Looking for pictures of old SS

[73SS]

My first post. Just found this site and have been looking around. I have a 73SS and am looking for pictures of old SS boats. The oldest I have found on the site is 76. Any earlier boat pictures out there. I have owned this boat for 25 years now and am picking away fixing the odds and ends. I would like to see what other older boats look like. Thanks.

[Cloaked]

My first post. Just found this site and have been looking around. I have a 73SS and am looking for pictures of old SS boats. The oldest I have found on the site is 76. Any earlier boat pictures out there. I have owned this boat for 25 years now and am picking away fixing the odds and ends. I would like to see what other older boats look like. Thanks.Pics of the 73 please? I have tons of pics but your 73 is the oldest I would have.

PS, pics of chicks welcome too...

Welcome aboard. I'd really like to see pics of your 1973 Skier 19.

[JEREMY79]

I dont have a whole pic of the boat. there is some in the gallery, but i will only trade it for pics of your 73

[Cloaked]

73 model? Hmmmmmmm.... :popcorn:

[73SS]

I'll have to get a couple pic's to post. In 73 the boat was only 18 feet.

[ski_king]

I have talked on the phone with a member of this site that has a 72. It was featured in the Star magazine last year, nice boat!

[sanddragon2004]

I have some pics of my 78 but they are not good ones, ill try to post some better ones when i can take some.

[73SS]

Here is what it looks like in the water.

[Tom Wortham]

VERY nice 73, welcome to the board. And I thought my 86 was old school. Looks VERY nice!

[SKI*MC]

WOW! Nice, our friend has a 77, thats the oldest i have seen up until this one. Very cool, but one question... tubes?... just kidding, very nice

[ski_king]

Very cool looking boat!!
So much smaller than the current and even the early 80's.

Please get us more pictures!

[BRAZOS 205]

That is definitely an "Old School" Mastercraft. Looks good from the pics. I would like to see a pick of a '68.

[ski_king]

That is definitely an "Old School" Mastercraft. Looks good from the pics. I would like to see a pick of a '68.
This is a poor picture, but I believe it is a 68, as shown in the 93 brochure.

[JEREMY79]

here is a 68
have no clue who the man is. Got the pic off the internet

[Calif_BobPerry]

Remember......Mastercrafts never become "Old Mastercrafts"

They become......"Vintage Mastercrafts"

[G-man]

the name of that boat is Fireball I got a shot of that boat with my 93 when it came to visit in dallas in 94-95

[73SS]

Those are great pictures. It is really nice to see those "vintage boats". I had the chance a while ago to buy a 71 - it looked a lot like mine so I passed. The built date for the 73 is actually 12/72. It made quite a change from 68 to 71, anybody got anything in between. A side note my neighbor has a mid 60's wood Natique - it needs restoration. It is still a nice looking boat. Thanks again.

[Cloaked]

Vintage.....

.

[73SS]

Sporty - Nice pictures. The years you quote are 75 73 78. I see the 78, the first picture seems older than 75 and the second picture has the seat from the 68-69 time frame. When did they switch to the glitter paint? Where did you find these? I haven't found much on the web?

[Cloaked]

Sporty - Nice pictures. The years you quote are 75 73 78. I see the 78, the first picture seems older than 75 and the second picture has the seat from the 68-69 time frame. When did they switch to the glitter paint? Where did you find these? I haven't found much on the web?Those are 73, 75, 78. My bad. But honestly, the first pic's windshield looks to be 78 - 79, but it was IDed as a 73 SKier 19. :confused:

The second pic is from an internet boat fEr sale place, I forget which one. I scan the web looking for older boats for sale, as I like the vintage boats. As for the seat?? :idunno:

I also keep a lot of pics of the boats I run across.

The metalflake was introduced in 1978, as far back as I know. Possibly also in the 1977 model. At that time and in particular in the "deluxe" editions, the metalflake was a marketing option. I have always like the metalflake in the Skier 19 models. That and the 351 HO are two features that I look for in picking up boats along the way. They are getting hard to get a hold of. I let a beautiful 84 metalflake/ 351HO get away from me just last week. The guy wanted $7k for it and it was showroom. I just called a day too late.

Here's the dash on the 75 model. Or at least that is what the boat was identified as in the sale ad.

.

