1966 starcraft chieftain

[bogee]

Well our inflatable dam is up, water looking good, now when the rain stops its time to get this thing in the water for a shakedown cruise!

 

[bogee]

All went fairly well, need a little adjustment on the throttle linkage, going into reverse is fine, for forward have to slam it quick or it dies. I think it just needs tweaked for the kill switch.

 

[Watermann]

Good to hear, that's the sort of shakedown that we look for, smooth with one adjustment. Looks like the fisher ladies got to out too :thumb:

 

[bogee]

Everything in good order with the boat, still gotta tinker adjusting the forward and reverse, it's almost there, just ratchets a tiny bit going into reverse. Now for the trailer, a 76 teenee. Can't get bearings, don't need them yet but one problem is the old surge brakes. If they are there the trailer needs inspected. If it's titled 3000# or under you don't need brakes, but if you have them they need to be on both axles. My trailer is registered at 3000# so i don't need them. Took it to the scales, weighed in with a full tank of fuel, 26 gallons and all the gear at 3220. Brought it home, ripped the old surge tongue off and replaced with a simple new 5000# one. that alone took 90 pds. off the tongue weight and overall, ripped the old brake drums and junk hydraulic brakes off and saved another 25#. I think i'm going to just get 2 new 2200# axles with electric brakes and hang them under next winter and for this year just keep it empty when traveling any long distance. I don't think I will have a problem getting it recertified for 3500#. Or maybe just put the new axles on and keep it empty or not, never seen them pull a boat into the scales.

 

[Watermann]

Yeah can't go wrong having more stopping power. I've thought about electric brakes, will probably get some for my 22' Islander on the tandem as it will be heavy compared to my 18'rs.

 

[bogee]

Been awhile since I was on here. Boat is all tucked in for winter now. Had a lot of fun with it this summer. Did manage to get a trip in to lake Ontario for some salmon fishing. We watched the NOAA forecast and headed up to Sodus Point for fun day of fishing. Waved were supposed to be 1-2 feet on the lake. The bay was smooth, however as soon as we cleared the breaker wall we had 4 foot swells, some pushed 6 feet. The boat took it well, myself and the friend that went along not so well. The next day we felt like we did in high school football after the first 2 a day practices. LOL Anyhow we spent 5 hrs out trolling, caught a couple of nice lake trout but it wasn't easy in those conditions. Opted for Senaca lake the next day as that was on the way home. The forecastwas calling for rough water the next day on the big lake. Senaca was great, picked up a lot of fish on fishfinder but just couldn't get them to bite, the trip was fun.I was rather impressed with the old boat, after bouncing around for 5 hrs on the big lake, we fished the bay a couple of hrs and when we pulled it out I got about a dixie cup of water after pulling the plug. After the 4 hr tow home though I noticed the rubber roller had worn a hole in the bow from the boucing on the trailer. Will fix that in the spring, thinking of marine texing a heavy patck on the front of the bow, a heavier piece of aluminim for a wear plat and getting rid of the rubber roller thebow nests into and replacing with a carpeted do dad. Oh and watching the grand daughter working to reelin a 22 inch catfish out of the susquehanna here at home was priceless. She looked like she was fighting a 400 lb tuna, was that excited she was shaking. Boat is a lot of fun!

 

[Watermann]

Sounds like a great summer... BUT a season on the water and we get zero pics? Ca-mon!

 

[bogee]

I got a video camera, next summer with the grand daughter we are going to do our own series "Wicked Catfish on the Susquehanna"! LOL

 

[bogee]

Even though the boat ran great last year, I think it's time for plugs, wires, distributor cap, points and condenser. The engine sat never fired for 20 yrs, it was brand new. Thinking the plug wires may be getting a little brittle, and the rest don't cost much, then I will have a spare with me in my tool box in the boat!

 

[bogee]

I thought about converting to electronic ignition, but thinking way back to my old heaps I used to drive, usually when the points started going bad or the condenser it gave some warning, these new electronic things just stop!

 

[Watermann]

Those old heaps will take an EMP blast and still keep going :lol: