'79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

[vegasphotoman]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

I gotta check out your aerocraft thread....cool deal!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

I was lucky enough to get a replacement GPS for my birthday, since the old one went splash into Lake Huron.

I'm pretty excited to use it since it's got way more features than my old Garmin. For $99 I can load all the Michigan waterways into it and it works as a Marine GPS, with contours and rivers included.

I have all winter to devise a way to make sure it does not leave the vessel.

I already checked the list and all my favorite lakes are included, including boat launches...so I will be getting the card.

It was a chilly 36 degrees this morning, and I am preparing to tear apart the rig again this winter. Transom first, so the Merc needs to get mounted on a stand soon.

I'm planning a small ice-fishing shanty project also(hopefully done by the time the lakes freeze), we'll see how it goes

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

One question on the transom rebuild...should I use PL to bond the two sheets of ply together? It seems like that has been the standard from what I can tell.

After coating both pieces in epoxy I believe that is one method that has worked well. I just need to buy some 4x4 lumber to build the stand and I can get going on the carb rebuild and the transom.

 

[fshngho]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

I think everyone just uses the epoxy to bond them together. Congrats on the new GPS and Happy Belated Birthday. ( I thought you had done your transom)

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Mike I used PL on the Jupiter one because I was just painting it. On the SS since I was using epoxy, I epoxied the pieces together.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

I think everyone just uses the epoxy to bond them together. Congrats on the new GPS and Happy Belated Birthday. ( I thought you had done your transom)

Thanks Dale, I skipped a few steps(transom, paint, passenger dash panel) since I would not have been able to enjoy the rig all summer otherwise.

Mike I used PL on the Jupiter one because I was just painting it. On the SS since I was using epoxy, I epoxied the pieces together.

That's what I like to hear, keeping it simple. Just need to get my hands on some more clamps for the job and I'm on my way.

Lifting the Merc off the transom is the next hurdle, and deciding when it's too cold to fish.

I'm hoping to either get this 80hp running 100% or have a newer 70hp Johnnyrude by spring thaw.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Well, Happy Birthday buddy! Shoot, I was going to buy you a GPS/Fishfinder. Ah well, I suppose downrigger will work too. They are in the mail for ya, big red bow and all!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Well, Happy Birthday buddy! Shoot, I was going to buy you a GPS/Fishfinder. Ah well, I suppose downrigger will work too. They are in the mail for ya, big red bow and all!

Thanks Jason, I appreciate the kind words and I'll be checking with my postal worker, maybe they got lost in the mail

I've been busy plugging in lots of boating destinations and boat launches into the GPS, pretty neat little devices. I need to find out what the best launch for Saginaw Bay is, Au Gres is one good area...but the south end is what I'm lacking, any ideas?

I've been working on clearing out the garage for two weeks now, and starting to make progress

(almost room in there for the 12 footer)

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Here is where I like to put in at...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=43.64052+-83.85085

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM9HVV_Saginaw_River_Mouth_Boating_Access_Site_Bay_City_Michigan

Three docks there (6 lanes), great ramps, great access, great parking. It can get busy sometimes but most of the guys that use that ramp know what they are doing (hard core fisherman type) and I am amazed at how fast dudes are in and out. Most of the time, anyway.

Great spot to put in for some walleye fishing.

For me, on a good day, when everything goes as planned, right about 30 minutes from my drive to having the boat in the water. Not too shabby.

Now if I only had a boat to put in there....

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Took the SS out on the Grand river here in Lansing to fish for Pike where the Red Cedar river branches off. Great day, very warm for this time of year.

27" Northern Pike, caught on a bass minnow.

Here's a little video, cruising at 27mph thru the downtown area. Only one other boat out, that pontoon. One canoe and one kayak.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Nice fish! That river looks like a fun place to cruise. How far up and down can you go from where you launch?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Nice fish! That river looks like a fun place to cruise. How far up and down can you go from where you launch?

That is the downtown Lansing launch, blocked to the north by a fish ladder and to the south by a dam and cooling towers for a power plant.

The length is only about 2 miles, and there are tons of bridges thru that area that you have to navigate under. It's fun to cruise around 27mph, any faster and you'd be likely to hit a canoe or another boat.

It gets awfully crowded in the summer, it's the same spot where we anchored for the music festival. I like it when it's cold and nobody gets in your way.

The best thing about this launch is that it's there all year long. If I work on the carbs and need to test the Merc this winter I can always launch there.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Looks awesome. I'm so jealous..lol. Nice fish too.

 

[sprintst]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Slick gps man. Now you know exactly where you are and were and can mark where you catch your fish and post the locations

 

[fshngho]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Mike that is awesome! Nice fish and a beautiful day, what more can you ask for? I noticed you had a firm grip on the pliers, good idea, I've lost a few too when the wiggle around. Honestly I am surprised that whole area isn't a no wake zone. It would be down here
Dontcha just love it when everyone else is not on the water?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Thanks fellas, that was actually my fishing buddy holding the last pike.

Here's one I caught today in the same river northwest 30 miles at Webber Dam.

Lots of Salmon up that way too a guy near us landed 5 nice Chinook. Above the dam there is a boat launch that we scouted and this will be a new destination for us. Always nice to find a new spot to take the Starcraft.

Here is me holding a nice 28" pike that hit a black/white Little Cleo.

He hung around for a while after we released him, so we took another photo.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Man it has been an awesome fall around our parts Mike! I am glad to see you have been out in the rig hauling in some pike before the yellow SS get put up for the winter, nice job!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Man it has been an awesome fall around our parts Mike! I am glad to see you have been out in the rig hauling in some pike before the yellow SS get put up for the winter, nice job!

You are not kidding about the nice weather! This has been a spectacular autumn. Too bad neither one of us is out with the bows(course it's harder tracking them before snowfall).

Yeah we will be calling it quits here before too long. As long as the Pike are biting I need to keep at least one of the boats ready to fish, hence the SS not getting much progress lately.

By the time the lakes freeze I will have the little boat totally done, and the SS back in the garage. My buddy hooked me up with a 1600lb working load winch cable and some chains that might be handy to hoist the Merc off the transom.

Rebuilding that will be a goal for the winter, hopefully I won't be drydocked in the springtime for too long

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

http://lansing.craigslist.org/boa/2017012218.html

So I'm wondering, if this tank comes with all the fittings and plumbing it seems like a good deal to me. This is probably an aluminum tank, is that right?

Looks like it might come with random switches and gauges too.

I would love to be able to mix up 18 gallons of 50:1 and not have two 6 gallon tanks in the way. Not to mention that the first tank seems to run out at inopportune times.

I'm not looking to cross Lake Huron to Canada but would love more range for convenience and peace of mind.

What do you guys think? Good deal?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: '79 Starcraft SS 16 restoration

Dunno man, sort of looks like steel at first glance. May or may not matter to you though.

Seems like I have seen better deals on tanks in that capacity range. Though no gauges and such. Do you need/want that extra stuff? That might make a difference.

Have fun!