Silverline
Whatever happened to Silverline, Vanguard & Invader Boats?
I often get requests from Internet surfers looking for parts and information for Silverline Boats. The company that manufactured Silverline in the 70's and early 80's was Larson and they stopped circa 1982. The name was sold along with the other assets at liquidation and is currently owned by Canadian manufacturer InterNautic Marine (formerly Odyssea Marine, which was Centurycraft before that, which was Vanguard Boats before that). InterNautic ceased production at the end of 2005 due to weak sales in the fiberglass market and there are no plans to start up production in the near future as far as I know (we were a Silverline dealer for 12 years until production ceased). Their website has not been updated in some time (although the company still exists and is owned by Arow Global). InterNautic has no knowledge or parts of the Larson era Silverlines so your search stops here and now for the old guys. For Silverline, Invader & Vanguard lines produced in Manitoba, Ontario, Canada in the late 80's and up, there are NO parts available. However, Starcraft has produced a 'flip' of the 1700 model hull (naughty boys!) and many of the parts look like they'll fit.
That being said, boat manufacturers rarely actually produced anything more than the hulls and upholstery in-house. Most of the windshields, cleats, instruments, convertible tops, horns, switches etc. were made by other manufacturers, many of whom are still in business and can provide replacements. If you're looking for a new convertible top or seat work, simply take the boat to a shop that specializes in custom marine upholstery. Want graphics? Check your yellow pages for businesses that supply custom decals (it's amazing what they can reproduce). For the other stuff like instruments, accessories, bilge pumps, rub rails etc., see your local marina as they have catalogues filled with everything you'd ever need.
For engine parts and information (including wiring diagrams), contact your engine manufacturer dealership as applicable. There is no such thing as an owner's manual for Silverlines of any year (in fact, most boat manufacturers simply produce a generic ‘safe boating' booklet - not a guide to how things work on small boats). One of these days I'll get around to producing a downloadable generic wiring diagram that should help most people, but today isn't the day. Best of luck in your search.
Dave Brown
Brown's Marina Ltd.
