New-To- Me 1972 Starcraft 18' Mariner-V... Thoughts?

[thill]

I saw this boat listed and couldn't resist. I just picked up a 1972 Starcraft 18' Mariner-V with a 55hp Yamaha on the back:

The previous owner was a commercial crabber, and he removed the big center console to open up more space, and added a small side console. Not a bad choice. It has a ton of room inside, although you can't see it from the angle of the photos.

This boat is now 50 years old. She is in really good shape, overall. No big dents, solid floors, and owner says she doesn't leak a drop. She needs some TLC, though. There are a lot of screw holes in the tops of the gunnels. I need to either put a rail back on or just seal up the holes. I guess I could just put screws in them, but maybe a bit of marine epoxy stick sanded smooth would be better.

Looking at the spec page, this boat is rated for 125 HP motor. That is surprising. I have a 90 Evinrude, but even that seems like an awful lot of motor for an aluminum boat. The current motor is not rigged, so now I have to decide whether to rig the 55 or just go for the 90 HP. Seems that if I go lighter, that gives more carrying capacity. I want to put a trolling motor on the front, and it's a 24V system, so that extra weight can be compensated for with a lighter motor.

Another big decision is what to do with the paint? Olive drab is not my favorite, and that bottom paint needs to come off. I usually paint aluminum boats gray or white, but maybe I'm just boring. Any color suggestions?

Any thoughts, suggestions or comments of any kind? Any Starcraft Mariner owners out there? I'm definitely interested in feedback before I start digging into this thing. Thanks in advance.

 

[thill]

So here is my initial to-do list:
1. Drain the old gas and get a motor on it and running. (Which motor?)
2. Water test the boat and see if there are any glaring issues. (Anything loose or flexing, any leaks, any problems of any kind.) See how I like the ride
3. While the boat is in the water, adjust the rollers on the trailer to support it properly.

I guess the rest of the list will depend on the initial ride, but there is scraping the barnacles off the bottom, maybe sanding off all the bottom paint and repainting the hull, replacing missing hardware, like the corner cap, transom U-bolts, etc., pull up the old carpet, add LED lights, GPS and trolling motor, maybe replace that 2nd seat with a cushioned cooler.

This is just the stuff on the top of my head. Again, I'm very open to suggestions.

 

[classiccat]

welcome!

I expected that 18' mariner to have alot more freeboard...is the entire main deck raised (perhaps to make it easier to retrieve pots and/or hide any rot)?

If it were me, i'd gut the interior straight away; you'll learn alot more about the true condition of your hull. The outer chine, outermost row of bottom rib rivets & spray rail are the weak points due to metal fatigue.

Also, check the transom for any flex by grabbing the outboard leg and push in & out; it may "feel solid". If that's flexing, it will crack your knee brace and various spots on your splashwell.

 

[roscoe]

Nice boat. I had a 1974.
Now have an ‘81. Only difference is the splash well.

I have a 115 main motor with a 15 hp kicker. Plus 2 batteries in the back.
But fuel tank is under center console.

Any screws you add to the top of the gunnels with reach up and snag your fish lines.

 

[thill]

Classiccat,
Thanks for the welcome.

I bounced up and down on the motor, and there was no transom flex, which actually surprised me, but then I found out that the floor and transom had both been replaced a number of years ago. The floor is rock-solid, but I pulled back a corner of the carpet, and it looks great, so I hesitate to tear it up to inspect.

What I'm thinking is float the boat first and see if ANY water comes in. Then take it for a run, and look for flexing, rattles, things shaking or moving and so on. Does this make sense?

Roscoe,
I'm guessing your '74 is very similar to mine? The fact that you owned a 2nd one tells me you like the boat?

With a 115 HP, a kicker and all the batteries, was the boat stern heavy? How fast is it with that much HP? I have an Evinrude 90 and a 60 that I'm thinking of putting on the boat, but not sure if the 60 is worth the effort for 5 HP, and the 90 seems a bit heavy. Any thoughts on this?

I hate stuff that grabs fishing line. I have a bow rail that will probably fit it, but I'm leaning toward smoothing everything out. I could weld it, but that seems like a lot of work, so I'll probably use WaterWeld.

Thanks.

-Tony

 

[thill]

Last night, I went out and got the engine rigged. Side control that came with it was junked, but I happened to have one that fit perfectly. Seeing it rigged and installed was pretty exciting.

I primed the ball and turned the key, and she fired right up. Unfortunately, the bottom carb is dirty, as it misses at idle. If I tap the choke for a second, it smooths right out, but it goes right back a few seconds later. Gotta pull the carbs and go through them.

After getting the engine right, I'm going to install a Lowrance and do a little electrical work, and she should be ready to water test. Getting closer!

 

[BWR1953]

...so I'll probably use WaterWeld...

