New Guy

[Elwood Suggins]

'mornin boys. Stumbled across this site while looking for info on a recent acquisition, a '66 Starcraft 16' Jupiter with 50 hp Merc. Found it in a guys yard in Central Oregon. Boy am I glad to find you guys. She needs a good deal of TLC. If I can figure out how to post a picture, I'll do so. My goal for the boat is to make her a lake/bay fishing/crabbing machine, as opposed to a factory spec restoration. (sorry). For starters, I need a windshield. I have the metal frame but no glass. Local plastics guy wants about $500 to make the rounded replacement. Suggestions?

Thanks

 

[jasoutside]

Re: New Guy

'mornin boys. Stumbled across this site while looking for info on a recent acquisition, a '66 Starcraft 16' Jupiter with 50 hp Merc. Found it in a guys yard in Central Oregon. Boy am I glad to find you guys. She needs a good deal of TLC. If I can figure out how to post a picture, I'll do so. My goal for the boat is to make her a lake/bay fishing/crabbing machine, as opposed to a factory spec restoration. (sorry). For starters, I need a windshield. I have the metal frame but no glass. Local plastics guy wants about $500 to make the rounded replacement. Suggestions?

Thanks

Welcome Elwood! You came to the right place for all things Starcraft. You even posted up a photo of your new Jup too which means you'll receive significantly less harrassment from the brohood.

I think if you have the frame you might be in really good shape. I have no experiance with this but...

How about grabbing yourself a big chunk of plexiglass/lexan or the like and forming what you need to fit? Just a thought, eh.

Welcome

 

[heyyou325]

Re: New Guy

You can try a 3 piece windshield. The corners are the spendy parts. Plexiglass is spendy itself, but when they have to bend it really gets that way. That's how I fixed up an old Crestliner at first. Then I built a top out of light square tubing. The bottom fit the boat rails, and the top fit a tonnou cover (however you spell that word) off a used pickup I had just bought that I couldn't sell. It lifts in the back to give more room. I then used a flat piece of plexiglass for the windshield, on hinges to the frame, so It would lift up to the cover for less wind resistance when travelling. $100 for a 4'X8" flat piece and I used less than 1/2 of it. The tubing went in front of the cover far enough so I could mount 2 headlights, so I could return to the campsites, or dock and home after dark. Sort of nice trying different things and seeing how it turns out. Only been working on this for 14 years and I'm not finished yet. Now I have a 21 foot Starcraft runabout I'm trying to fix up. No idea what I'm going to mess up on it yet, that's half the fun.

 

[CBGale2]

Re: New Guy

Welcome to the starmada. Great project you've got there.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: New Guy

Nice old Jupiter project, welcome to the Starcraft fleet Elwood

Maybe look for a free junk boat with a decent windshield? They are pricey on ebay usually.

What year is the Mercury?

 

[Elwood Suggins]

Re: New Guy

Thanks, all. Merc is a '71 according to the Merc mechanic who worked it over. Says its a pretty decent old motor as long as I don't forget its an old motor. I am told the boat was originally purchased by the Deschutes County, Oregon Sheriff's department back in '66 and was used on the many lakes in this area. I am considering a used 2 or 3 piece windshield off a salvaged boat. Looks like the trick will be fitting the new one to the concave surface of my foredeck. (means I'll have a factory Jupiter windshield frame if anybody wants one).

Because I have plans to use the vessel for fishing, (read that comfortable stb side pilots seat, 6' padded box on port side to snooze and store galley stuff and adequate canvas to keep me dry so I can burn cigars while waiting in the rain for some stupid fish to take the bait) I plan to use the basic platform and build her out for my specific needs. I'll post pics as thing progress.

 

[fshngho]

Re: New Guy

Welcome Elwood. Check out the boat restoration forums, look for EZ's Jupiter. He installed a walk thru windshield and it looks fantastic. You can pick those up fairly easy.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: New Guy

I am considering a used 2 or 3 piece windshield off a salvaged boat.

Yah, going that route will prolly be the most cost effective for ya.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: New Guy

I am considering a used 2 or 3 piece windshield off a salvaged boat. Looks like the trick will be fitting the new one to the concave surface of my foredeck. (means I'll have a factory Jupiter windshield frame if anybody wants one).

Won't be as big a problem as you think! Check mine out....
Before:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/09.jpg

After:
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/boat2.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w200/ezmobee/Boat Project/10.jpg

I thought I was going to have to fab something up to make up for the curvature. But when I set the windshield up on there and bowed it out a bit, it sat very nicely. Dropped some screws into it and it sucked the deck right up and ended up flush.

 

[Elwood Suggins]

Re: New Guy

Woooah, thanks a bunch. I'm encouraged.