My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

[classiccat]

Thread Index:
Page-1 3/25/2013 to 3/25/2013

• Tinny Purchase
• Mob Introductions

Page-2 3/25/2013 to 4/7/2013

• Evinrude LU Removal
• Evinrude LU Leak Revealed
• Evinrude Compression test (good tester)
• Evinrude Ignition Upgrades

Page-3 4/7/2013 to 4/22/2013

• Pulling the Outboard Motor
• Evinrude LU bolt extraction
• Interior Demolition
• Transom Removal
• Cracked Kneebrace Revealed
• Bad Trailer Rollers Revealed
• Worn Spray Rail Revealed

Page-4 4/22/2013 to 5/7/2013

• Interior Epoxy Removal
• Interior Hull Corrosion Revealed
• Evinrude H2O Intake Screen Replacement
• Evinrude Carb Rebuild
• Evinrude Dirty Fuel Pump

Page-5 5/12/2013 to 5/20/2013

• Powerpilot Rebuild & Upgrades
• Bent Hull Revealed (Port outer chine)
• New Steering Wheels
• Evinrude Thermostat Replacement

Page-6 5/22/2013 to 6/2/2013

• Evinrude Bent Exh Housing Revealed
• Evinrude Powerhead Removal
• Evinrude disassembly
• Spray Rail hole patch (part1)

Page-7 6/2/2013 to 6/11/2013

• Evinrude skeg fix
• Evinrude Inner-exhaust assy
• Exterior Paint Stripping (Zip)
• Evinrude Exhaust cover removal

Page-8 6/15/2013 to 6/25/2013

• Evinrude Tell-tail
• Evinrude Head Removal
• Exterior Paint Stripping (Zip)

Page-9 6/25/2013 to 7/8/2013

• Exterior Paint/Epoxy Stripping
• 1-Man Flip (Hard way)
• Rib-end Cracks Revealed
• Bow Corrosion Revealed

Page-10 7/8/2013 to 7/21/2013

• Evinrude Paint
• Fancy Schmancy Bow / Stern replacement lights

Page-11 7/21/2013 to 7/29/2013

• Evinrude Assembly

Page-12 7/29/2013 to 8/10/2013

• Evinrude Assy
• Evinrude Testfire

Page-13 8/10/2013 to 8/23/2013

• Evinrude Leak

Page-14 8/23/2013 to 9/3/2013

• Exterior Rib-end patches
• 1-Man Flip (Easy way)
• Evinrude Leak Fixed

Page-15 9/3/2013 to 9/6/2013

• Hull bend
• Epoxy Plugs in Plywood

Page-16 9/6/2013 to 9/9/2013

• Corrosion
• Nyalox Corrosion Removal
• Carpet glue Stripping
• Rivet Removal

Page-17 9/9/2013 to 9/22/2013

• Corrosion
• Knee brace removal
• Paint Stripping

Page-18 9/22/2013 to 9/30/2013

• Gunwale cap rivets
• Exterior Rib-end patches

Page-19 9/30/2013 to 10/12/2013

• Gunwale cap rivets
• Rear Seam Rivet Removal

Page-20 10/12/2013 to 12/9/2013

• SR/OC Bracing

Page-21 12/9/2013 to 12/20/2013

• SR/OC Bracing

Page-22 12/20/2013 to 12/29/2013

• SR/OC Bracing

Page-23 12/29/2013 to 12/30/2013

• Bow corrosion

Page 24 12/31/2013 to 01/03/2013

• SR/OC Bracing
• Bow Rib Removal (check for corrosion)

Page 25 01/03/2014 to 01/07/2014

• SR/OC Bracing
• Rib end Patches (Port Side)
• Cleco Suggestion

Page 26 01/07/2014 to 01/10/2014

• Vulcan Cannon (Off topic...but cool!)
• 40sqft of Tin!
• Mob Request to lengthen & widen the SS

Page 27 01/10/2014 to 01/14/2014

• Cracked Knee-brace Repair; Clecos put to use.
• Transom Z-bracket Removed

Page 28 01/14/2014 to 01/20/2014

• Inner Hull Corrosion Treatments
• Transom Bracket idea (for transducers, speedos, etc.)