[JEREMY79]

What are the years in those pics. In order.

What year were the speedometeres built into the dash?

What are the seat differeces??

[MasterCrafting]

sale ad? drop a link!

[73SS]

Just a couple of comments on the 73,75,78 boat pictures. I have to believe that the middle picture with the blue stripe is older than 73. Even though the boat has been repainted, the depth of the hull near the transom scales to about the same height in the earlier pictures of a 68. Also the seat, flat back chair look, seems to look like the seat in the pictures of the earlier 68. I have to guess that book is closer to a 68 – 69 ish boat.

The first boat picture, white with black stars, seems to have the same height proportion, taller, near transom. Also the corner near the transom is more “square-ish” compared to the angled rear corner of the 78 in the other picture and the corner of my boat. I would suggest that boat is a 69 – 70 ish boat.

Another observation, the 68 has no stars or Master Craft name on the side of the boat. The white with black stars (my suggestion 69ish) has no name on the side. The 71 I almost bought had stars and a name and my 73 built in Dec 72 has stars and a name. I am confident of the fidelity of my boat because I am the second owner and the first owner got the boat directly from the factory – tow boat for a ski club.

The dash of my 73 also seems to be moving more towards the “modern” with the speedo’s mounted on a more integrated panel. The older dash shot included latter shows the speedo’s on a clear panel. The Airguide speedo’s in my boat also have dedicated faces with slalom course speeds highlighted.

I included a picture of the dash from my boat so you get a feel for the progression of the dash and seats.

[east tx skier]

That and the 351 HO are two features that I look for in picking up boats along the way.

I didn't think the 351 HO was available until 92?

[Cloaked]

Thanks for the pic. As for the boats and their birthdate? I don't know for darn sure. What I have to go by is the fact that they were for sale on Boat Trader and I would presume that the year model and such would be accurate for a potential buyer, but in any manner, you may or may not be onto something here. I have been around these boats for quite a few years and can see some of your concerns to be valid. :idunno: for darn sure. :confused:

Thanks again for the pics. Post more as you run across them. :steering:

There is also a Swimsuit thread that pics are welcomed as well. :toast:

[Cloaked]

I didn't think the 351 HO was available until 92?Well to be sure we're on the same page, the engines (as I know them) were in the Windsor and CLeveland catogorization and the Cleveland was indeed a big block engine, turning around 285HP (IIRC). As for the terminology now, I think they are labeled otherwise, but still have the same connotation. The 79 and 82 models that I have owned had the (HO) Cleveland engine (HO from a big block motor that may very well have had the now known GT40 heads), sporting the Powerslot hull configuration.

Now with that being said, please allow me to spew off a bit more here on the Powerslot.. :D

The concept of the "Powerslot" designation is a hull design feature. Nothing more. Done deal. The tranny, the shaft diameter, nor the engine horsepower has anything to do with the "Powerslot" hull configuration that is utilized to accept a larger diameter prop. It is merely just that. Powerslot = a concave design in the hull.

Now to utilize this Powerslot option comes the rest, in which the Powerslot configuration will accommodate; being the tranny (1:1.52), the shaft diameter, 1.25" dia.), and the engine horsepower (HO, Cleveland, or 285 HP, in any of these manners that floats yEr boat). There lies the (combination of drive components and power plant) powerslot option that one pays for with (then) a Deluxe edition boat (that included fancy interior and seating arrangements) or now the Powerslot choice. I have seen powerslot configured hulls without the powerslot options to accommodate. Point is, a 1:1 ratio, 1" dia shaft, and a 240 HP Windsor engine can indeed have a powerslot in the hull without the accommodating performance specs. It's a play on semantics but a fine line of how one discusses the Powerslot hulls. :toast: :steering:

[JEREMY79]

What year did the dash "panel" like 73ss's boat, what year did those quit and they started looking like mine??

[6ballsisall]

Um.... Jeremy I hate to tell you this but there isn't a MC that looks like yours!! That thing is PRISTINE!! Do you spit shine it? :headbang:

[JEREMY79]

Um.... Jeremy I hate to tell you this but there isn't a MC that looks like yours!! That thing is PRISTINE!! Do you spit shine it? :headbang:

Ha ha. No not really. All I do it wipe it down when it comes out of the water.

