my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

[Andy in NY]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Just read all of your thread, amazing job and hope all of those little bastard gremlins have been chased off so you can get that thing wet again unlike those of use with frozen water. I am currently collecting all the parts and knowledge to tackle my '74 twain. The more I read about the SC's and their cult, hahaha, I want to pick one up restore it and give it to my dad, he hates fiberglass and has outgrown his small aluminum.

So while looking for one what should I look for and what should I avoid? And I have no problem with i/os but he won't own one.

~Adam

Wow..
You read the whole thread, I almost feel sorry for you.
As far as a SC, in my opinion, as long as you have a sound hull, you are basically set..Over time any of these old girls can work a rivet loose, and any start from scratch resto should include Gluvit sealer inside to take care of them.
Transom wood is a common repair in lots of these old girls, I got lucky and mine was good, but luckily it's a fairly straight forward repair for the transom.

Decks are fairly easy, MUCH easier if you have the old one as a template.
There's a billion deck replacement threads on here.
I highly recommend reading North Beach's restore in the completed project section and be in awe of his Liquid Limo.

I didnt set out to restore this to original, I was looking for usable!

I hear you on the I/O's..It is a bit easier to work on them to a point if you have some car mechanical skills, but there is a lot more to it than that.
There have been days when I would have loved for this one to have had a big old 125 OB hanging off her...

I will second what kev said, as long as you have a sound hull you are good to go. hell even if the hull has been raped (rick's hull where they screwed stringers TO the hull) it can be workable. ALOT wasier to work with than a glass boat.

 

[North Beach]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

I will second what kev said, as long as you have a sound hull you are good to go. hell even if the hull has been raped (rick's hull where they screwed stringers TO the hull) it can be workable. ALOT wasier to work with than a glass boat.

Thirds on what they said! I had exactly no idea what I was doing and the danged boat floats just fine

And the seats look great Kev!!!

 

[peteyshark]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Nice job on the restoration, and thanks for posting all of this info... I'm surely going to be able to use it for my planned restoration. I was wondering though, about some specific ideas I'd like to bounce off you who seem to be "in-the-know".
I picked up a beauty of a 1985 21' mariner 2 years ago. Spent the first half of last summer rebuilding the 1975 135hp evinrude (which was really more of a frankenstein with parts spanning 2 decades of manufacture... quite a nightmare). I think i can get a max of 5 more years out of it now, but would like to plan ahead for my repower.
These are my major ideas, please give it to me straight... When I repower, I would really like to replace the transom with a full transom, and add a bracket mount, has anyone tried that yet? Before I repower, I plan to refloor, hopefully this season, (but I am currently fighting cancer with chemo and a future surgery, hence the BIG plans to occupy my time and distract me), and I am considering installation of a belly tank. I'm just not so sure how either of these major weight shifts would lend themselves to such a lightweight boat.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Nice job on the restoration, and thanks for posting all of this info... I'm surely going to be able to use it for my planned restoration. I was wondering though, about some specific ideas I'd like to bounce off you who seem to be "in-the-know".
I picked up a beauty of a 1985 21' mariner 2 years ago. Spent the first half of last summer rebuilding the 1975 135hp evinrude (which was really more of a frankenstein with parts spanning 2 decades of manufacture... quite a nightmare). I think i can get a max of 5 more years out of it now, but would like to plan ahead for my repower.
These are my major ideas, please give it to me straight... When I repower, I would really like to replace the transom with a full transom, and add a bracket mount, has anyone tried that yet? Before I repower, I plan to refloor, hopefully this season, (but I am currently fighting cancer with chemo and a future surgery, hence the BIG plans to occupy my time and distract me), and I am considering installation of a belly tank. I'm just not so sure how either of these major weight shifts would lend themselves to such a lightweight boat.

PeteyShark,
First off WELCOME ABOARD!

Thanks for taking the time to look through my little project that I have bumbled stumbled through thus far...

I think what you plan for your Mariner is perfect, esp the belly tank forward or mid ships rather, and your bracket...I am by NO MEANS an expert on much of anything on outboards..But it sounds like a good distribution across the board.
North Beach here on the forum is currently restoring your exact boat..He would be a wealth of info, as his first restore, the Liquid Limo (in the finished restoration area) was to me.

We have a Starcraft owners forum here on iboats, it is at the main forum "gate" if you will, then it says forums by manufacture..

Lots of great guys & minds on here, it truley is a remarkable website and I have not seen anything that compares to it on the web.

Sorry to hear about your med issues..that sucks, but I bet if you can tackle that frankenstein OB, you can beat this!!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Ya know..
Its been over a month..I have allowed everything to take over except the boat...Work, a vacation I didnt want to take..lol..yep..
Our Florida shinding is next month...then Tin Stock will be here..
I am kinda fed up with myself for not doing anything lately..
All you guys are kicking arse,,(ya you EZ & NB) Rick has a pretty good excuse, if my house caught on fire, well ya know.Poor Andy has a boat ready to go, but may not make it to TS..so I resolve to be all over her this Saturday when I get home from Memphis!!!!!
enough is enough, and I havent done enough!

 

[PaulyV]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Get cracking at it Kev!! cmon bud..do it do it do it!!

