Looking for a good Starchief

[still afloat]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

I sort of agree, I've looked at more $5000 boats that were junk and far more $1000 boats which had potential. It seemed like those selling boats in the upper price range were just shooting for the moon price wise while those who priced their boat around $1000 knew what they had and knew it wasn't junk but also had a good idea that it also was worth something because it was at least aluminum.
One boat I looked at which was listed at $6500 was so bad I couldn't even walk on the deck without falling though and nearly every rivet was coated with white silicone sealer. To make it worse, the guy said it ran but wouldn't show me or even let me check compression on the motor. I guess I was just supposed to take his word that the 30 year old motor was as perfect as he claimed. The more questions I asked the more aggravated the seller got.
I also looked at a "restrored" later model Chieftain which had about 6 layers of 3/4" plywood added to the deck, an 18" weld across the bow that had cracked and been rewelded several times, and probably 100 holes drilled at the bottom of the transom from past transducers, all filled with globs of green epoxy. The interior was painted with yellow latex house paint, which matched the guys house. He was 'firm' at $5800. It had a motor but it was an old electric shift 85hp with the skeg missing and one of those huge whale tail fins bolted on it. The transom had a piece of aluminum angle iron across the top under the motor bracket to make up for the rotted wood.
The few that I've seen in the $850 to $1500 range have been decent, but unfortunately I either didn't get there in time or they weren't the boat that I was looking for.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

GO GO GO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/boa/2541894390.html

Crap just realized it's probably an I/O. Worth checking anyway.

 

[still afloat]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

GO GO GO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/boa/2541894390.html

Crap just realized it's probably an I/O. Worth checking anyway.

Yep, looks like another I/O powered boat. With a painted trailer to boot.

If all goes as planned I hope to get over to see and maybe buy that one in NJ. I spoke to the owner and another guy who looked at it and it sounds like the best one out there by far.
The seller says he'll let the trailer go for another $500. That may be my best bet if it fits the boat well. He also said he may take my smaller trailer in trade so that may save me a few bucks as well if I go that way.

 

[still afloat]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

I emailed the seller in NJ and the boat is gone. I was one day late and it's gone. He's still got the trailer but the boat was sold the day before. My search continues.

So far the ratio between I/O powered hulls and outboard hulls is about 3 to 1 in favor of I/O boats. Did they make more I/O hulls than outboard hulls or is that just what happens to be left these days?

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

Don't let EZ scare you away from an I/O - for cripesakes if me and CBK have them.....how hard can it be?

Those 120/140's are great motors if set up and maintained well.

 

[still afloat]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

Don't let EZ scare you away from an I/O - for cripesakes if me and CBK have them.....how hard can it be?

Those 120/140's are great motors if set up and maintained well.

EZ isn't in any way my reason for not wanting an I/O, I've had the misfortune of dealing with an older I/O set up in another boat, between salt water corrosion in the block, water ingestion through the manifolds, rotted heat exchangers, cracked or just fallen off bellows, and the added weight I just don't have time for all that. If an outboard goes bad it's four bolts and it's all better. No bellows to crack or slip off and sink the boat, and way less weight.
We had a glass Starcraft with a Mercruiser 140 when I was a kid, it was out of the water more than in. Not only was there a list of special tools you needed, the thing seemed to always need something. There were two years where the main bellows failed three times, all three times wasting the gimble bearing.
Besides, I have a good outboard here just waiting for a hull.

 

[rheagler]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

Ok, I feel a little funny here posting this but I'm the one who got the Starchief in NJ the day before still afloat. I will be starting a thread on its resurrection process once I get in full swing, with pics of course.

 

[mark942]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

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[still afloat]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

rh: glad to see someone got that who appreciates it, it was kind of a drive for me anyhow.

mark942: Is this yours? Is this an outboard or I/O model? I only have interest in an outboard model.

I did pickup a rather rough Starchief for free the other day, but I think it's probably only parts. It's got about 40 rivets that are either missing or loose, most were coated with silicone sealer. There are several long cracks along the lower edge of several strakes starting at the front plate, as well as cracks along the spray rail.
My thought are to keep the cabin off it in case I find a clean Holiday hull. I even thought about maybe doing a 16' version using a Jupiter hull? The cabin width may be an issue though.
The price was right, and it gave me a running 90hp motor as well as a complete, almost new full enclosure for a Starchief as well.
I have no idea how this thing got into this shape but it looks stress cracked. My guess is some idiot thrashed it in high seas till it gave out. They apparently were running it like this because I took four 2000 gph Rule bilge pumps out of the hull and a dozen smaller ones all over the boat, plus there's probably ten cases of empty tub and tile caulk all over the boat. I also liked their floor solution, on top of about 4 layers of rotted wood, there's a half sheet of 1/4" steel diamond plate with twin steel pipes welded to the front edge to hold a pair of shredded super heavy Pompano captains chairs. The cabin upholstery and interior is spray painted silver with some cheap paint that rubs off when you touch it. They also rigged an interesting steering set up, I guess the rope and cable steering system was too far advanced for them so they re-engineered it. Its not got power steering via a return spring to the right, and the cable is knotted to the drum, then goes around two pulleys that remain, and again tied to the steering bracket on the motor. The spring looks like part of a garage door spring, the cable is green clothesline.
I'm not sure of the year, the title reads 'Hmd' and is dated 1957 with a state assigned hull number. I've seen this before, a boat is found with no paperwork, you go through the states process to get a title and they decide what it is and assign a title and HIN to it. Either way, it's a parts boat which will give me the cabin and upper windshield in case I find a decent Holiday vs. a Starchief.

 

[rheagler]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

One will turn up for you. In the meantime it sounds like you can go into the bilge pump business!

 

[mark942]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

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[Huron Angler]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

It's hard to believe somebody in their right mind would operate a vessel knowing that it needs a baker's dozen bilge pumps to keep it from sinking.

Mark942, I remember you posting a pic of "Old Gold"...one of the nicest looking Starcrafts I've seen

If you don't mind driving, there are always near mint aluminum Islanders and Chieftains here in Michigan for good prices.

The real bonus of a midwest boat is that 99.9% of the boats have not had any salt experience(other than around the rim of a cocktail).

Good luck to ya!

 

[mark942]

Re: Looking for a good Starchief

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