Once a month= wash, wax, clean interior

Thats about it man.

[6ballsisall]

I hope I can make it to Bobs place to see the pimp'd ride Jeremy

[stevo137]

Guys, I really enjoy this thread.
Keep em' coming!
The first MC that I skied behind was about late 70's.
MC and Cypress Gardens were traveling together promoting their brands.
They stopped at Bass Lake around 77-79. (A big CC lake). A lake that I spent a lot of time on when I was young.
They set up at Hobart ski club.
They had two or three S&S's and any ski that you wanted to try.
I said, "hit it" and it pulled the handle out of my hands so quickly I couldn't believe it.
The driver circled back and told me to make sure that I hang on this time.
Second time, right up, never forget the pull...
I wonder if MC has any old pics from that tour?

[73SS]

1978 MASTERCRAFT RESTORED 10YRS AGO, RUNS GOOD, MORNING COVER, TRAILER, $3,200, 517-204-1476, BYRONMore Details \& Photos (517) 204-1476

Not a bad looking boat at boattraderonline.com

[ski_king]

Hey 73SS,

How about some more pictures of your boat? It looks great, would love to see some close up details of it.

[east tx skier]

Sporty, interesting post. Thanks for the clarification on the 351 HO. Of course, now I'm confused about "powerslot." When did it become just a gear reduction transmission option as opposed to a varied hull configuration?

[Cloaked]

Sporty, interesting post. Thanks for the clarification on the 351 HO. Of course, now I'm confused about "powerslot." When did it become just a gear reduction transmission option as opposed to a varied hull configuration?Good question and point. I don't know, based on one of two scenarios:
1) The Powerslot hull configuration could have accommodated a larger diameter prop (easily enough) without the tranny option (1:1.52) and still have been considered a powerslot hull.

2) The utilization of that hull's slot configuration was indeed there to further accommodate the additional HP, shaft dia., and larger prop. As to when they started to implement the drive and power features for the hull configuration, I do not know specifically, but I feel certain that it would have been in 1979 when that slot was designed into the hull. The deluxe edition boat that I had was inclusive of interior fancies and the powerslot setup (tranny, shaft, HP).

The gear reduction was introduced (I would think) at the same time in order to utilize the concave hull design, there again as far as I know, in 1979.

My experience I have passed on here is relative to 1976 and 1978 models that friends had at that time and the Powerslot feature was well received by my buddies as a plus for MC (at that time).

The gear reduction is a seperate entity from the powerslot. However it is used in conjunction with the slot to accommodate the larger diameter prop within. Thus the gear reduction to utilize the RPMs of the engine while maintaining top end speed. Otherwise the bigger prop would hinder the speed without a gearing change.

Feel free to school me on anything that I may have misconstrued. I'm learning all the time here on the board. :cool:

[east tx skier]

Not looking to school you. I know little to nothing about this era of boats, which is why I asked. In the past, people have referred to the power slot as a hull feature and others have insisted that it was a gear-reduced transmission option. All of this discussion a few years back made no reference to year if I recall. On later models, I don't remember there being a hull differentiation between the boats with the powerslot (1.5:1) transmissions versus those with the (1:1) regular trannies. I was just curious when that began.

[Cloaked]

Not looking to school you. I know little to nothing about this era of boats, which is why I asked. In the past, people have referred to the power slot as a hull feature and others have insisted that it was a gear-reduced transmission option. All of this discussion a few years back made no reference to year if I recall. On later models, I don't remember there being a hull differentiation between the boats with the powerslot (1.5:1) transmissions versus those with the (1:1) regular trannies. I was just curious when that began.Again, a good point and question. Lemme' do a little digging in the next few days to see if I can find out. I have a feeling that as the variable plaining hull was developed in further years, the room for the Powerslot option was designed into the hull/shaft/etc...(the slot may have actually been redesigned otherwise) configuration while the hulls changed to accommodate a lower spray as skiers became more and more proficient on shorter lines. I can remember when spray from the boats was a distraction and a bad thing to a shortline skier getting into 35 and 38 off. It wasn't too long ago that less than 6@38 off was a world record... :woohoo: :purplaugh

[ski_king]

I remember going to ski school back in Dec. 78 and it was the first I skied behind a MC. They claimed the Powerslot just came out and they were one of the first to get one. They had 2 boats, a Powerslot with the 1:1.5 and a standard drive boat. Sorry, I never looked under water to see if the 1:1 had the Powerslot cutout in the hull.

