I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys, Officially a Project

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

First off it can't go without saying
Thank You!!
to all that have served and are now currently serving our country.

Wish I could give a bigger thanks, but that's the biggest font they have.


I got up Saturday and put everything back together from winter storage not to mention got the bimini on,

Hung the trolling motor on her and wished I'd made the investment in replacing the cable and pulley steering. With the TM hung on the transom the static spring side of the cable lays right against the TM bracket. That didn't bug me much but the live side lays right on the thumbscrews for the mounting bolts. :facepalm: Since the TM was more a piece off mind Plan B due to the fact that I was unsure of the Johnson's reliability I just pulled it off and laid it under the splashwell in the boat. Which turned out to be where it stayed all weekend as short of a few gremlins(cover latch bolt and the nut for the starter Bendix vibrated off) the Johnson started and ran well on both outtings of the weekend.

Now I knew that I really didn't want to be near the lake this weekend but I had to have my first boat ride of the season. Once my sister and her three youngest boys got down to the lake, she and my wife and two girls went to the beach while I splashed the boat. I then proceeded to have the a great day doing nothing more than picking a few at a time up from the beach and going out to brave all the people.

The sunshine and temps were great but the 15-20mph winds yielded some very choppy conditions out in the middle of the lake. We stuck close to shore and all the kids got a chance to take the captains chair, from putting through the channel pictured above to some WOT WoooHooo driving.(with a bit of a helping hand from me)

Sunday the winds were up even more so the boat stayed home, the kids went to the beach, and then we all grilled/ate/drank and were merry.

Having my boat ride fix wasn't enough so Mom watched my girls this morning and just the Mrs. and I went fishing and truly tried out the bimini. The Mrs. enjoying the shade while fishing

While it is in the way a bit for fishing, the shade it provided made the day so much better that it's well worth the trouble.

Wore out from the best weekend in quite sometime the wife said she doesn't know who whined more when it was time to come home, me or my three year old.

Hope you guys all got some boat time mixed in with family time and all had a great weekend!

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Wore out from the best weekend in quite sometime the wife said she doesn't know who whined more when it was time to come home, me or my three year old.

Well TDF, you must of had a good weekend.

 

[BonairII]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

I have either a 40 or a 45 bow mount on mine, not sure exactly. It pulls me around quite handily.

My 40lb trolling motor moves my 16' SS quite well.

Tilt your motor up when trolling....less drag for the TM to deal with and also keeps your prop safe when trolling really shallow water.

 

[Teamster]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

If I am forward trolling with multiple likes I use my kicker motor for forward propulsion and the bow mount for steering the boat,.....The batteries last much longer that way,...

 

[adamjr]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Read the whole thread between last night and this morning. That's a mighty nice spruce up and I think you'll have fun on that old tinny for many years to come. I noticed that tackle box a few pics back. I have one just like it that I rescued from my folks garage after my dad passed away in 2000. I don't know if it ever had any fishing tackle in it but it's filled with a lot of odds and ends of hardware. Sometimes an old school item brings back some really good memories.

I'm really glad to see you enjoying that boat with the family. Since it'll be a while before I have my boat in the water I get pleasure seeing others' projects come to fruition.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Well TDF, you must of had a good weekend.

AWESOME weekend to be exact!

Bonair and Teamster thanks for the input. I usually drift fish(way to much wind for that this time) and use my TM similar to Teamster to make minor course corrections.

Read the whole thread between last night and this morning. That's a mighty nice spruce up and I think you'll have fun on that old tinny for many years to come. I noticed that tackle box a few pics back. I have one just like it that I rescued from my folks garage after my dad passed away in 2000. I don't know if it ever had any fishing tackle in it but it's filled with a lot of odds and ends of hardware. Sometimes an old school item brings back some really good memories.

I'm really glad to see you enjoying that boat with the family. Since it'll be a while before I have my boat in the water I get pleasure seeing others' projects come to fruition.

Thanks for making the trip. I really like this little boat and even if it's a bit small for big family weekends it's still a blast. Once I get my FG boat done this one will get the full treatment. I already have so many ideas for it that I'm starting to think it will take me just as long.
Funny thing you mention the tackle box, one of my mom's friends who's husband passed recently gave us all his old fishing stuff for the at the lake. She said use what you can, so I spent a bit of Sunday going through the lot of it. The tackle box is in perfect shape and I really liked it so we laid claim to it making it a rescue of sorts for us.
I too really enjoy seeing others enjoy the fruits of all this laboring from a splash for a sea trial to a completed run it always puts a smile on my face when I read/look/watch about it. Also glad to remind others there is light at the end of the tunnel, sooner or later(hopefully sooner) you'll get her done.

