1963 Starcraft Jet Conversion

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davidahar

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So I've been looking for an aluminum boat for quite awhile now, and surfing tinboats.net and other forums all along getting educated. I decided I wanted something I could handle easily with my 10 yr old son to fish out of, but not too small that we'd be cramped. There are a ton of 14 footers in my area (NE Ohio, right next to PA border) - not big enough. 16 footers are few and far between, and folks want a mint for them. I didn't want to get past a 16 footer. I definitely wanted to stay under $1000 including a serviceable trailer and decent engine. Anyway, every boat I seemed to find was too much money, had no trailer, or no engine, under powered engine, or not running junk engine, and worst of all - NO TITLE. Can't register anything in Ohio 14' or longer without a title, no exceptions, and it's a felony if your caught on the water. And folks still asking waaaaaaay too much. But I digress, I finally went and looked at 1963 Starcraft Jet (or Jet Star - not sure which) I saw online about an hour away in PA at a Marine Dealer. I was born in '63, so I thought that was kinda cool. Pretty much what I expected, but the clincher was that the 9.9 Johnson was carbed up to 15HP, and one of the lakes I want to fish has a 20 HP limit. He went to $800 including going over engine including new water pump and lower end lube. Was thinking of uncapping it to make an open floor plan out of her, but I think I'm gonna take her back to original other than the seating, which will be set up for fishing, with livewell, etc. We'll see. Even going back to original red color as in last pic. Thoughts? Ideas? I will post progress.

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The boy (he's 10) and I went out and started dismantling the boat in order to flip her over to paint. He did a good job of holding the bolts on the inside of boat while I unscrewed from the outside. Got the windshield off and ordered new vinyl deck channel for the bottom of the windshield and new stainless hold down brackets to match original, along with a qt. of Gluvit. I also was able to find new original vinyl inserts for the rub rails. Also just ordered 4 Elite High back bucket seats on sale for $59, Springfield swivel power pedestals, and Springfield Pro-Tilt seat brackets with free shipping- I'll be swiveling and reclining! I gotta be comfortable! Also got a line on a 30 HP Evinrude 2 stroke with remote for $800. It's from a local outboard mechanic, but I gotta go look at that yet. He won't take my 15 HP Johnson on trade, but I should be able to sell it quick enough. Anyway, as you'll see I got the inside of her completely stripped out. I am now professionally certified in rivet removal! :lol: That, and the owner before me never heard of stainless steel on most of the other fasteners - they just snapped off. The 1/2" plywood floor was completely water logged and weighed a ton. I got the transom pulled out after removing what seemed like a never ending amount of through transom bolts, screws, and other fittings. The sides of the transom were completely crumbling away. You'll see in the picture of the bow, when I removed the plywood wedge at the bottom front - That styrofoam is ALL of the flotation I found in the entire boat. I'll be adding a ton more than that. BUT........I'm kinda liking this open look. I think I'm just gonna put a fishing platform with seat up in the bow now. I could cut out a middle section of my windshield to make it a walk-through.
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