Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

[rockb]

Boat belonged to my Uncle. The transom is rotten but the engine appears to be in good shape. Gonna work on the engine first and if I get it running well then I'll decide if I want to replace the transom or fund a new hull to put the engine on.

 

[86 century]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Welcome aboard and to the starcraft club/cult. I think that one is a islander. You can find any thing you would ever need to know about replaceing that transom there are a ton of tin starcraft nuts on here. Oyea resize those pics to 640x480(i think) if you would please. I am shure one of the mods will be a long shortly and they can tell you for shure. good luck

 

[rockb]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Oyea resize those pics to 640x480(i think) if you would please.

Sorry,

Thought I had set the camera for 640X480 before I took them.

 

[rockb]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Pics resized

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Could be a nice Boat. Clean it up. Inside and out before you decide what to do. I have always been very suprised at how good older boats really are once the are clean. The transom its self is a fairly easy fix. If it indeed needs replaced. I am one that if it is not a dangerous thing I wont replace it. never had a problem yet.

 

[fshngho]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

FlaCapt, welcome to the club Looking at the pics, yep you need a new transom. There are a few threads here that will walk you through it. That is an Islander I believe, if you dont want it there are several guys here that do. I am the opposite of you, the boats worth restoring more than the engine to me. Keep in mind, if the transom is rotten, the floor may be too. There again, help is here for that too. You have a great looking boat, keep her, restore her, enjoy her,...crap, time for another cold shower.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Its a shame that the boat was not covered. Looks like it was a very nic one. ( and still could be ).

 

[fshngho]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Very true Pugetsound. Its amazing what a little spit and polish will do Even a cheap tarp would help prevent a lot of wear and maintenance. I believe she is a keeper, no doubt. Dale

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Umm, I am thinking Chieftian maybe?? -check out the cabin windows- I'd be pumped to find that!!

If you don' like her, box her up and ship to Midland, MI

Cheers!

 

[bananaboater]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Welcome. With a little elbow grease (a lot?) that should clean up well. After that comes the challenge. Worth it though.

 

[rockb]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

It was definitely stored under trees on the side of his house. Never got any sun.

Uncle said he replaced the floor with Marine plywood a couple of years ago.

Title says 1976 18' 7".

After looking at other pics here I was thinking chieftain as well. Below is a profile pic.

Does anyone have any performance numbers for an 18' chieftain with 115?

Primary usage will be in St. Andrews Bay in Panama City in fair weather but even in the summertime the afternoon sea breeze will blow up a 1'-2' chop. How well do they handle that kind of sea?

I have two different places that I can keep her in the water 24/7. Can I just scuff the paint and put bottom paint over top or do I have to take it down to bare aluminum, zinc chromate, then bottom paint?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Nice looking hull, and that outboard looks great under the cowl, 115 should do at least 30mph on the water, depending on how big the gas tank is and how full it is. It will probably do 35 with minimal weight in the boat

 

[mattrogers5]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Nice Starcraft ! I have a 18'7 closed bow "holiday" renamed a Carolina Edtion by either Starcraft or the dealer that weighs about the same as your boat . I' m getting 48 mph on gps @ 5000rpm with a johnson 115. Same hull and slick paint on the bottom...you should do over 40mph.

[/IMG]

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Umm, I am thinking Chieftian maybe?? -check out the cabin windows- I'd be pumped to find that!!

If you don' like her, box her up and ship to Midland, MI

Cheers!

No need to go all the way up to Midland MI, just stop in Detroit.

 

[rockb]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

I' m getting 48 mph on gps @ 5000rpm with a johnson 115.

Matt,

Do you by chance have RPM/Speed/Burn Rate data for different RPMs?

Bill

 

[Starcraft Enterprise]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

By 1976 they might have been also calling this model a Chieftain, but your boat is identical to my 1969 Starchief. Under my drivers seat there is a plate with the model name, yours might also have a plate there. I attached a couple of profile pics of my Starchief for you to see what I mean.

Welcome to the Starcraft club!!
You will be very happy with this model if you take the time fix it up.
My 18' Starchief has a I/O 120, runs a GPS confirmed 35 mph, sips fuel, but with the I/O, is heavier than your outboard.
My parents had a 18' Starchief with a 100 hp Evinrude outboard and ran 35 mph according to the speedometer. I believe their outboard used more fuel than my I/O, but their outboard was an older premix 1968 model so I am sure it would not be as efficient as your modern Suzuki.

 

[Bob Gilvary]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

It was definitely stored under trees on the side of his house. Never got any sun.

Uncle said he replaced the floor with Marine plywood a couple of years ago.

Title says 1976 18' 7".

After looking at other pics here I was thinking chieftain as well. Below is a profile pic.

Does anyone have any performance numbers for an 18' chieftain with 115?

Primary usage will be in St. Andrews Bay in Panama City in fair weather but even in the summertime the afternoon sea breeze will blow up a 1'-2' chop. How well do they handle that kind of sea?

I have two different places that I can keep her in the water 24/7. Can I just scuff the paint and put bottom paint over top or do I have to take it down to bare aluminum, zinc chromate, then bottom paint?

Check with those that will bottom paint aluminum. It does take a different bottom paint than fiberglass. Contacting Interlux might help you. If you do bottom paint, don't forget the part of the lower unit of the engine that will be in the water even if it's tilted up.

Nice project.

 

[Reel Deal]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Umm, I am thinking Chieftian maybe?? -check out the cabin windows- I'd be pumped to find that!!

If you don' like her, box her up and ship to Midland, MI

Cheers!

She would look good out on the bay pulling some in-lines with a cooler half full of eyes.

And 1-2 chop I wouldn't think it would phase her. Nice find that could turn out to be a really nice boat.

 

[rockb]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Been putting off working on her because I could not figure out a way to get the engine lifted off. A couple of weeks ago the wife, kids, and I were taking a walk around the block and I stopped to talk to a buddy down the street who rebuilds mustangs for fun. We got to talking about his boat that needs the trailer rebuilt and he mentioned that he had two engine hoists that he wasn't using and I could borrow one whenever I wanted to.

Yesterday I went and got one of the hoists.

Today I got the engine lifted off and is half now hanging form the hoist and half resting on a stand in the garage

.

Here is a pic of the transom with the engine removed.

Got the old wood out. No way getting a pattern out of that. It all pretty much just crumbled.

I'm a little worried about the aluminum. It is really thin in some places and just gone in others. Since the plywood is what is actually giving it its structure does it really matter?

Last thing is the angle bracket is pretty bent up from the engine making the transom sag. Does it need to be replaced or can I just add some aluminum channel running vertically and go through the same bolt holes?

 

[rockb]

Re: Just Picked up a 198? Starcraft

Got a piece of 3/4 plywood that I had in the garage. Did some measuring and was about to just cut straight across it then drop it in the slot to mark the cut out for the well. Just before I started cutting I thought if I cut some of the splash well out I may be able to get both pieces out of one piece of plywood. Worked like a champ.

I'm off to West Marine to get some west system to bond the two together and coat both sides before putting the wood in. Hope to have some pics of the transom wood up tomorrow.