1978 SS 16 restoration

[Siva283]

Learning about prop design is definitely a mind bender due to there being so many factors. This website had a decent article on props.

https://boattest.com/view-news/4226_do-your-props-have-the-right-cup-rake-slip-pitch-and-hub

At least you know your baselines so going from there helps a lot. Im yet to get into the racing world of propellers but thats where they take it to a whole different world. Now Im wondering if I can get my boat to 40mph haha. Im yet to take her out when its glass to see what she can really do.

I want a toridial prop but they cost more than my car.
I dont see why you couldnt I can do it up to about 1 foot of chop. Thats with me 6'1 220lbs My wife who is also 6'1 but a little lighter than me. I have 2 12v lithium Ion batteries in the back and probably another 30 pounds of stuff back there. I have a starting battery under the driver console and a deep cycle I run everything else off. A 22 gallon gas tank under the passenger console. I carry a 8 pound danforth a 6 pound grappling hook style and a 12 mushroom anchor up front.
I can tell you one thing that makes a huge difference is the gator glide bottom coating. It gives a nicer transition over the rivits. and really cuts drag way way down.
I also have a kack plate that steps the motor back 8 inches and I am still fine tuning the motor slowly raising it.
No matter what my trim is the white water while up on plane is always at the back. With my weight set up she pops up on plane and trim doesnt make much difference.
Also keep in mind I think with this prop I have on I am eeking every bit of power out of the motor.

That link was an interesting read. It showed me I know less than I thought I did. I guess it made some unknown unknowns into known unknowns

 

[Moserkr]

Interesting how you said trim doesnt make much difference cause mine is the same. Feels like the boat is driving the nose down and just wants speed. You have a little more weight than me, but distributed very similarly. I am a little heavier towards the bow. Major differences being the plate in the back and the gator glide I think. Lets you bring the motor up or down and really tune it into position where I cant. Not sure how smooth my hull is on the bottom either, plus its still not perfectly symmetrical after the log strike from the PO2. Opposite of you though, Im maxing my rpms at 54-5500 with a 15p, so I could go up a few pitches and still be within the lower WOT range. Add a SS propeller and supposedly I would get 2-3mph more just from that by eliminating slip and flex.

 

[Siva283]

Yeah Mine jumps up but there is no trimming to raise and lower the bow. I am guessing because we have pretty even weight distrobution.
Yes the jack plate really lets me fine tune and the higher the motor is the less drag though I havent noticed much difference yet. But it seems like there isnt much and then suddenly there is and any higher and you will cavitate. I have been slowly raising the motor about a quarter inch at a time. I would imagine soon I will hit that butter zone but I am4 inches higher than I was last year Pretty soon I will have to start rasing the motor by mounting holes I think I have to 2ish more inches I can raise it till I am out of jack plate which would be the equivelent of using the bottom mounting holes.
The gator glide for sure makes a big change.
My motor is a 1993 75hp Mercury. Not sure what yours is. My max RPM is 5250rpm going by the book on my particular motor.
I have 4 more inches of pitch than you. Definitly sounds like you are leaving atleast 5mph on the table with only a 15 pitch.
I have a spare 19 inch pitch prop if you have a merc and want to try it. Let me know. Its an aluminum prop but even then they are like $260 a peice. Atleast then you could try it before having to cough up for a new prop.

Checking out your profile looks like you got a johnson. I dont know if the prop I have would fit or not. If it will your welcome to use it for a test.

 

[Moserkr]

I’ll put the gator glide on the list for the resto 2.0 in the far future. Had I know sooner I would have done it instead of paint on the bottom.

The jack plate would be nice as well. Will be a while before I have the boat tokens for that haha. Which one do you have? My motor is now a brand new Mercury 75hp 4 stroke, WOT range from 4500-5500, and Im on the high end. The old one was a 75 johnson. That jack plate, 75hp 2-stroke with a 19p and gator glide seems like a good combo. A 90hp would almost seem like too much!!

