1st boat - 1981 Starcraft SS 160

[Dacranks]

Hello everyone,
I recently bought my first boat(Starcraft ss160) mid January as a project! I paid $800 for the boat with the trailer. My intentions are to make it mainly a fishing machine. I live in Michigan and have plenty of water to explore around here. Ideally I would like to be “done” by April to enjoy the spring fishing season. This would mean the boat is safe and reliable but maybe not aesthetically pleasing by then.

The bad:
It needs a lot of work. Transom is gone. Lower unit needs new seals and water pump (which I just finished doing). Floors/old nasty carpet eventually needs replacing. No gages work properly/ were even wired up.

Here is my plan of attack:
Remove the OB and splash pan to replace the transom first. I plan on buying this (https://www.menards.com/main/buildi...ed-marine-plywood/1251600/p-1444452503795.htm) plywood and using epoxy to seal the faces and edges. Any suggestions on epoxy systems to use? I have already gutted the interior and have the boat down to what looks like the original floors.

Please write back with any suggestions/advice/ideas you have done with your boats! Looking forward to warm weather!

 

[Moserkr]

Welcome @Dacranks !! Good looking boat!! Im working on the same boat as you right now, and the transom is next on my list next to rivets. Im sure you will get some good answers on the epoxy to use on the wood from a bunch of knowledgable guys here. I need to know too! That 90 rude should push her along at a good clip. My 75 johnson gets me to 30 but other guys get 35. I bet you could get up to 40 easy.

One thing Id consider doing is a leak test, and check if your foam is water logged under the floor if you can (pre-test). Are the floors still solid? Look for any broken/loose rivets. If the floors/foam are out and rivets are good, maybe add a sealant like gluvit or coat-it too inside. My 16ss had a bunch of broken solid rivets replaced with pop rivets. If you are running downriggers, think about beefing up the splash well area too with some angled AL.

Im digging the ski locker in yours. When I put my floors back in I may have to consider adding one of those. My boats fully stripped right now so if you want to see what yours looks inside, take a look at my thread. My goal for mine is fishing, family, and fun. Looking forward to seeing you turn yours into a fishing machine!!!

 

[racerone]

A compression test on that 1992 motor is a must do.-----Post the numbers.----These motors are known to suffer from broken piston rings.

 

[Dacranks]

Welcome @Dacranks !! Good looking boat!! Im working on the same boat as you right now, and the transom is next on my list next to rivets. Im sure you will get some good answers on the epoxy to use on the wood from a bunch of knowledgable guys here. I need to know too! That 90 rude should push her along at a good clip. My 75 johnson gets me to 30 but other guys get 35. I bet you could get up to 40 easy.

One thing Id consider doing is a leak test, and check if your foam is water logged under the floor if you can (pre-test). Are the floors still solid? Look for any broken/loose rivets. If the floors/foam are out and rivets are good, maybe add a sealant like gluvit or coat-it too inside. My 16ss had a bunch of broken solid rivets replaced with pop rivets. If you are running downriggers, think about beefing up the splash well area too with some angled AL.

Im digging the ski locker in yours. When I put my floors back in I may have to consider adding one of those. My boats fully stripped right now so if you want to see what yours looks inside, take a look at my thread. My goal for mine is fishing, family, and fun. Looking forward to seeing you turn yours into a fishing machine!!!

Hi racerone thanks for the tips! The rear floor is soft in the corners and will be replaced. I have no idea the condition of the foam under the floor...I have a feeling it’s probably pretty deteriorated or water logged since the PO said the hull was leaking. I definitely need to do a leak down test once the floor comes out. Do you just fill the inside of the hull with water and keep an eye on the outside of the hull for drips? I planned on using blind fully sealed pop rivets for a few spots in the hull.

