Chem Backup

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laurentide

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Greetings all, you may remember me from such threads as http://forums.iboats.com/boat-restoration-building-hull-repair/82-bomber-backyard-rebuild-582086.html, in which I demo-ed a fiberglass boat with the intention of rebuilding. I had a couple of months to think about the layout of the "new" boat, but I couldn't shake the feeling that even if I perfectly restored the boat (unlikely), it still wouldn't be what I really wanted. What I really wanted was something way more seaworthy than that 15' glass boat would ever be. As you can see in my avatar thing, I'm on Lake Champlain, which can force much larger and heavier boats off of it when the weather kicks up.

Well, as some of you already know, I found a sad looking but structurally sound old Starcraft on CL this week. Went out today to take a look, hooked it up and brought it home. As the thread title states, it's a 1974 Chieftain 18. It's a complete mess, but the hull looks great. A couple of minor dents, nothing more.

I pulled it home about 20 miles with a Subaru Impreza, no problems. It's pretty light, even with that overkill trailer.

I know y'all love pictures, so....

These things have HUGE splashwells, huh?
bOJ2CRV.jpg


That's a Holsclaw dual axle tilt roller trailer...it's pretty heavy duty, and I may sell it if I can make the single axle trailer work with this thing.
gvbZdLM.jpg


E09yu0M.jpg


There's some useful stuff in here, but it's mostly trash.
WmdU295.jpg


18 gallon tank.
TobNBuR.jpg


PRJVjU1.jpg


Anybody want to talk me out of a center console conversion? BTW, the "rough and ready" part of the thread title is no joke...I'm going to use it this summer, but it will not look anything like some of the real restoration jobs I see around here. That could and probably will take years to achieve, but I'd rather fish when the sun shines.

Thanks for looking.
 

jigngrub

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

If I lived closer, I double your money for that thing... if you ever get tired of it give me a holler.

Very sweet score on that boat!

It doesn't take near as much time or money to fix up a tinny as it does a f'glass.
 

laurentide

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

If I lived closer, I double your money for that thing... if you ever get tired of it give me a holler.

Very sweet score on that boat!

It doesn't take near as much time or money to fix up a tinny as it does a f'glass.

Thanks!

Bonus: My wife thinks it's "pretty cool."
 

laurentide

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

jigngrub, I think I mentioned to you that this thing came with an old, non-running Merc 115. My friend was supposed to go out with me and help, but he had family obligations, so I just left the Merc. No biggie...I'll have my hands full with this thing and not trying to get an old engine running just to sell it. It was still a score I think at $250.
 

jetterbug

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

That's one sweet looker ! Id love to have her as mine! Congrats ! Great score
 

GA_Boater

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

jigngrub, I think I mentioned to you that this thing came with an old, non-running Merc 115. My friend was supposed to go out with me and help, but he had family obligations, so I just left the Merc. No biggie...I'll have my hands full with this thing and not trying to get an old engine running just to sell it. It was still a score I think at $250.

Shoulda kept the Merc Unless it's total junk parts can be sold to help finance the build or new motor. You got a total score on that baby.

Thanks!

Bonus: My wife thinks it's "pretty cool."

Double score. :D:D
 

laurentide

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Shoulda kept the Merc Unless it's total junk parts can be sold to help finance the build or new motor. You got a total score on that baby.

Yep, I know, but my options were non-existent at the time. I've got an '82 Johnson 70 that runs great, so I'm not overly concerned. That should be enough to push this thing, especially without the cabin. I hope I'm not offending any Starcraft purists by revealing my intentions to scrap the cuddy.
 

jigngrub

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Save the glass and frames on that thing, you can probably get a good price for them on ebay. That kind of stuff is hard to come by for those boats these days.
 

laurentide

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Save the glass and frames on that thing, you can probably get a good price for them on ebay. That kind of stuff is hard to come by for those boats these days.

Gotcha, will do.

For the record, I do think that the cabin is super cool looking, but in practical terms it has little use on day trips. I'm not a big fan of the Chieftain helm situation, either.
 

jigngrub

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

The cabin is very cool!... and would offer a place to get in out of the rain or hot sun.

... but it really depends on what kind of fishing you like to do. It wouldn't be very practical for casting for Bass and Pike and such, but that boat as is, is an excellent trolling boat for both deep and medium water.
 

jetterbug

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

And center console to boot! I'll be following this one for sure
 

laurentide

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Just to give fair warning, it's going to be in the single digits this coming week, so my initial progress will be pretty slow (no garage).

First order of business is to start cutting up the glass boat so I can have some room in the yard, then I'll start tearing the tin boat apart.

Does anybody have any opinions on the dual axle tilt trailer? With rollers? I've never used one. Is it leaps and bounds better than a bunk trailer? All the ramps that I go to are deep enough to float most boats under 20'. I like the simplicity of my bunk trailer, and it's definitely lighter than the Holsclaw.

Thanks.
 

jigngrub

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I'd keep that trailer under that boat, better to have too much trailer than not quite enough... it'll also add to the resale value of the boat.
 

laurentide

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I'd keep that trailer under that boat, better to have too much trailer than not quite enough... it'll also add to the resale value of the boat.

Good points. Thanks.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that it did ride really nicely on some VT winter roads today, which tend to get pretty banged up. As it sits now it's tongue-heavy, but I suspect that an outboard on the transom will fix that.
 

Teamster

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

jigngrub, I think I mentioned to you that this thing came with an old, non-running Merc 115. My friend was supposed to go out with me and help, but he had family obligations, so I just left the Merc. No biggie...I'll have my hands full with this thing and not trying to get an old engine running just to sell it. It was still a score I think at $250.

You probably left 250 bucks worth of old Merc parts that you could have sold for the rebuild!!!!
 

Teamster

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Very cool,.............Someone already did the demo on it!!!

Myself I would keep the tandem trailer for all of the reasons already mentioned,......

And my personal opinion is a center console is a wast of space, I would prefer an open deck for fish,....Like you would find with a "TILLER",....................But that is just my opinion, Others can and will vary,...
 

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
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Dec 20, 2009
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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

CW, just signing on to follow along on your project.

Totally awesome score man!
 

mark1961

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

You've done good, nice score......

Not going to be very practical to make it a tiller with a splashwell that large......stick with the original plan.
 

Teamster

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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

You've done good, nice score......

Not going to be very practical to make that a tiller with a splashwell this large......stick with the original plan.

I don't remember saying it would be practical,.............lol,....

A small single side console towards the front of the boat would leave things in the back more open to move around if your trolling,...
 

laurentide

Lieutenant Commander
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Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Awesome guys, the more ideas the better. I've got plenty of time to pick one before I commit.

Hmmm....single side console....
 
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