Hello everybody! 1989 221V Islander Restoration.

[Prestige_Worldwide]

Hello everyone!
I just purchased my first boat. A 1989 Starcraft Islander 221v with the hardtop. It has an OMC 4.3 with a Cobra outdrive.
I'm super excited to get into the project. Sadly because I am still Active Duty Navy I won't be able to start until December of this year . In the meantime I'm conducting a ton of research on everything to do with restorations and boating in general and bug bombed it and tarped it. That's how I came across this fantastic forum.
The engine turns over great. Compression test showed 150 on all 6 cylinders. Smoothly in and out of gears. Oil and gear oil both looked great with no water. So engine runs great just a little anxious about it being an OMC.
Due to a leak from the front cabin windows, there was about 5 inches of water stagnant in the V all the way aft. This resulted in the cabin floors, board beneath the gas tank, and transom to be rotted. The flaking rotting wood also clogged the drainage.
Hull could use a coat of paint and probably a couple rivets need love.
I'm learning right now and have read almost every "spash" build about islanders and cheiftains.
My question to you all is, in the mean time what about restoring this boat should I conduct more research on? Or what should I start purchasing now to prepare for this large undertaking (other then a bottle of whiskey haha)?
(Link below is the previous sale of my Islander. Please don't be mad mods I'm not trying to sell it :○)

1989 starcraft islander hard top 22ft

Posting for my fishing buddy 4.3l v6 and omc outdrive Newer tandem axle trailer with electric winch 2 cannon down riggers Fish hawk 840 Hummingbird ff Standard horizon GPS Ship to shore radio Am/fm/cd/mp3 player New dual batteries with battery switch Planer reels mounted on hard top Multiple rod ...

www.lakeontariounited.com

Thank you all for your time and advice. Looking forward to getting to know you guys.

 

[havoc_squad]

Unfortunately a 1989 GM 4.3L V6 is probably not the best engine when you are considering outdrive conversion options.

It's not as bad as the mercruiser engine 170/470 abomination or the inline 6 cylinder, but its not the newer 1991 4.3L V6 balanced shaft non-vortec/vortec heads so replacing them isn't as easy to find.

At this point you really need to consider researching your options on what it would take to put mercruiser alpha 1 gen 1 or gen 2 on that boat from a complete used working assembly from a rotten boat with a good drive system.

OMC cobra drive system parts are becoming ever more and more difficult to obtain as OEM and aftermarket companies have been on a warpath after 2020 to discontinue parts that are not deemed critical to retain. OMC is out of business so don't expect aftermarket companies to remain if it's not profitable to sell their sterndrive parts.

Not as bad as if I said "Yamaha sterndrive" on scarcity, but something to keep in mind.

I think anything above $3250 for that boat is a bit expensive with a drive system made by a company who is no longer in business anymore and BRP/Evinrude does not make their parts.

 

[Prestige_Worldwide]

Unfortunately a 1989 GM 4.3L V6 is probably not the best engine when you are considering outdrive conversion options.

It's not as bad as the mercruiser engine 170/470 abomination or the inline 6 cylinder, but its not the newer 1991 4.3L V6 balanced shaft non-vortec/vortec heads so replacing them isn't as easy to find.

At this point you really need to consider researching your options on what it would take to put mercruiser alpha 1 gen 1 or gen 2 on that boat from a complete used working assembly from a rotten boat with a good drive system.

OMC cobra drive system parts are becoming ever more and more difficult to obtain as OEM and aftermarket companies have been on a warpath after 2020 to discontinue parts that are not deemed critical to retain. OMC is out of business so don't expect aftermarket companies to remain if it's not profitable to sell their sterndrive parts.

Not as bad as if I said "Yamaha sterndrive" on scarcity, but something to keep in mind.

I think anything above $3250 for that boat is a bit expensive with a drive system made by a company who is no longer in business anymore and BRP/Evinrude does not make their parts

Yea that's pretty much where my head is at rn considering I have to pull the transom apart anyways. Feels like I have a relic with no value other then the hull and the steering wheel lol. I'm gunna start looking into a junk boat. I've read that the mercruiser bravos are beefier built and running a beefier engine and outdrive id be under the capacity for it resulting in less wear. I'm sure I could get away fine with a alpha 1 but should I set the goal to get a bravo? Or put it far up on my wish/wants/demands list?

