Newbie First Starcraft Possible Purchase

I have the chance to purchase a 72 SS 16 on a galvanized trailer. Boat has been gutted to the bare hull, but owner saved all the old wood for patterns. The hull has no dents and the paint is not even really scratched. Trailer is in excellent shape and good tires. It has a early 70's 85 horse Johnson with no lower unit on it. Motor looks to be shot. I am hoping to use it for catfishing in the James river in VA and possibly some use in the chesapeake bay for spot and croaker. Would this be a good boat for this? He is asking 300.00 for it all. Does this seem like a good deal? I have floored several boats, both glass and tin, so I am not afraid of the work.

Re: Newbie First Starcraft Possible Purchase

Without photos of your potential new boat I'd be shooting in the dark but...

For $300, you just bought yourself a trailer with a free boat hooked to it! Starcraft no less! Sounds like a great deal to me!

Cheers!

Re: Newbie First Starcraft Possible Purchase

That boat would be a perfect choice for the James and good for the Bay if you don't go out too far and watch the weather. It sounds like a great deal and with some work you would have a nice boat. The size would be easy to tow from Pa to Va too. I would say go for it. Good luck, Dale

Re: Newbie First Starcraft Possible Purchase

Stratosman86,

fwiw, i bought my 16 foot Jupiter with a 1966, good-running,35HP Mercury & OLD Dilly trailer for the huge sum of 250.oo. = i am NOT restoring it, as it has been "butchered" by replacing the stock seats with "fishing boat chairs", a HOLE has been cut in the forward deck & a pedestal off an old bassboat has been installed there.

what i will do is re-paint the hull inside/out, put in "recycled" seats (made from office chairs, that my job is throwing out), install a BIG icechest & a live bait well in the stern, a Shakespeare marine radio (that i bought for 20 bucks) AND (when i can find one,) a Homelite 55, 4-cycle OB.

the BORDER RUFFIAN will be a fishing-machine for chasing rockfish (some call them striped bass.) on the bays/creeks/lakes in NC, TX, VA & elsewhere.

my guess is that you could, with your 300.oo boat/trailer, do the same = i suspect that a "restoration" would be COSTLY & DIFFICULT.
(considering that Starcrafts are NOT rare, if you want a "restored one", i'd keep looking.)

GOOD LUCK!

just my opinion,

yours, PG

Re: Newbie First Starcraft Possible Purchase

Welcome to iboats Stratos

If anything on that 85 Johnnyrude is still operable you could part it out and get the SS hull and trailer for free

Great hulls for fishing and huge bonus that you have the old deck for templates. I say go for it by all means

The biggest cost will be repowering the rig with a replacement outboard.

Re: Newbie First Starcraft Possible Purchase

If a 16' is what you want then I say go for it. Sounds like a good deal, can't go wrong for $300 bucks.

On the other hand if 16' is too small for you, keep looking. You will not be happy with a boat that's too small for the waters that you fish. A 16 footer will fit in a standard 20' deep garage, so there are advantages to a smaller craft, easier to tow and launch too.

Don