Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

[jbcurt00]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I can't confirm it's original, but it certainly looks that way to me, but my 18' Holiday has the same cream/tan oval steel tank, under port splashwell as far over to the side of the boat as possible. Filler is directly above it in this pix:

And the filler is in the same place on yours:

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I can't confirm it's original, but it certainly looks that way to me, but my 18' Holiday has the same cream/tan oval steel tank, under port splashwell as far over to the side of the boat as possible. Filler is directly above it in this pix:

And the filler is in the same place on yours:

I think we just found a spot for CW's fuel tank!

... now where in the heck do the batteries go???... maybe we should ask Jas?:lol:

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I think we just found a spot for CW's fuel tank!

... now where in the heck do the batteries go???... maybe we should ask Jas?:lol:

1 Fore
1 Aft
1 A midships? nthego:

No not really.....:facepalm:

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

JB, that is so freakin' awesome...that's the identical splashwell and tank. Thanks so much! I wonder if I have any of those trim pieces for the sliders back there...did I mention that it's really cold here? So cold that I'm not even willing to check out everything on my new toy!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

JB, that is so freakin' awesome...that's the identical splashwell and tank. Thanks so much! I wonder if I have any of those trim pieces for the sliders back there...did I mention that it's really cold here? So cold that I'm not even willing to check out everything on my new toy!

You sound like my wife, she spent the first 50 yrs. of her life up in the permafrost and tundra of Canada... and now she squawks when it gets down into the 50's here in 'Bama, says she's freezing to death.:laugh:

You're s'posed to be out there in flip-flops and short pants sorting through all of that stuff.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I've been reading rheagler's Starchief thread (http://forums.iboats.com/starcraft-boats/got-me-starchief-508812.html), and here's where his battery(ies?) is:

Also, he's got the same boat, so is mine actually a "Starchief?" Not that it matters, but it's most definitely the same boat:

...and for the record, he's got a 70 Yamaha on that one, too.

Another question: my lower windshield (the one really big piece of glass on the boat) is cracked. Would any glass place be able to fabricate that?

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

You're s'posed to be out there in flip-flops and short pants sorting through all of that stuff.

Oh, no, you're completely right. I should live about 1000 miles south of here. I just love the summer in northern VT.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Another question: my lower windshield (the one really big piece of glass on the boat) is cracked. Would any glass place be able to fabricate that?

You'll probably want to replace that with plexiglass... you'll poop your pants when you get a quote from a glass shop for that piece.

Oh, no, you're completely right. I should live about 1000 miles south of here. I just love the summer in northern VT.

I forgot to mention that it's perfectly acceptable to wear a hooded parka when wearing the shorts and flip-flops up north... the Canadians do it all the time.:lol:

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I guess I should have had that figured on the glass. Plexi it is.

The guy who sold me the boat had a short sleeve polo shirt on while he helped jack it up and inflate tires and whatnot...about 40 minutes in 15F windy weather. Some people are better at winter than I am.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Some people are better at winter than I am.

Ok, so it's going to be work on and use the boat in the spring summer and fall and no working on the boat during the winter then... but hat's ok too. You don't have to do it all at once, it took rheagler a year to do his (but he did work on it some in the winter)... and you may find you'd rather work on the boat than go fishing for a while. Working on a boat is rewarding, and sometimes it's hard to stop when you get involved with it. But you can work on it a spell, then fish for a while... then work on it some more. It's not a bad deal.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Yeah, that's just another cool thing about a boat like this. It's pretty indestructable, so it can truly be a work in progress that you can put in the water and fish with. Well, once the safety/basic operational necessities are taken care of. rheagle's boat is an inspiration to me...that thing is sweet.

I'm definitely exaggerating my wussiness a little....I'll be out there pretty soon.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I wonder if I have any of those trim pieces for the sliders back there...

Fortunately I had my winter bearskin flip flops & flannel shorts on today & stopped by your place to snap a pix of the splashwell for ya's...

