Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

[classiccat]

Holy smokes Agua! Glad that it all ended well for you. Was the skeeter damaged?

 

[m casey stock]

I think I'll wait till winter to splash my Duracraft and try to avoid all that drama at the ramp.

Hey Man, what did your top end speed wind up being? I know in the big scheme of things it really doesn't matter, but I am just curious.

 

[Watermann]

I think I'll wait till winter to splash my Duracraft and try to avoid all that drama at the ramp.

Hey Man, what did your top end speed wind up being? I know in the big scheme of things it really doesn't matter, but I am just curious.

I hit a wall at 48 with a 23"p prop, either hull design, all the wind resistance with double windshields or both. She'll get there in a blink of an eye and a mighty howl though. :lol: I don't want to prop up even more for fear of stressing out the gears in the outdrive by going to a 25" or 27"p just to gain a few MPH and break the barrier. I can still most likely claim the title of fastest I/O Chief on iboats though.

 

[m casey stock]

I hit a wall at 48 with a 23"p prop, either hull design, all the wind resistance with double windshields or both. She'll get there in a blink of an eye and a mighty howl though. :lol: I don't want to prop up even more for fear of stressing out the gears in the outdrive by going to a 25" or 27"p just to gain a few MPH and break the barrier. I can still most likely claim the title of fastest I/O Chief on iboats though.

LOL, Probably so! Thats plenty fast enough anyway if you ask me. My Bayliner will do 52mph on a calm day if you get the trim just right and she's quick about getting there too. I will tell you though, my heart really couldn't tell the difference between upper 40's and lower 50's, it was racing just the same :bolt:BTW, I only get to do it by myself (and thats not often) :subdued:

 

[crankbait cowboy]

wow, h20 sounds like you got plenty lucky, and the admiral too. happy to here it all worked out, that is one fine ride, been a shame if damaged.

 

[Watermann]

Looks like the Chief is going to get one more weekend on the water this season, it's supposed to be in the upper 80's again.

I started this thread as a restoration as you that have followed along know although the title never did limit me to that. I really feel like I've found something great here at iboats, specifically the the forum and you guys. Yeah I've spent some coin in the shopping side of things here but the forum I've found gives me daily doses of boating pleasure even when I'm far from the waves.

I plan on trying to keep my thread alive since I have an addiction to boating and enjoy hearing from people afflicted with the same condition.I plan on posting here about any new additions to the fleet and my current adventures. I would like to share my enjoyment of all the hard work that brought me here. that is if you guys are good with it and aren't bored with the stories and pics.

I had some pics posted of my last outing on the big lake but they kind of got washed away on the last page behind my launch rant on this page. Anyway I probably shouldn't post so much on Friday night after drinking beer.

 

[GA_Boater]

Hey WM - You titled the thread just right. "Tin Addiction" covers any thing you want to write up. You have resto, splash, cruising, SHTs at the dock, beer selection and glasser destruction - All wrapped up in one thread. Keep it going!

 

[classiccat]

No complaints from this guy for keeping your thread alive! Besides....I have full intention of getting fish slime all over my thread once my project is complete Have a great weekend!!

 

[Cap'nHandy]

Wishn i was fishn this weekend. Enjoy the great weather while it lasts.

What part of the country are you in?

Blaine

 

[Watermann]

WA State, the eastside of the Cascade mountains where we have more days of sun than clouds and people have tans.

 

[Cap'nHandy]

Nifty. I have always wanted to get out that way some time. Never made it much past Kemmerer Wy, a stone throw from Utah.

You have a real winter coming - and are likely in the mid part of fall about now? Aspens turning I imagine. I Lived in Lead, SD, and Conifer, Granby, and Denver Co in the past. Lots of Ice fishing there in the winter - but I was never really interested. By the time you got a hole chopped in the ice big enough to get your boat in, you were too tired to fish.

We are headed to Rockport / Aransas Pass tomorrow morning. Got the transom out of the boat today.

Blaine

 

[Watermann]

Last day on the water today for the season, it was 88 degrees, no wind and not a cloud in the sky. The admiral wanted to go back to the big lake and it was a great day on the water. Oh yeah and we caught an awesome show back in a bay by the town of Manson. Hydro Fest! Here's a shot of the admiral enjoying her sun deck, feet in the water with a beer and a short video of the 5 liter class.

The big boys were awesome but I really like the 5 liters. There was a fair amount of us in boats watching but I think football kept most of the people on their couches... It was the perfect end to the boating season this year.

 

[Watermann]

I did the winterizing on the Chief today, sort of a bummer and sad to know I have to wait until spring to be out on the water in her again. This being my first time at doing a stern drive Mercruiser I had a nagging worry in the back of my head that was reinforced by a bit of water in the bilge. So I pulled the outdrive off, knowing that it was just 8 nuts, a gasket and few o rings to put it back on. I wanted to be sure that she wasn't going to sit all winter long with the drive shaft bellows full of water. I also wanted to double check the alignment after everything new got settled in.

So I dropped the LU off and guess what... bone freaking dry not one drop of water inside the bellows, just a bit of grease slung out by the freshly greased U joints. What a huge relief!!! I feel better now about the long cold winter and my abilities.

 

[GA_Boater]

Watch, WM. You'll be having a heat wave. :lol: But you know now about the bellows. :thumb: Now about the little bit of water, Any ideas?

 

[Watermann]

Watch, WM. You'll be having a heat wave. :lol: But you know now about the bellows. :thumb: Now about the little bit of water, Any ideas?

I'll be gone for the next week or so hunting Elk at a mile high so now I have some peace of mind when sitting at the campfire.

Yeah the water in the bilge it bothers me, I thought I have everything sealed up.I do have some suspicions to look into this spring.

 

[dozerII]

I'll be gone for the next week or so hunting Elk at a mile high so now I have some peace of mind when sitting at the campfire.

Yeah the water in the bilge it bothers me, I thought I have everything sealed up.I do have some suspicions to look into this spring.

I have the same problem with the Holiday a small leak that will take some real detective work to track down.

 

[Cap'nHandy]

Good luck Waterman - hope you get your elk. Only thing that smells worse than a bull elk in rut - is a successful elk hunter after hauling the beast out.
And nothing tastes better - than sauteed onions and elk backstrap. Worth the work.

:hungry:

Blaine

 

[gt2003]

Hey Watermann! just wanted to let you know that this thread inspired me GREATLY! I'm getting a little older, not much (45), so seeing older things become new again is fun for me to watch. You did an EXCELLENT job and I enjoyed going through the restoration page by page to see your progress. I'm not quite as adventurous as you are but dang, you've got me considering a pontoon rebuild. Thank you for including us on your rebuild!

 

[Watermann]

Good luck Waterman - hope you get your elk. Only thing that smells worse than a bull elk in rut - is a successful elk hunter after hauling the beast out.
And nothing tastes better - than sauteed onions and elk backstrap. Worth the work.

:hungry:
Blaine

I had a cow elk permit for my muzzle loader, got a big ole gal too so not so much stink this time, just lots of delicious eats!

 

[Watermann]

Hey Watermann! just wanted to let you know that this thread inspired me GREATLY! I'm getting a little older, not much (45), so seeing older things become new again is fun for me to watch. You did an EXCELLENT job and I enjoyed going through the restoration page by page to see your progress. I'm not quite as adventurous as you are but dang, you've got me considering a pontoon rebuild. Thank you for including us on your rebuild!

Thanks for the kind words, that's what happened to me too. I read a few successful rebuild threads and I was off embarking on my first rebuild adventure. May good luck be with you on your rebuild and let me know if you start a thread on it.