides, the bass pro boats were a disaster and many lawsuits were filed because they were lying about the weight of the hulls, eventually they shelved the boat all together, today there is a filed on the property that has many Silver Kings made by them rotting away in the sun. This timeline may not be dead accurate but the ownership and various incarnations of the boats are. I have owned one since 1993 and it's still the best flats boat I have ever been in, still guiding full time with my 16


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Morris bought Silverking in August of 95. See Sun Sentinel Article. Mine is a 94 and I have never been happier with a boat.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1996-03-17/sports/9603160259_1_boats-silver-king-offshore-angler


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## C_Wheeler (Jan 14, 2014)

That article points out exactly why once Bass Pro got hold of the company that the boats went to crap. Going from 50 boats a yr with 400 man-hours each to 500 boats a yr with only 100 man-hours.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Pretty sure they never came close to that figure or they would be everywhere. I seldom see another one.


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## SemperFiSH (Jun 19, 2013)

Since this has come alive pretty recently, what are any opinions on repowering the signature 16 today. I currently 91 with a 2000 115 Yamaha 2 stroke that runs great, but the day may come that I have to repower.  I saw a guy hang a F70 on one but I never saw performance stats.  The F90 is pretty heavy.  What are your thoughts?


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I know a guy running a Merc 115 4s that's happy, another guy running a 115 Pro XS that's happy, and several others running Yam 90 2s that are happy.

The one thing all these guys have in common is that they never pole their boats. Always on TM, staked, or anchored.

Based on the Maverick 17 reviews I have read for those re-powering from a 2s 90 to a 4s 70 i would say they aren't happy.

Here's a pretty white Suzuki 90 for $7200...Bass Pro has Merc 115's for $8600.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

I put a 2014 Tohatsu 90 2 stroke on my 94 and it works well but weighs 320 lbs or so. I was originally going to put a 2 stroke Yamaha 90 on it but couldn't find one in like new condition and got tired of waiting. I always wondered how a Yamaha 70 2 stroke would have worked. I do pole mine occasionally but it's no micro.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

A Yammie 90 was always the motor of choice for the 16... Although so noisy they'd give me a headache, at roughly 260lbs they were just what the doctor ordered.  These days your absolute best bet is an E-Tec 90 in my opinion.  Yes, they're 320lbs -but much quieter than the Yamaha 90 -but have a lot more get up and go than any equivalent four stroke....  I'm on my third E-Tec 90 at present (and will have a fourth sometime this year once I sell my 2012 motor....).  Can't say enough good things about them.  Make a point of looking over on the General Discussion board - there's a thread on them there already.... By the way I'm a pushpole only operator it's been years since I had a trolling motor and pole my old Maverick daily... The Silver King is probably a bit easier to push around than my skiff is.


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## SemperFiSH (Jun 19, 2013)

Thanks for the feedback from experience. I poll it a pretty fair amount but it's not bad. I'm not a guide doing it every day and have stayed in pretty good shape. Best I can find which was surprising is my motor is 358 lbs. not sure what the performance differential would be going down 25% in horsepower. 
Devrep...what does your boat draft? I'm coming in at 10-11 inches with my current set up, motor, manual jack plate, 6 ft power pole.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

My hatsu is a pig at 337lbs. I've never measured how shallow the boat will go but we have gotten into some areas that have surprised us. I would say 9 to 10 inches.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Here's an exercise that most would benefit from (but aren't likely to do....). I know a very skilled guide/angler, boat rigger who makes a point of weighing every last item that goes on a skinny skiff to see just how much additional weight is on top of hull, motor, fuel.... You'd be surprised to see just how much additional "stuff" we all find necessary on our skiffs when they're actually on the water.

I long ago learned that boat manufacturers can't be trusted to accurately state the hull weight when a skiff is rigged and ready so I've found it important to limit what's actually on my skiff... Now that I've been a "senior citizen" now for a few years (but still working full time) I'm going to get to the point where I have to add power pole, then trolling motor eventually. The first will add around fifty pounds, the second as much as 150 (don't forget batteries and on-board charger) so I'm not looking forward to that day....

And so it goes (Vonnegut)...


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