Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

[laurentide]

Maybe you can vault in over the splash well?

:lol: I would if it wouldn't damage the flimsy sheet aluminum back there! I had it out yesterday and it wasn't that bad....and for a brief moment in time, everything on the boat works as it should! The Cannons are older Mag 10s, and as such, are a tiny bit slow on the retrieve, but still a whole lot better than cranking!

In many years of fishing here and on the south shore of Long Island, I'd never once been boarded by F&W/game warden, but they've checked me twice this year. I'm happy to see them doing their job to make sure everyone plays by the same rules. Not a bad job cruising around in a CC with twin Honda 150s.

 

[GA_Boater]

In many years of fishing here and on the south shore of Long Island, I'd never once been boarded by F&W/game warden, but they've checked me twice this year. I'm happy to see them doing their job to make sure everyone plays by the same rules. Not a bad job cruising around in a CC with twin Honda 150s.

Chem - They were just checkin' her out cuz she looks so good. They pass on rat boats like mine.

 

[dozerII]

She's looking real good Chem you are definitely getting here all decked out to an awesome fishing machine.

 

[laurentide]

Not a lot of boating time for me recently. Between my job and out-of-state vacation and bad weather, it just hasn't been happening. Hopefully that'll be changing in October and November when the salmon bite picks up again.

If you've read my recent posts here you'll know that I've been trying to figure out a way to get a four stroke kicker on the transom of this Chieftain. I was kind of resigned to paying big bucks for a brand spanking new Tohatsu, and even went part way through the check out process online. I checked CL one last desperate time, and saw a text only ad for a Honda 7.5 hp. All it said was "good engine, no need for it." And he was asking $250. So, yeah, I bought that.

After new plugs, fuel lines, filter, and pump, carb cleaning, new t-stat and seafoam, I just couldn't get it to stop shaking and vibrating. Then I realized that all you have to do to adjust timing on these is pull the exposed timing belt off the camshaft pulley and line up the marks on the flywheel and camshaft. So now it basically runs like new.

It has a super bad redneck paint job, but I'll probably just keep it like that to discourage theft.

I'm thinking of entering this masterpiece of independent cinema into the Cannes film festival :facepalm:. Yeah, terrible quality and light here, but you can at least see that she's a smooth runner. Sea trial tomorrow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuAG...ature=youtu.be

I can't figure out how to embed video in the text.

 

[classiccat]

Congrats Chem!!! What a find! :thumb:

 

[jbcurt00]

Ugly and running great works is just fine w me too. Congrats

 

[Weep'n Willy]

Great score on the Honda. That should keep you trolling for pennies a day.

 

[Watermann]

So what if a shady Redneck takes a liking to the little ugly duckling? :lol:

 

[GA_Boater]

Looks like junk, runs like a dream. Good score, Chem. :thumb:

I imbedded your vid in the post. Copy the URL of the Youtube vid and paste it into the box after clicking "Insert Video" to the left of the Quote in Advanced Editor. I hope that's not one of the things working only for Mods. :doh:

 

[laurentide]

Works for me, GA. Thanks! I appreciate the tutorial. My phone's video camera is a piece of junk, but I did get the lil' Honda out today. I've gotta say that a 4 stroke makes slow trolling a far more pleasant experience. Current owners and IO guys can relate. This grainy video is more just to illustrate the decibel level, not the beauty of the lake in late summer (though it's real nice...you'll have to trust me, it's not that pixelated!). Got the tracks installed, too, which make the gunwales way cleaner looking, and allow the riggers to be slid back for trailering and when under way. I like 'em.

.

At the end of the vid there's a HUGE piece of tin (it's not steel 'cause it wasn't painted), a NOAA sonar boat. I'm thinking it's over 50', and it's a big catamaran dragging sonar equipment to map the lake. Pretty cool.

Here it is heading back toward NY.

And this is just me messing with the panorama thingy...note the wavy horizon. That's special FX!