 

[Moserkr]

Welcome (step) brother! Great boat with the full hardtop. Will be an insane fishing machine when rebuilt, and looks like it has been catching em for a while.

If your current motor/outdrive are in great shape, Id use em til they break, but thats just me. At the same time Id rebuild the boat in a way to make swapping to the merc combo easier to do. Unless you find a donor in the meantime and really want to go down that path to get the inevitable out of the way. Maybe you need some investors for the swap??
;-)

Lots of big tin being worked on right now. Would be pretty cool to see a bunch of them splashed next year. Will be tagging along on your build!

 

[Watermann]

Welcome aboard, yeah lots of work ahead for sure but it's amazing when you're all done.

Pick up new seats, deck covering material, gauges, new controls and anything else you can think of down to cup holders. Oh and tools of the trade as well for rivets, sanding and such.

 

[havoc_squad]

Yea that's pretty much where my head is at rn considering I have to pull the transom apart anyways. Feels like I have a relic with no value other then the hull and the steering wheel lol. I'm gunna start looking into a junk boat. I've read that the mercruiser bravos are beefier built and running a beefier engine and outdrive id be under the capacity for it resulting in less wear. I'm sure I could get away fine with a alpha 1 but should I set the goal to get a bravo? Or put it far up on my wish/wants/demands list?

The main issue with Bravo against Alpha is cost.

It demands a premium for going that route and unless you are dealing with a 5.7 V8 close to the limit of Alpha's HP rating, it is not worth it unless the boat is very heavy and has frequent rapid spikes of load on the outdrive.

When properly maintained, Alpha outdrives generally prematurely fail because they get exposed to the wear equivalent of drag racing or towing a double axle trailer loaded with light truck smaller than a 1/2 to axle truck.

I wouldn't be surprised to see someone wreck an alpha one outdrive with 5.7 v8 on a cabin cruiser because they often slam it in forward/reverse while moving too fast in slow speed for maneuvering/docking.

The heavier the boat and the faster they are moving in gear changes/sudden RPM changes, the more stress it puts on the drive.

 

[Prestige_Worldwide]

Welcome aboard, yeah lots of work ahead for sure but it's amazing when you're all done.

Pick up new seats, deck covering material, gauges, new controls and anything else you can think of down to cup holders. Oh and tools of the trade as well for rivets, sanding and such.

So far I've got the cup holders hahaha. Looking on market place rn for an alignment tool and other sanding disks and such. Thanks!

 

[Prestige_Worldwide]

The main issue with Bravo against Alpha is cost.

It demands a premium for going that route and unless you are dealing with a 5.7 V8 close to the limit of Alpha's HP rating, it is not worth it unless the boat is very heavy and has frequent rapid spikes of load on the outdrive.

When properly maintained, Alpha outdrives generally prematurely fail because they get exposed to the wear equivalent of drag racing or towing a double axle trailer loaded with light truck smaller than a 1/2 to axle truck.

I wouldn't be surprised to see someone wreck an alpha one outdrive with 5.7 v8 on a cabin cruiser because they often slam it in forward/reverse while moving too fast in slow speed for maneuvering/docking.

The heavier the boat and the faster they are moving in gear changes/sudden RPM changes, the more stress it puts on the drive.

So this boats dry weight is around 1400-1640 lbs depends on where you get your info from. But I've calculated about 3000 fully bagged out so I really don't think I'll need to go the bravo route. Thanks!

 

[Prestige_Worldwide]

View attachment 380955

Welcome (step) brother! Great boat with the full hardtop. Will be an insane fishing machine when rebuilt, and looks like it has been catching em for a while.

