Considering buying Starcraft SS - 16 vs 18'? Common Issues? Where to Find?

[bchaney]

My wife started talking about boats this year when the weather started warming up, so I have been doing some research. We don't currently have a boat but I grew up on my families boats on lakes across the US. I had a few small aluminum boats as a kid in MI and NJ (12' Lowe with 9.9). We are expecting our first baby any day now and we've been thinking that we'd like her to grow up boating as I did. She will be too small to ride in a boat this season so I'm considering buying something this fall or winter unless I find something amazing before then. I would like to do some research now so that I can make an informed decision when the time comes. I would prefer to buy the right boat for the long-term, rather than have to upgrade in a few years. Budget is probably 5-6k for boat with motor and trailer.

I saw a Starcraft Super Sport on craigslist a few weeks ago and I have been looking at them non-stop since then. They're good looking boats and I've always been a fan of aluminum with an outboard but appreciate the seating capacity of a runabout. They seem to be versatile enough for our needs - primarily I'd like something that can comfortably seat 4 adults and 2 kids, pull a tube or 2, and be able to do a little fishing.

We live in Seattle and will mostly be taking the boat out on Lake Washington as there's a launch 3 miles from our house. We'd probably visit some other lakes on summer vacations/camping and maybe, possibly take a boat on Puget Sound one day, though I don't really know much about saltwater boating. We will keep the boat on a trailer in our driveway and I'll pull it with my 09 Chevy Colorado (need to look into towing capacity but should be plenty for this AL boat).

How much of a difference is there between the 16 and 18' SS? Is it just 2 extra feet behind the rear seats and some extra width? Would either fit 4 adults and 2 kids for a day of relaxing on the water or would it be cramped? I'm leaning towards the 18 but they seem to be harder to find.

What are some common issues that I should keep an eye out for on these boats? Which common issues are easy to fix and which ones require major work? I know rivets can leak so I'll do a leak test on anything I'm seriously considering. What questions should I ask sellers?

Where did you find your older Starcraft? Where could I find a restored one? I'm pretty mechanically inclined and enjoy tinkering so I don't mind fixing stuff when needed but I have a lot of other house projects already as well as a new baby soon so I'm not looking for something too time consuming. When's a good time to buy?

Any other wisdom is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[briangcc]

First off...congrats on the addition to the family! And as long as you can get a life jacket around your bundle of joy you can go out on the boat. My boys were out on the water at 4 months. The key was getting the neoprene life jackets - nylon scratched them and they were uncomfortable beyond belief until we made that simple change.

You might be surprised as to what that extra 2' will do in a boat. Personally - 4 adults & 2 kids in a 16' boat is stretching it. A lot. For short rides it may be doable but anything beyond that and you're tripping over eachother. 18' is better but again with that load it may be tight. My suggestion would be to take the entire crew out on a test ride with the prospective boat to make sure it'll meet your needs.

In your price point you'd want to be checking the floors and transom. More than likely they're going to need attention. The good news is that since its an aluminum boat you can do these repairs quicker than a comparable fiberglass boat.

Can't comment on boating in salt water as I'm surrounded by fresh water.

 

[roscoe]

I've had both a 16 and 18 SS.
Would not consider a 16 even for 4 people.

You get wider beam, and higher freeboard ( think floor to top of gunnel ) with the 18.
Its only a few pounds heavier. And can handle a larger engine.

All the Starcraft enthusiasts hang out here:
https://forums.iboats.com/forum/owners-groups-by-manufacturer/s/starcraft-boats


Many Starcrafts in the midwest, MN, WI, IL, OH, and MI.

For comparison, the 18'er is 6" wider, 3.5" taller, has 600# more capacity, will take a 120-140 hp engine depending on model as opposed to an 85-90 hp motor. And weighs only 170# more at 870#

Now if you really want seating capacity, look for a 22' SS.

 

[ahicks]

I would add only that there are other boat manf's that made/make very similar boats. Though I like the Starcrafts (much history in our family as well), if looking for a boat this style, suggest you not get too focused on just the Starcraft line up.

 

[bchaney]

Thanks for the responses guys. Sounds like I should stick to the 18 footer if I want to have a chance of fitting 6. 6 is sort of my worst-case scenario, I suspect that most of the time it'll just be my wife and I with 1-2 kids, but I'd like to have space for the in-laws or a couple of friends/family from time to time.

