From the original 1966 Evinrude brochure (and print
ads):
At first we named this boat the SPORT -
16, to call attention to the way it fits -- trailer, stern
drive, and all, inside a standard 20-foot garage. But
this was like calling a small-mouth bass a pan fish. We'd
have been a lot closer to the mark if we had named it the SHORT
- 18 -- because it's really not a 16-footer at all. It's an
18-footer in everything except the last 2 feet of nose length,
(And what can you use that for?) It
has more cockpit space and walk-around-room than the roomiest
"18's." It has more
floatation, greater stability, and better sea-keeping qualities
than the biggest, beamiest convention "18's." It weighs as much or more.
And
it rides more like a 20-footer than an "18."
It's the first of a new breed of
all-purpose boat that's convertible in minutes for all kinds of
fun. Snap on the vinyl-coated nylon deck cover and it's a smart
runabout. Face a front seat aft and it's a ski boat. Turn the
rear seats around and it's a big water fishing boat. Take the
seats ashore for beach partying. Take them out altogether for
skin diving. Or move them cheek-to-cheek for moonlight cruising.
The Evinrude SPORTSMAN is luxury-built from
stem to stern drive. It's contour-molded, foam-filled bucket
seats contain their own lift out life preservers. The
walk-through folding windshield makes docking or going ashore as
easy as stepping on or off a curb. Lifting eyes and fender
cleats are built in. So is complete wiring and instrumentation.
Bilge pump and blower, and cigarette lighter and chart light are
standard equipment. There are generous storage areas fore and
aft, and eight-foot ski and rod-racks on either side. And the
equivalent in shrink-proof, moisture-proof floatation of 73 life
preservers under the floor.
It comes in an outboard model or with your
choice of three Evinrude stern drive engines. (1) The
budget-priced 90 hp two-cycle V-4, (2) the silk-smooth 120 hp
four-cycle in-line four, (3) or the high-stepping, 40-mph-plus
150 hp four-cycle V6.
