1970’s StarCraft 21’ Cuddy Cabin

[AlamoJack]

Hi everybody. By way of introducing myself, first off: Before last Sunday I basically knew nothing about boats. I gave my cousin some rolls of barbed wire, and his way of saying thanks was to give me this boat. I do believe he got the better deal.

It was his father-in-laws, and my cousin stripped the entire interior with the intent of remodeling it. What I have is a pile of aluminum brackets, some odds and ends, and a bit of a mystery. After finding this forum and looking at pictures, I have a pretty good idea of what it SHOULD look like. It has the online 6 inboard engine, which was rebuilt shortly before the boat was gutted. The outdrive was locked up, but after I removed it and soaked the linkage it freed up and seems to be OK. I’ve got a bellows kit coming to replace the cracked ones.

At the moment, I think I have two puzzles. I have no idea where the original dual fuel tanks were located. My cousin had put an obscenely large below deck tank it that wasn’t remotely below deck. I ripped that out and rebuilt the aluminum stringers he cut out, and now would like to find some proper tanks and put them back where they go.

Second, when I got it the cabin windshield was cracked. While steam cleaning the boat, I put some weight on the nose of the cabin and the roof pushed down, separating from the windshield. Now I have more cracks. Looking from underneath, there seems to be no framing or support brackets. I find it hard to believe that that section wouldn’t be designed to carry at least a little weight. Does anyone have any pictures of the ceiling area at the very front of the bow?

So far, I’ve finished shredding the interior of the boat. I ripped out the floor, got some of it recut today, still have to stain and varnish. I believe I’ve puzzled out the cabin wall. Thankfully he didn’t toss the door and trim.

Here’s a couple pics - pardon the mess. It started raining about the time Em and I got the stringers fixed and I didn’t get any after pictures.

 

[1975oday22]

by the looks of it it maybe a 74. chieftain 21 ft. lots of pics on this site to show you everything also look for starcraft chieftain on google

 

[AlamoJack]

I figured early 70’s. I’ve been digging through posts on here, but those two items I have yet to find. Google hasn’t been a ton of help either. I figured I’d come across what I’m looking for sooner or later, just seemed I might get the answer faster by asking directly.

 

[1975oday22]

to answer one of your questions. I can stand on my roof and it does not budge. im 150lbs. i can also stand on the bow and it not budge. and as far as i know the duel tanks were in side of the gunwhales at the back.
basically the same just smaller

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[1975oday22]

and this one wich is 74 as well and is a good friend of mine redoing his 25 ft. hope these help ya out....

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[AlamoJack]

Now - that’s the term I was looking for. The cabin roof itself is solid, it’s the top of the bow that bows down with any real weight. I’m 190, but I only put one foot maybe a foot inwards on the bow to steady myself (most of my weight on the ladder) and it popped down and out from the windshield.

I kinda guessed the tanks should be in the back, but it doesn’t make sense since the filler cap is up by the steering wheel.

 

[1975oday22]

post pics of the rear of your boat and where the gas cap is.... it might have been a long run for filler

 

[AlamoJack]

I’ll take some tomorrow. There’s a whole lotta holes in the top of this boat, it’s possible the filler cap doesn’t even go where it is. I’ll take a bunch of pics and put them up here for people to analyze.

 

[1975oday22]

in the meantime check you private msg ......

 

[1975oday22]

here is some pics to help you get started

 

[Moserkr]

Welcome @AlamoJack !! Lots of pictures are always appreciated, especially when you have a big puzzle to finish. Cool thing about these old aluminum boats is that they can be customized to whatever suits your needs. Its all fairly simple once you figure out what goes where, and you came to the right place to find out! Not sure how much barbed wire you traded for it, but once complete, the boat will be far more fun than rolls of stationary steel. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. Share some pics of the fuels tanks n such, maybe that big under belly one is worth a second thought.

 

[matt167]

StarCraft put the tanks in a few places but on that one they would have above deck boxes and been used as seat bases. My dad has a ‘73 21’ when I was a kid and we restored it. Twin 20 gallon tanks

 

[AlamoJack]

All right guys, here ya go. Here’s some preliminary pictures of what I’m working with. I can’t figure out how to comment on each picture directly, so you’ll just have to sort through them. There’s the flooring and insulation I tore out. Transom is sunbleached, but very solid. After reading all the other threads I was expecting to have to replace this one, but I can’t find any remotely soft spots. Just need to revarnish or paint it, whatever you guys recommend.

Um, what else. Pictures of the problem area. Cracked windshield, and what appears to be aluminum support that is not very supporting under the bow area. Thanks to Cheiftain182 I see there should be a wood support framework. I’ll get some new automotive glass cut and then figure that out, along with getting rid of all this gloppy silicone.

Pictures of where the fuel neck was on the drivers side, along with matching empty hole on the left. Also what I believe to be tank vents directly under the (gunnels? New to boat terms) on each side. Other various mystery holes. I do have the sink and can tell where it and its tank go.

Picture of the belly tank my cousin put in. I need to find it a new home, I hate multiple levels to a floor and/or things to trip on. My cousin had built a center mount platform that sat over the tank, and was planning on mounting the controls up top since he’s a little guy and couldn’t see over the cabin. I ordered a pair of 22 gallon square tanks, and if they originally lived under the front seats then that’s where they’ll end up. I wanted to put them in the back next to the engine, but am unsure of how that would affect weight distribution. If anyone has any use for an unused, still sealed 52 gallon belly tank, let me know. Maybe I could offset some of the replacement tank costs.

 

[junkman306]

You guys and your big boat builds are making me want to find one now.

 

[AlamoJack]

Here’s the rest, they didn’t all attach.

 

[1975oday22]

ok , so far I can answer that there should be airvents and outvents as well since your dealing with an i/o, you need to get good solid bracing for support under the bow. that bracing your cousin did is not good. good intentions but thats not it. the vent you can see part of it on bottom . its a scoop vent. should be 2 at least on each side. one facing bow the other facing stern ... the ones facing stern have blowers going to them for fuel vapours from the bildge area

 

[AlamoJack]

ok , so far I can answer that there should be airvents and outvents as well since your dealing with an i/o, you need to get good solid bracing for support under the bow. that bracing your cousin did is not good. good intentions but thats not it. the vent you can see part of it on bottom . its a scoop vent. should be 2 at least on each side. one facing bow the other facing stern ... the ones facing stern have blowers going to them for fuel vapours from the bildge area

I have 4 of these hoopties that I assume are the vent covers. They align with the holes on either side of the cabin. However, I can’t find anywhere where the stern side vents would go. Also, there is one blower currently attached to this wiring harness. Should there be two? And do the forward vents need to run back to the engine compartment?

 

[1975oday22]

2 face forward to bow ,2 face backward to stern. the bow ones only have dryer hoses to bring in air . the 2 facing stern has a Dryer hose attached to blower should be on both sides if im not mistaking. one side of hose in the bilge area below floor , to motor then up to the vent.

 

[AlamoJack]

For a second I thought I found where the aft vents went, but then realized it doesn’t line up. Found this giant piece of aluminum in the pile with holes for the vents, but no idea where it is supposed to go.

 

[1975oday22]

that looks as tho it sits up against the transom. right there where you got it but right at end of it.