I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

[talltx]

Hi everybody. In an effort to boar y'all to tears, I got a story for ya. It all started about 3 months ago when a '68 Islander caught my eye. I looked up the brand and found my way here. After many joyful hours of reading, I made my first contact and friend here on iboats. You all know him affectionately as "The Garden Variety Poop Starter" ... Jasoutside. Like many of you, I celebrated his progress and cried through his pain. He suggested that I introduce myself in spite of the fact that I am not a boat owner...yet. The Islander that I have my eye on is not even for sale. After asking around, I discovered that the boat had been sitting in the same spot for 11 years and allowed to rot. Sad for sure. When I get to the point in my life when I can keep a boat and afford to rebuild it, I plan to contact the man who owns her. Meanwhile, he can continue to pay the storage fee and if y'all don't mind, I would like to hang out here and live vicariously through you very fortunate, well educated, and highly experienced folks.
If you want to see the boat I'm talking about, go to photobucket and search talltx. That's a 120 Mercruiser I/O in there and the rest is not far from being dust. All except the tin that is. Thanks for your time and God bless. talltx

 

[dozerII]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Welcome talltx, there are a lot of great people on this site with pretty much an answer for any proplem you can run into. The hull on that Islander looks in great shape, the tires on the trailer not so much. The Mercruiser 120 is a great set up, easy to work on , and not to bad for parts.
Glen

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Hey bud welcome to the Starcraft Restoration Center of the Universe. Jas runs a support group for the Starmada "People Ogling Old Projects". He's a great guy with a really good sense of humor. Now ya got a bunch of friends here.

I started out posting here without a boat as did many of the guys. Make yourself at home, you are now a pledge.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Great to see ya finally jumped in the game tx!

Here's the rig he's looking at...

The rest are over here...

http://s1139.photobucket.com/albums/n541/talltx/?start=all

 

[ezmobee]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Welcome! While an Islander is certainly a nice goal to have, it would be silly for you to sit around boatless pining for it when a couple hundred would buy you a smaller SC project that you could work on in the meantime. As they all have similar construction it would be great practice for when you find your ideal hull. To Craigslist my friend!!!!!!!!

 

[talltx]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Welcome talltx, there are a lot of great people on this site with pretty much an answer for any problem you can run into. The hull on that Islander looks in great shape, the tires on the trailer not so much. The Mercruiser 120 is a great set up, easy to work on , and not to bad for parts
Glen

Thanks for the welcome Glen. Yeah, the hull does look good. I couldn't find a ding anywhere. The engine and outdrive will probably need a rebuild for sure.Yeah, y'all are very knowledgeable and bottom-feeders like me. That's very cool.

 

[talltx]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Hey bud welcome to the Starcraft Restoration Center of the Universe. Jas runs a support group for the Starmada "People Ogling Old Projects". He's a great guy with a really good sense of humor. Now ya got a bunch of friends here.

I started out posting here without a boat as did many of the guys. Make yourself at home, you are now a pledge.

Thanks Bwana for the welcome. Yep, Jas is the real deal. One of those guys who is just naturally funny and kind.I guess my first question to you is.........where's my pledge pin?

 

[talltx]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Great to see ya finally jumped in.


Yep,both feet. Thanks for posting those photos. I gotta read up and learn how to do that. Have a great day.

 

[talltx]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Welcome! While an Islander is certainly a nice goal to have, it would be silly for you to sit around boatless pining for it when a couple hundred would buy you a smaller SC project that you could work on in the meantime. As they all have similar construction it would be great practice for when you find your ideal hull. To Craigslist my friend!!!!!!!!

Hi EZ. You're so right. I've spent hours on Craigslist over the past few months. I found some good deals in Dallas and San Antonio but very little in or near Houston. Check them out and let me know what you think. Latter or cheers as Jas would say.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Yah fellas, I was kinda saying to tx that the Islander hull looks really great but there isn't much more than that. Trailer looks toasted and I would put any confidence into that driveline either. I'm kinda thinking $250 - $500ish range, but that's about it, eh?

Whatttya guys think?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

I'm kinda thinking $250 - $500ish range, but that's about it, eh?

Whatttya guys think?

Pretty much.