Cheers guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPzW3DAh2Ic

 

[laurentide]

So what if a shady Redneck takes a liking to the little ugly duckling? :lol:

Yeah, more like shady opiate junkies around here, unfortunately. I keep it under a tarp in the side yard, and I'm pretty sure the dogs would hear it. I hope.

EDIT: A Honda mechanic told me that a lot of commercial operators and sailing/rowing clubs intentionally spray bomb their Honda OB's because they're such thief magnets. This one's an '81 model year, but you never know what people will take.

 

[GA_Boater]

You got the imbedding down now. Chem. The sonar boat wasn't too far away. was it?

 

[laurentide]

You got the imbedding down now. Chem. The sonar boat wasn't too far away. was it?

Yeah, and I was the burdened vessel in that scenario. Hopefully that turn was in their plan!

 

[Watermann]

Yeah, more like shady opiate junkies around here, unfortunately. I keep it under a tarp in the side yard, and I'm pretty sure the dogs would hear it. I hope.

EDIT: A Honda mechanic told me that a lot of commercial operators and sailing/rowing clubs intentionally spray bomb their Honda OB's because they're such thief magnets. This one's an '81 model year, but you never know what people will take.

Here too, they take anything they can find to get F'd up on and right now it's heroin and meth. If it' not nailed down they steal it and if it is, then they spray paint it. I think the whole country is like that now. I pretty much blame welfare on enabling them to be a schlub. I have a German Shepherd, security cams and a blacked out Tahoe but they still snoop around every now and then.

 

[laurentide]

Just a friendly reminder to check your trailer wheel bearings. Even if you just f'n replaced them last year.

Luckily I was about a mile from home, but I wasn't getting there on a wobbly wheel and I wasn't replacing the bearing in a private lot. Glad it happened right next to that lot, though.

The wrecker driver was a hoot...it was actually kind of fun to help him load a boat/trailer combo.

Great day up until that point. Sunrise on the lake (long day!):

PS: BoatUS was AWESOME. So easy and no charge, plus he put it right in my driveway. Cool.

I think what happened was I used the trailer with loose lug nuts once last summer (d'oh!), and damaged the inner seal. Just a matter of time...thankfully it happened on a city street, not a rural road or highway at high speed.

Cheers!

 

[dozerII]

That sucks Chem, but I guess it could have been much worse.

 

[GA_Boater]

Hope it's just bearings/seal and the axle is OK, Chem. Not what you call a perfect ending to a perfect day on the water.

Good thing they called out the long roll-back.

 

[laurentide]

Yeah, I don't know much about axles. I'll have to do some research. Could be time to get a more appropriately sized trailer.

Even with the roll back there was some roller bracket scraping. No real damage, though.

 

[Watermann]

Whoa that was a close call!

I would agree that a bigger/heavier trailer would be a good idea. I got lucky with the rotten glasser's trailer, it's super heavy duty with a 3500# axle and 14" wheels. Of course I have a bunch of cast iron weight on the stern too.

I would suggest if you're keeping the Chief's chariot to buy a new axle, they really don't cost that much at a big box ranch store. I saw at the Big R here some 2500# ones for around $140 and that's with new everything on them.

 

[laurentide]

Whoa that was a close call!

I would agree that a bigger/heavier trailer would be a good idea. I got lucky with the rotten glasser's trailer, it's super heavy duty with a 3500# axle and 14" wheels. Of course I have a bunch of cast iron weight on the stern too.

I would suggest if you're keeping the Chief's chariot to buy a new axle, they really don't cost that much at a big box ranch store. I saw at the Big R here some 2500# ones for around $140 and that's with new everything on them.

Cool, we've got a Tractor Supply here. Could use new leaf springs as well while I'm blocking the boat. I'll keep an eye on CL for a bargain galvanized single axle.

Hey, like this: http://burlington.craigslist.org/boa/4688291989.html