It doesn't look like you've got the trim still mounted at the splashwell, but ya might get lucky & find it under there somewhere, lots of parts & pieces scattered about:

Winter never really bothered me until we lived just north of the Golden Gate bridge... That nonsense about coldest winter~summer in San Francisco changed all that.. Neither I nor the Admiral could get warmed up for about 2-3wks every year, just bone-chilled to our cores.... It wasn't even that bad snow skiing in Lake Tahoe w/ 520+ inches of snow fall annually....

Sorry, but the battery comments have ALL been to badger & heckle Jas. He had some paralysis by analysis about their location in his Islander thread.
:deadhorse: We know, but, well, yeah, he's earned it :stung:

I think the Chieftan & Starchief were very similar, and depending on exact year, optional equipment/features, they are often confused.

Does it have the OEM data plate up near the helm, remote controls:

Let me see, it might be just below that orange square about the center of the right side of the 2nd pix I posted above of your disheveled interior...... There appears to be an appropriate sized square plate attached to the gunnel, just back from where the collapsed helm should mount........

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I'm definitely exaggerating my wussiness a little....I'll be out there pretty soon.

You just need to put on some warmer clothes bubba... and shouldn't you be out there ice fishin' anyway? I love ice fishin' and go every time I visit Canada in the winter.

... btw, we can help you fabricate your own sliding doors if you want some.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

You guys are a tough crowd....so we can all rest well this evening, I trudged out the whole 30 feet to my side yard, clambered aboard the frosty vessel and snapped this:

Diminutive Chieftain confirmation. This is the control panel, obviously. It just has a standard CG plate next to the helm.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

You just need to put on some warmer clothes bubba... and shouldn't you be out there ice fishin' anyway? I love ice fishin' and go every time I visit Canada in the winter.

... btw, we can help you fabricate your own sliding doors if you want some.

No ice here on the broad lake yet...there's a little up north in the bays.

And yeah, I'd love to do something to cover up batteries and fuel. Awesome.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I gotta ask...

What's that stuff in the red circle that looks like electric shampoo suds with wires coming out of it???

That isn't that four letter word S-N-O-W is it?

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

You got it. We get that every now and then, though it's become a lot less regular and plentiful in recent years. Like other things in my life.

 

[Teamster]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Honestly I think I would look into a mid-ship under floor tank,.....And a bigger one than 18 gallons well at it,...

With a lake the size of the one your fishing I think I would want at least 30 gallons or so,....It doesn't always have to be full,....But the capacity would be there when you wanted it,...

That would leave more room under the transom for the batteries,....

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Honestly I think I would look into a mid-ship under floor tank,.....And a bigger one than 18 gallons well at it,...

With a lake the size of the one your fishing I think I would want at least 30 gallons or so,....It doesn't always have to be full,....But the capacity would be there when you wanted it,...

That would leave more room under the transom for the batteries,....

How do you ventilate these? I've never put together a fuel system like that. I must confess that I like the idea of it being accessible as opposed to buried belowdecks...but your point on capacity is a good one.

 

[Streetgang]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Since fuel tanks are being kicked around I'll offer my 2 cents.

If you decide to keep it a few items to consider:

Install a new vent. They are available right here from Iboats, I believe. Typically a line is run out of bilge area but the Starcraft boys can probably be more specific. I wouldnt trust your old one.

I am pretty sure your tank and JB Curts are made of terne plate or what we would call galvanized steel. Terne was originally made of a coating of lead and tin over carbon steel. Lead was dropped and now it is replaced with a blend of zinc and tin. These coatings made for a pretty good barrier to rust and provided long life. Where they can start going bad though is where the welds were made on the heads or ends of the tank. The weld process would burn through the coating to get to the carbon steel in order for a good weld. If you notice on both of the tanks, the welds are showing some rust where the heads were welded in. If you resolve to keep tank I suggest you should inspect it internally to see if welds are rusting on inside.

If internal rust or leaks most welders dont want to work on terne because of fumes and toxicity. If you want to paint tank be careful about grinding and probably consider some PPE. But if tanks are in good shape they probably have a lot of life left.

Also, if you want to send a signal to a fuel gauge on dash and maintain the visual sight gauge there is a combo unit that does both you can see on Iboats. If you just want to replace with drop in sending unit shouldnt be any problem as long as 5 bolt holes in flange.

Nice boat. Bad weather. Good luck to you.