Brian (my name's Brian too) - my wife did some research and found that the USCG recommends that your kid is at least 18lb before riding on a boat. Your boys were probably close to that at 4 months and if mine was born 4 months ago I'd try to convince my wife that we'd be OK but since she is 0 months old now (still waiting, due 7/11) I think by the time she's close to 18lbs, boating season will be over. Cruel joke, right? I will definitely look into the neoprene jackets when the time comes, thanks for the tip. Judging from the prices paid by others on this site (1-2k for one that needs rebuild, 4k for one that doesn't need much work) I'm hoping that 5-6k will get me something without transom or floor issues but I will definitely be checking these things whenever I look at a boat. How can I tell if the transom is bad - wiggle the motor? Is there wood in the transom of these boats?

Roscoe - Thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that area of the site and it looks like there's a lot of good info there. I found the 1978 brochure page linked below which shows a 7 vs 8 person capacity for the 16 vs 18 and both of them have seats for 6 but I understand that a maximum capacity rating is not the same as a "comfortable" capacity, especially when people are out of their seats and trying to move around. I appreciate your sizing insights as an owner. Would you say it'd be tight with 4 adults and 2 kids in the 18 footer? I would love to go 22' but I couldn't fit it in my driveway. Wish they made a 19 or 20'.

http://i731.photobucket.com/albums/ww312/Lac_Huron/Brochures/1978 Starcraft brochure/7819.jpg

ahicks - I had been browsing craigslist for any and all boats in my price range, but the SS is one of the only open bow, outboard, aluminum boats that I saw. I did see one 17' Crestliner. I will keep an eye out for others but do you have any tips on which manufacturers/models fit the same criteria?

 

[82rude]

briangcc I concure on the 16 being non desirable for the op,s needs.I have the 16 ss and specifically redid mine to only be for 2 people unless its an emergency.Fantastic 2 person boat but imho no more.Go for 18 to 21 .Crestliners are great boats also being all welded they have some advantages also like no loose or missing rivets.Mines the opposite of what the poster needs as I despise back to back seats and they were tossed forthwith and 2 pedestal seats installed and the front seating area was gutted also.Fishing is my game not socializing so im no help from now forward.:grumpy:

 

[MTboatguy]

If you have a choice, I would go with the 18', I just bought a 16' and I can't see how it would be comfortable in your described situation, I would want more room. I am rigging ours for just my wife and I and it will be comfortable.

 

[ahicks]

<<<"ahicks - I had been browsing craigslist for any and all boats in my price range, but the SS is one of the only open bow, outboard, aluminum boats that I saw. I did see one 17' Crestliner. I will keep an eye out for others but do you have any tips on which manufacturers/models fit the same criteria?">>>

Lund is another that comes to mind. Keep looking, you'll see them! Though they don't come to mind at the moment, I think there are probably 6 or 7 brands maybe? My point was that you're going to miss out by limiting your searches to just "Starcraft".

My own experience, as long as you aren't out on big water, the 16' bowrider has plenty of room for 2 adults and 2 kids, with the occasional 2nd couple along. That's what bowriders do! The closed bow models are the ones hurting when it comes to seating 6.

Open bow 16's also do well with a couple of fishermen, and makes a great starter ski boat with an 85 on it. Light, maneuverable, and the 85 gives them enough grunt to do a good job.

I think of them like a mini SUV. About as versatile a boat as you're going to find.

The 18's and 20's are bigger and more capable no doubt, but they just spread the seating out, take more power, and don't have the light feeling of the 16. Think of them as full size SUV's.

My thoughts anyway, FWIW.

 

[ahicks]

Went shopping this morning. A few finds that may interest you -

https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/d/aluminum-sylvan/6625798554.html

https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/d/1987-blue-fin-17-feet/6635656917.html

https://monroemi.craigslist.org/boa/d/16ft-starcraft-aluminum/6603633364.html

https://nmi.craigslist.org/boa/d/1988-starcraft-18-boat/6633033867.html

 

[briangcc]

Brian (my name's Brian too) - my wife did some research and found that the USCG recommends that your kid is at least 18lb before riding on a boat. Your boys were probably close to that at 4 months and if mine was born 4 months ago I'd try to convince my wife that we'd be OK but since she is 0 months old now (still waiting, due 7/11) I think by the time she's close to 18lbs, boating season will be over. Cruel joke, right? I will definitely look into the neoprene jackets when the time comes, thanks for the tip. Judging from the prices paid by others on this site (1-2k for one that needs rebuild, 4k for one that doesn't need much work) I'm hoping that 5-6k will get me something without transom or floor issues but I will definitely be checking these things whenever I look at a boat. How can I tell if the transom is bad - wiggle the motor? Is there wood in the transom of these boats?

