1984 Starcraft 16ft Glutton for Punishment [Splashed July 2019]

[SHSU]

Howdy All,

So new to boating but not DIYing or hard work. So a little about myself and what I am planning:

Been an avid fisherman all my life and as usual got the itch to go fishing back in December 2016. Decided I needed a boat and talked the Admiral into it. Went to the Houston Boat Show in January really got the itch bad. Found this website, all of the Starcraft restoration threads and decided I would do it too. Started looking at glass boats but realized very quickly I didn’t want to deal with that much fiberglassing. I am very big into research so was pouring over websites and any information I could get my hands on in regards to restorations and such. Since I don’t have a lot of room and use my garage as a workshop I knew that it would have to fit in it for me to work on it. HOA takes a nasty view of stuff like this out in the driveway in my area. Hence a 16ft max requirement so I can fit it in the garage with motor and admiral’s vehicle parking beside it. Then the Starcraft came along and jumped on it knowing that it would be a total gut and redo from the get go.



Boats here in Houston are Salt boats, but knowing I would be doing a complete restoration I didn’t worry about it too much. Knew from the get go that everything on the interior that was wood would need to go.

Took a different approach then most as I like to learn and tinker, so I started with doing an almost complete tear down of the engine (1974 70HP Evinrude body with a 70773s Powerhead (Yes I know it is a ’77)). Figured that if I could get the engine up and running I could recoup my money or most of it in that alone if i decided to call it quits. Also, following the threads know people are not so much interested in that part and choose to instead repower. Hence why I didn’t start posting about my restoration until now.

While the engine was torn down I followed Woodonglass’s paint schedule and painted all the parts. I need to say THANK YOU to him and all the wisdom I have seen him impart on other threads and let him know how much I appreciate everything I have seen him suggest. Also, all over the other active members who I have seen reach out and help so many others (IE: OOPS, EZMOBEE, JBCURT00, to name a few)

Back to the motor, put it back together after redoing all the seals cleaning everything (heads, exhaust, etc…) and it started right up!!!!! Noticed a couple issues with the lower unit and have fixed/waiting for part to come in to finally be done with motor.

Working on the trim tilt and the assist ram blew a seal so replacing that and will post pictures later. In my zeal to tear everything down and clean it I also took the pump apart and have started a thread in the Evinrude/Johnson motor section asking about how to put it back together. From what I can find, doesn’t look like Evinrude planned on people tearing it apart so I can’t find a diagram on it. Hoping someone can impart some wisdom on me or I will just go and buy a new hydraulic power unit. Did I mention I like to do things the hard way?

So this is going a lot longer than I am sure many of you want to read and just want pictures (We love our pictures). So as I get more I will post up and also all of the pictures I have of the motor as I found very little on it and the few I did find I really appreciated it. So hopefully will have many more pictures for ya’ll as I got along.

So to end this, here is a pic of the Admiral and her first mate showing their approval for me to go nuts!!!!

 

[Dabbler_E]

Awesome find, SHSU -- looking forward to following along.

 

[Tnstratofam]

Nice looking SS they make great all around boats. Tagging along.

The paint scheme is pretty much just like our 81 SS160.

 

[SHSU]

Thanks DE and TN. The paint is all going to come off. Getting quote on media blasting the hull as I have read from other restores people have said its worth the money. Side note too, some "nice stuff" I found is I am 99% sure I am going to re rivet the whole boat. I think someone already did it as its mostly blind rivets. From my understanding they should be solid rivets. So think Admiral and I will be teaming up and rivet with solid rivets and 5200. Between that and Gulvit I don't think the boat will ever leak again

 

[ezmobee]

Pretty tough to beat a 16' SS with a 3 cylinder JohnnyRude. Welcome to the madness. You seem to be madder than most though. I don't take apart anything I don't absolutely have to.

