Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

[aarongreen123]

i am looking to get a boat for the fam and for me for a little fishing. I like the old starcraft aluminums as i feel like i would be getting a large boat that is fairly light. I am looking at 18-21', both i/o and outboard. what should i look out for as far as trouble spots, years to watch out for, i/o vs outboard ( i am partial to ouboards for no good reason). I like the holiday style boats especially. Can you give me some tips?

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

I would look through all the resto threads first - of course I am partial to the 18' Holiday - mine is closed Bow - while the Super Sports - open bow - aren't quite as sexy - I would admit there is a reason why most boats now are open bow - just more room for people.

Some one once said - Under an old aluminum boat is a brand new one - Under an old glass boat is nothing but misery.

As far as years - the older - I beleive pre 1965 are not V hulls - but flat bottom and therefore will ride quite a bit rougher - I personally would steer clear of them.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=494143

Read through these!!

Where are you located?
As far as the rest - depends how handy you are - a total interior gut job/repaint can be done for $1500 - $2000 with household shop tools. IF mechanicals don't faze you an I/O isn't that big a deal - an OB will be simpler and cheaper (less mvoing parts).

 

[Jayb123]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

while the Super Sports - open bow - aren't quite as sexy - ...........

Bite your tongue SC65 ... lol.

Actually I am a lil more partial to OB's I think they are easier to work on, at least for the shadetree mechanic.... and they are usually cheaper too .. like SC65 said. If you can get it at a decent price .. they can be rebuilt .

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

How many in the Family?
How old?
What kind of fishing?
How handy are you?
How Comfortable are you taking on mechanical issues?
Depending on all the above, especially how many in the family, The SS may in fact (cough) be the right boat for you.
If the kids are young, then an Islander maybe ideal to give them someplace to go out of the elements and to nap.


Good luck, whatever you decide, we are all here for you.

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

How many in the Family?
How old?
What kind of fishing?
How handy are you?
How Comfortable are you taking on mechanical issues?
Depending on all the above, especially how many in the family, The SS may in fact (cough) be the right boat for you.
If the kids are young, then an Islander maybe ideal to give them someplace to go out of the elements and to nap.


Good luck, whatever you decide, we are all here for you.

Who is kidding who? The only boat to get is an 18' Holiday I/O - preferably a 1968 - it should be painted with a stripe down the middle!!

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

The closed bow leaves room for storage, open leaves room for people and casting up front. The cabin cruiser a really neat into themselves. Islanders are the big ones and lend themselves to larger expanses of water. 60's boats are a different style than the 70's boats, each has it's own following. We could go on for days (and sometimes do) about I/O vs. outboards.

The most important decision for me was the length. Everything else I just rolled the dice.

They are all cool and a support group is here for you. Lots of choices here. You could do the Bwan Don method of choosing. Throw out your decision matrix and pick up the first one that fit's your budget.

 

[Deadwood]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

Actually I am a lil more partial to OB's I think they are easier to work on, at least for the shadetree mechanic.... and they are usually cheaper too .. .

OUCH....why does my lip hurt???

 

[Daltonxj]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

You know why not just buy one of each.. the closed bow for cruising..... and the open bow for fishing... LOL

But as everyone said they can be rebuilt. in the proccess of restoring a '79 16' Holiday myself...... the more the family the bigger the boat you need.. or just buy another one...

 

[aarongreen123]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

you guys are awesome! i'm less scared now I'm a little handy just finished up putting a new impeller in an old johnons 9.5, but i think its safe to say my experience is limited to tune up stuff like that. i have pretty much all the power saws and hand tools that i need to do the interior work if needed i think. there are 5 of us, but my son just showed up about a week ago so his first season on the water will likely be next year I live in western new york, about ten miles from lake ontario and within 50-60 miles of all the fingers lakes, about 100 miles from lake erie and roughly the same from the niagra river, never hard to find water around here. i was shooting for an 18, as there is a slight chance that it may fit in my garage and that would make me happy, but its not the end of the world. An I/O scares me a bit more, like i said, i'm not sure i have a great reason for that other than the fact i don't have any automotive experience at all, and i just have this feeling that a problem with an I/O is potentially a bigger problem than a similar one with an outboard. Again, these are not neccessarily rational thoughts These boats don't seem to be in short supply. Here are the three that i have been eyeballing. The first two are outboards, the third and i/o. the outboards don't have tilt, i haven't decided how big a deal this is to me yet, i don't run in any shallow water...
http://rochester.craigslist.org/boa/2485736994.html
http://rochester.craigslist.org/boa/2497093637.html
http://rochester.craigslist.org/boa/2486771181.html
i am not much of a big lake fisherman, but can't say that i woulnd't be interested. the third boat comes with a fair amout of stuff. These prices seem to be what guys are asking around here, again these boats aren't in short supply and i'm sure as the summer goes on more will pop up and the prices may fall a bit. I really would love to not do a transom or floor in one right away, i realize that it may be neccessary one day, but i would like to get out on the water and i'm busy as all get out this summer with the baby etc thanks a million for the advice so far, i am continuingg to go thru the resto threads as well. again any shopping tips on condition, trouble spots, and prices would be awesome! thanks again.