Beefing up the splash pan is a great idea-thanks! I think the PO probably ran the boat with the poor transom for a while because here is a large crack in the splash pan and some of the brackets are split through. Any idea if it’s possible to buy a new splash pan anywhere? Maybe best to look at a marine junk yard for one?

 

[Dacranks]

A compression test on that 1992 motor is a must do.-----Post the numbers.----These motors are known to suffer from broken piston rings.

From my understanding the motor is a 1982 with model code E90TLCNB. I checked compression before I bought the boat. Cylinders gaged at 105, 95, 100, 105. Good to know these motors have issues with compression though, I’ll keep an eye on things!

 

[Moserkr]

@Dacranks If you’re replacing the floor and its open, foam will be easy to inspect. If water logged, then replace it. Also while in there, it would be worth properly replacing the rivets with solids. Blinds dont have the structural strength like solids from what I understand (learning a lot from the guys here). If you do blinds, you’re just looking at more work down the road, so doing it twice and possibly breaking more rivets too. For a water test, fill the boat with enough to where you can move it front to back by raising and lowering the trailer. And yes, just look underneath for drips, and mark them.

I noticed your broken splash well tabs in the photos after I commented. Not a big issue, apparently it happens a lot. The advice given to me was scrap the broken tabs and just add angled AL, maybe thicker than stock, and rivet it back into place. Then add some more to beef it up if you want. Doesnt look like you need a replacement splash well. I thought I needed a new one too til I took mine out and learned that its actually very simple construction. I have to add angled AL to mine too for broken tabs, in the exact same place. Missing structure like that will likely cause broken rivets down below due to flexing. Flexing is bad for these boats so when in doubt add more strength haha.

Looks like you got a good motor with those numbers so you got a great deal overall. If you have the space, time, and tools, Id build her once well and be done for a while. Consider using solid rivets, fix floors/transom, and make her into what you want. For less than a few thousand more than what you paid you will have a new boat, and no boat payment!!

 

[Watermann]

Welcome aboard and to the Starmada, glad to see you have the pic posting figured out. You have one if not THE most prolific and popular aluminum boats ever made and for good reason too they are great boats for not much money.

You have a very aggressive time table to get all your work done, mine have taken 12 - 13 months to complete except for my 16' SeaNymph that was a whirlwind 3 month rebuild. I see you have a garage, that's the only way to get much winter work done.

 

[Dacranks]

@Dacranks If you’re replacing the floor and its open, foam will be easy to inspect. If water logged, then replace it. Also while in there, it would be worth properly replacing the rivets with solids. Blinds dont have the structural strength like solids from what I understand (learning a lot from the guys here). If you do blinds, you’re just looking at more work down the road, so doing it twice and possibly breaking more rivets too. For a water test, fill the boat with enough to where you can move it front to back by raising and lowering the trailer. And yes, just look underneath for drips, and mark them.

I noticed your broken splash well tabs in the photos after I commented. Not a big issue, apparently it happens a lot. The advice given to me was scrap the broken tabs and just add angled AL, maybe thicker than stock, and rivet it back into place. Then add some more to beef it up if you want. Doesnt look like you need a replacement splash well. I thought I needed a new one too til I took mine out and learned that its actually very simple construction. I have to add angled AL to mine too for broken tabs, in the exact same place. Missing structure like that will likely cause broken rivets down below due to flexing. Flexing is bad for these boats so when in doubt add more strength haha.

Looks like you got a good motor with those numbers so you got a great deal overall. If you have the space, time, and tools, Id build her once well and be done for a while. Consider using solid rivets, fix floors/transom, and make her into what you want. For less than a few thousand more than what you paid you will have a new boat, and no boat payment!!

Loud and clear on the leak test advice...I’ll tackle that once the floor comes up. Some angle AL sounds like a good simple solution to the splash pan.

