Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Skipped through your thread. Nice stuff. I really haven't fished much this or last year. But used to hit the water 70+ days a year in my old MFG. I've only been on Champlain once this year. About two weeks back. Scored a couple salmon, a pig laker, and a 27" walleye in about 3 hours. I felt so blessed!

I've got a Holiday about stripped and ready for a new transom and floor. I am using encapsulated AC ply for the transom, and breaking the rules by using Advantech 3/4 for the deck (pebble vinyl over). I am50% decided that I am going to build a motor bracket to lose the splash well, but that is a lot considering I've never even installed one...

Anyway, good seeing another vermont mariner on here!

 

[laurentide]

Skipped through your thread. Nice stuff. I really haven't fished much this or last year. But used to hit the water 70+ days a year in my old MFG. I've only been on Champlain once this year. About two weeks back. Scored a couple salmon, a pig laker, and a 27" walleye in about 3 hours. I felt so blessed!

I've got a Holiday about stripped and ready for a new transom and floor. I am using encapsulated AC ply for the transom, and breaking the rules by using Advantech 3/4 for the deck (pebble vinyl over). I am50% decided that I am going to build a motor bracket to lose the splash well, but that is a lot considering I've never even installed one...

Anyway, good seeing another vermont mariner on here!

Good to see you here too, Mark! I've seen you around on the Champlain forum, I believe. I also wish I had more lake days...work is a drag. Good luck with your Holiday! I know the guys here would love to check it out when you get going on it. I'm going to break my trolling habit this week and jig for Lakers around Juniper. They're always stacked up out there. Cheers!

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

LCU - yes you have seen me there. I'd like you to see me on the lake with the 'new' starcraft this year but so far nobody has appeared in the wee hours of the night and given me money in a paper bag...so I guess I'll have to work as I can!

 

[laurentide]

LCU - yes you have seen me there. I'd like you to see me on the lake with the 'new' starcraft this year but so far nobody has appeared in the wee hours of the night and given me money in a paper bag...so I guess I'll have to work as I can!

:thumb:

 

[laurentide]

Hey guys! Not much happening over here, but I did get to take advantage of some nice weather and got out on the lake today. Light and variable, highs in the upper 40's...real nice for mid-December here. Lake trout are everywhere, but the salmon were elusive for me today.

I also remembered to get a hole shot vid now that I have a decent camera. This is a 70 hp 3 cylinder OMC with me, 4 batteries, and 25 gallons of fuel on board. I just want to illustrate how little power these boats actually need. The 70 is not quite ideal, and I think a 90 would be perfect, but it does perform its duty admirably. Don't mind the dumb looking guy in the video . I need to fix something in my throttle remote because it's not quite getting to the WOT position on the carb linkage cam. But I never run it WOT. Today was 21mph GPS at about 3900 RPM.

 

[oldhaven]

Hey Andy, nice video. That kind of speed looks like plenty to me. What with the change in weather patterns and the rough storms, excessive heat, snow and cold in other parts of the country, New England seems to have hit the jackpot this fall and winter. Lets keep it quiet or the Summer Complaints will be staying longer.

Ron

 

[laurentide]

Ron, that's the first I've heard of "Summer Complaints," and I had to look it up. We've got plenty here, too, mostly from up north. Channel 68 is basically in French all summer. I could go off on a tangent about their relative lack of seamanship skills, but I'll just wait until next summer and the next time a Quebecois sailboat overtakes me on a collision course while I'm trolling at 2.5 :facepalm::lol:. So close I could hand them a sandwich.

 

[dozerII]

Looks awesome Andy, I envy you being able to be out there fishing today.

 

[laurentide]

Looks awesome Any, I envy you being able to be out there fishing today.

Thanks Glen. Please don't take my eastern Canadian bashing the wrong way. Unless you own a sailboat. :behindsofa:

 

[dozerII]

Thanks Glen. Please don't take my eastern Canadian bashing the wrong way. Unless you own a sailboat. :behindsofa:

You don't have to explain to me, I have spent time out there and dealt with them as well

 

[BWR1953]

Hey guys! Not much happening over here, but I did get to take advantage of some nice weather and got out on the lake today. Light and variable, highs in the upper 40's...real nice for mid-December here. Lake trout are everywhere, but the salmon were elusive for me today.