Appreciate the offer to try the prop but Im not sure shipping it back n forth is worth it - Im far away from your neck of the woods. Not worried about buying a few more props. Really leaning towards a SS 17p 4 blade Turning Point Hustler, but for $100 can try it in AL first. More concerned with handling than speed but just the SS alone could get me some more mph’s.

 

[Siva283]

I’ll put the gator glide on the list for the resto 2.0 in the far future. Had I know sooner I would have done it instead of paint on the bottom.

The jack plate would be nice as well. Will be a while before I have the boat tokens for that haha. Which one do you have? My motor is now a brand new Mercury 75hp 4 stroke, WOT range from 4500-5500, and Im on the high end. The old one was a 75 johnson. That jack plate, 75hp 2-stroke with a 19p and gator glide seems like a good combo. A 90hp would almost seem like too much!!

Appreciate the offer to try the prop but Im not sure shipping it back n forth is worth it - Im far away from your neck of the woods. Not worried about buying a few more props. Really leaning towards a SS 17p 4 blade Turning Point Hustler, but for $100 can try it in AL first. More concerned with handling than speed but just the SS alone could get me some more mph’s.

The jack plate was fairly cheap I got it on Amazon for $200. It's not hydraulic though there's 3 3\4 bolts on each side you loose. And one on top to move it up and down. Still I'd do it again. If I had one choice it would be between gator glide and the jack plate. I got this one
WFLNHB JPL4500 6 Setback Adjustable Outboard Boat Jack Plate Replacement for Boat Steering System https://a.co/d/b7yZHGj

 

[Siva283]

Took it out for some fishing yesterday that turned into a 10 mile ride. It got windy. Still managed to go 34.5 against wind and current.
I am gonna try raising the motor a little more. Where it sits currently as soon as I start to trim up it starts puirposing. Which is odd. I could trim alot more down low before it did that so I must be right on the line of the butter zone or I have found this odd spot where its to high but also no cavitation. Very very strange.

 

[Moserkr]

Been going down the rabbit hole of props and performance this last week, along with our previous talks. Learned yours and my boat are actually well balanced with weight up front, and thats allows us to run the trim all the way down - neutral trim. Most efficient when all the water is being pushed straight back from the boat with no porpoising. If you are starting to porpoise, and have to trim up at all, then Id say you left the sweet spot.

With my old motor I used to porpoise and have to use the trim. It was a different feeling moving weight up front to fix the balance and when it went nose first asking for more speed, I thought it was weird. Well that weird neutral trim feeling is exactly what we want.

Now if you keep raising your motor up til your prop breaks the surface, then you’re in a whole new league lol. A deeper rabbit hole of prop talk. Was actually going to start another thread in the starcraft subform completely about props - pitch, rake, cupping, setback, motor height, weight distribution, etc. etc. theres so much…

 

[Siva283]

Been going down the rabbit hole of props and performance this last week, along with our previous talks. Learned yours and my boat are actually well balanced with weight up front, and thats allows us to run the trim all the way down - neutral trim. Most efficient when all the water is being pushed straight back from the boat with no porpoising. If you are starting to porpoise, and have to trim up at all, then Id say you left the sweet spot.

With my old motor I used to porpoise and have to use the trim. It was a different feeling moving weight up front to fix the balance and when it went nose first asking for more speed, I thought it was weird. Well that weird neutral trim feeling is exactly what we want.

Now if you keep raising your motor up til your prop breaks the surface, then you’re in a whole new league lol. A deeper rabbit hole of prop talk. Was actually going to start another thread in the starcraft subform completely about props - pitch, rake, cupping, setback, motor height, weight distribution, etc. etc. theres so much…

Nah my prop is in the water. I'm running neutral trim too. If I try to trim it up in an attempt to raise the bow it just porpoises.
It's normally a good problem to have but I'd like to be able to raise the bow a little. I haven't needed to yet but I like to be prepared. She ran like a scalded cat Sunday. Jumps right up on plan and goes. The old girl loves to go.
I'll probably be joining the prop rabbit hole soon though.
Nice to hear we achieved a good thing with our weight distribution

 

[SHSU]

You try a whale tail? Might be something to look at.

