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

[tgp***]

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

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

Nice job on the drain tubes!! I did ball peen hammer method on mine, not as hard as you would think either, not as pretty as yours, but they work.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Still need to do the two rows of screws under the splash well. I plan on running a bead along the SW joint, and around the outer MB. I think I may try and get the motor hung back on and twist clamped down then move it to some shade.

As long as I have the sealant going I want to add a bilge port any suggestions for where to put it? The circle is the rivets where the steering pulley lives. I was thinking right behind it but haven't gotten far enough along to see if there room. Any input is appreciated.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Did you build a Tube Flaring Tool??

Nope I'm not much of a tool maker so as long as I was ordering boat stuff I bit the bullet and spent the $$$ for the Moeller tool.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Also how long should I wait to spray some paint over the 4200? The tube says its paintable but nothing about how long to wait.

 

[Woodonglass]

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

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

If you didn't get the FAST CURE, sorry to say it take about a WEEK!!!!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Pretty sure this is the fast cure.

 

[Woodonglass]

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

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

24 hours Wipe it with acetone then paint it.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Good I hope to do some painting tomorrow,

Got it all back together, motor hung, and hooked up.

Hopefully tomorrow I can finish hanging the throttle and motor harness up. Then lay a band aid piece of ply in back, sweep and vac inside, and roll a couple coats of porch paint on the floor, possibly spray a bit of black in the SW to blend the repair in some. Also need to readjust the steering cable tension as its way to tight when its hooked up. Some where in there I'll squeeze in a new impeller and change the LU oil.

Still some little things to do so that I'll be ready to put the seats back in next weekend and go boating.

On a side note I found a souvenir under the floor, might hang it on the key chain. When's the last time ya saw one of these?

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Oh and I put the thru-hull for the bilge on hold out of fear of not knowing how it will sit in the water, so I'm still taking advice about a good location for it.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Well Monday I braved the heat all day and got a couple coats of paint on the floor, new impeller installed, and the LU oil changed. Hoping tomorrow I can get carbs rebuilt, seats cleaned up, fixed, and reinstalled, and some wiring.

Of which is a fishfinder which leads to my most important question of the weekend - what's a good replacement for 5200? I hate to spend $12 on a squeeze tube just to do two screws for the mount and one for a cable clamp.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

First off if anyone can help with this I'd appreciate it.

For yesterday I had intentions of rebuilding the carbs and getting the motor hook up final, and getting the seats back in. I got the carbs done and back on but when I went to hook up the battery I got side tracked by the well if I'm doing this I might as well do this. Turned into as long as the seats are out and I can move around I might as well wire it. So yesterday was an entire day of wiring.

I added a fused box under the dash instead of the power strip that was there. I reused the existing light switch to wire the bilge pump and added individual switches for the lights. Amazingly all I had to do to the lights themselves was change the bulb in the all around. I added a tach to cover the old unused ignition switch in the dash, it went well with the exception of tearing the snot out of the vinyl when I made my hole. The wiring carry over to today was the fish finder.

Not super pretty and the tach doesn't work but I think that's the motor's fault.

Today while I was finishing up hooking up the motor I decide why just stop at painting the transome and gave the whole SW a coat of rattle can black.

And for those wondering I was using the 4200 in the caulking tube and was able to use it to seal some screws today a week later. Its a bit thicker than it was last week and took some force to get it out of the tube but not enough to keep from using it.

 

[Woodonglass]

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

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

Nice Wiring Job!!!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Thanks Wood it didn't come out quite as neat as I would of liked but it'll work.

I went back out and stewed about the motor long enough to clean the seats up and throw some extra screws in the hinges to tighten them up. Mounted them back in and sat out there with the lights on making vrooms to try and ease the pain. Really bummed, thought I was gonna go for a boat ride tomorrow.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Hopefully I have the motor sorted out, maybe a bit more tinkering. The day is gone so I'm hoping to do a trailer shuffle next weekend and FINALLY get to go for a test ride.

Before

After

And just because I was playing with video today a quick one for ya

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Well other than the motor's idle problem I accomplished the last of the things I wanted to get done on this for the time being.