If your current motor/outdrive are in great shape, Id use em til they break, but thats just me. At the same time Id rebuild the boat in a way to make swapping to the merc combo easier to do. Unless you find a donor in the meantime and really want to go down that path to get the inevitable out of the way. Maybe you need some investors for the swap??
;-)

Lots of big tin being worked on right now. Would be pretty cool to see a bunch of them splashed next year. Will be tagging along on your rebuild!

Yea kinda praying when I pull the OMC and outdrive it goes for a pretty penny and I could get a junker that runs with an alpha 1. The more research I do the more time im adding to the rebuild time. Still, it's not scaring me (yet).

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Welcome, great looking project. Do you know if the hard top is factory or custom?

 

[Prestige_Worldwide]

Welcome, great looking project. Do you know if the hard top is factory or custom?

It's factory. Sadly the starboard side sliding glass is cracked but that's low on my priority list. Other then that it's in good shape.

 

[Prestige_Worldwide]

Thabk you guys for your help so far. I've started looking into 4.3 merc. Oml is this gunna be fun lol

 

[Watermann]

Why not worry about replacing the OMC when it's needed, you can still get parts for the 4.3L and typical maintenance parts for the drive.

If you're keeping with the IO config then yeah a 4.3L is a tried and true motor that will run forever if taken care of. Very fond of mine, so far a new fuel pump, starter and water pump on an all original 1988 4.3L LX 205 HP.

 

[havoc_squad]

Why not worry about replacing the OMC when it's needed, you can still get parts for the 4.3L and typical maintenance parts for the drive.

If you're keeping with the IO config then yeah a 4.3L is a tried and true motor that will run forever if taken care of. Very fond of mine, so far a new fuel pump, starter and water pump on an all original 1988 4.3L LX 205 HP.

Because the cost of conversion/change and time to make that choice now versus later is less.

Not to mention getting the overall OMC setup functioning may cost much more money than initially expected.

For instance, would I want to drop several hundred dollars for a new coupler or exhaust manifolds on a setup that would be a boat anchor if the outdrive went out?

The OP must consider the issue of how problematic would it be if the outdrive went out to get an equivalent replacement soon or it repaired.

I would not want to dump +$1100 in OMC specific parts and 2 years later the drive goes out and can't find a replacement close by and no one will rebuild the drives.

I can find Alpha One Gen 1 and Gen 2 parts all day and easily source replacements and parts are easy to get.

 

[Prestige_Worldwide]

Ok I'm seeing alot of guys doing I/O to outboard conversions. I think pros would be easier to change motors in the future and best thing is that I wouldn't have to scorce all the parts for a merc conversion. But if I mounted it just a little off or if anything goes wrong then my handling would be crap. Also the added extended weight plus bracing would mean relocation of at least gas tank and batteries. Seeing guys go with 125s which for me a top speed of 35 mph would be plenty. (Im already ripping out all wood anyways, now would be the time to swap). Any thoughts?

 

[Moserkr]

Im a big fan of outboards on offshore brackets, and 2x 115’s is great redundancy in case one fails. Put some weight forward if possible to counter balance the boat. Id have a pro build the bracket for the back then beef up the transom to handle it. You gain a ton of deck space too then. Id wager 35mph would be a middle ground speed you could find with that power.

 

[Prestige_Worldwide]

Im a big fan of outboards on offshore brackets, and 2x 115’s is great redundancy in case one fails. Put some weight forward if possible to counter balance the boat. Id have a pro build the bracket for the back then beef up the transom to handle it. You gain a ton of deck space too then. Id wager 35mph would be a middle ground speed you could find with that power.

Why not build it myself? I wager 3/4 plywood and then about 6-7 layers of epoxy and fiber glass it would be pleanty strong enough to support the weight. Only thing is I can't find anything to calculate the amount of buoyant force needed to keep center of gravity from shifting sitting in the water. Himing and hawing last couple days over that.

 

[Moserkr]

I was thinking of it being made out of aluminum, and thats a lot less weight. Sure it would work, but wood/fiberglass is heavy and can rot, vs aluminum which is light and damn near indestructible. Probably stronger too.

 

[redneck joe]

I vote OB conversion, and have a pro build it. Something that important needs to be done correctly. You can do the inside bracing.