Is it only a matter of time for leaks?

Check out opinions on the opti motor, seems like not preferred but dont take my work for it.

Otherwise that's a nice boat and price seems reasonable.

redneck joe said:

Check out opinions on the opti motor, seems like not preferred but dont take my work for it.

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I did some quick research and it was mainly positive, but like anything I'm sure there are also negative.

Not even sure how well an older boats consoles would fit to that, so it could be a can of worms.

Sheet and angle aluminum with a thousand or so rivets and you can customize to your heart's content. Just find a boat windshield the appropriate width.

Another great option, considering you aren't bent on bow access being optimized, is the Starcraft Islander series. Esp for looks in my opinion. Beautiful closed bow boats with a really unique and sleek look I think. Those were also available with the sharper V5 hull. A 25 foot V5 would be the holy grail (very rare) but the 22 with the venerable straight 6 or OB is a really nice size and way more common.

I had my sights set on a 25 with dual 70hp outboards once but missed it. Loads of cockpit space in those boats and you also get a great little dry cuddy cabin space. Even if you never lounge out in there it's a convenient storage locker at minimum. I really like the factory layout with the fold out table on the dog house and those back to back convert to lounge seats. Stylin.

Lot's of options to consider. Boat shopping can be a blast, hopefully you're enjoying all the possibilities!

Those are good looking boats.

If you want to road trip to central fl I know where a 19 ft chieftain is. All stripped ready for new floors and up to 150 hp worth of outboards. I drove from tn to MN with my brother to geab mine.

IslandExplorer said:

Another great option, considering you aren't bent on bow access being optimized, is the Starcraft Islander series. Esp for looks in my opinion. Beautiful closed bow boats with a really unique and sleek look I think. Those were also available with the sharper V5 hull. A 25 foot V5 would be the holy grail (very rare) but the 22 with the venerable straight 6 or OB is a really nice size and way more common.

I had my sights set on a 25 with dual 70hp outboards once but missed it. Loads of cockpit space in those boats and you also get a great little dry cuddy cabin space. Even if you never lounge out in there it's a convenient storage locker at minimum. I really like the factory layout with the fold out table on the dog house and those back to back convert to lounge seats. Stylin.

Lot's of options to consider. Boat shopping can be a blast, hopefully you're enjoying all the possibilities!

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They are a nice looking boat.

Hey well definitely let us know what you decide to do if you go ahead with it. The tin boat members on here are very helpful and love to see another riveted classic come back to life- we'll have your back whichever way you go.

IslandExplorer said:

Hey well definitely let us know what you decide to do if you go ahead with it. The tin boat members on here are very helpful and love to see another riveted classic come back to life- we'll have your back whichever way you go.

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Well I'm pretty sure I am going to wait for a 78/9 V5 hull in 22 ft length. Most I have seen for prior sale are i/o but I want an o/b.

From what I have seen on iboats, both have the same hull/transom structure/support. So it looks like an easier conversion than to a smaller hull.

I see many of the 16-18 ft for sale and the prices do not justify (for me) tearing them apart and rebuilding. There was an 18 SS that was fully restored and the build is on iboats, I found it when researching. He had that for sale for 6 months or more. He finally dropped the price down to around $3k and it sold.

I think starting with the better and what appears more sought after hull is a better use of funds. Not that I'm delusional enough to think I will get all my money back, I've restored plenty of muscle cars to know the realities of that. But I do think it would sell a lot easier from my research.

AussieB said:

Well I'm pretty sure I am going to wait for a 78/9 V5 hull in 22 ft length. Most I have seen for prior sale are i/o but I want an o/b.

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V5's are hard to come by as it is. You may be waiting for a while to find a good deal on a 22ft OB.
I'd love a big 22ft'r, but my 18ft fits in my garage and is fine for any lake/river I fish here in MN. Doesn't mean I still don't consider the >20ft Starcrafts whenever I see one pop up for sale.
Of note, I sold my '78 16SS fully rebuilt for $4500. Originally paid $100 for the hull and trailer and $700 for the motor. Obviously had other expenses involved in the rebuild, but just to give you a rough idea.

V5 sure would be sweet. Supposed to really shine in heavier chop. I think the overall scale is most important, however.

My useless pearl of wisdom is that it is good to be weary of an undersized hull -unless you have the constraints or want for it- like for max fuel efficiency or whatever, in my opinion. Seems people often end up suffering from the recurring 2 foot-itis and skip ship to a slightly bigger boat over and over till they get to the size they really needed all along. So if you know deep down that you want the bigger boat go for it. Nothing wrong with holding out for the exact hull shape you want either. The more available mk4 hull just gets you out there much sooner possibly.

IslandExplorer said:

V5 sure would be sweet. Supposed to really shine in heavier chop. I think the overall scale is most important, however.

My useless pearl of wisdom is that it is good to be weary of an undersized hull -unless you have the constraints or want for it- like for max fuel efficiency or whatever, in my opinion. Seems people often end up suffering from the recurring 2 foot-itis and skip ship to a slightly bigger boat over and over till they get to the size they really needed all along. So if you know deep down that you want the bigger boat go for it. Nothing wrong with holding out for the exact hull shape you want either. The more available mk4 hull just gets you out there much sooner possibly.

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The 2 large bays/inlets near me get size-able chop more often than not. I did some research and everything that I read states that with an 18' you would miss out on a lot of days or get beat up and most suggested 21-22' as being the size to go for.

Also the fact that the V5 hull is designed for rougher water, it will make it less unpleasant for my crew members on the way back in.

Found you one, 2 day trip. Grab a buddy and go like I did...

redneck joe said:

Found you one, 2 day trip. Grab a buddy and go like I did...

Boats For Sale By Owner (Marketplace) | Family Treasure, one owner, spent entire life in boathouse on lift, clearly loved | Facebook

Family Treasure, one owner, spent entire life in boathouse on lift, clearly loved. Engine replaced in 2024 Merc V8, 260 HP, lots of power! 22.9 feet. Sadly, no longer have a cottage and need to let...

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Saw that over a week ago. Not paying that price, plus it's an i/o.

Logic in a used boat.
Buy what I really do not love / want. Restore it for some one else ?
Still really want what I really wanted.
Your financial choice.

Wise words , gotta follow your heart with boats and go for what you really want. Even if it is a bit of a haul it will be better to end up with what you envisioned/dreamed of vs restoring a boat for someone else all just to start over again with the right boat afterwards. I am a prime example, spent last 2 years and a million hrs restoring a trashed boat most would've just scrapped but it was exactly the boat I ultimately wanted and believe it is worth the effort. For me a 25 foot SC was the deal breaker and no 22 footer or less would suffice, case closed.

If V5 is something you definitely want, don't waste time looking at anything else. The I/O part I warmed up to finally but that is another challenge for it to be both V5 and O/B. Could always try out I/O while saving for a bracket and the right O/B to throw on the back if it fails and feel totally justified. I changed my mind and went for an I/O by reading about them enough to try to convince myself to never have one.. Weird how that works Otherwise you can confifently rule out a lot from your search and simply only look at V5 w O/B and have nothing to ever want or change other than little things. Any boat, perfect options or not, will be "some" work obviously as I'm sure you know. Happy hunting!