1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

[DekeBlue]

I recently acquired this boat to help on some graduate research I'm doing and it's turned into a bit of a project. The floor needs to be replaced and as long as I'm at it, I decided to do some minor restoration to it. I do have some questions about a couple of items.

In the splashwell picture, What is the purpose of the black rack?

Is there somewhere to get the original paint color?

I'm debating replacing the motor. It is a 100hp Johnson Hydro-Electric shift. It runs currently although I had to replace the prop seals and really need to replace the drive shaft seal. If anything more serious occurs, I'm not sure I can afford to repair it given the scarcity of parts and a definite lack of enthusiasm from my local marine repair.

 

[bananaboater]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

In the splashwell picture, what is the purpose of the black rack?

That is mysterious. Obviously an add on by a PBO.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

Most likley had a cooler mounted there or a fishing platrorm . It has no function for the boat.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

I agree with Ed, that black rack was to keep a large cooler attached to put freshly caught salmon on ice.

Nice rig, welcome to iboats. I'd imagine to get that avocado color you would have to mix it custom.

 

[DekeBlue]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

The picture of the rail has an aluminum plate with an x shaped opening. What was that for?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

Hey neighbor, welcome to iboats and the Starcraft bro hood. I like your rig! What sort of work did you have in mind with her?

Cheers!

 

[DekeBlue]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

I plan on renovating the interior. I'm not going to 'restore' it to original. I need to replace the floor, carpet, rebuild the dash, paint or carpet the side panels, strip the side wells of the covering and paint, build doors for the area under the splashwell, replace the seats with a couple pedestal seats, remove all the extra junk and fix holes. I think I'll rewire it while I'm at it.

I think I may try to repaint the exterior next year and see about getting a bimini top.

The trailer's in good shape but needs paint and carpet.

Not much to do really

I do research near shore on Lake Michigan and need a boat that can handle bigger water. I also want to do some fishing and maybe some tubing with it.

My budget's extremely limited as a student with a 16 year old at home.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

My first thought wasnt a cooler rack..But that I wonder if it was fabbed in to strengthen a weak transom?

 

[DekeBlue]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

The rack doesn't touch the transom and the transom is in good shape. I thought it might be original equipment because it is riveted in with rivets similar to others on the boat.

 

[Daltonxj]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

just curios whats the top part of the dash made out of.. my '79 holidy has the same setup but i'm missing the top part of it....

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

Nice boat! Welcome to the Starmada. Your 100 is a great motor for that hull if it's running well but I agree you probably don't want to sink much coin into it.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

The picture of the rail has an aluminum plate with an x shaped opening. What was that for?

It looks like a fitting to hold a light or flag or something to me. Does the rig have a separate light base at the stern of the boat for the 1-mile white light?

 

[bananaboater]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

Back to the rack. It looks "professionally" made to fit the slopes of the splashwell. And the fishing pole (?) tube behind it says to me anything put on top would make that inoperable. But it looks like steel with a bit of rust so that suggests not a SC part. There are a couple of steel screw eyes to the side too that may be associated. Still mysterious to me.

 

[DekeBlue]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

just curios whats the top part of the dash made out of.. my '79 holidy has the same setup but i'm missing the top part of it....

The dash cover is pretty soft. It's vinyl covering a softer wood I think to allow it to bend to the shape of the dash. Seems like chip board. I'll let you know for sure when I pull it off.

 

[DekeBlue]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

It looks like a fitting to hold a light or flag or something to me. Does the rig have a separate light base at the stern of the boat for the 1-mile white light?

There's a mount like this on each rail near the back of the boat directly across from each other. I don't think it's a rod holder mount since there are 3 obvious mounts on each rail already.

I do have a separate light mount on the driver's side rear.

Mounts for a ski tower maybe?

 

[DekeBlue]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

Back to the rack. It looks "professionally" made to fit the slopes of the splashwell. And the fishing pole (?) tube behind it says to me anything put on top would make that inoperable. But it looks like steel with a bit of rust so that suggests not a SC part. There are a couple of steel screw eyes to the side too that may be associated. Still mysterious to me.

It fit's perfectly and it is steel. I think the rod holder is an add on and I'm not sure about the eyes. There are a few of them scattered around the boat that look like they were added later.

There was a threaded rod running across the beam through 2 holes on the rack near the motor. I removed it because the motor cover kept hitting it while I raised the motor all the way up to work on the prop seals.

 

[DekeBlue]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

I had some time this afternoon so I started the demo. Floor is in pretty bad shape. If I have time tomorrow, I'll try pulling the floor in pieces so I can use it as a template.

Are the big head rivets available at any of the big box stores and can I use my Sears rivet gun? Do people replace their rivets with a different/better fastener?

 

[CBGale2]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

Im going with cooler holder on the rack, eye bolts are there to strap it down. And the plates on the rail where for downriggers or rod holders. Could have been the mounts for a downrigger rail that would have run across the back of the boat also. Which would explain why the cooler was placed up top so you could lean against the back rail and not have to step around a cooler while your fighting fish. Bet this was a salmon machine on the big lake at one time.

 

[oggy1971]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

I have the same boat but a 1972 and I have gutted the inside,pulled the transome out! My boat is the same color green. post lots of pictures so I can see what and how you are doing.
Thanks Oggy

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1971 18' Starcraft Holiday

I hope those seats work out for you, next time we meet at Sanford Lake I hope to see the avocado Holiday on the water

I wish we had a similar place to boat around here, but I will probably be heading back to Sanford again this summer, great place to spend a weekend with a Stacraft.