starcraft 221 ob 2007

[jim fowlie]

Starcraft 221 ob 2007
I purchased a 221 ob new in 2006 and must say im very dissapointed.The interior finish is very poor quality over all. Poorly installed vynle that tends to come off or bubble.
The captians chair cushions don't last more than a season or two. I least that's my expreieance with them.
Also the motor mount is not water tight so you need to install an atuo bilge pump to insure you don't take on to much extra weight.
Most of all the quality of the upper deck paint is horrific and fades with in the first year and procressivley gets worse. A three year old boat looks like a 20 year old boat in two seasons. The winsheild leaks like a sive and you must seal it or it will flood the main console electronics.
That said the boat performes well in most conditions althought it's a bit light in really rough water but then again it is aluminum so no real news there.
The cuddy is a great design and comfortable with great windows.
None of the above issues are covered under warranty.
I have photos and video of all the topics i have posted. But for now i'm still learning how to post my photos sorry about that i know they are important.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

Wow, bummer on your experience! I am thinking that you should have way better things to say about a boat that is barely 4 years old! Especially one that you bought brand spanking new!!! I am looking forward to seeing your photos and video, eh.

All the same, welcome aboard and glad you are here!

 

[jim fowlie]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

Well thankyou very much for the warm welcome.
I'm going to make an effort to post at least the pictures in the next few day's.
Looks like i can post them direct from my pc

 

[elkhunter338]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

I too was disapointed in the fit finish my starcraft, but mine in a 1986 and chaulked most of it up to age, however some of the problems I found would have been there since new, just took years to show up.
1. no sealing of the transmon so when it rains water runs in ontop of the wood, eventually rot (fixed this with new wood and lots of caulking)
2. no marine plywood used, used exterior
3. water leaked around the mid section airvents, rotted floor underneath fuel tanks. (fixed this with plating the airvents and moving them to a different location to vent the fuel tank compartment).
4. Dash was rotten from water leaking around windsheild, replaced wood and sealed again with caulking.
5. Replaced front motor mount, sagging. Poorly fitted, poorly secured in. Solved this with some 1/2 alum plate, heavy alum. angle and stainless steel bolts and self locking nuts.
5. All the screws and brackets used to build the seat supports where not stainless steel, rusting and not in real good shape. Solved this rebuild seat supports with marine plywood, mahogony, non corrsive deck screws.
6. ? how secure the front bow hook is only being eld on with 6 rivits. I was warned by coast guard that factory bow eye's are weak. Solved this with new bow eye and a big piece of alum that is secured inside the bow.
7. Horn is not mounted pointing down, water collects in horn and makes if not work.

I would have to really think twice about a new starcraft and price other similar options.
Don't get me wrong I think the used starcrafts are a good thing and give us guys who cannot aford a new boat and option to have a boat. I am just not surprized with your experience after tearing mine apart and rebuilding her.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

Tell ya what, I'd be steaming mad if I bought a brand new rig at an astronomical price only to find some of these simple things are not handled at the factory.

Here is the good news Jim, pretty much anything you'd like to redo, revamp, rerig, rewood, recover, repaint, or re anything has been done right here. I'd also bet the fixing/building/repairing processes with these ancient boats most of us are working on would probably about the same on your new one. More good news would be the great guys around here that are happy to share their knowledge!

Cheers!

 

[jim fowlie]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

Wow that was a lot of work elkhunter! Job well done.
jasoutside i can't thank you enough for the support and i intend to build friendships here and learn a much as possible I can see i have picked a great place to do that.
First thing i need help with is the paint job!! So i will be asking lots of ??? on that topic shortly. Turns out i have temporarily lost my pictures but god love women my girl friend has them backed up 3 times lol. I will post them a couple at a time this week so the can be reviewed and then i take suggestions how how to repair the problem. Talk to all of you soon. J

 

[jim fowlie]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

OOOPS looks like i need to do a spell check on my posts!! Oh well one should always be able to laugh at his on mistakes. So maybe we will do a spelling review first and then the paint repair!!

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

After taking apart 2 60's SC's it still gets me how simple - and how sometimes low tech the assembly and materials were then and still now. I guess I look at them as good hulls that I probably will rebuild better than when they can out of the factory.

On the other hand...that is no excuse for a new rig.

 

[djpeters]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

My dad delivered Starcrafts to the dealers in the '60's and said the dealers used to complain about fit and finish. He said drill chips in the paint was pretty common, but at the same time the dealers fought over certain models because they sold 100% of them. They sold as fast as they could get them in.

 

[GLG fishing]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

Jim welcome to the forum. You are in my old stomping grounds.
Where in the heck can you use a boat that size? To bad about the fit and finish.
I have been shopping for a new boat but sadly I see the same thing you are talking about.
Seems that if you want something good you need to do it yourself.
Perhaps the route I will take is to find another Starcraft and rebuild it from the ground up.
I would do that with my current boat but I can?t, as that would leave me boat less.
Not something I am will to do. Good luck with your repairs and as you probably know
there is a wealth of information here on this forum.

GLG

 

[barato]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

good hulls that I probably will rebuild better than when they can out of the factory.

hmm...can you say "JAGUAR"?? there's a big mkt in Blighty for 60s Jag sedans which have been rebuilt by specialists who put in the care the factory forgot and end up with the car it always should have been.

it IS sad, tho, that SC can't get the fit n finish right on new ones.....given the # of years the hull tooling has been fully amortized (40?), they don't have too much else to spend $ on..... i bet some of the Armada's roll n tip or even brushed paint jobs look better than this.

 

[jim fowlie]

starcraft 221 OB 2007

starcraft 221 OB 2007

Hello again! i had promised photos in regaurds to my first post.
well i have recovered them at last so here you go. I have 8 in total and will do a couple at a time.

 

[jim fowlie]

starcraft 221 OB 2007

starcraft 221 OB 2007


OK here are 2 more for now and i will do 4 tomorrow.
I will be making a video first week of October to show all the other items mentioned in my first post and real time footage on the paint job. I hope this helps new prospective buyers.

 

[fshngho]

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

Jim you can keep posting on one thread. Nice pics.

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

YIKES Way to big.

 

[jim fowlie]

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

The pictures you mean? dang i down sized them buy half. i will try to make the next ones much smaller sorry guys.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

Hey Jim - just post away on your original/first post that way we have all your info in one spot, eh!

Well, from the looks of it I think I see some faded paint on a sweet boat. I'd really enjoy some wide angles, bet the guys would too.

Cheers!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

I merged your threads. Your picture size is fine since you're posting them as attachments you can go as big as you want. If you post them directly in the thread than stick to 640x480. Bummer about the paint job. At least it appears that the majority of the problem is fading as opposed to flaking/peeling which I would assume would be more of a pain to fix.

 

[mj05]

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

Re: starcraft 221 OB 2007

I'd/we'd love to see some pics of the whole boat! Inside and out... We're obsessed! I think I need to go to Boaters Annonymous. I'm getting addicted already and I don't even have a boat yet!! LOL!! Keep 'em coming...... just one more.... I just need ONE MORE... Hey, I can quit any time I want!!! *twitch*

 

[airshot]

Re: starcraft 221 ob 2007

Sorry to hear about your problems with your Starcraft, I have seen the newer models over the pasr 10 yrs or so haven gotten much cheaper built.
For that reason, myself and many others prefer getting the older models and refurbishing them. My 1983 is better made than the late 90's and 2000's.
Even though I have work to put into them, I did not have that high initial expense to fork out and will end up with a better quality boat.

Airshot