Please help identify this Starcraft for possible restore

[cj8mule]

I can purchase this starcraft for $125. (no trailer, motor, or title) I believe the boat is a 18' Super Sport, but have no ideal what year. The no title is a huge deal since I live in TX! It would end up having to be bonded/abandoned or search up the old owner if they are still living after 20 years of no registration! Worst case scenario would be having to wait 6 months for a title.

Here's a few pics of it.


Is the seam on the port bow a bad thing? Or a hard fix? If I restore this boat, I'll be putting a 140 V4 Johnson on it. Is this hp within the manufacture acceptable range?

I'm definitely going to read some of these great restoration threads on here. Thanks for the help!

 

[barato2]

Re: Please help identify this Starcraft for possible restore

yo CJ----

yes, it looks to be an 18SS. there should be a manufacturer's capacity decal which will show the year (usually the first two digits of the serial #) above the splashwell inside port side. Starcraft rated these for 120 hp or, i think on later ones, 140. someone more knowledgeable can correct me if i'm wrong there.

i can't see the "seam" you're talking about. do you just mean the seam where the alum plates are riveted together? is there a large gap? if it's not large, just rebuck and rerivet as needed, then hit it with the infamous Gluvit. if it's bigger, you may need to caulk the gap with 3M 5200.

boat is well worth the 125 even w/o title and even if trailer is poop. worth more than that just as scrap aluminum! welcome (prospectively) to the mob.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Please help identify this Starcraft for possible restore

It looks like the bow cap (for the lack of a better word) gap might be a bit wider than usual and it also just might be a shadow. Worst case is using closed end rivets to draw ithe gap closed if re-bucking wouldn't work. All the wood is shot but as long as the hull is sound or repairable $125 is a good price. Looking at the brochures I have to agree with barato2 on the 140 horse - should be ok. Too bad the trailer isn't included, it looks like it's galvanized.

On the title - I thought TX was a picky title state. At least it was when I was there. I think barato2 is having title probs with his SC title or lack of same in TX.

For a buck and a quarter you can't go wrong, even if it ends up at the stock....er, scrap yard. An early welcome to the TinHat club, Texas Squadron. (I hope). Good luck, cj8.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Please help identify this Starcraft for possible restore

Yep that was a 18 foot SS a long time ago...
Looks like a center counsel project to me now.
Good luck, you have a long road to hoe with that one.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Please help identify this Starcraft for possible restore

You're right on that, Kev. She does have a CC look about her.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Please help identify this Starcraft for possible restore

Nice possible addition to the Starmada fleet. I think you are talking about the seam at the bow plate that is 'kind' of a triangle shaped piece that runs up from the keep, under the bow eye & stops under the bow cap trim. It looks like it has opened a little along the port side in pix #3. Once you get interior stripped, fill the hull w/ water, and if it doesn't leak, do a cosmetic repair: fill & seal w/ 3M 5200 as suggested above. If it leaks, you should re-buck the rivets after trying to work the bow piece back closer to the side of the hull & then use 5200 to seal the seam on the outside. Either way, Gluvit the interior seams & rivets. But it must be covered or painted, Gluvit is not UV stable.

Not to discourage you, but there have been a few title problems w/ Texas posted in a few different threads. I think it took friscoboater at least 6mo to resolve his no title issues just for the trailer, he has 1 maybe 2 vids on his YouTube channel talking about it. Unfortunately, Texas is much more stringent then other states.

In WV, I have to jump through some hoops, pay another state $35/boat to register them into my name, then fill out paperwork & get an inspection, but WV will issue a new title in my name if I follow the steps & complete the paperwork correctly. Not too hard or time consuming, I just have to be accurate & take it 1 step at a time, and let it take 4-6months unless I want to spend more of my time managing the process which would still take some time to complete. Then all the paperwork has to cross 1 guy's desk for a signoff at the capital complex & once that's done, registration & title are mailed to me. But all non-standard (like no title) boat & trailer related paperwork has to go through him, every single 1 for the whole state:facepalm:. 1 boat down, 2 to go....

It is a great platform to start a build, and it sounds like you have an OB ready & waiting for a transom.

Best of luck getting it home & titled, look forward to seeing pix of it attached to your trailer hitch!

 

[cj8mule]

Re: Please help identify this Starcraft for possible restore

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I got the wife's approval for another project this morning. Woo hoo!

I fully expect it to take 6 months to title unless the old owner is still alive and I can track him down. I'm going down to TWPD this week to title another project boat so maybe I can bend their ear a little bit about the starcraft title.

We are a military family and are due to ship out of Texas next year. Maybe our next state won't be so hard to title a boat! I understand why Texas is tough on the title thing, but who'd want to steal something like this boat? I suspect you can't even sell it for scrap without chopping it up into small enough pieces so that it is unrecognisable.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Please help identify this Starcraft for possible restore

Good deal, CJ. Post up lotsa pics for your entry fee to the Starmada. When are you picking her up?