Questions for Starcraft owners

[henrye718]

Hello all,

Been looking at all the Starcraft rebuild threads for a long time now. I was thinking about turning an old one into a light weight CC in the 18-21ft range but know nothing about these boats.

I want something deep and also that would be good in chop and some decent waves.

My idea was to take one and convert into a center console. Striping and restoring it trying to lighten it also.

The reason for lightening is because I tow with a car and also with the price of gas these days it would be nice to have a green boat.

It seems alot of these old Starcrafts are powered by big engines. They are aluminum hulls but by the size of the engines I guess they are heavy?

Would anyone care to guess what a stripped out hull only weights? Or hell even the entire boat any info on weights would help alot.

Can someone also tell me how they handle in rough water? It looks like they are all the same hull design they just oufitted them differently?

To keep the weight down I would like to use a 30-40HP maybe even 50hp outboard would this do within some kind of reason?

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide me.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Henry Starcrafts are actually much lighter than a comparable fiberglass boat . The larger ones actually have quite deep hulls compared to the shorter ones . I own a 16' Jupiter V which according to the litterature weighs in at 670 pounds without the outboard on it . My boat is rated at a max of an 80HP outboard and only 60 HP inboard . I can compare that to my 17' Larson 1700 Shark trihull fiberglass boat which has a 120 HP I/O in it and could be had with up to a 140 HP I/O setup ( only real differance was 2 carbs instead of 1 from what I understand .) I would look for an open desighned hull which they actually made Bass type desighns on the same basic hull . You could also find a Super sport and simply remove the side consoles and install a center console . I cant tell you much about handling in the Chop although Northbeach may be able to help with that one since he has already had his out .


Rick

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Welcome Henry!!
Our buddy Matt on here is doing a CC..If you look at my resto thread..Our buddy NB posted a pic of a guy that has a huge 21 ft Starcraft that he converted into a sweet CC..

My 18 footer weighs in at around 1100 lbs..which as Rick stated is much lighter than FG boats..
The downside to a tin can is that they (from what I hear) jar you pretty bad in a rough sea..Being lightweight has its disadvantages in sea/wind slop..



GO FOR IT!! Do whatever ya want to..

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

In the 18 to 20' range, it's not just the weight that will require a larger motor, it's the amount of surface drag. My 18' Starchief has a V4, which moves it really nice, but I could suffice with a good 70 hp if needed.

My 16' Super Sport will be getting a 70 hp, but would probably do ok with a 50 to 60 hp twin too.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Where are you located henrye718?? Because a perfect hull for what you want to do just showed up on CL in my area.

 

[henrye718]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Hi all thanks for the replys all very good info!


ezmobee: I am in Union county NJ.

Can't wait to see if someone comes on who has been in rough seas with theirs.

 

[North Beach]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

H, the specs on my boat are 21'7" bow to stern. In 66 it was marketed as an offshore boat. fully dressed it weighed in at 1750. That's about as light as you're gonna get in a 22 footer.

I haven't had my boat out in anything rough yet, but I did grow up on the water in the mid Chesapeake Bay area working charter and work boats as a youngster. Looking at the size and hull design along with the engine power, I would think it would do fairly well in medium seas. I don't know if I'd want to be playing around way out there, but I'd be comfortable loading up for a day of bay fishing if the weather wasn't forcasted to be too bad.

And it probably is a little rough ridin in moderate chop due to the weight (or lack thereof).

As far as center console conversion, anything from the 60's in the 18 to 22 foot range could be easily converted. Anything associated with the bow/upper deck/cabin area was not designed to be structural. A couple of us are considering doing just what you're talking about. Some of us are just nearing completion of a full rebuild, or in my case laying around licking our wounds from just finishing one

And we all know Matt seems to live on his CC chasing them danged stripers.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

This is the thread you want to check out http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=299519

Darn it Henry that boat I was talking about was gone. It would have been worth the trip. It was a stripped out SuperSport hull for basically scrap price. I would have taken it but it was missing the consoles.

 

[henrye718]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

You guys are great. all the info and wanted and more than I had hoped.


I have already started looking for a boat. I am aiming for a 18ft 'er. So far no luck, Thanks for trying ezmobee.

With all the what seems like crazy people on CL, with their making apointments to show boats then not answering the phone or returning messages on the set date and time. (this happend twice already). Or working out a deal then asking to see the titles before you fork over money then suddenly they dont have it Just thought Id rant a little over how nuts people are.

Anyway I see a lot of 18 ft starcrafts in the closed bow version forsale.