Page 29 01/20/2014 to 01/22/2014

• Inner Hull Corrosion Treatments
• Transom Skin Corrosion; Dremel action
• Drain fitting replacement

Page 30 01/22/2014 to 01/26/2014

• Drain fitting replacement
• Bow Deck Design 1.0

Page 31 01/26/2014 to 02/03/2014

• Battery Placement Discussion
• Transom skin corrosion filling

Page 32 02/03/2014 to 02/09/2014

• External kneebrace patch on bottom hull skin
• Speedo/'Ducer bracket fab & dry-fit

Page 33 02/09/2014 to 02/16/2014

• external knee-brace patches
• bow patch
• internal rib-end patch
• spray-rail patch

Page 34 02/16/2014 to 2/28/2014

• Spray rail patch continued (formed and holes transferred)
• Admiral's 1st shot at Riveting! Bow rib (removed to check for corrosion)

Page 35 02/28/2014 to present

• Rework JB weld behind spray rail patch
• JB-weld holes in gunwales
• Riveted Transom z-brace, exterior knee-brace patches, rear seam and knee-brace

Page 36 03/16/2014 to 03/20/2014

• Mob trying to get me to bite on a '75 135Hp

Page 37 03/20/2014 to 3/23/2014

• Trailer Demo
• Trailer Axle/Suspension/Setup plans

Page 38 03/23/2014 to 3/29/2014

• Trailer talk

Page 39 03/30/2014 to 04/01/2014

• Port Bow Rib Riveted in place
• Foam Acquired
• Bow corrosion patch complete
• Trailer talk: axle & spring sizes

Page 40 04/01/2014 to 04/06/2014

• Rusty Chevy Talk
• Transom rough cut
• New Trailer spring centers

Page 41 04/06/2014 to 04/12/2014

• Transom lamination plan
• BK Onion Rings vs. White Castle

Page 42 04/13/2014 to present

• Laminating a transom using epoxy/cabosil

Recently I found myself gravitating to the Starcraft restoration threads. Specifically the SuperSport open bow is a configuration that really suits big river fishing; anchored-up and fishing as many rods as possible off of stern.

I restored a BlueFin Seahawk a few years back...and to be honest, I'm not mentally prepared for jumping back in the saddle again considering that I'm still making improvements to my current boat (console upgrades, transom replacement, final hull painting).

The problem is that my boat is on the small side and my buddies and I (as well as the fish!) aren't getting any lighter/smaller :lol:

For about 1 week, I communicated with a CL seller offering a 1975 18' SS for $2k.

We traded emails and I learned about the boat as well as kept tabs on another potential buyer. Once the other guy backed-out, I started planning my 4hr trek to meet the sellers/boat and hopefully make a deal! With some great advice several iboats members & my own personal experience, I went into the meeting with the seller well-prepared. The asking price IMO is reasonable if it only requires some minor cosmetic upgrades.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

I want to start by saying that the previous owners are a very personable couple who enjoyed 20 years in this boat and took alot of pride in it.

That was immediately evident when seller's wife gave me a tour of the boat giving me a brief glimpse into the great memories that that their family accrued over 2 decades! A beautiful couple who I plan to stay in touch with as the boat is restored to its former self.

I was quick to board the vessel and as someone who has recently done a rebuild, my senses were honed-in on the imperfections rather than the "what's-to-be"! I will say that from the outside, this SS's hull is in awesome shape; no dents & minimal corrosion. The only leak that they experienced came at the hand of a stray drillbit.

The floor was a little springy however no "spongy" feel whatsoever. The seller replaced the original floor with 1/2" marine ply in 1993 and the boat has been garage kept ever since. The carpet has alot of mileage yet still would be capable of a few more years of use if I decide to delay a resto. The foam near towards the bow was actually custom cut by the Seller and was dry as a whistle; no signs of being water logged.

The splashwell did have some cracking & separation from the gunwale...nothing that some angle iron & JB can't fix.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

The consoles are in decent shape however It's missing the center section; I don't think that this will be too difficult to fabricate...or maybe one of you has an extra laying around

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

The bow area is what made me so interested in this design/layout.

we prefer direct access to the bow for anchoring. It's also the business end for catching bait!!

I made a casting deck for my 16' however I don't like being this high on the most unstable spot on the boat!