 

[barato2]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Talltx--

also look in Austin....lots of boats listed there. don't be afraid to drive 3 hours......most every boat in your area will have salt exposure, and there will be a lot in CenTex that don't, and this would be worth a drive for me.

also, if you just want a starter tinnie (about to blazfeeme here) don't worry too much about brand. there really isn't all THAT much difference in the 12-14' range in build quality etc that i'd rule out a non-Starcraft. SC just happens to be the biggest tinnie mfgr (or was) and thus there are lots out there and they build em in all sizes....many years have 3-4+ different 12 and 14' hulls for different purposes. and yeah, i think they're often better designed in terms of hull shape. but the fish caught out of a Lone Star, TX Maid, Ark Traveler, Sears, Wards, etc etc etc tinnie will taste about the same and we'll of course still let you hang out. the keys are the bottom feeder ethos and PICTURES lots of PICTURES. you want to be like a brown trout or mangrove snapper cautiously approaching a potential morsel, not a catfish blindly gulping the stink bait.

i'd go a little higher than Jas and EZ on that Islander....maybe 750-800. not as many here in Tx as in the uppper midwest. but they're right that you should consider it a tabla rasa and assume that you'll be replACING oops all but the tin. but if you do dive into it, suggest you buy and re-transom a little tinnie first....not least cuz, if you're married etc, SWMBO will have much more tolerant attitude towards resto $/mess/$/noise/dust/$ if she can see the end result of where you're headed

Bienvenidos, BTW, from El Paso!

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Welcome! While an Islander is certainly a nice goal to have, it would be silly for you to sit around boatless pining for it when a couple hundred would buy you a smaller SC project that you could work on in the meantime. As they all have similar construction it would be great practice for when you find your ideal hull. To Craigslist my friend!!!!!!!!

Ahh yes the preboat system. That's where you get a little boat and fix her up. You work on a smaller tinnie and finish her up quick, then go fishing. All the while you keep your eyes peeled for the big Islander, the prize if you will.

Then there's the two boat system. All your cool guys go this route. It' not for everyone though, wives will object loudly and violently to this system. Only the toughest amongst us dare to venture down this road.

OK here it is, the two boat system:
Find your dream boat, the big one, the prize. Get it at a great price, which means it needs tons of work. Drag it home and puff out your chest, strut too. Let the wife know you are not afraid of this boat, this will impress your friends too. Motor work, electrical work, welding, gimbles, transoms, decks, we laugh at it all. Now here's where the toughest amongst us rise up to the occasion. This dream boat is taking way too much time and money, you want to boat and fish now. Go get another boat, a smaller one, an outboard. Start work on this boat, the smaller one, yea it's much easier to finish. Now go fishing, work on dream boat at your leisure, pressure free.

Trust us TX, we won't steer ya wrong.

CBK gives out the pledge pins.

 

[barato2]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

for a great example of what you're shooting for to Impress the SO with your Tinnie Expertise, look at the 12' Sea Scamp project Don did with his son Zach. note the crying child with the sander as the merciless Bwana Don stands over him with the whip.....you can see why his spouse is now afraid to say anything negative, for fear she'll be next.

or maybe i meant to look at how durn Beyootiful even a tin can like that can be made to look.

 

[barato2]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

a few possibilities in centex/Houston area


a $400 18' Mariner!!! with title
http://houston.craigslist.org/boa/2813507151.html


18' SS, a little pricey for bottom feedin
http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/boa/2804496409.html

little un for little $
http://houston.craigslist.org/boa/2798323813.html

me, i'd try to jump on that $400 Mariner ASAP. at that price, even if motor is toast and everything else needs rebuild, no worries.

 

[talltx]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

This is all great advice. Thanks For posting. Appreciate your efforts.

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Seriously, a 12-14 footer would be fun and great practice. When your ready for the big un, sell it or move it to the back of the yard. you'll learn a lot and have some fun too.

My spouse is anything but afraid of me Barato I'd say the opposite. LOL, she can be a real fireball. I snuck the new 5-1/2 horse Johnson into the basement, don't say anything. OK I don't smoke or drink or gamble, I work everyday. So I have a little outboard problem. Wait is three a problem?

Good luck talltx, this site is addictive.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

I pawned all the pledge pins.

 

[rheagler]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

Seriously, a 12-14 footer would be fun and great practice. When your ready for the big un, sell it or move it to the back of the yard. you'll learn a lot and have some fun too.

My spouse is anything but afraid of me Barato I'd say the opposite. LOL, she can be a real fireball. I snuck the new 5-1/2 horse Johnson into the basement, don't say anything. OK I don't smoke or drink or gamble, I work everyday. So I have a little outboard problem. Wait is three a problem?

Good luck talltx, this site is addictive.

Oh no. I just realized I have 3 outboards... 4 if I count the electric.... Are there meetings we can go to Don?

I say go for the Islander... Why not start big?

 

[barato2]

Re: I'm new and hooked on tinny Starcrafts

the reason i like the $400 Mariner so much is that 1) it's local and you could pick it up this weekend; 2) it's a steal at that $ even allowing for salt usage; and 3) a Mariner would be a LOT easier to redo than a holiday or SS, not really much more work than a 14', cuz you don't have to mess with dashes and supports for same....i assume the console could just be dropped onto the new flooring? you guys who have restored holidays and SSs....wasn't the dash one of the hardest parts to redo?