1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

[LakeGal]

I am just embarking on renovating my 18' 1969 Starcraft Holiday. This was my family's boat when I was growing up. My dad renovated it in the 1980s for us, and now I am renovating it for my kids. I am fairly certain that the inboard/outboard motor is still operational, but the boat has not been used in quite some time. I am hoping to get by with just redoing the floor, seating, etc. because it is rotten. I just wondered if any of you experienced folk have any suggestions on where to start and on how much I can expect the renovation to cost. I will just be working on it little by little. Thanks so much for any input!

 

[boatnut74]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Welcome to the iboats drydock! There are lots of folks here willing to lend advice. If the motor was properly winterized and still turns over it should be fairly easy to get going at a minimal cost. If the floor is rotten I would check the transom as well.

Here is a ton of good reading and will help you see what your getting into. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=494143

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Welcome aboard lakegal! Does the transom need rebuilding again or just the interior?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Wow, that's really cool, multi generation family boat. Awesome!

Shoot up some photos when you have a sec so we can check out what you are working on.

Welcome to iboats!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Welcome LakeGal,

If you are willing to do what the guys here recommend, you will end up with a beautiful Family heirloom that the entire family will be proud to enjoy for many years to come...

This is the best site on the net to get all the info you will need to bring this boat back to better than new condition...

Check out this link for some info on how best to post pictures of your boat... http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=288451 ...#12, How to post pics...

Best regards,
GT1M

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

There is no greater endeavor than owning a late sixties article of maritime history!!!!! Of course I am prejudiced. pics!!!!

 

[BonairII]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Def post pics, so we can gawk...........................................................and maybe give advice, too. LOL

If floors are rotten...the transom is probably shot also.

Restoration costs are what you want them to be. You can go the budget route(the way I went) and do the basics for a few hundred....or you can go all out and spend 3 grand. It's all up to you.

Check out all of the Holiday resto threads in the Starcraft section.....plenty of info there.

 

[LakeGal]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

So, even though I first posted almost a year ago, we are just now getting the reno underway. My son was only 2 months old then, and life just got in the way!

Here are some pics of what I have to work with. I hope this can be an inexpensive renovation. We are forfeiting a vacation to get this up and running. I think it is a good decision because we expect to get many years out of it!

Hopefully, I'll get a few more pics up, but the uploader is not currently my friend.

 

[LakeGal]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

More pictures. Obviously of the inboard engine and the dilapidated, pine needle filled interior.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

It's been a while but you're back now with pics. So time for the official :welcome: to the dry dock. Hey, life happens to all of us.


Have you had a chance to try the motor yet? That might be a good place to start. Hope you can meet the schedule and get the kids out on the water.

 

[magnumdeke]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

I hope this can be an inexpensive renovation

All depends on how far you go, it is worth spending more to not have to do it again with a little tlc. Welcome back and look forward to seeing your progress!

 

[LakeGal]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

I am guessing the first step will be to take it to a shop to have the motor and wiring checked out. Crossing my fingers that all will be well! It probably hasn't run in 8 or 10 years. It was winterized, though in SC we rarely get temps low enough to bust anything.

I'm ready to get on to the fun stuff...ripping out that interior!

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

It was winterized, though in SC we rarely get temps low enough to bust anything.

Hope the motor gets a clean bill of health. I would think the same thing about freezing motors, but Craig's List sure has more boats than it should have with cracked blocks down here in GA.

Good luck and get into the fun stuff - Tearing apart a perfectly good boat.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

She's nice, yard waste and all!:thumb:

 

[LakeGal]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Well, we got her all cleaned up and looking prertty good (except for the moss on the carpet ). Took her to the shop for a check up and heard back today. The guy said the got about 3 quarts of water out of the motor. Changed the oil then tried to crank it. Said he heard lots of noise- probably a pin. Asked him if block was cracked and he said probably. Then he tried to sell me one of his used motors for $500.

Trying to decide on getting another opinion, investing in a new motor, or just forgetting about the resto.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Sorry for the bad motor news, LGal. If his $500 motor has a warranty and that includes installation (doubtful), it's still worth considering.

 

[Rowdy1]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Hey all,

I'm lakegal's other half. I went by the mechanic today to get an idea what was going on, and the mechanic couldn't recreate the problem. He blamed it on a battery issue even though he had a charger connected to it. When I told him I'd be by Monday to pick up the boat and pay him for looking at it, he offered to pay me $200 and not charge me for looking at it if I just left it.

Background on me.
Electrical or Carpentry I'm fine doing and have all the tools I need to do what's needed to repair the boat.
Mechanical I've never done more than change my own oil, brake pads, etc... basic mechanical stuff, which is why I took the motor to the mechanic in the first place. I don't have any trouble learning how to do anything, just haven't had a need to yet.

What I've been told about the boat from the mechanic.

-he said he pulled 3 quarts of water from the motor.
-he got the motor to start yesterday, and said he heard a rod banging inside a cylinder.
-he assumes the block is cracked since there's water in the engine, but hasn't verified.
-he said he changed the oil and replaced the plugs before starting the engine.

Here are my questions:
If there is a issue with a rod, is it possible for me to check without having to pull the entire motor out of the boat, and if so, is it possible (or wise) to try to fix it?
Assuming the block is cracked or there is a problem with the rod in one (or more) cylinders, what options do I have?

I really don't want to scrap the boat (and I'm certainly not going to for $200), but I can't drop 3-5k on a new motor right now either.

Any thoughts? Sorry for the long post and thanks for your time everyone.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Welcome Rowdy. You can't do much to the bottom end of the motor while it's in the boat. There just isn't enough room to drop the pan and get to the rods.

What you can do is remove the head while the motor is in place and look at the cylinder bores for rust. And you can rotate the motor with a ratchet and push on the pistons feeling for slop. If it's knocking as bad as the mechanic says, you might be able to feel something.

Also the head can be examined, again looking for a rusty cylinder. Most likely the block is cracked and replacement is the best thing to do.

$200 for the Holiday, ask him what he wants for the bridge. Has he said how much to install his $500 used motor? It just could be the way to go.

Sorry you and LakeGal are having problems, but they aren't insurmountable. If the block is cracked, you need a donor motor. If it's a rod or bearing, the motor can be fixed after making sure the block isn't cracked. You might be learning some new skills, but nothing real difficult or overwhelming.

Hoping you guys get on the water soon.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Sorry you and LakeGal are having problems, but they aren't insurmountable. If the block is cracked, you need a donor motor*.

*A fiberglass boat, one with a good motor, and possibly a decent trailer, can often be found on CL or elsewhere for less then $500. Then you can gut the fiberglass boat (do what you please with the empty hull, see Jasoutside for advice) sell off any salvageable parts & pieces, perhaps recycle the windshield onto your Holiday, sell the trailer and hope to get a decent motor & outdrive (or rebuildable cores) for little or no money.

EDIT: the iboats server is working over time today.... Censored the donkey off the end of the word fiberglass :facepalm:

 

[lokonn]

Re: 1969 Starcraft Holiday Renovation--1st Timer and Just Starting

Is the mechanic someone that you were refferd to or know anything about? I know things can happen and problems can't be duplicated often enough, but seems odd that he would offer you $200 and not charge you for new plugs and labor etc. Maybe I'm being cynical, but I hear enough stories on the automotive side from my customers that what you described got my ''spidey'' senses going. I have heard of people getting sold used parts that were actually their parts re-sold to them. Just don't want to see someone get taken advantage of. Good Luck and welcome to iboats.