Re: 1976 22' Starcraft Islander Rebuild
OK guys, I?d like to talk this through with you if that is all right.
Let?s pretend for a minute that we are standing around looking at the butt of this old Islander?
And, while we are at it, let?s pretend that it?s a whole lot warmer out too, say 72 and sunny.
I am going to bounce my thoughts off you about how to power her and I am interested in your reaction, K?
Grab a cup of coffee or an adult beverage and read on?
Or, bail now before it's too late...
Here are my options as I see them (in no particular order):
Option #1
As I mentioned before, I have a line on a sacrificial boat that has a 4.3 Merc with Alpha drive in excellent condition. The marine dealer went through the whole motor, the owner ran it a few times, winterized it and then let it sit for about two years. The process for me, as I see it, would be to rebuild the transom and install the new power plant. I?d take it over to a local weld/fab shop (they are awesome) to have the hole welded up and then I?d finish up all the transom boards to prep for the new install. I have a marine engine guy that is very well regarded that could do the install for me. I don?t feel entirely confident that I alone could do this install correctly, unfortunately. I have done a ton of reading and research (manuals included) on how to install this motor/outdrive and I feel like I have the concept pretty well (x dimention, Merc template cut, alignment?). But, I can also see that there would be many opportunities for me to take a wrong turn, end up over my head, and screw up the whole rig. So, I feel better knowing that it would be done right by taking it in, and having the pro do it. My marine engine guy said he could do the install for about $1000, maybe a little as $800 since this is coming with all of the important stuff (controls, wires, all that). For me, I know that Murphy would show up so I?d budget for $1500 to have it installed. So, I am thinking that I would have about a $3000, bill give or take, when all is said and done for this power option.
I like this option for a few reasons. First, it keeps with the original intent and lines of the boat. Second, this Merc 4.3 with Alpha is certainly a proven design, parts are easily available and I?d likely learn how to complete all of the regular maintenance stuff in an effort to minimize my long term costs. Third, working around the outdrive while fishing is no biggie. Fourth, trolling all day long is cake for this setup and it?s fairly quiet too.
I don?t like this option for a few reasons. First, I know the long term maintenance costs are a bit more by comparison to an outboard. Second, that doghouse takes up, what might otherwise be, some very nice room in the boat to fight that 40# king (yah right, in my dreams). Third, it seems like there is an opportunity for about twice as many things to go wrong with having a motor, intermediate drive, outdrive, and so on. Fourth, fuel consumption, a bit much by comparison, but no biggie.
Option #2
Outboard on a bracket. Here I am again, sealing up the transom. Same as before only I?d also be adding some knee braces to the stringers and maybe some braceing from the transom to the gunnels too.
Here is the visual for ya?
For you MI guys this is Mike Avery?s (Outdoor Magazine) boat. Sweet eh! Yah, I don't have that much $$$. Here are his comments on it:
http://outdoormagazine.tv/blog/?tag=starcraft-islander-boat-mercury-marine
I have been looking far and wide for a bracket and have found some reasonable prices out there. I am thinking that I can work this out for around the $3000 mark (not including the kicker obviously), so long as I can find a good deal on a 150 Merc/Johnson/Evinrude. Maybe more if I want to splurge on a sweet motor, maybe less if I can find a used bracket that will work for me.
One of the things I like about this option is that I have all that extra space in the boat!! That would be great! I also like I can probably do all the necessary work to make this happen (aside from welding the hole up). I might struggle with some of the OB connections but I think I could seek help with that from the fine gents around here. I like the maintenance aspect of the outboard v. IO. I am intrigued about the performance with the bracket, but honestly, this is a fishing boat so I don?t particularly care about top speed, hole shot, stuff like that. I do care about how it will handle waves/chop and such. It?s reported to run as if it?s 2? longer, that is cool. I also like having the option down the road to go with something real nice like an E-Tec or a 4 stroke when I actually have some pocket change.
One of the things I don?t like about this option would be having to work around the outboard and platform with fishing lines and downriggers. I think I could used to that though. I also don't necessarily like the lines it brings to the boat. The boat being the age that it is has sort of an aged look and I sort of feel the bracket goes against that, no real biggie though.
Option #3
Cut into the transom and bolt on the outboard. So again, I?d be closing things up, rebuilding the transom, adding braces, so that part is essentially the same. Here is where things get tricky. It is very important to me that this would come out right and changing the back end around from a stern deck to a splashwell would be a tall order. I can certainly hack into it and throw in some sort of well but that is no good. I have no interest in cobbling things together.
Here is what I am thinking:
This is a shot of a Superfisherman, nice boat eh! I?d prolly bring the splashwell up higher than what this has but you get the idea. I am having a hard time figuring out how to finish off the gunnels where they come into the transom, to make it look correct and complete. See, I have this raised part on my transom deck along with the aluminum cap that I need to deal with:
Putting this all together and making it look right will certainly stretch my skills especially given that I have no metal bending ability. I could certainly pay somebody to make this happen but It would be in the $1200 range, so I'll pass on that.
While I?d certainly have a few bucks into the materials that would make up the splashwell area I am thinking that it shouldn?t be more than around $300ish, give or take. So, basically the cost of the motor, plus splashwell materials.
I like this option as it stays with an outboard and it keeps with lines and more traditional look of the rig. I also like this option because while I lose a little bit of room with the splashwell, I gain the space of the doghouse being out of there as well as the free space of where the bracket/motor would be. I also like this option as it may be the least expensive by comparison. Or, I could spend what I?d save on a nice kicker or what have you. More headache, more struggle, less $$.
The reason I don?t like this option is that I am sure that it will be tough for me to get it to look right. I?d never go down this road unless I knew I could do it, for sure, ahead of time - I would be totally committed as soon as I start cutting that transom out. I don?t mind spending the necessary time to wrestle through it as long as it comes out functional and purdy.
Option #4
Bolt on a pair of oar locks and buy some great big oars.
Advantages and disadvantages should be fairly straight forward here.
OK, holy smokes, I can?t believe that you read that whole thing. Thanks!
While it isn't absolutely critical that I make this decision right now I think it will be real nice to know what direction I am headed. Plus, the boat is in the freezer with no heated pole barn in sight - all I can do is think about this kind of stuff.
So, what would you do? What might you recommend?
Give up and throw it away now, before it's too late! Go buy a new one, you say? Nah, she stays!
I appreciate your comments and thank you in advance.
Cheers!
