1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

I put the trailer back together on Friday and I'll have the boat on it tomorrow.

Quick pics

I just have to put the winch on in the morning. I really like how it turned out.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

Trailer looks superb! Looks brand new! Great work.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

I think you hold the record for tinny long trailer tongues. The Mick Jagger of boat trailers. :lol: It does look good.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

Trailer looks amazing! You have done an awesome job on it!

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

Trailer looks great man!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

OK, Tell the Truth!!! You actually BOUGHT a NEW Trailer didn't you!! What DID you do with the old one? Sold it on Craigslist...Right? How much did you get for it? How much did this new one cost? Fess up now!!!!:lol:

 

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

Trailer looks superb! Looks brand new! Great work.

Thanks PMC, much appreciated.

I think you hold the record for tinny long trailer tongues. The Mick Jagger of boat trailers. :lol: It does look good.

Here is a close up... I am thinking about doing a folding tongue kit for it so I can store it in the garage?? Any thoughts?

Trailer looks amazing! You have done an awesome job on it!

Trailer looks great man!

Thanks SMG and GT1M, I had to take a shot of it this morning with the boat back on the trailer, Nice to have the motorcycle space back (and I can get my car in the garage too!!)

OK, Tell the Truth!!! You actually BOUGHT a NEW Trailer didn't you!! What DID you do with the old one? Sold it on Craigslist...Right? How much did you get for it? How much did this new one cost? Fess up now!!!!:lol:

WOG, it would have been much simpler to just pick up a new one huh?? When I put put all the hardware back on I scratched it up pretty good in places, since the primer is that rust color it really needs touched up. But maybe I'll ignore it :facepalm:

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

850- Are there reinforcement plates on the tongue? A folding tongue hinge might not fit over the plates. And I might not be seeing things right.

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

Yeah, the folding tongue would be worth it IMHO - particularly if you can get it in the garage. That will allow you to work on it over the winter. Plus, I have found that keeping the boat in the garage (for both rehab and storage) is a huge plus... I was going to try and free up my garage and leave mine covered in the drive-way (much easier to hook it up, etc...). However, all it took was one rain storm to disabuse me of that notion. I had a brand new cover with PVC supports. The PVC supports collapsed, water pooled on my cover... I had to shop vac the water out just to get the cover re-positioned, etc... Then, water gushed out of the splashwell when I was backing the boat into the trailer. I thought to myself: "No way, I can't subject all my hard work to this type of treatment... back in the garage she goes."

So, my boat will have a roof over its head... All that to say, with the type of winter you are likely to see in Colorado, I would get it in the garage.

 

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

850- Are there reinforcement plates on the tongue? A folding tongue hinge might not fit over the plates. And I might not be seeing things right.

The PO put a triangular shaped ridge along the top of the tongue, and the kits all seem to be designed for rectangular tongues. I thought I would just remove about 12"s of the ridge to install the kit. The boat is so light I doubt I would have any issues, but I'm not really certain about that.

 

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

Yeah, the folding tongue would be worth it IMHO - particularly if you can get it in the garage. That will allow you to work on it over the winter. Plus, I have found that keeping the boat in the garage (for both rehab and storage) is a huge plus... I was going to try and free up my garage and leave mine covered in the drive-way (much easier to hook it up, etc...). However, all it took was one rain storm to disabuse me of that notion. I had a brand new cover with PVC supports. The PVC supports collapsed, water pooled on my cover... I had to shop vac the water out just to get the cover re-positioned, etc... Then, water gushed out of the splashwell when I was backing the boat into the trailer. I thought to myself: "No way, I can't subject all my hard work to this type of treatment... back in the garage she goes."

So, my boat will have a roof over its head... All that to say, with the type of winter you are likely to see in Colorado, I would get it in the garage.

I put that new cover on the boat last fall, and it is already showing some pretty good oxidation. If I could store the boat inside for 4 or 5 months during the COLD months, I could really extend that life of that as well. It would need to share a bay with the BMW, but I think it could be done.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

It looks like you could trim some of the added angle stuff between the tack welds and get the room for the folder. They do need flat stock to work with. I think it's do-able.

 

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

It looks like you could trim some of the added angle stuff between the tack welds and get the room for the folder. They do need flat stock to work with. I think it's do-able.