SHSU

 

[Siva283]

You try a whale tail? Might be something to look at.

SHSU

I have one. I havent tried putting it back on yet though.

 

[Siva283]

Well I might sell it at the end of summer. The wife and I are looking at some larger boats 38-41 feet.
With Her and I and both kids and thier friend the bow was sitting low enough in the water I was getting nervous and we almost stuffed it a few times. I am 6'1 220 she is 6'1 and a little lighter than me and her son is 260 and her daughter is about 100 pounds.
So the 2 kids in the bow would be fine for rivers but on the Chesapeake it got a little sketchy a few times though we got some good fish.
This boat has been her first experience. I was raised on boats. So we are thinking Vacation home and weekend get away size where the 4 of us can spend weekends and vacations on the boat. I would love to be down more but itll be about a 90 minute drive to where we will be keeping it docked.
I hate to see the Starcraft go but it will just sit once we get the new one so I am hoping to find it a good home. She rides amazing and is a ripper. With a little less weight in the bow I would be %100 confident but we have been talking about a larger weekender boat since we finished the starcraft.

 

[redneck joe]

Well thats a lot of folks on a 16 no matter your goals of a bigger boat. I count about 900 lbs just in people weight which doesnt leave much for gear fuel and beverages needed for a day out. I have an 18 and i will only allow three adults or two adults and two (small) kids unless a good day and im the shuttle service to our day camp which is less than 2 miles. At hull speed.

 

[Siva283]

Well thats a lot of folks on a 16 no matter your goals of a bigger boat. I count about 900 lbs just in people weight which doesnt leave much for gear fuel and beverages needed for a day out. I have an 18 and i will only allow three adults or two adults and two (small) kids unless a good day and im the shuttle service to our day camp which is less than 2 miles. At hull speed.

I would agree. I dont blame the boat at all. When I first bought it I wasnt married with step kids. It served me well.
I will miss it I love the boat. Your close we total in at 860 pounds. If I moved her boy to the back all would be well.
Part of the decision though is we like to be out on the bay and weather can kick up quickly and its an hour and a half drive towing with a 93 Jeep wrangler built for Rock Crawling. So we figured we would get something we could basically live on if we wanted and it can be our weekend\vacation home. There is a chance I will keep the StarCraft and use it for a run about while we are there but I am not sure yet. Depends on if I can get the Ill sell it price or not. WHich might be a little much I dont know but that boat is the reason I am married now. When we started restoring it we werent married but it was our project and a month after finishing it we got married. We have used the crap out of it and it has taken a good beating twice when weather kicked up with no issue's other than sitting low when I have it maxed out which is to be expected.
But this is no way a knock or complaint about StarCraft its more of a life happened and the boat was never designed to handle the direction life has taken me.

 

[redneck joe]

We had a 34 with a 13 beam. Great six years. It was 90 min away as well.


Keep the starcraft for fishing and beer/ice runs when out on the hook. Thank me later....

 

[BWR1953]

...When we started restoring it we werent married but it was our project and a month after finishing it we got married...

That's awesome. So many on here get a project going, then get divorced.

Yeah, with that crowd, y'all really need a bigger boat.

 

[Siva283]

That's awesome. So many on here get a project going, then get divorced.

Yeah, with that crowd, y'all really need a bigger boat.

Yeah we do id like to keep both but we shall see what happens. I should be looking at a 43 tri cabin trawler tomorrow

 

[Moserkr]

Would hate to see the starcraft go but I understand the issue you’re having with it. I like the idea of keep both haha. Its like a tool chest - every tool has its purpose. The 160ss would look sweet towed behind a 43’ trawler…

 

[Siva283]

Would hate to see the starcraft go but I understand the issue you’re having with it. I like the idea of keep both haha. Its like a tool chest - every tool has its purpose. The 160ss would look sweet towed behind a 43’ trawler…

It would. I don't think the trawler is happening though. The seller is getting flaky. I got a few irons in the fire just waiting on responses.

 

[Siva283]

Ended up adding a 1972 Trojan f36 tri cabin to the boat family

 

[redneck joe]

That was quick. What kind of power?