My question is since i have not seen a picture good enough to tell from, can that closed bow area be removed and cosmetically will it be odd looking once removed to convert the boat into a center console.

Thanks!

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Henry I would say the hardest part of removing most of the Bow cap will be filling in the sides of the gunwales to match the existing sides . Otherwise no biggie . The same basic hull was used for center consoles , Super sports and closed bow boats so I dont think there will be a structure issue . I wouldnt remove the whole cap I would leave the sides and some of the front like on a super sport. Theres several 19'ers for sale in my area.


Rick

 

[wrfalpacas]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Henry,

Once I had the engine and the rotten transom out of my boat, I was able to lift up the stern and re-center it on the trailer by hand. The PO used to take my boat out on to lake Erie in some pretty good chop no problem and even though the boat has a 120 I/O, that is motor hp not the new prop hp rating. Most all of the deep v's used the same hull. Having just spent the last afternoon under the bow of an 18' holiday getting parts off her, I can see it wouldn't be too difficult removing the bow roof.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

You guys are great. all the info and wanted and more than I had hoped.


I have already started looking for a boat. I am aiming for a 18ft 'er. So far no luck, Thanks for trying ezmobee.

With all the what seems like crazy people on CL, with their making apointments to show boats then not answering the phone or returning messages on the set date and time. (this happend twice already). Or working out a deal then asking to see the titles before you fork over money then suddenly they dont have it Just thought Id rant a little over how nuts people are.

Anyway I see a lot of 18 ft starcrafts in the closed bow version forsale.

My question is since i have not seen a picture good enough to tell from, can that closed bow area be removed and cosmetically will it be odd looking once removed to convert the boat into a center console.
Thanks!

Why dont I take a few pics for you of the bow section of my Holiday so you can see what would be involved..I'll get some of under the bow and the framing. It may help you decide on what style of SC you may want to get and convert.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

I have already started looking for a boat. I am aiming for a 18ft 'er. So far no luck, Thanks for trying ezmobee.

Use http://crazedlist.org to search multiple Craigslist sites at once. It's fantastic.

The open versions are common enough that I wouldn't want to mess with trying to cut out a closed bow. But that's just me.

 

[henrye718]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Why dont I take a few pics for you of the bow section of my Holiday so you can see what would be involved..I'll get some of under the bow and the framing. It may help you decide on what style of SC you may want to get and convert.

That would be great. Thanks!

 

[henrye718]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Use http://crazedlist.org to search multiple Craigslist sites at once. It's fantastic.

The open versions are common enough that I wouldn't want to mess with trying to cut out a closed bow. But that's just me.

I am using one of those CL multi area searchers I dont like the one I have tho Im going to try yours.


They are only common when I'm not looking for an open bow murphys law seems to apply to everything.

Yet I found two 18' closed bow models for under $500 in very good condition that both have the floor removed and cleaned already waiting for a someone to drop new stuff in them.

 

[henrye718]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Today I went to look at a late 80s center console 18' starcraft. Seemed like exactly what I was looking for. I was told it was freshwater boat, but yet it had bottom paint on it.

I had them run the engine first then I did a compression test on all the cylinders, 125psi on all four holes. So from there I thought this boat may be perfect fot me. The floors were out, it had expanding foam in it. So there wasnt much to see hull wise on the top side.

The bottom paint didnt look right, so I grabbed a tool and started digging and the there was alot of white residue from corrosion, there was so much especially under and around the lengthwise slats\ribs (I think they are called chines) it was forcing them to seperate from the hull. Imagine that corrosion able to push and bend metal with such force.

I believe what was happening here is the bottom paint was trapping salt water in a lot of areas and causes somes really bad corrosion. I have never seen so much on a tin boat before. Of course I passed on the boat, just posting this incase someone else is looking for a tinner also.


Ill bet that hull would be in great shape if it was just bare metal all of its life.


How many of you guys have hulls in good shape that came from a life of known saltwater use?

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

Mine spent a few years fishing port charlotte, FL and the factory paint when I got her was still good, worn & dull but good...Hull's not pitted or any signs of corrosion. Has a lot to do with washing em down in a reasonable time frame when ya pull em out

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

That would be great. Thanks!

I'll get some today for ya then!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

I'll get some today for ya then!

Heres a top pic of the bow

Here is the frame under the bow..facing the bow

Seems like its doable...But again may be cheaper to find a open bow..Theres one out here for 300 bux!

 

[henrye718]

Re: Questions for Starcraft owners

I ended up with a newer 98' starcraft 17' superfisherman. Got it cheap but it has some problems. Started a new thread. Thanks to everyone here for all the help!