Restoring a Starcraft '66 Nassau

[tgp***]

Re: Restoring a Starcraft '66 Nassau

Been busy and have not done much lately. So I thought I'd post up, and give the thread an update.

I only had the boat out once this spring (life gets busy). What ablast to drive. I don't know how fast it goes, but it sure gets up on plane fast and hits top speed very quickly.

Finally got that 2nd trailer finished. Decided to keep the roller trailer. So I put it on CL. Sold it yesterday.

. I had my eye on a new project but the wife took the proceeds for vacation money to Florida next week.

So now I'm attempting to solve my Tachometer issue for 1967 Merc 650. I been working w/ the Mercury forum. I may do somes photos and add to the restoration thread. This tach thing is driving me nuts. I'm going to attemp to test the stator and rectifier today. If I get time!

I'm searching for a bow rail too.

 

[tgp***]

Re: Restoring a Starcraft '66 Nassau

I thought I would bring my latest plight here as well. Just in case someone here has had any luck w/adding a Tach to these old boats and motors.

I have specific thread dealing w/the Mercury wiring and trouble shooting the problem. But I thought I would post the Faria tach here to see if anyone has any experience w/ the gauge.. I'm trying to hook up the tach to my 1967 Mercury 650ss.

The tach was purchased off of Ebay - NOS w/ no instruction for $14 (see gauge photo's at end of post). $14 not the end of the world. I've checked the charging system, and my battery appears to be charging when running when I put the multi-meter on it. I've had it connected to the Tach plug on the Merc Control, I also tried connecting the brown signal wire to the staor side of the rectifier as described in a thread from the Mercury Forum. I've tried all 6 settings on the dial. The tach will bump when I turn the key to start but can't get it to work. Anyone here on the restoration page have any idea's for me. I'm thinking I have wrong type of tach. Should I try the electronics forum??

 

[tgp***]

Re: Restoring a Starcraft '66 Nassau

Hello everyone been absent for a while. Very busy. House remodeling, and work, now the wife is after me to paint the exterior ( I hate painting). Had to part out the Islander to pay for the remodeling job. I did however end up with a few nice little pieces of bling for the Nassau. Bow rail and a cool lighted Airguide compass (refinished it, and mounted it on the bow, looks really cool), and a I nice little interior light. . And it also paid for having new seals put in the lower unit on my Merc 650 which were leaking like a sieve.

I put in a speed sensor on the the boat finally (also financed by the islander). So I was able to get some speed info on the the boat when I went up to Lake Wissota in Chippewa Falls, WI last weekend (First time out this year). Speed sensor is a paddle wheel style that connects up to my Eagle FishMark 340.

1967 Merc 650 ss. 15 pitch prop
Idle speed for for trolling 2 to 2.25 mph (A little on the high for trolling but I'll learn to work with it)
Top speed 31 WOT (Accuracy unknown at this time). Fully loaded w/ 2 adults fishing gear gas. Next time I go up north I'll have my buddy pace me w/ his GPS.

Very happy, with its performance. Even fully loaded, it jumps up on plane. Just a blast to drive. Now I just need to get my tach operating. Don't know what it could be, I've tried everything I could find in the manual, it might be the tach it self. Might swap to my other 67' 650. I put it in a tub of water about a month ago, cleaned the plugs hooked up my tank and Varroom! Fired right up! No water was pumping so I had to shut her down. This motor appears to be in better condition than the one I'm running, which runs fine. The head is spotless when you take the cover off. So I think I'll have the lower redone. Have new seals put it right away, and new impellar. It will most likely need some carb work after sitting so many years before I can get it swapped out. Maybe then I can get a tach to work.

Thanks again, I am honored to be the recipient of the "SOTY" award. It could not have been done without all the help and encouragement from all of you.

So here it is your "SOTY" award winner for 2011
1966 Starcraft Nassau

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[GA_Boater]

Re: Restoring a Starcraft '66 Nassau

First off, tpg - You and the Nassau deserved the 2011 SOTY.

For a tach for my Merc 500 I got a cheap ($18) 12 pole from Great Lakes. I hooked it up and no work. Later on I was using a tank while working on the motor and using the warm-up lever to raise the RPM when I noticed the tach was at 1000 RPM and raising the warm-up lever the RPM increased. So the end result is no tach at idle but works fine as RPM increases. I'm thinking the stator or flywheel magnets are a little weak but it does keep the battery charged. Just what I observed on my Nassau and might not have anything to do with yours.

I'm thinking your WOT speed reading might be low. I'm getting 31 GPS with the 500 - 10" pitch prop, with me, gas and gear. With more power and 15" prop you should be getting more. One thing I noticed, the Nassau and Merc are really sensitive to motor height and trim. The Merc is a 21" shaft and on the 20" transom. It was too low and water came over the transom at WOT. I raised it about 3/4" and picked up 3 MPH from 28 and no splash over. I'm still plating with the trim pin. Food for thought.

BTW - Your '66 Nassau looks way better than my '66 Nassau.

 

[tgp***]

Re: Restoring a Starcraft '66 Nassau

I'm not getting any splash over the transom, but I should measure it any way. Trim pin seems dialed in. The speed sensor However I think at high speeds the paddle wheel may not give accurate readings. There is a calibration mode for the sensor on the FishMark I believe. Low speed is more my concern for accuracy at this point. The tach issue I'm going to see if I can find a "guy" with the knowledge I seek.

Thanks for the info.

 

[tgp***]

Re: Restoring a Starcraft '66 Nassau

Ok, so I went out and measured the transom it is 20 1/2 inches. The motor's cavitation plate is even w/ the bottom of the boat (which I believe to be the correct position). Tilt pin is in the #2 hole and appears neutral. The transom does have an angle to it, so may appear to be trimmed out just little bit. It looks as if I can only adjust it up maybe another 1/4 inch based on the position of the bolts in slot on the Motor transom bracket..

According to my Mercury Prop chart -
Merc 650ss w/ A-48-37900A2 - 3 blade aluminum Prop - 12 1/2 inches - 15 pitch - 15 to 18 foot boat - 1200 to 2000 gross load -
at speed range rpm of 4800 to 5300 - speed should be 27 to 34 -

The boat weight approx 500 pounds according to brochure. I used 3/4 inch vs 1/2 inch when I put the new deck in. A couple extra pounds there maybe. Motor 275 pounds average for a 4 cyclinder outboard. Battery, gas, misc. equipment another 100 max. 2 adults 325 lbs. That puts me at the 1200 pound end of the weight range. That speed sensor must be close to accurate with a reading of 31 mph.

rpms would help determine if I have the correct prop on. I think I need a professional help (and I'm not just talking about a mechanic!!)

 

[duffner]

Hi, I know I’m resurrecting this thread from the dead, but I’m really looking to see this boat in person as I’m also in Wisconsin and I have a 65 Nassau.

If anyone knows how to get in touch with the OP who hasn’t been online in over a year that would awesome.

This is is a really awesome thread and I’m hopeful to see what happened to the boat!

 

[jbcurt00]

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