Another Starcraft just fell into my lap!!!

Nismoron

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
115
Well, in order to get my Mariner 210, I had to sell my favorite boat. It was a little 16ft Canoe looking boat that I used on a fairly swift local river with LOTS of rocks. It has a few class III and IV rapids. Definitely NOT somewhere you would want to take your fiberglass bassboat. I sold that boat and used the money to get my Mariner. I have another 14ft fiberglass boat that I was going to use during the restoration of the Mariner. When it was finished, I was going to sell the FG boat and get a 14-16ft jon boat on a trailer. I have several 6-20hp outboards to choose from to power it. The 6hp is best for the river that I usually fish. But I had no plans to get said jon boat until the Mariner was finished and the FG sold!

A co worker was given a 16ft jon boat a few months ago. It didn't run, so he took it to a marine mechanic and had it worked on. He did the usal waterpump, plugs, points, carb rebuild, etc. He also found that the throttle drum was frozen as well as the cables and the control box. So all of that was replaced. $600 later, the boat runs. And well! So the boat sat for a couple of months because it wasn't registered and nothing electrical worked. This past weekend he got out there and "worked" on it. Having ZERO electrical experience, he got frustrated. He went to Bass Pro and bought a brand new Tracker 17 with a 50hp 4-stroke. Wife says the old boat has to go! So he asked if I would be interested. All he wanted was his $600 for the motor back...

I wen to look at it tonight, expecting a Lowe, or an old Alumacraft or something. An old 1648 sized boat. When I got there, it was a decent boat and was 72 wide at the gunwales!!! It was MUCH bigger than I expected! And in pretty decent condition. Of course the engine runs like new, and the trailer was in good shape with working a lights! A first for me. Every boat that I have ever bought had to have lights rigged or worked on to get it home. So I bought it for the $600, then he started helping me load it up. He went into the garage and got the Minn Kota foot controlled trolling motor that he was going to put on it, the new battery, the new in package bilge pump, and a nice galvanized Danforth anchor. And the humminbird fish finder... DAMN!!! I scored! The only criticism is that the trailer tires are shot. Badly dry rotted. Oh and it has a decent spare too! Anyway, I got it hoe and was checking it over. I glanced over at the ID plate and behold! It's a Starcraft 2048-16!







 
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Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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Jan 12, 2013
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Hey that's quite the score alright! Very nice :thumb:
 

Tnstratofam

Commander
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Aug 18, 2013
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I keep looking for the Great Starcraft Fairy to park an Islander or a Chieftan in my driveway, but so far one hasn't! I guess he or she doesn't travel below the Mason Dixon line to often. It's all good though I know you and Waterman will turn your finds into great boats. That's a cool story, and a good boat.
 
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Nismoron

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
115
I keep looking for the Great Starcraft Fairy to park an Islander or a Chieftan in my driveway, but so far one hasn't! I guess he or she doesn't travel below the Mason Dixon line to often. It's all good though I know you and Waterman will turn your finds into great boats. That's a cool story, and a good boat.

Shoot! I'm further below the Mason Dixon than you. I had to drive 6 hours each way to get my Mariner 210. That was a looooongg nervous ride home with an unknown boat and trailer. This newest one was only about 15 miles from the house.

I dont plan to do much to this one other than clean it up and unbolt alot of the "crap" that has been added to it over the years. Clean and simple will be the motto with this one.
 

Tnstratofam

Commander
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Aug 18, 2013
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:facepalm: Please ignore the mountain boy in the corner. He's not good with maps. I knew you were farther south than me.:watermelon: Still a nice find, and your mariner is coming along nicely as well.
 

Nismoron

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
115
Yeah, this buy took a huge chunk of money that I was about to spend on under deck hoses (HOLY COW EXPENSIVE), foam and Coosa board for the floor. Now I am back at Zero for the next two weeks. :-(

My wife asked what I want for Christmans this year... I'm thinking Boat Parts!!!
Might be what she gets too...
 

Tnstratofam

Commander
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Aug 18, 2013
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Last year when I bought our Starcraft my wife told me that having two boats was my Christmas and birthday for the next few years. I was like Cool I can handle that. In reality our boats have become well worth the time and effort, and she looks forward to the projects we do with them.
 

Nismoron

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
115
Haha. Yeah. I'm lucky. My wife was missing having a running boat more than I was. Currently we have three boats and two kayaks.
Boat 1 is the Starcraft Mariner 210 that is under restoration
Boat 2 is an old 15ft Kingfisher skiff that I just put a 55hp Johnson on. It is WAY too fast now and is fiberglass. Not good for the rocky areas that we fish. It will be sold soon.
Boat 3 is this new one.

Nice find there NisM!! Any plans for this one???

Jim

Gonna clean it up and take off all of the add-ons that it has accumulated over the years. I might paint it too. Dont know.
I will redo the entire electrical system with new wire and lights and such. Maybe a better fish finder or two. While fishing, my wife is always asking "what's on the fish finder?" I think she will get one of her own up front. haha And since we night fish alot, I will add some interior LED light strips.
 

InMotion

Commander
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Nov 3, 2011
Messages
2,080
Sounds cool man.... gotta make sure the Admiral is WELL taken care of! More $$ and time for you to putter away on your hobby!

J.
 

Nismoron

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
115
The Admiral is definitely happy now.

The previous owner sold the boat because he could not get the electrical to work. I got to diggin around in it today. I hooked up a battery and hand tracked the wiring. It all looked good except for one iffy looking butt connector. But none of the nights worked.

I pulled the stern light pole off of my other boat... Installed... Works fine. There was some slight crustiness on the bub contacts... Fixed! Stern light works! Cost? $0

I unscrewed the bow nav light. The contact socked was covered with a thin film of rust. 30 seconds with a wire brush... Bow light works! Cost? $0

So now the boat is 100% functional for a total cost of $600!!! I'm just trying to decide whether to tell him what was wrong.... I dont know that I can bring myself to be that cruel...

It's amazing what people will give up on just because it is "electrical".
 

64osby

Admiral
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Messages
6,799
Don't say anything to him unless he brings it up. Then just say you it took 4 or 5 hours and a few bucks to fix. He might have something else he gives up on.

Nice find and fix. Go boating!
 
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