 

[Jon Sob]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Great job TDF ...... that's what it is all about, having fun with the family. Looks like great memories.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Thanks Jon, truly is what it's all about.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Little update - This thing has been getting used every weekend for at least the last month.

I believe(hopefully) I have all my reliability issues w/ the motor worked out as it has run and started great the last two weekends.

For those rebuilding a closed bow I add this as food for thought for your planning. One issue I've had with carrying my extra fuel tank up under the bow. At the start of every trip out I shove it as far up under the bow as it will go. As you bounce around it works it way back until it's at you feet. To get it all the way back up there I have to all but lay down between the seats. Typically I've been just kicking it back up as far as my short legs will reach which gets old.

Simple solution add a cleat - Before

After

Gas tank will stay now, hopefully tool kit will too but it's not as annoying as the tank.

Finally a gratuitous kid pic for inspiration - After a hard day at the beach not even the bouncing as we tubed her older sister back to the ramp could keep the youngest from taking a snooze.

 

[magnumdeke]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Thats why we all do what we do!! Use it and enjoy!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

It is awesome to hear that you have been enjoying the boat and have proven once again that our boats are projects that are never really finished...good call on the cleat...maybe even go so far as adding a couple of eyelets and string a bungee cord or strap to totally secure it...I know, I know...stop thinking out loud...:facepalm:...

The pic of the little one snoozin...Priceless!

Happy Boating!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Thats why we all do what we do!! Use it and enjoy!

The pic of the little one snoozin...Priceless!

It truly is, makes me smile every timeI look at the pic.

maybe even go so far as adding a couple of eyelets and string a bungee cord or strap to totally secure it

That was sort of my original plan (still have the bungee in the boat) but I was hooking it to the ribs that end right in the bow(just in front of the tank in the pic) and looping it through the handle. It was a mild success but found that it either came unhooked or was just too much for weight for the bungee to hold well. Not to mention trying to reach up in there to stretch and hook. I'll really have to bounce it to get the tank to hop over that 2x though.

Ultimately I think I want to go for a permanent tank up there, but that'll wait for the full redo.

 

[lakelover]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Well I went and picked her up today,

1968 Jet Star (correct me if I'm wrong) w/ a 71 50hp Johnson.

You did the right thing, but then I'm biased. Fantastic score, I think you'll be able to tube to your heart's delight like Wood says. Only thing missing is the duct tape. Plenty of summer left!!

Somehow I missed all the progress for a month or so, been away a lot. Great job getting on the water....ain't they fun?

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Loads of fun! Cruise, fish, tube - these truly are a great little all around boat.

And better than just tubing the kids to their hearts desire, I gave my sister a quick boat driving 101 and got her to pull me on the tube.

 

[lakelover]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys

And better than just tubing the kids to their hearts desire, I gave my sister a quick boat driving 101 and got her to pull me on the tube.

Way to go!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys, Officially a Project

Bad news the LU is taking on water Hopefuly it'll hold up until winter to be resealed, on the up side maybe it'll selfdestruct and give a reason to find newer motive power in the spring.

Random thought - I used to think I liked to fish for fishing sake. Now I think I just like riding around in the boat.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys, Officially a Project

Bad news the LU is taking on water Hopefuly it'll hold up until winter to be resealed, on the up side maybe it'll selfdestruct and give a reason to find newer motive power in the spring.

Random thought - I used to think I liked to fish for fishing sake. Now I think I just like riding around in the boat.

Have you checked the o rings/gaskets on the drain and vent plugs used to change the fluid?... maybe needs a prop seal?

 

[magnumdeke]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys, Officially a Project

Hate to hear that, hopefully its not to big a job?? Glad to see you enjoying it!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys, Officially a Project

Ya replace the fill/vent screw seals so know thats not it. Sucks since I finally feel I have this thing dead on reliable, now its achilles heal starts to worry me. I figure if it makes it a full going through is in order.

MD will be my first one but figure I have the manual so it's worth a try.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: I got a (new)question for you Starcraft guys, Officially a Project

Well that doesn't sound like anything good, bummer.

Though maybe you could justify a ne Etech otta the deal?