I used WaterWeld on the gunnels and transom on my Kingfisher and it worked just fine.

 

[classiccat]

Classiccat,
Thanks for the welcome.

I bounced up and down on the motor, and there was no transom flex, which actually surprised me, but then I found out that the floor and transom had both been replaced a number of years ago. The floor is rock-solid, but I pulled back a corner of the carpet, and it looks great, so I hesitate to tear it up to inspect.

What I'm thinking is float the boat first and see if ANY water comes in. Then take it for a run, and look for flexing, rattles, things shaking or moving and so on. Does this make sense?

I was comparing the freeboard of a 21' in your picture above...what you have looks more in line with the 18' (counting the # of lapstrakes). The deck should be around the height of the integrated spray rail.

Your plan is fine for a quick disaster check. Metal fatigue and/or corrosion issues are often hidden; it's actually quite rare that these old rigs don't have at least 1 of these hidden problems...esp if it's been used in salt / brackish water, slipped, etc.

 

[roscoe]

Classiccat,
Thanks for the welcome.

I bounced up and down on the motor, and there was no transom flex, which actually surprised me, but then I found out that the floor and transom had both been replaced a number of years ago. The floor is rock-solid, but I pulled back a corner of the carpet, and it looks great, so I hesitate to tear it up to inspect.

What I'm thinking is float the boat first and see if ANY water comes in. Then take it for a run, and look for flexing, rattles, things shaking or moving and so on. Does this make sense?

Roscoe,
I'm guessing your '74 is very similar to mine? The fact that you owned a 2nd one tells me you like the boat?

With a 115 HP, a kicker and all the batteries, was the boat stern heavy? How fast is it with that much HP? I have an Evinrude 90 and a 60 that I'm thinking of putting on the boat, but not sure if the 60 is worth the effort for 5 HP, and the 90 seems a bit heavy. Any thoughts on this?

I hate stuff that grabs fishing line. I have a bow rail that will probably fit it, but I'm leaning toward smoothing everything out. I could weld it, but that seems like a lot of work, so I'll probably use WaterWeld.

Thanks.

-Tony

Well, speed is not great.
The motor is almost 40 years old and I suspect it is crank rated, so probably in the 100 hp range.
The hull is not a "fast" hull.
I'm usually at 1800# + when out fishing, and propped for hole shot.
So speed is a strong 30 mph.
When I empty the boat of excess people and gear, and change the prop, I can get 38 mph.

 

[redneck joe]

i just picked up an 82 model, not had on the water yet with my 50 hp merc. Not expecting more than 30 mph which is fine for me. I had a 70 plus mph boat for a bit however I decided I drink too much to go that fast. Mid 20's is good for me nowadays.

Dad had a 21', 72 model with twin 60's and tho he never has a speedometer on it he claims no one on the willamette could keep up with him

My 'new' boat:

1982 MR 180

The day is drawing near and i'm getting pretty stoked...... Next Friday I hit the road. Manchester TN to St Louis to meet my brother (he's coming from springfield mo) then to Waterloo IA. Never been there and that clocks in at about 12 hour or less depending on how much he drives. I am not...

forums.iboats.com

 

[MNhunter1]

Well, speed is not great.
The motor is almost 40 years old and I suspect it is crank rated, so probably in the 100 hp range.
The hull is not a "fast" hull.
I'm usually at 1800# + when out fishing, and propped for hole shot.
So speed is a strong 30 mph.
When I empty the boat of excess people and gear, and change the prop, I can get 38 mph.

Not to hijack the thread, but figured the OP might be interested in the information as well:

With the 115HP, what size fuel tank are you running under the console and what kind of run time are you getting out of it? I have a 115hp tower of power and currently looking at running a 12gallon tank in the stock location under the helm seat. I know these motors are thirsty, so curious if it will be sufficient for my use, or I need to look at a larger tank/different option as now would be the time to do so.

 

[redneck joe]

really depends on how you run, especially the bigger you go. I'm a cruise at 20-25 mph kinday guy. Until I do the floor and put in a belly take I'm pretty sure I can run all day on a 6 gal with my 50. If you have the floor out ( per your 'now is the time comment') then yes never hurts to have too much fuel. You couple keep a 6 as back up under the helm.

 

[roscoe]

I had to completely rebuild the boat, bought it as an empty hull.
Had a 20 gallon tank from another project, so built a new console to fit over the tank.
Usually cruise at 25 mph, solidly on plane, and a rpm that the engine holds steady at. No clue about run time, hours, miles, etc. I run about 50 gallons thru it on my week in Canada, about 100 miles according to my chart plotter.

