star chief outboard range

[hillbillysailor]

just purchased a 1962 star chief and am wondering what would be a fuel efficient outboard to use...there is no outboard and previous owner had a 50h.p merc...can i go smaller and still get up on a plane particuarly if it is a 35 t0 40 h.p 4-stroke..any info would be appreciated

 

[barato2]

Re: star chief outboard range

since no one else has responded. i'll go out on a limb here and opine that 35-40hp might, barely, at full throttle, be able to plane a Starchief. but it will take a while to get there and really won't be enough power.....you'd honestly probably be so undersized motorwise that smaller motor would be working very hard most of the time, not good for fuel economy or motor longevity....imagine how long your car engine would last if it was working at 75-85% or better load all the time. most of em were sold new with somewhere between 75 and 90hp outboards or 110/120hp I/Os. you might be able to make it work with 50-65hp, but even that is pushing it. i'd look for no less than 75-80hp. my 2 pesos' worth.

welcome to the madhouse, BTW....always glad to see a few more cruiser owners. post some pix when you can (others might be more insistent on this....). what area are you in?

 

[rheagler]

Re: star chief outboard range

I am going through exactly the same thing. I have a '67 Starchief with a 50 HP Mercury that I kept from my old glass boat. Since both boats are roughly the same weight I figured that it would be fine. At WOT I am turning 5000 rpm and going about 24 mph, which isn't bad but it definitely is underpowered. It also is burning about twice as much fuel as it did on the glasser. I started with a 10-3/8x13 prop, went down to 10-5/8x12 with almost no difference. I currently have an 11P prop on order but I don't think it is going to raise the rpms up enough that the motor won't be overworked. I'm thinking 75 HP would be the minimum to use. I'll be looking for at least 100 over the winter.

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: star chief outboard range

Take your maximum allowable horsepower and go 3/4 or 75% of that. You can go slower if needed, you don't need to run WOT all the time.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: star chief outboard range

For me, a 70HP would be bare minimum on that hull.

 

[MichaelP]

Re: star chief outboard range

How big is this Chief? Is there only one size for that year and I'm missing the boat?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: star chief outboard range

How big is this Chief? Is there only one size for that year and I'm missing the boat?

From what I understand Michael, all Starchiefs are 18'. Chieftains, however, are differing lengths.

 

[gfbiii51]

Re: star chief outboard range

I've got an 18' SS with a Merc 70. It'll do 30 mph and burns fuel like it was water. My dream is a 115 I can run at much lower rpm and still move at a comfortable speed. I'm really happy at 30 but want better fuel efficiency. $40 in fuel plus oil for a long afternoon cruise gets a little old. But...it sure is fun in this old girl.

 

[hillbillysailor]

Re: star chief outboard range

thanks for the input on the outboard range on my new to me 1962 starcraft starchief... i thought 75% of the gross maximum outboard rating would be the minimum but due to the light weight of the aluminum hull and the fact that there would only be my wife and myself most of the time i thought perhaps lesser h.p would suffice... am going to post some pictures but it may take awhile ...