Today the neighbor came over and helped me do a trailer swap.

Since this was an old tilt trailer the original plan was to chain it to the tree, drag the trailer out, and let the boat sit on the ground. Plan A flopped since there isn't enough room in my tiny backyard between the tree and the house. So plan B block it up and roll the trailer out. Couple of jackstands and 4x4s in the stern and an A frame under the bow,

Plan B accomplished

I wouldn't work under it but it worked. With the trailer out we reblocked the bow onto the jack and brought it back down into a more stable position. I took the tongue off for use with the other back half of a trailer I pick up in the deal on the boat,

Did some manuvering and slid the cap from the AeroCraft onto the newly tongued other trailer for storage. A quick readjustment of the bunks, hooked the wench on, and we pulled the trailer up tight to the boat. With the bow sitting on the trailer we removed the jack. The trailer is heavy enough that it stayed down and we just used the wench to pull the trailer right up under the Jet. A few minor adjustments to half of the keel rollers and wench post and the jet has a new bigger trailer.

Before you yell at me, I know it was a bit far forward in the last pic so I did slide the boat back a couple inches to give good support on the transom.


It's a tad wide but I really like it for being able to climb in the boat. It should also make it easy to add some sidebunks to make loading go easy.

I may just throw caution to the wind and take it out tomorrow to see how it runs.

 

[jasoutside]

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

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

Love it when a plan comes together.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Called my brother this morning,

Me: How good are you at paddling?
Him: Dunno, guess I could if I had to.
Me: Good meet me at the boat ramp I need a co-pilot for a test ride.


So we went for a boat ride today. Was out for an hour or so and no water in the bilge so I'm thinking I can quit worrying about it leaking. Motor is charging (one of my other big worries) but not running anywhere near right, so performance was disappointing but being as the season end is fast approaching I'll take it and I'm still smiling.

My brother posing it while waiting for me to go get the the trailer

For those wondering how they sit in the water - in the pic I have the battery and a half full six gallon tank in the back. In the nose a smallish tool kit, full six gal tank, 10lbs anchor, life jackets, and various ropes.

A low (me shooting it) quality video of the performance. Missing and sputtering so it wouldn't get up on plain and would only turn 2200rpm. This at WOT.

Got a laugh when I went to pull out, I was waiting for the ramp and got to see the opposite of the usual SHTWB it was the wife yelling at the husband about how to back the boat down the ramp.

And finally once I got home, the Mrs. asked "Can I sit in the boat now?" Hadn't thought about but today was her first time to even set foot in it. So I of course made her pose.

 

[Woodonglass]

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

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

Sputttering or not any day on the water is a GOOD DAY!!!!!! Congrats!!!!! You'll have her running smooth as silk in no time.

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

Sputttering or not any day on the water is a GOOD DAY!!!!!! Congrats!!!!! You'll have her running smooth as silk in no time.

That it is You gonna make it to the water next weekend?

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

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

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

First off once again if anyone has thoughts about it I still can't get it to idle, My Johnson Saga

That out of the way, did I mention I love this little boat?

I really don't like running on the local river but we had a great day of it after the less then stellar performance the first time out. We were out from about 11:00 to 3:30, went through about 7-8 gal of gas. Best number of the day came with my brother (240#) and me (225#) motor taching 4900 and 29MPH on GPS. Its not a bam jump right onto plain but more of a jump up and settle

Found the furthest up river spot where the channel ends (even saw a jet boat turn tail and run). This taught me that the skeg starts to drag sandbars at roughly 1.5ft of water when not on plain. Then as I turned to try to get back to deeper water I learned that in 10in to 1ft of water I need to get out, raise the motor and push. :facepalm:

Today also reminded me why I love boating. I talked to so many new people it reconfirms boaters have to be the friendliest people I have found. Including one guy with a nice old Feathercraft Rocket/25hpMerc(thought I got a pic but in checking no) that I old tinny chatted with while beached (on purpose this time to wade/swim) in the shallow at the top of the river.

Fun was had by all, some of us are sun burnt, and the absolute best part is that today was my 2yr olds first day boating.

Some pics.....