Also, Not sure about the horsepower output is on my 1986 Merc 115 tower.
Bought it from a guy who worked as a boat or engine engineer for Mercury or OMC I think. Or a yacht company, I don't remember. He had a boat business in Door County / Brussels, WI after he retired. Drove a hot little BMW Z3 and was into rc planes and drones. His name was Ken Simonsen. The motor runs well enough, but the carb part numbers don't match stock numbers, and I believe he had replaced them at some point.
So it may be under powered, or just drinking gas for the fun of it.

Anyway, I ramble, so here is more.
I decided the center console was too wide, and tall, and really limited usable space. So I am going to slide it forward and to starboard, remove the fuel tank and trim 5" off the bottom of the console. Then replace the fuel tank and place it midship along the port gunnel, and box it in.
The new tank is 19 gallons. It is 10" x 12" x 48".

Hopefully I get her finished by Spring, but I really hate working in a cold garage. The only part I haven't got figured out is how I'm going to get the fuel sending unit wire from the port side, to the console on the starboard side.

 

[thill]

Guys,
I know you are going to think I'm crazy, but I found a 16' Mariner on a nice trailer, already gutted out for a very good price, so I went and got it. This one is in MUCH cleaner condition:





It is missing a lot, but at least it had the corners and transom cap. Being already gutted, I can see everything, and I'm very pleased with it. Hardly even a ding in it, and no corrosion. I drove up to the mountains to get it, and this is definitely a 100% freshwater boat, and it's a clean slate.

Because of this, I'm feeling really motivated to jump on this 16 footer first. Today, I got the transom redone, and it is rock solid. After that, I started brainstorming. Here is a picture of what I'm thinking...




1. Front Deck - I was thinking 3'x5' should be pretty decent, but I'm considering making it a full 4' deep. A bit unsure. More casting space up front, or more "safe" space down on the floor?

2. Main floor - As drawn above, this boat will have a spacious 8 feet x 54" floor. The center console setup looks good looking, but takes up a lot of deck space, so I'm leaning toward a side console layout, especially since I already have one. (I found a small center console for $200 locally, if I want it)

The console I have is nice and small, 2' wide x 12" deep. Fits the boat great. I need to decide where to put it. In my Princecraft, the console is pretty far back, and I actually sit on the back deck when driving. In my drawing I put it about in the middle of the boat, thinking that maybe it will balance more like the center console, and not be too back heavy. Any thoughts on this?

3. Rear Deck - The rear deck in my Princecraft is 3' deep, and it conceals battery, fuel tank and great storage space. Again, I'm wondering whether I should make it a full 4' deep?

So my biggest question is more floor space or more deck space? I see a lot of jon boats with huge decks, and some are even completely decked, and they suffer badly in rough water. Guys on their hands and knees in any kind of chop. But on calm days, they have lots of room.

Any opinions on this topic?

 

[roscoe]

you sure thats a mariner?
looks like it had 2 bench seats, and a side console.
Got a splash well?

i vote for a small low deck in the front. 6 - 8" above the floor. a high deck in the front V really gets tippy.
do you really stand and cast a lot? and do you need to be high up to sight fish?

Move console ahead a foot and go with 4' platform in the rear if you need it.

 

[thill]

Hmmm. Good catch. You got me thinking, so I looked at the title, and it said "Starcraft Mariner 16." So I was thinking the guy lost the splash well, along with hardware and other stuff, but then I looked at the catalog...



Well, lookie there. This is definitely the boat I have. Turns out it's NOT a center console, and had no factory decks. So it appears that I'm going back to the original layout.

The decks in my drawing were using the original seat locations, just filling in the whole area. Not too high. Basically the same as I did on my 16' Princecraft:





In the Princecraft, the back deck is about 36" including the small splash well. The front deck is 4' from front to back. I'm very happy with that layout. At first, I didn't like the center bunk, but actually, it works great for seating, and I can walk from the back of the boat to the front by stepping from the back deck to the bunk to the front deck.

I fish in lakes and also run out in the Bay on calm days in this boat, so having the platforms are great in calm water, and the deeper areas are better on rougher days.

 

[thill]

This is a kind of strange picture perspective, using a fish-eye lens setting. It makes the boat look short and really wide, but you can see how the rear deck is my driving seat also:


I'm trying to decide if I want to move the console back and do the same thing in the Mariner. On the plus side, it makes the cooler seat unnecessary and opens up floor space, but on the negative side, will the engine, battery, fuel tank, and a couple of people put too much weight in the rear? It works well on the Princecraft, especially with the big group 29 battery and trolling motor up front, but I don't know the balance of this new to me boat.

 

[redneck joe]

hey start a new thread so we don't get mixed up on the two projects.

As for design, have at whatever you want just always think about load locations.

 

[thill]

Makes sense. I'm curious about the 18', but I'm probably not going to change anything on that one.

I wonder if I can't just change the title to this one, to avoid having to copy/paste a lot of information?

 

[redneck joe]

ask a mod to change title, and maybe delete the first couple posts about the 18.