Gulfstar Yachts

Gulfstar Yachts was a large manufacturer of fiberglass sailboats and powerboats built in the Tampa Bay, Florida area from 1970 until 1990 when the Viking Yachts purchased the company's assets.[1] Vince Lazzara, one of pioneers of fiberglass sailboat construction, founded the company. Lazzara had previously been one of the founders of Columbia Yachts.[2] They produced both power from 36 to 72 feet and sailboats from 36 to 63.[3]

Gulfstar 50 Sloop
Lazzara 80 Sky Lounge enclosed bridge July, 2014

History
Gulfstar Yachts Logo

In 1970, Vince Lazzara emerged from a two-year non-compete clause, which had prevented his building fiberglass monohull power and sailboats. He had signed this clause when he sold his share in Columbia Yachts and had been biding his time by building houseboats. Immediately after the non-compete clause expired, Lazzara founded Gulfstar Yachts in the Tampa Bay area. He began building low-priced, low-quality, beamy boats. The hulls were even interchangeable as sailboats or trawlers, which minimized production costs. In the mid-1970s, Gulfstar was losing market share. Lazzara, not wanting to leave a legacy as a producer of poor quality yachts reorganized the company, contracted Ted Hood for a number of models and began to produce high-quality, performance yachts also updating and expanding its Sailmaster series. In 1984, Gulfstar began producing the Sailcruiser twin engine motorsailor series, producing yachts rivaling that of the best production yachts of the late 70s and mid 80s The early and mid 80's are now considered Gulfstar's 'Golden Era' of yacht production. By the mid-1980s, as sons Richard and Brad (powerboat fans) became more involved in Gulfstar, their production shifted towards powerboats and away from the performance sailboats. During the mid-1980s, Gulfstar also produced a number of performance sailing yachts for the CSY charter boat fleet in the Caribbean.

In 1986, Gulfstar and Viking Yachts, a powerboat manufacturer, started talking about a merger. In 1990, Viking purchased Gulfstar's assets.[1]

Sail
Model Designer Notes
61MS Lazzara motorsailor
60AUX R.C. Lazzara performance auxiliary sailboat
54SC Lazzara sailcruiser
53MS Lazzara motorsailor
52IND Lazzara 52 Independence
50AUX Vince Lazzara performance sailboat, comes in Mark II version, sloop/ketch, and two/three staterooms [2]
48HOOD Ted Hood performance sailboat
47SM Vince Lazzara sailmaster motorsailor
45Hirsh R.C. Lazzara sailcruiser, performance auxiliary (built by Hirsh using purchased Gulfstar 44 plans)
44AUX R.C. Lazzara performance sailboat, comes in Mark I,II versions [3]
Gulfstar 43 Vince Lazzara comes in Mark I, II versions [3]
41AUX Vince Lazzara performance sailboat, start of sailing tradition in 1973 [3]
40HOOD Ted Hood performance sailboat
50SM Vince Lazzara Sailmaster - performance motorsailor
40SM R.C. Lazzara Sailmaster center cockpit--performance motorsailor, 1981-82, same hull as 39SM, 12 hulls, primarily for the bareboat charter company, Moorings.
39SM R.C. Lazzara Sailmaster - performance motorsailor, 1981-82, 60 hulls.
36AUX Vince Lazzara aft cockpit from 1984 [3]
36MS Vince Lazzara motorsailor

Power
Model Designer Notes
GS72 Lazzara motoryacht 1987-90 6 hulls
GS65 Lazzara motoryacht, extended aft deck 1987-91 6 hulls
GS63MY Lazzara motoryacht, 1987-90 28 hulls
GS57 Lazzara motoryacht 1990 3 hulls
GS55MY Lazzara Viking 55 motoryacht, 1987-90 35 hulls
GS53TRW Lazzara trawler, same hull as 53MS, 10 hulls from 1975-1976 [3]
GS49MY Lazzara motoryacht, late 1980s, Mark I and II versions
GS48MY Lazzara motoryacht, 1981-82 23 hulls
GS44MY Vince Lazzara motoryacht, Mrk I 1985 Mrk II 1986 Mrk III 1987 Mrk IV 1988
GS44MC Lazzara motor cruiser 1975-80 90 hulls
GS43TRW Vince Lazzara trawler, Mrk I 1973-74 Mrk II 1975-77
GS38MC Vince Lazzara motor cruiser, 1980-84 30 hulls
GS36TRW Vince Lazzara trawler, Mrk I 1972-73 Mrk II (98) 1975-76 (35)same hull as MS36

See also

References
  1. GulfstarOC.org, Gulfstar OC, retrieved 2010-04-08
  2. Kretschmer, John, Used Boat Notebook, pp. 221–226
  3. GulfstarOwnersClub.com, Gulfstar Owners Club, retrieved 2010-04-08
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