 

[Dabbler_E]

Thanks DE and TN. The paint is all going to come off. Getting quote on media blasting the hull as I have read from other restores people have said its worth the money. Side note too, some "nice stuff" I found is I am 99% sure I am going to re rivet the whole boat. I think someone already did it as its mostly blind rivets. From my understanding they should be solid rivets. So think Admiral and I will be teaming up and rivet with solid rivets and 5200. Between that and Gulvit I don't think the boat will ever leak again

OK Now I understand where the "Glutton for Punishment" part comes from. Holy Cow that's a lotta rivets.

 

[GA_Boater]

I'd say you got it made, SH. The crew already has the and so far you aren't even wet. LOL

See any evidence of the nasty salt? I knew a lot of boaters in Houston that stayed in the lakes, including me while I was an honorary Texan.

Orange and white paint scheme? :smile:

 

[SHSU]

Thanks EZ, after reading your restore and others when I saw the Starcraft I knew I had to jump on it. As for taking things apart, Since we will be doing a lot of bay fishing and I don't like things breaking on me I want to go over everything with a very fine tooth comb and fix issues now before they stop me at the ramp or worse out in the water.

DE hopefully it wont be too bad..... Figure on getting two hammer guns from Harbor freight, use one as a chisel and the other as the rivet gun. Hopefully it will go quick that way. Cut off some rivets with chisel, clean holes, 5200, and then Admiral holds sledge to one side while i hit the rivet with the other hamor gun with cut off chisel to make a rivet hammer. We will see if that works or is a major fail....

Still have to gut the boat but Admiral has already started that while I am still playing with motor and trim/tilt....

 

[SHSU]

I'd say you got it made, SH. The crew already has the and so far you aren't even wet. LOL

See any evidence of the nasty salt? I knew a lot of boaters in Houston that stayed in the lakes, including me while I was an honorary Texan.

Orange and white paint scheme? :smile:

Howdy GA,
I am more a salty as I came down from the north west and love me some trout. Only trout I can get is at HEB or the Gulf. So the gulf it is, plus many lakes seem to be very crowded (So I have been told). As for the salt, I was majorly concerned about the motor and had many bolts i sheared/drill out/retap and had to get additional parts but loved working on it. In the end happy with it. The trailer is galvanized but plan to paint it and have some corrosion damage on the supports. As for the boat itself, aluminum appears solid enough. Haven't seen any obvious signs of corrosion but will see when we get the deck off. Admiral is pretty excited and wants to do that this weekend. Hopefully I will have pics to post later this weekend or Monday.

Side note, admiral is an aggie..... So i can't even whisper that without getting a nasty look. Even though my school colors are that too. LOL. Ah well, its the admirals way or Davy Jones locker.....

 

[ezmobee]

Maybe take apart a section or two and if you don't see any damage then you don't have to do the whole boat. I simple cannot fathom re-riveting the entire hull.

 

[SHSU]

Maybe take apart a section or two and if you don't see any damage then you don't have to do the whole boat. I simple cannot fathom re-riveting the entire hull.

Hey EZ,
So its not ideal but I like doing things the right way the first time and only having to do it once. As I love doing these kinds of projects so I don't mind it to much..... Still mulling it, but then again, like you say maybe I will do a couple and say screw it its good

 

[SHSU]

So bad knew for me.... I went to start motor again after fixing lower unit and starter turned once and then nothing... Checked batteries, verified connections, ran my multimeter and confirmed that starter was getting 12 volts. Took the starter off and tore it apart, looked decent, went to put it back together and realized that both bolt wholes (That attached the plate to the rest of the starter) were broken or cracked... So no go on them... Even if I fixed the starter with cleaning it, the starter would have failed very soon. So good thing i caught it but still another step back.

 

[Watermann]

:welcome: aboard and to the Starmada SHSU,

The SS is a great choice for a fishing boat. I can't wait to see another one of these fine old crafts make it's way back to the waves looking better than new.