As for the transom I’m going to pick up a sheet of marine 3/4 ply and a gallon of west 105 epoxy with 205 hardener and 406 filler. I called west system support line and talked with a representative. From what I’ve read it seems like this is the go-to epoxy system people on here like to use for transoms too. It’s pricey stuff but hopefully it will last another 40+ years if I do it right. I’ll keep posting progress updates with pics as I go! Thanks for guidance this far I appreciate it!

 

[Dacranks]

Welcome aboard and to the Starmada, glad to see you have the pic posting figured out. You have one if not THE most prolific and popular aluminum boats ever made and for good reason too they are great boats for not much money.

You have a very aggressive time table to get all your work done, mine have taken 12 - 13 months to complete except for my 16' SeaNymph that was a whirlwind 3 month rebuild. I see you have a garage, that's the only way to get much winter work done.

Hi Watermann thanks for the welcoming message! I’m excited to see my boat transform into something usable! Yeah...my time table is a little aggressive haha. This is my only project right now and am motivated by the fish waiting for me as soon as the hard water melts . And if it takes me through all spring or part of summer oh well, as long as I can get it in the water at some point this year I’ll be happy!

 

[Moserkr]

Sounds like you got a good plan going for your boat! Thanks for doing the homework on the epoxy for me haha. Just bookmarked the post - helps me keep track of all the info in here I need. I like the aggressive time table, its along the lines of mine. What kind of fish you after? Will your boat have down riggers or a casting deck?

 

[racerone]

With those numbers on my compression tester , the motor would be coming apart for repairs.---Sorry , my mistake on the year.----I knew it was an 82 model ( decals tell me that ) but typed in 92

 

[benfish909]

Welcome. I have have the same timeline. Need to get the boat done by April for the spring jig bite but hoping for March. The west system and total boat epoxies are basically the same thing. They can even be mixed. There are many options online to buy from. Just make sure to paint over any epoxy as they degrade over time in UV. Those motors are work horses and should run for a long time. They do run very dirty but at least you know it’s well oiled

 

[Dacranks]

Sounds like you got a good plan going for your boat! Thanks for doing the homework on the epoxy for me haha. Just bookmarked the post - helps me keep track of all the info in here I need. I like the aggressive time table, its along the lines of mine. What kind of fish you after? Will your boat have down riggers or a casting deck?

I’ve been thinking of keeping the bow seats in to give the girls somewhere to sit/layout when just cruising around. But want to make them easily swappable with a deck so when it’s fishing time I can stand up front. As for species I have a growing interest in just about anything, I’m fairly new to fishing and have really been enjoying it the last year or so. Ive mainly been going after panfish, bass and kings. But looking forward to getting out on the Detroit river for the spring walleye bite. Yourself?

 

[Dacranks]

With those numbers on my compression tester , the motor would be coming apart for repairs.---Sorry , my mistake on the year.----I knew it was an 82 model ( decals tell me that ) but typed in 92

Racerone could you please elaborate? I’ve always heard that if your cylinders are within approximately 10% of one another then it should be all good. Any clue what the compression was from the factory in ‘82?

 

[Moserkr]

Understand the need for bow seats for the ladies (and kids in my case). My boat came with a front deck / casting seat, and my idea right now is removable cushions that velcro in place- wife wants bow seating. All seating including a rear bench will be homemade (not fancy just useable). I dont have the walkway though which i actually like. More storage and Im putting a gas tank up front to balance weight - i was very rear heavy with 17 gallons back there. Planning on a 19g up front now though....

I believe it is @SHSU that has a removable casting deck covering his bow walkway, and also removable cushions i think. Thats another option for you to consider. Fun having control of the build!

Im out in the sierra mountains of CA so lots of lake and river water to play on. We have all kinds of trout and salmon, as well as bass. My biggest target is salmon, mainly kokanee. I will also go on the ocean for rock fish and cod once I trust my boat and motor more. I wish we had walleye though!! Grew up catching those and eating em - by far my favorite. I didnt fish for years - I mainly hunt - but had a kid and have to teach him, so now Im relearning now as well. I will be adding down riggers to my boat for inland fish.

