In 24 years of ocean service, crabbing in December also, my old riveted Starcraft has never had a loose rivet. The Pacific Coast north of Cape Mendocino and south of Coos Head is not very pacific. The access to open ocean is over bars. The Rogue River bar at Gold Beach is legendary. The Starcrafts are the proven boats, I believe of the Walleye fisherman on the Great Lakes which I believe blows up as steep and quick as any water in North America.
The technology of tig welding has improved over the years, but I am not aware of any welded aircraft, I personally have ridden tens of thousands of miles in Alaska and the Aleutians in my company's DC-3, it was 50 years old when they bought it.
As to the starcraft boats on the Great Lakes, it may have been so at one time. And I remember seeing quite a few Starcraft boats around in the 1960sand 1970s.
My experience is limited to Michigan and Superior, but I wanna say that probably 80% of the aluminum I see on the water there comes from Lund. Maybe another 15% from Crestliner, and occasionally an Alumacraft or Lowe.
My dad had a Starcraft back in the late 60s. Great boat for us then. Rarely see one anywhere today.
My most recent craigslist search covered 300 miles from y home and I think there was one ad for a Starcraft...
