I need your opinions

[Jaws1948]

I've been looking high and low for an outboard runabout, 16 or 17 footer indecent condition. Today I found a 1978 Starcraft aluminum boat, motor and trailer which looks good. From the pics, it looks like this boat has spent it's life on a lake. So what opinions or experiences do any of you have about an aluminum hull in a salt water environment? Is this a bad idea, like maybe it will rot away in a year from the electrolysys? Thanks

Mike

 

[captmike28]

My very first boat, purchased new in 1970, was a 16' Starcraft side console Aluminum hull which I owned for close to 10 years fishing only in the salt. First 3 years she was trailered but the last 6 years had it in a slip. Never had a single problem with rot, electrolysis, or rust. They are pretty tough boats. If the rivets seem tight and there are no obvious signs of abuse I would not be too concerned about corrosion.

Of course, you should definitely take her for a sea trial before buying to make sure she is tight, but they can be very serviceable boats in protected waters. Heck, on some really calm days I actually trailered her out to Montauk and fished the midway rips, halfway to Block. On one of those trips a whale surfaced very close by and that was a bit of a trip as it was almost the size of my boat!!

Good luck!

 

[Roccus7]

^^^^^^^^ good advice, but you also had to worry about dissimilar metal electrolysis when mounting items and fasteners (screws) that will be in the water like transducers, etc. Since you're trailering, you won't have to worry about bottom paint, but if you stopped doing that you have to buy specific bottom paints, and make sure you get one of the better brand ones, not the cheap ones.

Happy Boating!!

 

[OVERBORED]

I owned a StarCraft cc for several years. Great little boat except for a couple issues.

The foam on my boat became saturated. Made the boat very heavy.

Couple of rivets loosened. Enough to burn out a few bilge pumps.

Deck also absorbed water. Plywood was not Marine grade or glassed.

That said, the boat moved pretty good with 28hp.

Trailering is definitely the way to go.

 

[Jaws1948]

Thanks guys for the good advice. It definitely sounds like a plan. I am thinking trailering. For close to 50 years I had boats, always docked. But after I retired 26 years ago, the problem became money. So smaller hull, smaller outboard, no dockage fees, etc. seems the way to go.

 

[longcast]

Some great advice from this community!

 

[Chinacat]

30+ years ago I came across a starcraft runabout aluminum boat sitting in a boatyard in Southold and I’ll hold off on naming it because they are still there in business
I knew it needed some attention but I had to have it. It had no motor, no seats, steering, and wood floor boards that also needed some TLC
They swore to me up and down it was “tight” so I bought it pretty cheap
1st thing I did when I got it home was fill it with water to check for leaks
All good, or so I thought
Moved forward with getting a 35hp motor and put alot of time and effort into it
1st trip out with my then girlfriend and my brother we were having fun and after a while realized our feet were wet
Managed to get back to the ramp without sinking
Back on land filled it back up with water and this time it was like a spaghetti strainer LOL
Spent next month drilling rivets and replacing with stainless steel bolts with Lexel. Eventually got it seaworthy and added a bilge pump that could pump out water faster than it would come in

From that time forward it was always known as the Leaky Tiki

 

[OVERBORED]

Just remember, it's a 46y/o boat. Be prepared to give it ALOT of TLC.

 

[Old Mud]

How about a 1954 12' Alumacraft with a 1952 3 hp. Rude. Trailered some years. Slipped in the back of a pickup some years. Carried on my truck camper to AK and back a couple of times. Carried on my motorhome to AK several times. Left at a dock for the last 12 or so years. No electrolysis, No corrosion. Nutin. never had bottom paint, last painted around 1977 with some left over house paint. Still has it on today. Yeah i wouldn't worry about an Aluminum boat.

.Have some pics. somewhere but hard to find.

 

[Roccus7]

How about a 1954 12' Alumacraft with a 1952 3 hp. Rude. Trailered some years. Slipped in the back of a pickup some years. Carried on my truck camper to AK and back a couple of times. Carried on my motorhome to AK several times. Left at a dock for the last 12 or so years. No electrolysis, No corrosion. Nutin. never had bottom paint, last painted around 1977 with some left over house paint. Still has it on today. Yeah i wouldn't worry about an Aluminum boat.

