1983 26' Starcraft Sportfisherman 261V Rebuild

[Patfromny]

Not saying the rating, just saying it would be a wild ride.

 

[jbcurt00]

Not particularly....

 

[BWR1953]

That 12 footer will make a nice little Captain's Gig! Good stuff! :encouragement:

As for power, I can only relate my experiences.

Back in 1984 when I was stationed near Spokane, WA our site had a 14' Lund similar to your SC. With a 7.5HP Honda it chugged along with 2 fit guys on board but was no powerhouse. It took a long time to get anywhere. My favorite spot on Long Lake was a 20 minute trip from the ramp with that boat.

A year later I was a civilian again.

In 1985 I rented a 12' V-bow john boat like your SC and a buddy and I used it to go bass fishing on Lake Casitas, CA. The little boat only had a 4HP outboard and man was it slow! We were "cruising" along at full power just plowing through the calm lake when we were PASSED by a ladies sculling crew with 6 rowers plus the coxswain! Talk about embarrassing! :embarassed:

So a year later I took my new Bass Tracker Tournament TX-17 with 50HP Mercury from southern CA where I lived back up to Long Lake in Spokane to go fishing with my military buddies who were still stationed there. Talk about a difference! Three guys in the boat and the other two looked at me funny when I turned my baseball cap around backwards. But the trip from the launch ramp to my favorite spot dropped from 20 minutes down to 3! My buddies almost lost their hats! That's what I'm talkin' bout!

Maybe you could install some of those roller wheel thingies on the tender so that you could plop a 9.9 on there without having to haul it down to the lake? Options, options... :frog:

 

[jasoutside]

I do remember fondly the days as a kid when my father and I took out the little Sea King with a 4hp Evinrude on the back. We motored along fine and caught a lot of fish:joyous:

Yah, frankly, I don't "need" an OB for this boat really. That would be just nice is all. Far more important at this stage, pole barn:thumb:

 

[Pusher]

My grandpa's 12' was a blast with a 15hp SS. I'm sure you could get one affordably off CL. 15 LS would make a nice kicker on the starcraft though.

 

[ezmobee]

Nice scores. We have 2 motors for my dad's 14' alumacraft. An Evinrude 4HP and a 15HP. He doesn't like the 15 at all for when he's by himself because it's heavy and the bow rise is silly. The 4 pushes it just fine.

 

[Pusher]

My 70's evinrude peobanly weighs as much as the tank of gas. Maybe a tank in the bow and a tiller extension so you can operate from the center bench and you'd be set ;-)

 

[metalheadmold]

Just spent the past few days reading through your build threads and can't wait to see where this one goes!

I picked up a cheap 14 footer last year that my boys love going out in. After all the reading in anxious to find my own Starcraft and start on my own build.

Keep up the good work!

 

[DLNorth]

2 more stories for your motor sizing....

We had a 14 ft vee bottom Blue Fin, very similar to a SC, started with a 7.5, very under powered, couldn't get 3 on plane, upgraded to a 15 OMC, was perfect. Wish I had it back.

At the same time the neighbor had a 12 ft SC with a 9.9 on it. Worked great, the perfect motor for that boat. (at the same time he had a 18 ft SS w/120, he usually took the 12 ft'er out and left the 18 at the dock.)
These were all 2 strokes, so light motors.

Dan

 

[1973Chieftain]

Have you mounted the bracket yet Jason? Are you planning to reinforce the inside at all?

 

[1987sylvanoffshore]

I hate replying to a 3 year old post but I just read 36 pages and just like that.....boom nothing ):
I hope everything ended up ok with jasoutside!