I also remembered to get a hole shot vid now that I have a decent camera. This is a 70 hp 3 cylinder OMC with me, 4 batteries, and 25 gallons of fuel on board. I just want to illustrate how little power these boats actually need. The 70 is not quite ideal, and I think a 90 would be perfect, but it does perform its duty admirably. Don't mind the dumb looking guy in the video . I need to fix something in my throttle remote because it's not quite getting to the WOT position on the carb linkage cam. But I never run it WOT. Today was 21mph GPS at about 3900 RPM.

Very nice! I bet that boat would be quite sporty with a pair of those 70s hangin' on the back!

 

[laurentide]

Very nice! I bet that boat would be quite sporty with a pair of those 70s hangin' on the back!

It sure would, but I'm pretty happy with this main and my Honda kicker. Gets me where I'm going and the kicker sips fuel. I had a crazy idea to finance a new 4 stroke a couple of years ago, but i realized that if you can't pay cash for a toy you probably have better things to spend your money on. And with the new low price of fuel it makes even less sense for me now.

But, y'know, if I had cash I'd just have a single new 4 stroke on the back.

Sorry BWR, that ^^ rant wasn't directed at you...just my outboard musings .

 

[BWR1953]

It sure would, but I'm pretty happy with this main and my Honda kicker. Gets me where I'm going and the kicker sips fuel. I had a crazy idea to finance a new 4 stroke a couple of years ago, but i realized that if you can't pay cash for a toy you probably have better things to spend your money on. And with the new low price of fuel it makes even less sense for me now.

But, y'know, if I had cash I'd just have a single new 4 stroke on the back.

Sorry BWR, that ^^ rant wasn't directed at you...just my outboard musings .

No worries, mate! I didn't take it as a rant, just a discussion about preferences. Why, if I had such a boat, I'd be looking at twin 70s for it, just 'cause that's how I roll! :lol:

 

[pckeen]

Oh my my my. Fishing on the lake around where I am in this season usually involves a tent and heaters.....

 

[laurentide]

Oh my my my. Fishing on the lake around where I am in this season usually involves a tent and heaters.....

Ha! Yup, soon enough. I become more of an "indoorsman" when the lake freezes up!

 

[Watermann]

Wow what a calm day, I love it when out on a mirror like that. I did the fuel debate in my head when I was in the thought process on my chief. Then I read things like "you ever hear a guy complain about having too much power?" :lol:

It does surprise me how well that 70 pops your chief up but I would imagine adding a 200+ Lb guy or 2 would make her sluggish to get up, it sure does drag down my SN with the 55 to add a 3rd guy. I don't really like the idea of using import motors but one of those 3 cyl 90 Yamahas would be ideal.

 

[laurentide]

Wow what a calm day, I love it when out on a mirror like that. I did the fuel debate in my head when I was in the thought process on my chief. Then I read things like "you ever hear a guy complain about having too much power?" :lol:

It does surprise me how well that 70 pops your chief up but I would imagine adding a 200+ Lb guy or 2 would make her sluggish to get up, it sure does drag down my SN with the 55 to add a 3rd guy. I don't really like the idea of using import motors but one of those 3 cyl 90 Yamahas would be ideal.

Yeah, the 70 has to work pretty hard to stay up on plane with two more guys on board. It definitely starts to lug at 4000 RPM's in any kind of chop with added weight. I think what oldhaven did is perfect for this boat. A new (albeit heavy) 4S that's quiet and reliable enough to forego the kicker. His new Merc 90 is about the same weight as my two engines.

But for me it was a "run what you brung" deal. I had the engine and it works. I don't mind it being one of the best all-around outboards ever made . The extra weight scenario doesn't have much real world impact for me, as the boat can only fish two due to the tiny cockpit.

 

[oldhaven]

Gordon Bok:

Here I am, man, all alone again
Anchored away the hell and gone again
Another mile from another town
Wind Northeast and the rain coming down.
Home is the sailor, home from the sea;
A home for the mildew, friend to the flea ?

I don't care, man, I'm happy.
I got an old fat boat, she's slow but handsome
Hard in the chine and soft in the transom
I love her well; she must love me
But I think it's only for my money.

 

[laurentide]

Happy holidays, fellas! I was lucky enough to spend my Xmas in paradise.

 

[GA_Boater]

Must be hard to go out during a record setting winter.

Merry Christmas, Chem.