1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

[horsecapades]

Hello Everyone,
Well.... here is my money pit, a 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV, as it was delivered to me. There are a few things I can immediately identify and a few things I am hoping you guys will point out. For lack of a better term, this boat is my new baby. By the time I am done spending, I suspect I will have been able to raise a child and put that child through college.
I am an electrician, a carpenter, a mason and a seamstress, none of which I have any formal training in. I have a huge honey do list that uses all of these skills. My wife will just have to understand, when I work on my new baby, and not on her list.
I have taken a large number of pictures for historical record so that I can compare where I started and where, by the grace of God, I will end up.
I look forward to your comments and suggestions. I am hoping that you will be able to help me restore this boat, so I can sail her down the Mississippi and disappear in Mexico. OK, a guy can dream.
Thanks again and here we go....... These are the exterior shots

 

[horsecapades]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

........and the interior shots

 

[horsecapades]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

........and the rear deck. Take notice of the fact that I am already having an issue with the birds in my indoor arena. I told them the boat was off limits and the little #&@^$*% takes aim and craps on the hub of my steering wheel.

 

[horsecapades]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

..........and the engine components

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

I was looking to see if there was a pool table in there, didn't see it. Do you plan on installing one?

Woowwweeeewwoa, that is one big girl!

Love it and I'll be following along with ya! Have fun!

 

[horsecapades]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

Alrighty then. I hope I did this right, not having broken any rules. I have a few other miscellaneous pics if I missed something. I will be having a thorough check of the drive systems before I move onto anything else. Any suggestions on where to start once that is completed would be appreciated. I will know better where I am stating once the transom has been inspected. I will keep you all in the loop via pictures and conversation. Thanks, WIlliam

 

[horsecapades]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

I was looking to see if there was a pool table in there, didn't see it. Do you plan on installing one?

Woowwweeeewwoa, that is one big girl!

Love it and I'll be following along with ya! Have fun!

No Pool table, but if it works out and the engineering is sound, I was thinking of using the hull, under the floor, as a pool. Fresh water, of course

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

Glad to see you getting started on the old girl. That interior is very nice, plenty of storage in there.

One of the most important things you will want to do is to clean the interior hull and get one or two coats of gluvit on the rivets and seams to stop and prevent leaks.

It is available thru iboats. It's basically an epoxy resin mixed with zinc chromate so it self-etches itself to the aluminum.

Looking forward to seeing your progress, she is one great boat

 

[jcupo6]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

Wow, that interior is in excellent condition! Great find!

 

[sprintst]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

She's got good bones... It will be nice to see her all done up. Keep the pics coming.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

Wow that thing is in great shape! Throw the motor back together and go boating!

 

[horsecapades]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

As I was perusing jasoutside's rebuild, I noticed quite a bit of talk about his tree winches. It almost made me feel bad that I have a 90'x 60' indoor arena that is completely open for me to use. What made me feel really bad is the fact that I have a 65' x 38' double high barn with 2 hay mows on either side of the center. At the 1/3rd way point, on either side, I have 10" X 10" solid 30' vertical beams that will support anything I tie to it. I also have a 1 ton chain hoist that is 40' up in the air at the ceiling.

The reason I mention this is, these may come in handy as I am considering removing the cabin roof and sides in 1 piece, not to mention the help it will be when it comes time to painting the bottom. The cabin walls and roof are fiberglass while the rest of the boat is aluminum. I wish I could find out just how tough a job that is going to be, before I do it. By doing this, I can recover the walls and roof in new finish material while the roof is on its side instead of doing it overhead. It will also make removing the floor in the cabin a whole hell of allot easier and certainly make rebuilding the seats/ bed, removing the gas tank and general deconstruction and reconstruction a breeze compared to trying to do this with the cabin roof in place. It doesn't help that the cabin ceiling is about 3" short of me being able to stand upright.

I might not have considered this before I read yours posts with regard to removing the transom from the Islander using the trees. See... you helped me and didn't even know it. Thanks

 

[Triton II]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

Wow William, that is one big tinny! I can't welcome you to the 'cult' as I'm not a member... but love big alloy boats. Good luck with her, she's gonna be a beauty once you've finished!

TII

 

[sprintst]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

Wow William, that is one big tinny! I can't welcome you to the 'cult' as I'm not a member... but love big alloy boats. Good luck with her, she's gonna be a beauty once you've finished!

TII

I'd say honorary member for sure

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

Ah, don't feel bad for me buddy! We all have what we have to work with eh! You my friend have a giant barn/arena, and, well, I've got a few big maples/oaks.

Man, how awesome is that - you have a giant barn/arena...

Huh, wow.....

Barn and arena....

OK, yah, you can feel a little bad, that's fine

What amazes me about your rig is that it's only 3 feet longer than my tub but when you look at those cabin shots of yours you'd think it was 30 feet longer!

Anyway, glad you are thinking ahead on how to work your way through William!

Have you gotten that motor in front of a marine tech yet?

Have fun buddy!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

For the ceiling of your cabin....check out this page of Brett's StarChief restoration http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=316643&page=13

He used FRP panels. They look AWESOME and will be easy to clean and won't promote mildew or anything like that. He added the pink foam board insulation between the ceiling and the roof for a little bit of insulation from the sun.

 

[horsecapades]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

Jason, I spoke with an old family friend from my wife's side. He has a mobile marine repair shop and comes highly recommended. He said that I can take the boat to him anytime and he will walk me through any repairs and get the motor running as long as I do the wrenching. He has also said that he has a new or like new lower unit for that motor. He knows the motor inside and out and has any of the parts I will need for the rest of the motor in his shop. I can't tell you how much of a God send this is. I know next to little about that drive and he will be able to tell me if my restoration ends there. I am happy about this

Thanks ezmobee for the heads up on Brett's StarChief resto. Those FRP panels look like an excellent replacement for the original ceiling. Once I saw the article, I recognized the material and realized just how perfect that will be for the cabin, assuming the drive works out in the boat.

Thanks to the both of you

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

That is great news! Man, it has to be sweet to have a friend in the bis! I sure hope he finds that motor to be in super shape so you can move on to other stuff

 

[chieftain25]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

WOW!!! iM JEALOus! I have been looking faR AND Wide for a 1975-1976 25' starcraft Chieftain. That cabin is all original!! its timelesS! IF you are interested in restoring it to its original condition please let me know! I have pictures of ours from years ago before mom got sick and we had to sell it. i ALSO have the original 1976 Starcraft Cruisers catalog. If you know of any one with this same boat in good original condition please let me know. I have offered people and still can offer to pay thousands (as in 5 figures) for a boat like this.:redface:

 

[5speedhemi]

Re: 1976 Starcraft Chieftain 25 MK IV

That is one awesome boat! Man I thought my boat was a beast but yours is the real deal!!

5 speed