Im going to take a long shot guess about your motor that @racerone will most likely correct hahaha. He knows a lot more than I do. Guess would be motor is tired if all the cylinders are low and within range. If one cylinder was low and others high thats an easy one. Good news would be that its rebuildable. Will see what racer says.

 

[SHSU]

Racerone could you please elaborate? I’ve always heard that if your cylinders are within approximately 10% of one another then it should be all good. Any clue what the compression was from the factory in ‘82?

The SELOC manual I have says there are no printed specs for exact compression measurements, but cylinders should be at least 100 psi. Also, you are correct that within 10% is generally accepted.

If the engine has been sitting awhile, might be good to poor some oil into each of the cylinders and tilt it back. Let the oil soak in for awhile and then drain. Don't try to cycle the engine with the oil in the cylinders.

As for other Evinrude engine results, my 1977 Evinrude 70 HP has ~120 on all three cylinders. That being said, if my numbers were like yours and didn't see an improvement with the oil soak, I would probably pull the the heads to just take a look at the cylinders and make sure I wasn't missing anything. Plus a good time to replace the head gaskets. Otherwise, if I was near a body of water to test I would just take her out and try her before committing to any major tear down.

For what its worth, just my 2 cents...

SHSU

 

[racerone]

The motor is 40 years old !-----A head gasket is cheap.-----Pull the head where you see the 95 PSI compression.------I like to see 120 PSI on these.-----And parts are not made like they were in the 1950's these days.--Compression should be the same.--Compression is such a hard thing to explain sometimes !

 

[Dacranks]

The SELOC manual I have says there are no printed specs for exact compression measurements, but cylinders should be at least 100 psi. Also, you are correct that within 10% is generally accepted.

If the engine has been sitting awhile, might be good to poor some oil into each of the cylinders and tilt it back. Let the oil soak in for awhile and then drain. Don't try to cycle the engine with the oil in the cylinders.

As for other Evinrude engine results, my 1977 Evinrude 70 HP has ~120 on all three cylinders. That being said, if my numbers were like yours and didn't see an improvement with the oil soak, I would probably pull the the heads to just take a look at the cylinders and make sure I wasn't missing anything. Plus a good time to replace the head gaskets. Otherwise, if I was near a body of water to test I would just take her out and try her before committing to any major tear down.

For what its worth, just my 2 cents...

SHSU

@SHSU What kind of oil do you recommend to do this with? Automotive motor oil/two stroke oil...how about the old seafoam trick? I've hear of some impressive results with doing a seafoam treatment or two to clean out some carbon build up. Also when you say tip the motor back do you mean tilt down to where you would normally operate in the water or tilt all the way forward where the prop is out of the water? How do you drain the oil from the cylinders after letting it soak? I haven't been able to get the boat in the water yet since I just picked it up about three weeks ago. So I'd like to be able to run it once the ice melts in a nearby lake to get it up to operating temperatures for a somewhat extended period of time and see how she does (and maybe do the seafoam then).

 

[MNhunter1]

My 16SS was an enjoyable build. Really liked the layout for fishing with a modified front casting deck and removable pedestal seats throughout. I went with US Composites epoxy for my transom, Spar on the decking covered by Nautolux vinyl.

 

[Dacranks]

The motor is 40 years old !-----A head gasket is cheap.-----Pull the head where you see the 95 PSI compression.------I like to see 120 PSI on these.-----And parts are not made like they were in the 1950's these days.--Compression should be the same.--Compression is such a hard thing to explain sometimes !

@racerone Yeah good point it is pretty old...are you suggesting just to pull heads to take a look at pistons, rings, ect... and then seal it back up? I guess I'm not clear on what removing the heads will accomplish without doing a full tear down, re-honing, and new rings.

Are you implying parts made today have much better tolerances which should make compression the same in each cylinder?