Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

[59Thompson]

What are the advantages/disadvantages of riveted vs. welded construction? It appears that both companies made a 16 and 18 foot bowrider/fish&ski which looks like the style that would serve most of my purposes. Metal definitely seems the way to go, and the folks on this site are very helpful and ingenious in coming up with ways to make these boats in many cases better than new. Thanks for your thoughts in advance. Regards, John

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

I prefer a welded Crestliner,,, well because I have one

Wait...

Wait...

I hear the rumbling...

Here comes the Starcraft Cartel to set me straight

(can't believe I beat the SC hoard to this "Starcraft" post)

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

If it were me, I would prefer a welded boat, vs rivets. But I have a fiberglass boat, and it is not a Crestliner or a Starcraft...

Man, I am going to get an earfull now...

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

(can't believe I beat the SC hoard to this "Starcraft" post)

Oh I was "here" before you but I didn't post. I have absolutely no experience with welded hulls. They weren't around as much in the 60's-80's when most of our SC's were made. I've heard of riveted hulls leaking from loose rivets and I've heard of welded hulls cracking. Pick your poison I guess. I'd certainly be interested to hear any info from either camp. The fact that both types are being made today indicates to me that there is at least no CLEAR winner. The welded hulls do look sleeker.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

Oh I was "here" before you but I didn't post.

You have to admit it's pretty impressive a non-Starcraft person got in the first post though.

On the Crestliner side, I heard there were some Crestliners that had cracked weld problems. The affected boats were in a specific time frame and from what I gather they had changed welding processes which caused the problem. This is just hear-say from a post or 2 I read and I can't remember what years were affected, but it was close to my 2001, so either 1999-2000 or 2002-3,,, well something like that anyway. Run a search here or google to see if you can dig up the info.

I had my SuperHawk down to a bare hull and can say 100% that I'm sure all the welds in my hull are good, checked them out with a fine tooth comb while it was gutted.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

Welded hulls typically cost quite a bit more, nothing wrong with rivets though as they are actually more easily replaced than welding aluminum(not the easiest metal to deal with when welding).

If you have the coin for a welded hull, have at it

The way I look at it, welded hulls should be less maint, but IF ya do have issues with cracked welds...it's a hassle/expensive to deal with in my opinion.

For those of us in one-income families with kids...we love our all-riveted used Starcrafts

BTW there are also riveted Crestliners...not much different than a Starcraft at all, except Crestliner is like the little brother of Starcraft, they learned how to build tin hulls from the best LOL

Good luck...we can't wait to see pics of the Starcraft...if ya get the Crestliner...we can wait a bit longer to see the pics j/k

 

[Kainon]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

My Rivet boat doesn't leak from the rivets, it leaked from where someone put a screw through and didn't seal it, and I never saw the hole till I had the transom wood out and sanded the hull down and cleaned up with the transom was.

 

[DI35]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

It`s like this, twice the price to weld
not a lot of sealing in a weld
anyone can rivet
not everyone can weld
I can rivet
that means I can fix it

http://s714.photobucket.com/albums/ww148/DI35/

and I can seal up a ducks ***

 

[mattrogers5]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

I had a 4 year old welded polarcraft that had stress cracks..that were repaired and had no more issues....and I have a 1967....42year old riveted starcraft hull that has had 2 rivets replaced ,never bucked any of the others and never gluvited the boat when I did the floors 10 years ago, it has never leaked! Still doesn't, and i've had it offshore and striper fishin in the hard winter months......I guess I'm just lucky.....or starcrat builds a heaven of a boat!

 

[mrlassi1]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

My most recent purchase was a welded aluminum boat. I'd always had fiberglass before and wanted something that could tolerate being outside in the weather all the time, yet would not rot. Mine is ten years old now and is doing fine. Ironically, the floor panels are pop-riveted and I've had to replace a few of the rivets over time. The welded seams are all holding up great.

I also own a Michicraft aluminum canoe and a Sears Gamefisher - both are riveted and over 30 years old.

I have a great respect for Starcraft's construction and had the pleasure of restoring a 20' I/O in 2003. See before and after.

 

[tillerman]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

My first boat was a 14SF Starcraft, now I have a 16SS Crestliner. Both boats have been great. I hope to have a larger tin CC soon. Good luck

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

I had a 4 year old welded polarcraft that had stress cracks..

Me too. My 07 Tracker riveted jon boat got 2 cracked welds on the gusset that tops the transom over to the gunnels. I think it's more due to Tracker building the transom weak as there was a lot of flex where the outboard bolts on,,, and it looks like they missed a weld on each which could contribute to the problem. I rebuilt the transom stronger and the flex is gone. I've been back and forth with Tracker about getting the welds repaired, but it hasn't been done yet, scheduling, etc...

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

Welds are great, unless they're on a Tracker.....

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

Either construction method can produce a quality boat. What's important is the design, materials and build quality. I don't know much about Crestliners but there are enough 30+ year old aluminum Starcrafts on the water to safely say, they make a good boat.

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

Weld....schmeld!

Why would you weld when you can punch hundreds of holes through your hull to hold it together - nothing welded has ever worked!

I hope people get my sense of humor!

Clark

 

[Kainon]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

yea!! look at the Titanic !! and it was made of steel !!

 

[JimbC]

Re: Riveted Starcraft vs. Welded Crestliner?

(can't believe I beat the SC hoard to this "Starcraft" post)

You have to admit it's pretty impressive a non-Starcraft person got in the first post though.

What cracks me up is a non STARCRAFTER is hanging out in the STARCRAFT Board. Now that should tell you something about the STARCRAFTS.