...get me some syrup

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

The sellers hooked-up the muffs and then guided me through the cold-start procedures of an evinrude (a procedure that I'm quite familiar with). The 70Hp evinrude jumped to life immediately however I noticed no water coming from the powerhead (I unsure whether or not this motor had a telltail)... the motor sounded AWESOMELY ANGRY...and as it idled beautifully! Being cautious when not seeing a stream of water, I asked the seller, "when was the last time that you changed the water pump"? Lets just say that this LU wasn't dropped since Willie-boy Clinton's 1st term!! I gave the seller the signal to cut the engine and almost started packing my tool boxes because a compression test would reveal an obvious disaster....right???

I went forward with setting-up the engine for a compression check, guiding the sellers through the process..removed the plugs, inspected, checked the gap (they were wet), grounded the plug wires, disconnect the fuel line, jump the solenoid & hooked up the comp gauge.

I cranked the big boy over testing the #1 cylinder over, 102psi. I was a little concerned because I was expecting 120-140 however this engine wasn't given time to warm-up. I tested the 2nd cylinder, 101 psi (Wow, 2 cylinders matched!) OK, there's some hope...and I proceeded to the 3rd cylinder...102psi! SAAAAWEEETT!

20 years ago, the motor was diagnosed as having a miss...and was predicted to be a parts motor by that OB tech. During the minute-or-so that it ran while I was there, I couldn't hear anything beyond the typical fuel issues of a motor that hasn't had qualified TLC in a quite loooong time...a little sneeze but otherwise seemed like relatively a healthy idle.

With good compression, I'm fairly confident that replacing the 3 cracked coils, decarb, service the carbs & fuel pump...oh and change-out this beauty-of-a-prop, ths bulletproof 70Hp will be growling again putting this SS on plane with minimal effort! I am a little concerned about 2 rusty head bolts.

Jeremy (EZ) wanted to take this out for a test run since I was in his neighborhood however the unknown condition of the aged water pump put the kibosh on our plans. When I drop the LU, i'm going to drain, vacuum/pressure test it. I'll probably reseal it regardless of the results.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

The trailer is in decent shape...several of the keel rollers are nothing more than something rubbery for the hull to rest on...and they're all a few inches out of adjustment :joyous: Also, I'd also like to see the boat moved forward several inches to avoid getting a hook in the hull from the rear rollers (which i'll probably replace with carpeted bunks).

We already retrofitted the trailer with LEDs.

Unfortunately I couldn't bring myself to giving this wonderful couple their asking price despite the fact that I was prepared to pay asking when I pulled into their driveway. I predict after the 1st run in their new custom crestliner, they'll have forgotten about the difference!

Anyways, I'm currently stranded with a busted brake-line in Pennsylvania (about 200 miles away from home) and consequently have alot of time to contemplate how to proceed with this project :lol:

Cosmetically the boat leaves little to be desired yet once the motor is serviced and electrical is brought up-to-speed, the rig is fully functional. With some long overdue TLC on this engine, I may delay the resto for a season-or-2...what do you think? :lol:

 

[ezmobee]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Well I don't have anything to add that I didn't already comment on in person. Thanks for bringing it by my place to check out! Hopefully you can get back on the road soon.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Well I don't have anything to add that I didn't already comment on in person. Thanks for bringing it by my place to check out! Hopefully you can get back on the road soon.

I figured that I'd help you out a little with your boating-withdrawal symptoms!

I have to say, I was impressed by your willingness to hit the water despite freezing temperatures & +15mph winds! Your BWS condition is unquestionably in its advanced stages! :lol:

 

[AJGeorge]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Well being kind of new here myself here is my .02 worth. You still have the bluefin to fish out of so restore now, material probably won't get any cheaper. Plus there may be a bad transom issue since the splashwell has some cracks. I quess I just need another thread to follow anyway, btw I like the fishin pics and your new boat.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Congrats on your purchase, welcome to the Club. I just pulled the trigger on the same boat except this is what I bought.

You got a great deal. If the transom looks as solid as the rest of the boat I would run it for a season or two before you dig into a full restoration so you can get an idea of the little things you would like to do .