Having replaced a few hundred solid rivets in my SS, I have to say it's not easy or fun at all and if you look there are 1000's on your boat. My advice is to only replace those rivets that need to be replaced as there is nothing to gain by replacing good rivets that ares not damaged. Do not mess with the seams or you'll have serious issues with deformation and leaks as the rivets in the seam are extremely tight and there's sealer material in there too. Removing rivet heads with an air hammer and chisel sounds easy but after removing 100's of then I know that if the rivets in good shape it will be stubborn, can oblong the hole and to do it without gouging the skin will be tough to say the least. I think if you replace a handful of bad rivets that are loose, damaged or tipped that you'll see the light pretty quickly. :lol:

 

[sprintst]

Save your decking for templates when you go to do the floor again and once it's gutted fill the boat with some water when it's on the trailer. On mine the leaks were a bit on the bow and some on the transom where the transducer was screwed in. Gluvit and jb weld solved those problems. You might get away with only having to tighten a few.

 

[redneck joe]

way cute kid.

I sealed mine up without doing any rivets, still have a slight leak that I just have to pump out 1-2 times per day depending on how much running I do. It can sit in a slip of a week with almost none coming in.


I have a 16' Lone Star with a 75 Rude (with tilt/trim) t and just me and a six pack I hit 36ish. About 32 with my wife in and a few more beers.


I ain't got no tips for you; these guys are way smarter than me so listen to them.

Welcome to the forum and I've subscribed to your thread.

 

[SHSU]

Thanks all for the advice. I am not one to post much in threads let alone start one, more of a reader from the shadows; however, seeing the great support others have gotten on this site made me step out and try. I will definitely heed to ya'lls advice about re riveting. Didn't think it would be too bad, but obviously there is something to be said when everyone gives the same advice. I will strip and fill with water to see, but will also have to strip paint first. The PO did some sketchy stuff and am not 100% what kind of paint he used on all of the seams...

Save your decking for templates when you go to do the floor again....

Thanks Sprintst. That makes a lot of sense. I guess i was fortunate to have been sick yesterday and not take out all the trash. The Admiral took out some but not the flooring. She has taken command of demoing boat while I work on the engine, she found the PO used 1/2 then 3/4 and then 1 1/4 decking all on the front bench section.... Not sure why he would have added that much weight, but who knows.

Also question to all,
Anyone ever do a custom splash well in the back? I am a big guy at 6'3" and 250 lb. Don't feel that splash well will support my weight getting in and out of the boat. Wife wants to be able to tube and stuff behind it too. So I have to make it sound enough for me to be on. Know its structural, just not sure if I should build a new one out of 1/2 or try and modify existing one in some way. To me it seems like a lot of wasted space in the back with how large they made it. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.​

 

[redneck joe]

No pics=no help from us...


here's my Lone Star. I think my splash well is about the same height as yours, or at least close. I'm a sprightly 220 on a 5' 11" frame and I can be in the back with my much lighter wife using the ladder on the splash well - although I do stand on the opposite side of the boat when she is getting out mostly just to make her feel more stable.


http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat-...-all-16-of-fun


skip to last page and you can see how the ladder is mounted.

 

[SHSU]

No pics=no help from us...


here's my Lone Star. I think my splash well is about the same height as yours, or at least close. I'm a sprightly 220 on a 5' 11" frame and I can be in the back with my much lighter wife using the ladder on the splash well - although I do stand on the opposite side of the boat when she is getting out mostly just to make her feel more stable.


http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat-...-all-16-of-fun


skip to last page and you can see how the ladder is mounted.

I am not sure you want a pic of me!!!!!! :laugh: But seriously, I should have some up tonight. Found out my camera uses a non standard SD card so couldn't upload what I had

That ladder looks like what we had in mind, but as you say, need to post pics with what I am thinking

 

[redneck joe]

in the ladder, just note cannot be in complete flipped up mode when on the water as it interferes with the steering.

 

[ezmobee]

I'm 235 and walk around my splashwell all the time.