Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

[rgbrez]

Hi all,
I have been following this board for some time now... and well I thought it about time that I start posting and the perfect opportunity threw itself at me this afternoon when i stopped to see a 1988 Starcraft SS180. Its a bit rough. But, I think it could make a great boat. My major concern is my lack of experience with some of the more major repairs that may be required. ie Transom, stringers, engine etc... The local marine service folks were not overly comforting. I was told that a transom would set me back roughly $4k. Trying to sell a new boat I suspect.

Of course I took some pictures of the boat (I hope I add them in right)
Let me know your thoughts... I have seen a lot of Starcraft enthusiast on this board so I'm hopin for some candid feedback.
Thanks all!
Bob

 

[5150abf]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Please see if the marina folks will send me some of what they are smoking, must be pretty good.

That is an aluminum boat, the stringers will never ever rot because they are aluminum as is the hull also and the transom is simply 2 pieces of 3/4 plywood glued together, I did my last one in a day including waiting for the glue to dry, I think if cost $40.

Put your foot on the cavitation plate above the prop and slowly put your weight on it, if the transom moves less than 1/8-1/4'' it is fine and doesn't need replaced and even if it does if you cna use basic hand tools and a jig saw you can change it yourself.

The boat certainly looks used and seems to be all original, mine had that awful brown astro turf when I got it too, btu it certainly has some life left in it.

I have an 81 Sea-Nymph that looked really similar when I got it and it has done me well, completely rebuilt it from the keel up and painted the hull so few people can tell it is 30 years old.

I don't care for the water in the bilge, could mean a hull leak or loose rivets so inspect the hull really well especially the bow where the baot would beach, that spot is really had to fix.

 

[Greendiver]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Agreed, spend some time and check out the Restoration and Starcraft forums here on iboats... You will find plenty of info and inspiration there!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Welcome to iboats!!

Those marina folks are taking some goo drugs!!!

Take a look at this link that will lead you to (only some) the Starcraft Restorations http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=385090

Nothing is hard to do on an aluminum hull ...... I know people who would kill to have that Starcraft SS in 18'.

The true question is....... find out more information about the motor. The motor is a good place to start..... the hull work is simple.

 

[rgbrez]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Hey guys thanks for the comments... I am getting the sense that I should be able to handle the repairs. But, as suggested I will need to have another look at the hull and also need to have the motor checked out by someone familiar with Yamaha outboards.

As for the water in the bilge, I was wondering the same ? why is there water in the boat. So far as I can tell, the boat is stored out side at a trailer park with a partial top and the plug is still in it? Why would he have left the plug in??? This does start to raise my concern that maybe the boat & motor has been neglected.

I have attached a couple of more reference images (only 5 at a time)? now time to call the guy and see if he?ll move on the price.

I have 1 more question ? how do I confirm the yr of the boat & how many owners it?s had???

Thanks again for the comments / answers & keep?em commin.

 

[rgbrez]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Hey all one more I forgot to attach the last go around... wanted opinions on this. Why use caulking? Is this a probable point of leak / failure.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

If the plug is left in an it has rained recently there is where your water came from,but....

Leaving water sit in a hull will waterlog your foam and to fix that you have to remove the deck and pull all the wet foam out which requires taking the entire boat apart to the keel.

Try to pick up the tongue, if the boat seems to be way to heavy I would really question the foam, it isn't impossible to do but it is quite a job.

Don't know that you can get a car fax on a boat, you can find out exactly what year it is though by putting your HIN onto a website I can't remember right now, someone will get it up.

At the very least I would hear the engine run, on muffs of coarse, and get a compression reading, that will tell you alot about how healthy the engine is.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Wow I was shocked when I looked at the capacity plackard in that one picture. I would have never dreamed that boat would be rated for 8 persons. Must be due to weight, here in Florida we aren't used to aluminum boats. A fiberglass boat that size would probably have a capacity of 6 persons and 900 lbs. Maybe it just looks smaller in the picture though.

 

[dave11]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Starcrafts are nice boats. You should be able to pick up one that doesn't need much or any work, let alone $4000 in repairs.

 

[rgbrez]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Agreed... the owner wasn?t very flexible with his posted $4k price tag... and since some quick research indicated about $3-$4K in repairs. My search will continue else where. Too bad, despite the horrific colour i liked the boat.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Not sure what part of Ontario you are in but if you're near Windsor you might as well drive to Michigan and buy a boat in that condition for about 1k.

It is a buyer's market here to say the least.

4k for the transom sounds like scare tactics to me. I haven't even spent 1k on my Starcraft restoration and I've done everything except the transom and exterior paint.

Good luck to ya!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

That's a nice hull. Trailer looks decent too. I can't tell what motor is on it. If the motor runs I'd say it would be worth about $1500-$2k here in it's current condition.

 

[rgbrez]

Re: Starcraft - Should I / Will I buy???

Huron, I'm not too far NE of London Ont. Roughly 2 hrs from the border. I will be passing through MI this weekend. I did look into the logistics of importing a boat... not too terribly complicated. But, when I saw this in the local adds I was fairly encouraged. I have been keeping an eye out in MI and NY - the states that are closer to me.

EZ the motor is a 88 70hp Yamaha with tilt & trim. I have not heard it run. The tilt and trim work well. The seller said it ran great. My rational was that I wanted to have the seller agree on a price before having the motor tested. That effectively reduces my cost exposure. He did also have a kicker on the boat. It is for sale in a separate add. The separate add says it was a back up motor. I specifically asked if the big motor ever let him down, he said no