That 3 cyl Johnson is a bulletproof motor. By looking at the age of your motor it very well may be original (from the story most likely) and I don't think the 75-76 years johnson motors had the indicator. Look at the top of the exhaust manifold on the port side and see if there is a brass fitting coming out of the top, additionally look at the top of the cylinder head if it has an indicator than there will be a hose running to the bottom of the cowling. I sincerely don't believe it does.

Either way after that long the water pump needs to be changed.

Well done on a bullet proof rig and motor.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Congrats on your purchase, welcome to the Club. I just pulled the trigger on the same boat except this is what I bought.

.

thanks Sig! That picture looks like a well fertilized planting bed! :lol:

the transom shows no sign of rot on the exposed forward side however there is a little flex. Only the SB side of the splashwell separated from the gunwale; port side is still connected...which is the side that's cracked maybe due to the unbalanced load on it?

I suppose technically I have already started the resto...I removed the seats yesterday!

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Well being kind of new here myself here is my .02 worth. You still have the bluefin to fish out of so restore now, material probably won't get any cheaper. Plus there may be a bad transom issue since the splashwell has some cracks. I quess I just need another thread to follow anyway, btw I like the fishin pics and your new boat.

Sound advice AJG! Thanks!!!

 

[AJGeorge]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Uh oh, we know how it goes from here. "I suppose technically I have already started the resto...I removed the seats yesterday! " Just kidding it seems your checking it all out.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

thanks Sig! That picture looks like a well fertilized planting bed! :lol:

the transom shows no sign of rot on the exposed forward side however there is a little flex. Only the SB side of the splashwell separated from the gunwale; port side is still connected...which is the side that's cracked maybe due to the unbalanced load on it?

I suppose technically I have already started the resto...I removed the seats yesterday!

haha and the seller told me my floor may actually be good still

It never hurts to go ahead and get the resto over with anyway yours should be fairly simple and straight forward. You will have good templates for everything. Again Congrats, if you have any questions feel free to ask, you can look up my current resto thread in the hull building section. Its coming along slowly but life slows things up a bit sometimes.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Welcome to the Starmada, BlueFin. Just a couple of comments. Maybe the miss was an out of balance prop. And if you have any movement in the transom

there is a little flex

that's not good. Bad transom wood can lead to cracked splashwells. All in all, looks like you got a solid SS. You just need to get her home from the wilds of PA. May your drydock stay be short!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Just thought I'd swing through and say welcome to iboats and the Starcraft brohood! Excellent rig you found there:thumb:

(oh yah, I'm with the guys there ^^^ swap out that transom too)

Rock on:rockon:

 

[dozerII]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

What they all say and welcome to the Starmada. Great boat, you will like it a lot.

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Welcome aboard!

Just thought I'd swing through and say welcome to iboats and the Starcraft brohood! Excellent rig you found there:thumb:

(oh yah, I'm with the guys there ^^^ swap out that transom too)

Rock on:rockon:

Welcome back Jason!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Nice rig! I'd def go all in and replace that transom, any flex is flex and flex isnt good.
Can you post more pics? lol..Excellent job and detailed pics!
Welcome to the insanity of all things Starcraft

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

haha and the seller told me my floor may actually be good still

It never hurts to go ahead and get the resto over with anyway yours should be fairly simple and straight forward. You will have good templates for everything. Again Congrats, if you have any questions feel free to ask, you can look up my current resto thread in the hull building section. Its coming along slowly but life slows things up a bit sometimes.

Will do Sig! I'm very fortunate to have a floor that's intact for reference! Good luck on your resto as well!!

Welcome to the Starmada, BlueFin. Just a couple of comments. Maybe the miss was an out of balance prop. And if you have any movement in the transom that's not good. Bad transom wood can lead to cracked splashwells. All in all, looks like you got a solid SS. You just need to get her home from the wilds of PA. May your drydock stay be short!

Thanks again for the guidance GaB! That really helped going into the inspection & negotiations!

The truck is in good hands but my wallet took a beating :facepalm: 4 calipers, 4 flex lines, all brake lines being swapped-out with stainless...if this work were being done in NY, i'd be paying 60% more so I'm fortunate in that regard!

Just thought I'd swing through and say welcome to iboats and the Starcraft brohood! Excellent rig you found there:thumb:

(oh yah, I'm with the guys there ^^^ swap out that transom too)

Rock on:rockon:

Thanks for the warm welcome! point-taken on the transom!