You're welcome on the life jacket tip. Found that out AFTER my first born decided to scream bloody murder only 15' from the dock. Then again my wife also decided to bundle him up in pants and a long sleeve shirt on a 90 degree day. Another tip...don't do what my wife did! I have (3) boys and the oldest two get their life jackets on without prompting now. We made it a habit to make them put them on before they were allowed to set foot on a dock. Another tip...have drinks/snacks for your daughter and bring toys that she likes to play with. If she's happy, you'll have a much better experience out there. And if the boat doesn't come with it, invest in a convertible or bimini top for shade.


Both of my uncles and my cousin have Sylvan boats - probably 17'-18'. They're fishing boats that can seat 4 with a couple more up in the bow on the casting platform. One uncle has a Yamaha 70/75HP outboard, cousin has a Yamaha as well, other uncle I think has a newish Evinrude - been a while since I've seen his boat.

Other options as mentioned - Lund, Crestliner, Spectrum to name a few.

Right now is not the time to be looking, Fall is. That's when everyone tries to offload their boat so they don't have to winterize/shrinkwrap/store a boat over the winter.

As for rot...step on the floor. If you go through or its squishy, you're looking at floor and transom replacement. They pretty much go hand in hand as boats rot from the bottom up, not the top down.

 

[bchaney]

Sounds like most of you vote for the 18 footer. I will go with that assuming that I can find one in good condition. I may find a way to see a both sizes with my wife. Maybe we'll go to a boat show or something. The smaller 16' boat would be easier to find and store so there are some advantages.

ahicks - Thanks for posting those Craigs links, those are some good options, I'll keep an eye out for those out here. It seems there are way more of these boats in the Midwest than out here in the pacific northwest. Here's one I found out here: https://yakima.craigslist.org/boa/d/aluminum-boat/6623974006.html

Brian - funny that you mention over-bundling your son, my daughter was born 7/7 and I just learned today that she doesn't need to wear a hat 24/7! Oops. A bimini top is definitely high the list of accessories I'll get. I plan on waiting until at least fall to buy, just trying to do some research now.

From everyone's advice in this thread and what I've read elsewhere, below are the major/expensive issues with these boats that I should ask sellers about and investigate when I'm looking myself. Let me know if I'm missing anything. Thanks for the help!

Rotten floor
Rotten transom
Loose/missing/leaking rivets
Pitting/corrosion
Engine compression
Upholstery/canvas condition
Waterlogged foam under floor - is this just a corrosion concern?
Hull cracks near ends of ribs - what year did they fix this?
​​​​
​​

 

[briangcc]

IF you have a Basspro/Cabela near by with a marine section, go check out the boats there for size. The one in my back yard has 16'-18' boats and pontoons under one roof. Great way to check size and get a general idea of features without having to wait for boat show season (around here its Feb/March).

I do not recommend buying at Basspro/Cabela as you can do a lot better fit/finish wise elsewhere.


Funny what you learn about clothing and little ones huh? My 10month old is rocking his Pampers right now due to the heat. We've given up on the clothing for the most part as he's more comfy this way unless we have to go out in public.


In an Aluminum boat, the floors and transom really aren't all that expensive to replace. You're talking a sheet or two of plywood, some sealer (check out Wood On Glass's old timers formula for an effective way to accomplish this), and some time.

The waterlogged foam is the contributor to the rotten floor. The reason this needs to be replaced is that it provides the boat floatation should it get swamped. Without it, kiss your investment good bye as it'll be in Davey Jones locker. For me, I'd be going pour in foam as that's how the factory put the boat together. Others have used the closed cell blue/pink sheet foam cut to shape/size that can be purchased at Homely Despots/Blowes. Your call as to what you want to do there but definitely put something back in.

