New here and questions Starcraft SS 16

[JG63]

This is my first post. I have narrowed down my hunt for an aluminum hulled boat to use for fishing/rec. I live in Colorado, so some of my criteria is influenced by what is normally available for water here. I come from Maine and there is a big difference between what I ultimately want in a boat given that most water in Colorado is under-sized. Micro-bursts not withstanding, I do not think an 18' off-shore boat Is a good choice out here.
Anyway, I have always appreciated a sweet hull and know what that looks like having seen many boats growing up, both the wart hogs and the graceful swans. The SS has always struck me as handsome. Enough so that every time I see one I think "nice boat", the ultimate compliment. Life is too short to own an ugly boat.
I am interested in an older SS16 and have been reading everything I can on them including the rebuild threads. Of course I want the barn find 1976 that after one summer on the water was forgotten in a shed. I don't want to pay a dime for it and the motor only needs a fuel line.
However, back here in the real world, what are the main things I need to look out for when surveying a used Super Sport for purchase? Thanks in advance.

 

[Rasdiir]

This is my first post. I have narrowed down my hunt for an aluminum hulled boat to use for fishing/rec. I live in Colorado, so some of my criteria is influenced by what is normally available for water here. I come from Maine and there is a big difference between what I ultimately want in a boat given that most water in Colorado is under-sized. Micro-bursts not withstanding, I do not think an 18' off-shore boat Is a good choice out here.
Anyway, I have always appreciated a sweet hull and know what that looks like having seen many boats growing up, both the wart hogs and the graceful swans. The SS has always struck me as handsome. Enough so that every time I see one I think "nice boat", the ultimate compliment. Life is too short to own an ugly boat.
I am interested in an older SS16 and have been reading everything I can on them including the rebuild threads. Of course I want the barn find 1976 that after one summer on the water was forgotten in a shed. I don't want to pay a dime for it and the motor only needs a fuel line.
However, back here in the real world, what are the main things I need to look out for when surveying a used Super Sport for purchase? Thanks in advance.

I think the SS would be the same as most other aluminums: hull pitting or corrosion, corroded or missing rivet heads, the transom wood should be checked for rot, flex, or softness, if PT wood was used in the boat or for trailer bunks then check for corrosion under that (the PT chemicals react with aluminum), and then of course all the usual motor/electrical things that act up on old boats.

These boats are not too hard to fix as long as you put in the time, effort, and cash, so as long as the hull isn't swiss cheese almost anything else can be restored.

 

[Watermann]

Welcome aboard.
I have to assume you want as little work to do as possible on the boat and in that case even the barn find is going to have everything in it 40+ years old and deteriorating. What we all know when we restore these boats is that they're resale value far less even after all the work and dollars we put in.

Look for an SS that has been rebuilt already and had most the work done would be my advice. Otherwise expect a possible year long adventure with many hours of labor with new skills and tools having been acquired.

 

[JG63]

Good perspectives.
I have some back ground in boats, building a couple, besides having my own woodworking and fabrication shop. So getting it done and tools are no problem. I think there must be some riveted hulls out there that need very little attention. Sitting in a garage 30 years is not working the fasteners. A boat having 100hrs on it total say, and much of it in on easy water, would seem a good risk. I mean, all these old riveted hulls running around can't be either re-riveted or dire problems ignored, right? (Idiot owners aside)
Some small runabouts must be healthy survivors. Upholstery, electrical and fuel are a seperate issue.
If I do my due diligence finding the right hull, I "think" I won't have to pull the floor and gut the hull.
Or am I on old boat crack?

 

[JG63]

My only reluctance regarding the "find one re-built already" is having to trust that the work necessary was actually done, and done in a satisfactory manner. I know there is good resto work being done by hobbyists though. I have a lot of admiration for those projects completed in spare time and with limited resources.

 

[Watermann]

Lots of variables out there with boats in all degrees of condition. Problem now days is that the majority of people do not take care of their things. I drove by a brand new Starweld that sat out all winter and summer in a driveway for a year before disappearing that never was covered rain or shine. Then there's the opposite like me, boat covered and stored inside a heated garage and the other that won't fit inside is properly winterized and double covered.

Expect the worst, be happy if you find something on the market in usable condition and be ecstatic if you find a mint.

 

[SHSU]

Echoing what others have said, just setting expectation at doing a complete rebuild. That way, if you find one that is better, great. If not, then you were already planning for the time/money.

I thought our rebuild would be done in 2 - 4 months. 6 months tops.... 2 1/2 years later we finally splashed. Had some burnout mixed in there, but just keep plugging away and now its a great joy for the family.

SHSU

 

[BWR1953]

Just like SHSU and others have said, it'll probably require more than you might think, take a lot longer and cost a lot more. That's just the way of it.

When I bought our Kingfisher (link below), it wasn't running and had a number of leaks. I sold the antique motor and several other items included with the boat and recouped some of my costs.

I'd never done any kind of refurbishment or restoration, but with the help of the great folks on here, my stepson and I got it into serviceable condition in 3 months. I had to buy a small tiller motor as an interim, but it allowed my wife, the boy and I to go fishing for a couple years. It wasn't pretty, but it was functional.

Then 5 years ago we tore it all down and did a full on restoration. I figured it would be done in 6 months or so. Nope. It took 3 and a 1/2 years to splash the restored boat! There were times of discouragement and I have health issues which slowed us down, but the sheer size of the project; re-bucking 300 rivets, stripping, painting, building a deck, getting a larger engine installed and then operating... and on and on... there's a lot to restoring an old boat.

A lot.