Anyone know the year?

[Deadwood]

I purchased this 18' 6" Starcraft about a month ago. She is in great (to my eyes) shape in and out. Not much I have to do except keep her maintained as is. I've replaced the horn and modified the cuddy door so it opens easier and I put a (not shown) small replica brass/glass oblong porthole window ($50 on Amazon) in the door so I can snoop on my wife when she's inside reading, trying to stay warm, while I'm fishing. Although the cabin looks white in the picture it is unpainted aluminum. She's an i/o with a 140hp Mercruiser engine and outdrive. Look close and you'll see that it was originally an outboard. Someone did some nice fabrication in my opinion. (There was paperwork included about the engine that is dated 1974 so that would make her pre-1974 I would think.) Other than the horn everything on her works. Lights, bilge pumps, blowers, gauges, old Furuno GPS, Lowrance VHF, Raytheon Fishfinder, an old Scotty Depthpower electric downrigger.....everything. Boat, trailer and a boat load of extras for $4300. If I paid too much...oh well...I love her. Anyway I have no idea what year she is or what model. My guess is around the late 60's/early 70's. Except for the shape of the side cuddy window (I haven't found anything similar on the web) she resembles an Islander of that era to me. The pink slip said the year was 0000 and the hull ID on the pink was too short to be the actual VIN.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Anyone know the year?

This picture is from the '66 brochure but they used those style rubrails for many years. She is a Starchief, they made them 18' 4" in '66, so your measurement of 18' 6" is close.

If you get some more measurements we can narrow it down as far as the year goes.

Nice rig, how does she handle?

Here's a link to all the starcraft brochures

 

[Deadwood]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Wow....you nailed it. Can you scan and PDF that ad to me? As far as the handling....it was love at first sight....so I bought her without floating her....just started her engine...which fired immediately....I was happy. As soon as I can get her on the water (and hopefully remember to put the plug in) I'll let you know. Being an ex 22' Bennington pontoon boat owner (no power steering) who tried to knock the kids off of the tubes they were riding by quick steering that elephant I'm not too scared. Thanks again!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Anyone know the year?

I don't have the actual brochure, so if you want to print it you can use the link in my previous post and print the images or save them.

Keep in mind that your boat could be as new as a '74 as well since they had the same side rub rails at least until that year. It's really hard to say exactly how old she is without the serial number since they made Starchiefs for so long.

 

[North Beach]

Re: Anyone know the year?

The vin's not going to tell you and with all the modifications you'll probably never be able to figure it out. Any chance there a nick in the hull and on the ginwales somewhere? If we could determine the bottom and topside paint color, then we could probably figure it out. The boats came in one color scheme only each year in the 60's and early 70's.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Hey DW, welcome to iboats and nice rig! I am new around here too and have quickly found out that this is a good place to be, super helpful guys hang around here.

Cheers!

 

[dozerII]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Welcome to the family DW, I'm to new here to help you any, but there are so many helpful people you won't have any questions one of them can't answer.
Glen

 

[Deadwood]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Thanks for the welcome. I had no idea Starcrafts had such a following but owning one now I can see why, they're extraordinary vessels.
Huron, Are you saying the cuddy side window design like mine was common from 1966 to 1974?
NB, What color did each year sport? I've noticed a cream color under some layers on the top horizontal gunwale under the grab railing. Looks to be a non-skid type of textured paint. Hard to tell if it's original though. The cuddy top/roof is bare aluminum...looks like it has never been painted. If the tops were all painted originally then someone did a lot of work removing it.

 

[North Beach]

Re: Anyone know the year?

DW, when I say the top I mean the tops of the gunwales and the bow. The bottom could possible be another color or the same. If you can get us those two colors, we may be able to help.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Huron, Are you saying the cuddy side window design like mine was common from 1966 to 1974?

I was referring to the black horizontal rubrail below the gunwales on the sides. Newer Starcrafts just had the rubrail mounted on the top of the gunwales on the sides, so it is one way to help determine the year.

 

[Deadwood]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Guess I'm not on the same page yet.
DW, If you mean the top of the bow where the hatch to the cuddy is it's bare aluminum. I'll recheck the top of the gunwales and the hull tomorrow.
Huron, Since it does have the low rub rails that would make her an older vessel...pre ???? The cuddy window shape doesn't help narrow the year down? She's a perfect match (except she was an original OB) for the brochure you added.

 

[Deadwood]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Oops...I'm DW...I meant the first part for NB.

 

[Deadwood]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Can't tell what the hull color was originally. It's almost as if she was taken down to bare aluminum and re-painted. Since the transom was modified to hold the inboard/outboard that might make sense.
The first layer (of two) on top of the gunwales is an anti-slip textured gray paint.
I'm going with her being a 1966 like the brochure since that is the only cuddy side window that matches and the dimensions are close. Anyone out there got an old Starchief V similar to her?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Anyone know the year?

Anyone out there got an old Starchief V similar to her?

wrfalpacas has been restoring his '68 Starchief and he's done a great job.

here's another one

and here's a '67

If you do a search for "starchief" on the forums you will get a list of threads