From my observation checking out every old MC S&S I see and looking at the pictures on this site, it appears that all or most all of the hulls from 80 thru 84 had the Powerslot cutout in the hull regardless of the transmission ratio.
I never saw an 86 and up with the cutout, regardless of the transmission ratio. I am not sure about the 85.

[Cloaked]

I remember going to ski school back in Dec. 78 and it was the first I skied behind a MC. They claimed the Powerslot just came out and they were one of the first to get one. They had 2 boats, a Powerslot with the 1:1.5 and a standard drive boat. Sorry, I never looked under water to see if the 1:1 had the Powerslot cutout in the hull.

From my observation checking out every old MC S&S I see and looking at the pictures on this site, it appears that all or most all of the hulls from 80 thru 84 had the Powerslot cutout in the hull regardless of the transmission ratio.
I never saw an 86 and up with the cutout, regardless of the transmission ratio. I am not sure about the 85.You are correct.

My original point is just that. The Powerslot is a hull design feature, no matter what the tranny. However to utilize the slot that the concavity provided, then came the tranny, shaft, and prop options.

And as I suspected, the 86s may have eliminated the concavity upon R&D for a better spray and a better wake. Remember that at that time, MC was trying to achieve a 3-event (or 3-wake) boat for tricks (tall wake for height at a slow speed), a flat table (with a low rooster tail at 22 for slalom at 36 MPH), and a small wake for the jumpers upon their cut and double cut techniques.

[east tx skier]

Well, I think nowadays, it refers to a transmission option though. However, the name makes a lot more sense to me now. :)

[Cloaked]

Well, I think nowadays, it refers to a transmission option though. However, the name makes a lot more sense to me now. :)And that too I agree.... indeed. Thus the fine line of semantics that I referred to previously. :cool:

[74stars]

I will take some photos of my 74 metal flake blue SS tonight and Try to get them on tomorrow.

[east tx skier]

And that too I agree.... indeed. Thus the fine line of semantics that I referred to previously. :cool:

Ah, delicious semantics. Where would we be without them. 8p

[ski_king]

You are correct.

My original point is just that. The Powerslot is a hull design feature, no matter what the tranny. However to utilize the slot that the concavity provided, then came the tranny, shaft, and prop options. .......
Here is how it was listed on the 82 order sheet.

[Tom Wortham]

I remember going to ski school back in Dec. 78 and it was the first I skied behind a MC. They claimed the Powerslot just came out and they were one of the first to get one. They had 2 boats, a Powerslot with the 1:1.5 and a standard drive boat. Sorry, I never looked under water to see if the 1:1 had the Powerslot cutout in the hull.

From my observation checking out every old MC S&S I see and looking at the pictures on this site, it appears that all or most all of the hulls from 80 thru 84 had the Powerslot cutout in the hull regardless of the transmission ratio.
I never saw an 86 and up with the cutout, regardless of the transmission ratio. I am not sure about the 85.

My 86 does not have the "cut-out". Not sure if others do. I beleive mine is a 1:1 therefore it would not be a "Powerslot"....

[MCPS205]

I see my old 1978 (red boat, third pic) made it into the lineup :) I have some other pics that I will try to post here for you all. I sold that 78 to a guy in Moline, IL.

[MCPS205]

Ok, how do I post pics?

[east tx skier]

In the advanced reply window, click manage attachments, browse, double click picture that must be resized to 600x450 or smaller, click upload, close window, submit reply.

[H20skeefreek]

For clarification, the Ford 351 Cleveland motor is NOT a big block motor. All 350/351 CID motors are small blocks.

Not all '84-'86 boats had the "cutout" in the hull, and after '86 I don't think any of that vintage did until the 90's.

[6ballsisall]

Can someone post a pic of this cutout? I don't think I have seen what this is

[seaforth]

My 86 does not have the "cut-out". Not sure if others do. I beleive mine is a 1:1 therefore it would not be a "Powerslot"....

Our 85 has the hull cut-out and the gear reduced trans.

[Danimal]

These are sweet boats. I love the vintage SS. My buddy has a '78. One of these days I'll get some pics of it.