In the small engine segment, techumseh had their solid state ignition starting in 1967 for the HH series engines, many years before Briggs and Stratton. The system is really reliable but if it does go bad, techumseh discontinued the replacement parts even before they went bankrupt. The blocks...
the points ignition on the ‘66 super seahorse 40hp I had was super reliable. It actually fired up within a couple rotations on a cold start and used to impress people at the launches.. but the carburetor needing a float and the gear case leaking/ old goober repair that it was more of a project...
A tin boat is much louder against the hull than a fiberglass boat.. you can try to deaden it but really you will always hear the splashing. It’s one of the things that signifies your riding in an old StarCraft
Foam is actually not structural on a tin boat. Older StarCraft actually used styrofoam sheets. Some people use pool noodles under the floor, some use blue or green insulation board. Any option had the ability to create enough flotation to keep it mostly above the surface
Very common. But it’s literally few Weeks of Working on it after your day job. Not a big job at all. I did a 14’ Holiday in one month. New deck, wiring, bilge pump, carpet and seats. I didn’t do the transom at that time as it was okay
@racerone would be able to give you the rundown on them. If they spin over with good compression, there is a solid chance they are serviceable. Pretty cool it’s an outboard version and it has twins.
Double floor is a Re-deck and is commonly found. Just tear it out with the transom that’s also...
If the deck feels spongy at all, then it calls the stringers into question…. And a solid deck with a rotten transom screams the possibility of a deck- over band aid which should then be investigated.. boats rot from the bottom up. Your boat will also be full of foam which may even make it feel...
I really only keep in date safety gear in my boat. Tubes, skies and such on an as needed basis.. 2 boats are almost a requirement. I’ve got a 14’ runabout I can take absolutely anywhere that is calm waters and working on getting my 18’ bowrider going so that I can take more people into rougher...
The other part of this is, it is a neat little hull if it’s really in good shape. But it is pretty tiny inside.. the engine takes up 2’ of the rear of the boat. It’s only 16’, so it’s pretty cramped
Other way around. You can assume with a decent likelihood that the engine and drive is probably okay. But the boat is probably structurally unsafe. These are pictures of my parts boat, which is same boat you have interest in. You can see the hull from a glance looks great. It even came with...
The easy tell that something is wrong is by looking at the center windshield. If it fits crooked, you know the consoles are not square anymore. That means there is rot. If the deck is solid and the center window is crooked, you know it’s a cover up
I have that exact boat.. well the nearly identical 1986 version. Freedom 160. I bought it for the motor and drive for my other boat. It’s structurally unsafe and I knew that when I bought it. The previous owner thought that it just needed a floor and he even had it on the water…. If boat in...
