1968 14' 'Starcraft

[SouthBuffFish22]

Hello all. After lurking and dreaming on this site for awhile, I have finally made my 1st of what should be many boat purchases! She is an old girl, a 1968 Starcraft Jon boat. She appears to be in great shape, no leaks, rivets look good, transom is great, bench seats with good wood, etc. My initial plan is to strip the paint off her, see what the aluminum looks like, and either clear coat it or paint from there. I have a 40 thrust Minn Kota, but am in the market for a 9.9 Honda or similar 4 stroke short shaft.I am picking up 2 Cabelas low back swivel seats I found on Craigslist, which I will mount after I paint the boat and treat the wood(oak,i think) on the bench seats.I have a couple questions.Please be gentle, this is my 1st attempt to fix up a boat.I plan on using this boat to fish/troll smaller lakes and rivers in the WNY area.

1. I'd like to install downriggers and/or pole holders. The back corner plates on the stern of the boat with the star on them look like a great place, however, I'd hate to mess with the integrity of the things.Theyve made it this long without holes in them, I dont really want to mess with them. Is there a way around this?

2. Ideally, I'd like to take out the middle bench seat, and make two side consoles, one for electronics and the other for storage. My question is, there is foam underneath all the seats, will taking one out greatly improve the chances of her sinking if she capsizes(knock on wood)?

3. What is the best trailer for a boat like this?

I appreciate any and all advise and constructive criticism, along with any links you may have of your own restores to boats like this. I will post pictures as I progress, but be warned...I work offshore in the Gulf for long stretches and only have limited time at home. I hope to have her ready and looking good by next spring.

Thank you!!!

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1968 14' 'Starcraft

HI Buff. Welcome to iboats. Congrats on the new toy. You'll love it. I agree that you should try to avoid modifying the stern caps, if at all possible. There are all sorts of DIY and aftermarket rod holders you can use. You can add them last once you've got all of the other major bugs worked out. Feel free to remove the center bench, but you will want to replace the foam in another area of the boat. Having foam doesn't keep the boat from capsizing, or taking on water per se, but it will keep it from sinking completely, assuming there is enough foam present. Once you've added your two small center consoles you can fill them with foam and/or put it under the front bench, or any decking you may add. You're best bet will be to use pink/blue closed cell construction foam from Lowes/HD. You'll also want to take care not to use an pressure treated wood in the boat. Instead use non-pt plywood and seal it using either 2-part epoxy, Spar Urethane or high quality exterior paint. You'll also need to use aluminum rivets and/or stainless steel hardware throughout as well. You should be able to get everything, but epoxy at most hardware stores like Lowes/HD/Ace. Good luck. Holler if you get stuck.

EDIT: as for a trailer, I would check craigslist, or spring for a new one. Look for one made for a 14'-16' boat. Ideally, the boat should rest on the bunks at all times, with little or none of the boat hanging off the back of them. As for the hull, you may want/need to add some extra bracing after you remove the center bench, if you should find that the hull bows out, or deforms in some way. This can be done by adding in a deck/sole if need be, but these old tinnies are generally pretty tough and can usually handle it. Here's a handy link to help you pin down the exact year and model.

http://www.fiberglassics.com/library/Starcraft
http://www.fiberglassics.com/library/Lone_Star

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1968 14' 'Starcraft

Uhmmm before you remove the center seat you might want to consider the possibility that it delivers quite a bit of stability to the center of the hull. You want to ensure that it's removal does not mess with the structural integrity of the boat. You could easily fabricate some sort of wooden "clamp on" removable platform for the back of the boat to attach the down riggers/rod holders.