Time to do some measuring I suppose. It would be very nice to do... Fulton Fold Away Bolt on Hinge Kit 2" x 3" Trailer Tongues HDPB230101 | eBay It looks like anywhere from $80 to $100 for the kit.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

They make weld on and bolt on. That ebay pic is a weld on. Bolt on is like this one Fulton Fold-Away Coupler Hinge Kit for 2" x 3" Trailer Tongue - Bolt On - Up to 5,000 lbs Fulton Trailer Coupler FHDPB230101

Belt and suspenders - bolt it on and weld it.

 

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

They make weld on and bolt on. That ebay pic is a weld on. Bolt on is like this one Fulton Fold-Away Coupler Hinge Kit for 2" x 3" Trailer Tongue - Bolt On - Up to 5,000 lbs Fulton Trailer Coupler FHDPB230101

Belt and suspenders - bolt it on and weld it.

That's not a terrible idea, except I would have to sand off a bunch of new paint to do it?!?! I'm going to put the folding tongue on my long term list for sure.

I went in the shed last night and retrieved the hydraulic lift setup for the motor. The lines on it are a mess, the plastic coating is mostly gone and the rest just looks terrible (kinks, degradation, etc). I may have to mosey over to the Mercury section and see what I can find...

 

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

I was able to correctly identify replacement hoses and gain some pretty useful information about my TnT system over on the Mercury Mariner Outboards section. I did a search on some basic information regarding how my system works and how to go about re-installing it. To be honest I didn't really understand how the three buttons functioned with the tilt and trim, but its much clearer now.

I commented on a three year old thread just to say thanks and they created a new thread for me. Anyway, I'll put the new thread in my signature line for those who have any interest. Credit to GA for sending me a REALLY nice installation guide for my system.

This weekend I am going to roll the 850 out of the shed and get it installed on the boat. My friend/PO thinks servicing it will be much easier once we have it hooked up and easily tilt-able (as well as more clearance underneath) so we can get the lower unit off for the new impeller and fluid serviced.

Not much clearance right now...



I may start a new thread once we get the motor mounted for the service we do, but I kind of like having everything in one place?

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

My friend/PO thinks servicing it will be much easier once we have it hooked up and easily tilt-able (as well as more clearance underneath) so we can get the lower unit off for the new impeller and fluid serviced.

Not much clearance right now...

It's as simple as pulling the lower unit up and putting a 2x4 between it and the transom mount frame for servicing it. I'm with you I like all my stuff in one thread... Your link to your other thread is good too.... Good lookin 850 there... Mine pushed the 16ft SS 35mphish depending on whether I'm going up river or down river so that's the middle point. Plenty fast to me...

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

ShowMeGuy is right about using a 2X4 to wedge the motor up and then working on the stand. Which is a real nice one, BTW.

Safety first though. If you do decide to pull the lower on the stand with the motor tipped up, make sure the whole thing doesn't flip over on you because the balance point will change without the weight of the lower. I may be wrong, but I've done things like that. :facepalm:

 

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

It's as simple as pulling the lower unit up and putting a 2x4 between it and the transom mount frame for servicing it. I'm with you I like all my stuff in one thread... Your link to your other thread is good too.... Good lookin 850 there... Mine pushed the 16ft SS 35mphish depending on whether I'm going up river or down river so that's the middle point. Plenty fast to me...

35 sounds pretty fast to me, heck 25 feels pretty quick on the water!!

ShowMeGuy is right about using a 2X4 to wedge the motor up and then working on the stand. Which is a real nice one, BTW.

Safety first though. If you do decide to pull the lower on the stand with the motor tipped up, make sure the whole thing doesn't flip over on you because the balance point will change without the weight of the lower. I may be wrong, but I've done things like that. :facepalm:

I like the stand too, it was kind of a fun way to start this project. Today is the 1 year anniversary of my first posting, so happy birthday to me!!

We are going to get the motor mounted tonight, I just need to secure another set of hands by 4:30...

 

[850Merc]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Supersport 16'

On Friday we were able to get the motor back on to the boat, it was stinking heavy!! We had to put it up there about 3 times, because over the past year I had forgotten how the heck we took it off. The brackets for the TnT have to go on after the motor but you have to be pretty careful in order to make sure the pre-drilled holes will line up. Anyway the trim sensor had to be on the left hand side and originally I put it on the right thinking the wires needed to be closer to the port in the splashwell. Here's a few pics.







Here are the rams with the new hoses. I have a bag of baseballs holding the end down to unfurl the curl. Hopefully I can get them installed tonight or tomorrow.



Here is the Minn Kota 35 troller that my friend gave me, (complete with electrical tape holding the fish finder on it.