.Have some pics. somewhere but hard to find.

I've been on that boat, a fine craft, with a Crafty, Crotchety Captain, IIRC...

 

[Old Mud]

Ok i found the pic. on another puter. This one has my 1954 rude. That paint is from 1977. Oil base house paint. Painted just for duck hunting for a couple of years.. HA !!

.

 

[Chinacat]

Here’s a picture of mine I found
Replaced the wood transom, added the steering wheel and redid the cable and pulley steering, added the seats, rewired the lights etc.
Totally rebuilt the powerhead on the motor too after ceasing it in the middle of Moriches Inlet one day

 

[captmike28]

Ok i found the pic. on another puter. This one has my 1954 rude. That paint is from 1977. Oil base house paint. Painted just for duck hunting for a couple of years.. HA !!

.View attachment 75722

That is quite the classic, Old Mud! Is that from the era when the small outboards had self-contained gas tanks?

You have now inspired me to dig up a photo of my own old classic StarCraft. Hope to post it tomorrow.

 

[captmike28]

Here’s a picture of mine I found
I added the steering wheel and redid the cable and pulley steering, added the seats, rewired the lights etc.
Totally rebuilt the powerhead on the motor tooView attachment 75735

Despite your "soggy feet, Mitch, that is more of the runabout style than my StarCraft.
When I first bought mine, I already owned a rope start 18 HP Evinrude and it moved out pretty well.

Then 2 years later I saved up some money and added a 35 HP Johnson and she would fly. The 35 hp was my first motor with an electric start. I thought I was really hot shit being able to just "turn the key"!!!

 

[Chinacat]

Despite your "soggy feet, Mitch, that is more of the runabout style than my StarCraft.
When I first bought mine, I already owned a rope start 18 HP Evinrude and it moved out pretty well.

Then 2 years later I saved up some money and added a 35 HP Johnson and she would fly. The 35 hp was my first motor with an electric start. I thought I was really hot shit being able to just "turn the key"!!!

Mike that picture was taken in my yard when I lived in Flanders
Had a straight full clean view thru the western half of peconic bay and the west side of Robins Island

 

[captmike28]

Mike that picture was taken in my yard when I lived in Flanders
Had a straight full clean view thru the western half of peconic bay and the west side of Robins Island

Actually, that was the perfect spot to be with a boat like that. Really brings back memories of when we used to slay the winter Flounder at the South Race on slack water and catch some beautiful Weaks and Scup near Rogers Rock and Roses Grove. Something tells me you too caught a few fish in those areas over the years.

 

[Old Mud]

That is quite the classic, Old Mud! Is that from the era when the small outboards had self-contained gas tanks?

You have now inspired me to dig up a photo of my own old classic StarCraft. Hope to post it tomorrow.

Yes sir it is. 2 cycle. Both the "52" and the "54" are completely rebuilt , everything right down to the decals. Both one pull motors. Ironically i can still buy just about every part for them. They make a great winter project if you don't mind spending 100 hours removing broken bolts.

 

[Old Mud]

Here’s a picture of mine I found
Replaced the wood transom, added the steering wheel and redid the cable and pulley steering, added the seats, rewired the lights etc.
Totally rebuilt the powerhead on the motor too after ceasing it in the middle of Moriches Inlet one day View attachment 75735

Do you still have it ?? those were the days we could have so much fun with a simple 16 Footer without electronics.

 

[Old Mud]

Thanks guys for the good advice. It definitely sounds like a plan. I am thinking trailering. For close to 50 years I had boats, always docked. But after I retired 26 years ago, the problem became money. So smaller hull, smaller outboard, no dockage fees, etc. seems the way to go.

OK now, after reading this " after I retired 26 years ago," You have no problems buying an Aluminum boat no matter what the year. At your age you have nothing to worry about with electrolysis. If you have leaks they are very easy to repair. Wire brush the area real good be it a seam or rivet and a small bead of 3M 5200. done Will last longer than you and I put together.

 

[OVERBORED]

There used to be a StarCraft dealer in East Rockaway called Saltaire Marine. Was down the block from Skippy's B&T.

18' boat,28hp motor w/trailer
$9,995