14' Starcraft - Engine/Rigging Questions

[BigB9k]

Hello All,

Long time member here, forgot password, made a new account.
With that said, I have myself a newly purchased 14' Starcraft something.

Its a closed bow, remote steer, aluminum hull.

First question is about the transom. I need to rebuild it.
Thing is, it currently measures 16"
But every engine out there is 20" from the brackets, to the bottom fin.

Should I just build it to be 20"?

Second is, engine(s)

I have what I thought was a 1984ish 40HP.
Turns out its a 50HP. Boat max is 40.
Think it'll be okay?
Its a light boat, and thats a heavy engine.(remote start, power trim and tilt, etc)

But! I have a few engines.
I have (2x) 1980's 9.9HP
(2x) QD-16's (1950's 10HP)
and (2x) 1975ish 6HP

I really, really, like the idea of running dual small engines.

Problem is, none of them this small was ever made to be remote start. I'm not thrilled by the idea of having to get to the back of the boat, choke and start each engine. Esp when considering the trouble of going through setting up dual steering in such a small boat; and loosing luxuries like power trim, remote choke, and a starter.

I would like to use this boat in the ocean to toot around the marina and look at boats I cant afford.
Duals would reduce the concern of a break-down.

I've been around lakes and rivers and boats all my live.
Never been on anything less than a ship in the ocean.
Is this small aluminum boat a good idea in the ocean?

So, any input?

 

[flyingscott]

You measure the motor from the transom brackets to the cavitation plate above the prop. You need a short 15" shaft i will not comment on overpowering a boat. Any of your other motors will be fine.

 

[BigB9k]

That actually has baffled me for years.
Find me a pre 1980 engine, that measures 15" from the plate above the prop, to the transom brackets.
Most every boat you see has a 15" transom.
Every engine - 18"

 

[pro-crastinator]

Closed bow 14' 1" Starcraft. Does it have 3 bench seats, 3 knees at the transom ?
Is there any barrelback on the transom? Wooden floor or stand on aluminum bottom?

I could see you replacing the transom with an extra 5 inches.
MAny of the old starcrafts have the transom motor mount 5 inches lower than the corner caps.
My prefrence is 3 sheets of 1/2 inch ply epoxied together rather than 2 pieces of 3/4.
good luck

 

[pro-crastinator]

[No message]

 

[oldboat1]

I know the hull you are describing, but have not owned one. I have an open 14' Starcraft, and run it with a '57 18hp (sometimes with either a 3 or 5 1/2 auxiliary, also '57s. It's pretty quick with the 18 (using a homemade console, which adds a little weight), but your runabout is beefier/heavier. I wouldn't call it an offshore boat -- but have seen smaller boats that that puttering around in shipping lanes on pretty big water.

Are your 9.9s electric start? I haven't tried it, but think there's a chance you could simply wire the start buttons on those to the front console, rather than at the motor. They're small starters (no solenoids). They also have stop buttons, and see no reason why those couldn't be relocated to the console. A remote setup requires relocation of the stop button anyway to the special bracket used for remote steering. Those motors use either Simplex style two-lever controls, or single lever controls for shift and throttle -- will need the special cable connectors for them. All the conversion stuff is available on Ebay, with a little patience. Of course, you would need a control box for dual motors (also sometimes available, usually pricey). Beyond that, you would need a steering link used for a dual setup.

For tilt and trim, it might be possible to rig an aftermarket unit to hold both of the 9.9s. Individual units would obviously be available (pretty good used market for those, btw, if that helps -- probably could sell them later fairly easily.)

Sooo, might be possible if your are up for it. For your transom replacement, would presumably just build it for use with those motors if going that route.

Some $$$ involved, and some creativity....

A main motor and auxiliary would obviously be a lot simpler. I wouldn't put the 50 on it and run around docks and marinas in plain view of the boats with the blue lights, but your call. Additionally, I think an '80s 50 might be quite a bit heavier than, say, a 35, so would want to check that out. I would probably just look for a 35 or 40, and use one of the 9.9s for a kicker.

Interesting project.

 

[BigB9k]

Closed bow 14' 1" Starcraft. Does it have 3 bench seats, 3 knees at the transom ?
Is there any barrelback on the transom? Wooden floor or stand on aluminum bottom?

I could see you replacing the transom with an extra 5 inches.
MAny of the old starcrafts have the transom motor mount 5 inches lower than the corner caps.
My prefrence is 3 sheets of 1/2 inch ply epoxied together rather than 2 pieces of 3/4.
good luck

Not quite. Supposed to have 2, back to back benches. But they are long gone, and I dont plan on putting them back. Just simple off the shelf single seats.

if you go to ebay and look at item number 351733360811
It is the exact same boat - only mine doesnt have as nice of paint.


The floor I just ripped out was one 3/4 in ply.
Double them up hm? Interesting idea...


Anywho, problem with an electric start 9.9, is the choke.
They all have manual chokes. Not sure if I want to rig that up.

I was thinking the same thing, stop switch and remote starter switch is no problem, and dual levers arent too hard to come by.

 

[oldboat1]

find I use the choke on mine just for cold starting (use it as a troller with separate steering and shift/throttle controls on a larger boat) -- left the choke and electricals as is, and seems fine. Mine sometimes needs the idle mix a bit richer for cold starting as well, and that's obviously at the engine.

 

[flyingscott]

That actually has baffled me for years.
Find me a pre 1980 engine, that measures 15" from the plate above the prop, to the transom brackets.
Most every boat you see has a 15" transom.
Every engine - 18"

Yes that is how it is it's called a 15" yes the motors are between 15-18". Don't overthink it 20" shafts measure out to 20-23" it's because of the angle of the transom the cavitation plate will usually line up with pretty close to the bottom of the boat. ALL motors are measured similarly, from not just pre 1980 but all the way up to brand new ones.