I am crawling now too..it is picking up tho..alot of nice resto's going on in here.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Get cracking at it Kev!! cmon bud..do it do it do it!!

I am crawling now too..it is picking up tho..alot of nice resto's going on in here.

Thanks PaulyV..
Crawling is still moving fwd! I hand it to ya! I have been a lurken instead of worken!

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Good to hear, Kev. I was getting worried about you. I thought you gave up on your boat. Chop chop....get 'er done.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Good to hear, Kev. I was getting worried about you. I thought you gave up on your boat. Chop chop....get 'er done.

Thank you my northern friend!
Dont say CHOP CHOP too loud..the fiberglass forum may hear you..LOL

 

[jasoutside]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Nice CBK! I love it when a man draws a line in the sand!

So, what do you have left to do? What does the list look like?

Cheers Buddy!

 

[North Beach]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Yeah Kev! Throw the ole list out here and we'll hound you till it's done

BTW, didn't get a darned thing done on the Mariner yesterday since we spent the day putting a roof over the deck on the side of the house

 

[ezmobee]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

I'd like to see your to-do list as well.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Its almost EMBARRASING how really little I have to do.

I am having WIRING/Electrical gremlins again.
When I splashed her (I'm the King of the World...ahem) and she overheated, I let her cool off, fired her up and idled back to dock...
You guys know the catastrophe of the old OD..Bought another OD and frankenstiened it together with a NEW impellar and cleaned out sand and crapola from the water passages..

I put the new OD on, shifts good..but WONT START..I can jump the starter selenoid to turn her over, so somewhere between there and my key I have a problem.

I bought a new Ign switch to be safe, thought that would do it but nope.
I also got a killer deal on a new marine battery of CL, put that in with NEW battery cables..no starty starty..

2. Put OD back on, since I yanked it again to see if something wasnt aligned with the shift foot that was keeping her from starting.

3. Mount captain seat and pedastal

4. attach stern lite

5. Hook up gauges..TEMP, oil & tach.

6. get that Satan spawned BLUE TAPE off areas of the trim..man that stuff WELDED itself..go green I heard AFTER I left it on too long

7. splash again.




so really a days work..a long day..The ignition thing bugs me really bad..I dont wanna be jumping the selenoid to splash her every time..geeesh

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Splashing her...dock...what do those pertain to? I faintly remember words of that sort when I used to go boating...oh well maybe someday I'll do it again.

Sorry bout your gremlins Kev and not being able to offer any help, but glad your on the final stretch....at times that seems so far away to me.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Splashing her...dock...what do those pertain to? I faintly remember words of that sort when I used to go boating...oh well maybe someday I'll do it again.

Sorry bout your gremlins Kev and not being able to offer any help, but glad your on the final stretch....at times that seems so far away to me.

lol..just the post is a help Kenny...

 

[fshngho]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Kev, ignition switch or rather checking one out is not too bad. Buy a 12v test light (about 4-7 bucks) and have someone turn on your key. Check to see if you have power going to the solenoid, then see if you have power coming out and to the starter. Its a simple game of elimination. No power to solenoid? Check the wire coming out of the switch. Honestly you can check it all in 15 minutes. Oh, and I don't know if you have a kill switch, but if you do, check that first. And I can say that I know why you haven't finished the list yet. I have seen your name all over this website. It would seem a margarita and keyboards go together quite well. And here we all are dealing with rain, snow, 10 degree weather while you sit inside the house while its 70 outside ( yeah, I heard ya bragging). Between us my friend, you helped me make it through this winter with your sense of humor. You go on with your bad self Mr. Gangsta King O' Da World !!! Dale

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Kev, ignition switch or rather checking one out is not too bad. Buy a 12v test light (about 4-7 bucks) and have someone turn on your key. Check to see if you have power going to the solenoid, then see if you have power coming out and to the starter. Its a simple game of elimination. No power to solenoid? Check the wire coming out of the switch. Honestly you can check it all in 15 minutes. Oh, and I don't know if you have a kill switch, but if you do, check that first. And I can say that I know why you haven't finished the list yet. I have seen your name all over this website. It would seem a margarita and keyboards go together quite well. And here we all are dealing with rain, snow, 10 degree weather while you sit inside the house while its 70 outside ( yeah, I heard ya bragging). Between us my friend, you helped me make it through this winter with your sense of humor. You go on with your bad self Mr. Gangsta King O' Da World !!! Dale

Hey Dale..
Thanks for the kind words,
(but you are saying I am funny? Funny how? What I amuse you like some kind of freekin clown?!..my goodfellas routine..ahem)
And the what to look for tips.
I have a VM @ home and I'll see what happens Saturday.
I def dont have a kill switch, since shes a 68 and there wasnt such a thing as SUE YOU CUZ I'M STUPID lawyers back then..

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

What's even funnier is the stuffed monkey you take with you on the road. I crack up at those pictures you have of that thing. I laugh like an idiot when I read them.....LMAO!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

What's even funnier is the stuffed monkey you take with you on the road. I crack up at those pictures you have of that thing. I laugh like an idiot when I read them.....LMAO!

lol..This is the first time I brought him..Now all these old salts are gonna think I sleep with some stuffed animal...So I may as introduce you guys to monkey

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: my 68 Starcraft Holiday project

Get that monkey a beer He looks thirsty