The rib cracks you're referring to are a result of the two items above - waterlogged foam and shot floor. Running the boat with both items causes additional stress on the ribs which will crack them overtime. Some drill out the rivets, install a strengthener across the crack, and then re-rivit to correct.


**Disclaimer...I've been reading alot of resto threads on Aluminum boats as I have a green light to pick up a project for my boys Doesn't mean I'm an authority on it, just stuff I picked up along the way.

 

[bchaney]

Basspro or cabelas is a great idea, we have a couple within an hour that have boats.

You're right plywood is cheap, I guess I'm mostly concerned about issues that will take time to fix. I would love to fully restore one of these boats but I don't have time with all of the house projects I've got going on as well as the new baby. Looking for the common issues that will prevent one of these boats from being fully seaworthy. Trying to avoid surprises.

How can I check for foam without removing the floor? Would I be able to see the rib cracks from the outside of the hull?

Am I missing any other potential issues?

Thanks for all of the great info Brian, congrats on getting the OK to get a project boat from Mrs Brian, I look forward to seeing what you end up with. Gonna wait until fall?

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

Posted earlier today in the seattle craigslist is 2017 crestliner 1850 under $7000 from what i see on Craigslist this is either one of the best values out there or its got an issue.

 

[briangcc]

Thanks for all of the great info Brian, congrats on getting the OK to get a project boat from Mrs Brian, I look forward to seeing what you end up with. Gonna wait until fall?

No problem. Happy searching for your boat.

As for me...I had my eyes on a Starcraft locally. Seems to have dropped off the radar for the time being so no harm there. My oldest is 6 now and can't pilot his own boat until he's 10 (even then he needs an adult in the boat). At that point he'll need to take his Safe Boaters course as its required for him and his brothers - state law. So roughly 4 years to look...I have time!

 

[bchaney]

Subie guy, I contacted the Crestliner seller and they told me the boat is in Kansas but they'd be happy to ship it to me, all I
need to do is wire them 6500 bucks

Brian maybe your son can help you rebuild the boat. Could be a good father son project. When I was a kid you could drive anything 12 feet or less with a 10hp or less motor on it. I think you had to be at least 12 years old tho.

 

[briangcc]

Brian,

That was the general gameplan - have them help with the rebuild. That way they have something invested in it instead of just being handed something. Might just get them to take care of it just a little better. At least they'd know/appreciate the work involved too.


But hey...this is your thread. Get a boat yet??

 

[bchaney]

Well I got approval to buy a trailer hitch receiver for my truck today, so I guess I'm one step closer. Will try my best to resist buying something until fall but will watch Craigs until then.

If anyone has any other advice on what to keep an eye out for when looking at these boats, all advice appreciated.

 

[Redfred1]

I'm with Mr rude. I have Bowrider 1700 and it is ideal for 2; 4 will fit comfortable; haven't tried more than 5. Chunked the foldout seats; installed pedestals; Yep; another fishing rig. To me 5 adults; 2 kids; one or 2 ice chests; water skis and towables would take a 22-24' boat. Most of the seating would be behind the W/S which takes up space. I have found that most boats are long enough but not wide enough. I agree with several to hit different dealers and consignment locations to look to what feeds your needs. A bunch also said buying used can be a nightmare; beware! Lastly; title; registration on boat;motor and trailer. BOS's are worthless. Good luck and don't rush..My2.

 

[bchaney]

I was just looking thru this thread again and figured I should post an update and say THANK YOU to all who posted. I used the advice I got here when I looked at 2 boats, the second of which I ended up buying earlier this month. I got a 1972 Starcraft Holiday, 21' long. Most of you were recommending that I go bigger than 16', so I definitely took your advice on that. The Holiday has a closed bow so it probably has the about same seating capacity as an open bow 18 footer like the SS but we liked that it was more protected from water/wind for comfort and safety. It fits in my driveway fine, I just can't park another car there, but I probably wouldn't have been able to with a 16-18 footer either.

I looked for all the potential issues you guys mentioned so hopefully I got a solid boat with no big surprises. I also took Brian's advice and got a neoprene life jacket for the baby - she loves it! Took her out for 2 rides (including the test drive) so far and she fell asleep both times. Maybe when she's older we can restore the boat together if she's interested.

Anyway, thanks again to all and here are some pics of the boat and the baby in her luxurious neoprene life jacket.