 

[Daltonxj]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

Dang that third one is sweet your right alot of extras on that one..... looks to have been completly rebuilt also...

also the first one as well... it's a tinny also..

the second looks like a glasser....

but still very clean...

all three look water ready...

 

[aarongreen123]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

SOB in my excitement i didn't even realize that that ugly (beautiful) green one wasa a glass boat. i need aluminum cuz i don't have much to tow with and i don't want to rip up what i have. i'm going to look at the green one now anyway, how much ya think that sucker weighs?

 

[aarongreen123]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

hey when iboats refers to the weight of the boat as 1150lbs for the american 18 in 1973, does that include the OB motor?

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

Aaron - are you in Rachacha? I am in Buff - there are some sweet 18' Holiday both open and closed right near me...
http://buffalo.craigslist.org/boa/2443256291.html

Although I think that $2100 Holiday looks like a good deal......keep us up to speed!!

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

hey when iboats refers to the weight of the boat as 1150lbs for the american 18 in 1973, does that include the OB motor?

No motor -

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

Oh - and if you are from Roch - I have a great backyard mechanic here in buff that fixes/lends help for cheap - he helped me big in a big way.

 

[aarongreen123]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

Star, i saw that one in Buffalo, that one looks pretty hands off ready to rock! I just checked out that green glass boat. i hate that i love that color so much its in ok shape, looks like the gas tank leaks cuz the dude is using an old metal 6gal. The motor was cold and fired up good, choke on the control is messed up, motor seemed clean. No impeller in the last 5 years, some discolaration in the paint like maybe someone else waited until one faailed. trailer under it wasa a beast, aluminum shoreline.

That blank and white holiday in rush, how good of a price is that? I guess i was looking at it like there wasa a few hundred in gear, and i don't think i would have to buy anything as far as life jackets etc....its got black interior so it would be a given that that would need to be undone. the screws that fasten the dash down at the ends of the dash were both stripped, some corrosion on the sluminum and whaat not but hey its 40 years old Trying to guage the price. After looking at the 18 tonight, i'm afraid to say, that i may be in the market for an open bow Neverr thought i would say it but i may be true cuz i think we'll need the peeple room. Thats great to hear that there is help in buffalo, I'm happen to help as well if you hear that anyone needs a set of hands for a boat flip or whatever really, would love to watch/help someone doing some of the more in depth motor stuff too. Yeah i'm just outside of rochester about 15 miles to the west.

 

[aarongreen123]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

how much you think that one that you sent the link to weighs? i'm trying to tow with a 4 banger, but we have a minivan that could do it too, that thing looks clean as a whistle just a little more than i planned to spend but it looks like its well worth it. is that a fair price he's askin?

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

I vote #3. I don't know where you boat though. I just read 10 miles from Lake Ontario, yea #3 will do you right.

Take your TIME, think it over. Good deals won't last so get your list ready. When one shows up that meets your criteria pull the trigger.

Looked at it again, it's an 18' 4" Holiday. If I was boating on Ontario I might want an Islander 19' or bigger. No wrong decision here.

 

[aarongreen123]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

someone was yappin at me today about a seal that needs replacement on older i/o motors where the drive goes thru the transom, referred to it as the 1000 dollar delemma. i think he's full of **** but is that any reason to stay away from an IO? Bwana, did you see that boat that Clark linked to me? That thing will even match the outside of my house.....sorry wife said that not me

 

[Jayb123]

Re: Looking for an older starcraft, need some advice

Oh - and if you are from Roch - I have a great backyard mechanic here in buff that fixes/lends help for cheap - he helped me big in a big way.

I may need to borrow that guy from ya some day SC65 .

Aaron, you can go 2 routes... get one fixed up and go yachting or take the other route and get a fixer upper. I decided to go fixer upper, do it the way I wanted to and yacht a lil later on. I also had to keep weight to a minimum due to vehicle restrictions (prob same reason as yours). Thats another reson why I bought a 16' SS. Ya i agree with you on prices... as summer starts to slowly close out you will find more boats at lower prices. good luck.