going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

[o'neal]

Hi! New guy here looking into getting onto the water for some fun.1978 starcraft 18' aluminum boat----Inboard 4cyl and outdrive has beenrecently rebuilt,comes with gps,fishfinder,anchor,cover,bimini top,etc...no dents or dings in hull.Owner states it's in really good shape.What are certain things to lookout for?

 

[mphy98]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

As a member of the starmada I welcome you to I boats. I would check this one over very carefully. He used the cheapest seats and seat pedestals, so I would check what else did he skimp on. The hull should be should sound but check for loose rivets and possibly hairline cracks in the hull just under the dash area. My 1991 superfisherman developed an inch long fracture this year and that will be dealt with soon. I would check the bellows and other rubber out back. I would also check the transom for rot. The hull is a good design and will never wear out, but there are always other issues. After all it is a boat.

 

[o'neal]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Will check them areas out,Thank's for the advice! What would make or break a deal? I know things can be fixed and these are pretty good boats.I've been looking at boats for quite a few month's locally and out of state,this is the only one That catches my att....lot's of boat's i've been seeing were not taken care of,sun/weather damaged interiors,bad engines due to not winterizing and people still claim to be a "nice" boat and water ready....Pretty hard to throw me a line of BS and get me to bite,I've quickly realized that buying a boat is far different than looking at used cars LOL!

 

[Thalasso]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Pay attention to the floor when you walk on it for soft spots

 

[jasoutside]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

The V5 hull is awesome and very desireable!

So, what's the asking price on her?

 

[o'neal]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

The V5 hull is awesome and very desireable!

So, what's the asking price on her?

$1500

 

[jasoutside]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Well, for $1500 I'd expect the hull to be in good shape and the engine/drive to check out (compression, clean oil, etc.).

At that price I'd also expect to replace every piece of wood in the entire boat, catch up on all the routine maintenance for the engine/drive and overhaul the trailer (bearings, tires...).

All that can add up in a hurry so negotiate accordingly and have fun!

 

[emoney]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Looks like it would be a nice boat with some attention paid to it. Make sure you "sea trail" and stay out on it for as close to an hour as you can. If seller only wants to "start it on the muffs" be cautious. I've found that if you take cash, most will hook it up and splash it, otherwise they're hiding something. Always a good idea to take a compression tester and a digital thermometer and like jason said, walking on the deck should reveal soft spots.

A full restore on that boat should net you years and years of enjoyment, so good luck and keep us posted. OH, and welcome to iboats.

 

[ricohman]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

The V5 hull is awesome and very desireable!

So, what's the asking price on her?

Jason, what is a V5 hull? Are certain Starcraft hulls better built than others?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

The V5 has 5 chines. Basically a deeper V that handles waves/chop better than the standard hull. Excellent big water hull.

 

[ricohman]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

The V5 has 5 chines. Basically a deeper V that handles waves/chop better than the standard hull. Excellent big water hull.

I will have to keep my eye open around here.
Is the Islander a V5 hull?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

I will have to keep my eye open around here.
Is the Islander a V5 hull?

The V5 Islanders is very rare! I think the most common V5 is the Super Sport, few Holidays out there too.

 

[o'neal]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Well I brought it home,1978 v5 hull/holiday.Buyer origanally was asking 1700 and we settled at 1500.Hull look's good,has some homebrew rubber type stick on patches over a few of the rivet's but very minor.Starts right up and Run's good,idle is set too low and carb may need some adjustment/cleaning.....Does need a bit of TLC but should be a fine starter boat.The guy seemed really honest,showed all the flaws without me even asking and was quick to answer any question's I had without hesitation,no answers like...well,you know,i'm not sure or any kind of bypassing a question.

I may have paid too much???? But from looking around I have not seen a better boat since everything was pretty schetchy from,I forgot to winterize last year,no I dont cover during bad weather etc....I must say,I do not like shopping for boats! It's going to be a whole new experience from what my current hobby is thats for sure and learn lot's of cool stuff about boat's.Now off to searching the board.

 

[roscoe]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

You didn't pay too much.

Considering your location, I think you did very well.


http://forums.iboats.com/Starcraft_Boats?boatid=243

V5 hull is a bit narrower in the bow, that is, the sides of the hull in the bow area are not as rounded, they angle down to the keel and provide a narrower hull at the waterline.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Excellent oneal! Welcome to the Starcraft brotherhood!

 

[emoney]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

I think you did fine, now get out there and enjoy the heck out of it. Oh, and don't forget the "pics or it didn't happen" rule, as that applies to 1st days in the driveway situations, as well.

 

[o'neal]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Not going to be able to take it out this season which bum's me out.After all deer season starts next monday for 2 weeks then the elk hunt right after for another 2 weeks so I will be busy at that.....which put's me right in winter and the freezing temps are anytime anyways.So,the best thing is to get it winterized before the cold moves in.

Been reading and gathering as much info from this site as I can.I understand the fuel stabilizer,getting all water out,changing fluids and what not but what about the question's below? Dont want anything freezing up this winter.

Antifreeze in or leave dry for winter?
Pull outdrive off and store inside or leave on drained?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Antifreeze in or leave dry for winter?
Pull outdrive off and store inside or leave on drained?

Read up on the process to completely drain (pretty easy) and leave dry. Antifreeze is really unnecessary.

Some guys feel it's a good idea to bring the OD inside for the winter. So long as you change out the gear oil, you'll be fine leaving it on if you don't want to go through the trouble.

But!

In your case (new/old boat), you'll want to pull that drive anyway to check/replace bellows, U joints, alignment, shift cable, bearing, yada, yada, etc., etc., on and on (welcome to the life of an IO owner)

Cheers

 

[o'neal]

Re: going and looking at an 18ft starcraft tomarrow.

Since sept of last year I have been dreaming of dunkin this boat in the water.I finished putting the drive on yesterday with a new pump, fresh oil/filter,lower gear oil and put the rebuilt carb on.Hooked up the muffs and fired her up with alittle coaxing... tuned,timed,seem's to run well and runs cool.Today is the day for the maiden voyage too see how she does on the water and with a little luck catch a few while the wife and I out on water....I am SUPER STOKED yet pretty nervous at the same time! Off to finish getting ready,will report back this aft with some pics and a report on how the tinny faired.