1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

InMotion - Man, that's a fact! I don't know where some of these people with boats for sale think they can be launched, but a lot of them should be launched in a landfill! Brenn - Hey, there are some ads in the Portland C/L right now, for some Starcrafts - One of them just says 2 BOATS mechanic special - $2000 - One is a '78 chieftan just like mine. I bet you could get it for under a grand w/trailer. REMEMBER: In Oregon, they don't make you license trailers, so make sure you have BOTH the boat and the trailer titles, AND they must be in the current owners name, otherwise, it turns into a terrible ordeal,
for you, back in Washington. Been there, done that, cost me some money. There is also a 16' SS for $1750, and 20 or 30 others of various sizes, etc

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

JP you have a serious case of MBS if all those sig boats are still hanging out at your house.

Your transom wood is the original 35 year old wood. The gunnel caps are not cut out yet so I know it's original. Big pain I know but I would replace it with some nice marine grade ply.

I can't believe someone took a saw and cut that square hole in the transom to add the fuel filler. Standard placement is on top and is a round hole in the transom cap.

Going to be a long haul if your going full resto on the Chief. We're starting ours at about the same time so hopefully we can get our sister ships done before grand kids come along to help us out.

So your going to need to start up a photobucket account to upload your pics of the ole Chief and embed the img code rather than use iboats PIA photo feature.

Let me know if your Chief needs another MC LU, I have a few in the garage.

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Watermann - Yep, I think the transom replacement is a must, also. And, yeah, I can't believe someone did that, to the transom, either. On mine, there is a filler on the starboard deck trail, near the front the cuddy. I think that may be the original, but I'm not sure. It may have had a v-fuel tank under the v-birth. I have the transom cap off, and there is no trace of a hole for the fuel inlet, however, she does have four chrome vents (two facing forward, two facing rear) and one of those may have been the original fuel inlet. My tank (replacement tank, aluminum) will be under the v-birth, for weight distribution. I'll look into the phtobucket account, so I can post better pics. - Will do on the out drive. I gotta see if mine can be resurrected first.

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Well, we brought (towed) the little boat home today. This one, I bought while I was on the shutdown, in Wyoming, from a buddy. It's only a 12' aluminum (I think it's a Lund), but it has a nice 6 hp Evinrude kicker, and it's on a really nice Shoreland'r trailer. We managed to fit it in the garage. After checking the max weight the trailer will haul, and the length of the tongue on trailer, it may haul our Chieftan, which would allow me to sell the big, super heavy duty trailer, that's under the Miss Chief (hey, don't look at me, barato2 named her!). So, over the winter, I will strip, and re-paint the little boat (someone painted it camouflage... ICK!), and get it ready to sell, come spring. ... More stripper, more paint, a little Marine-Tex, some Gluv-it, and some elbow grease. Somebody's going to get a nice lake boat come spring, and I'll get a really nice trailer for Miss Chief! WAHOO!

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

I hope you scored with a good bottom feeder price on the little tinny and trailer,

But hey JP buddy you know the rules here, you have to take pics or some are sure to say it never happened. :laugh:

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Roger. I'll shoot some tomorrow, for all to see. I was out of town for a couple of weeks house sitting, while one of my buddies went to La Paz, after Dorado, Rooster Fish, and Marlin... I am NOT going anywhere for the rest of this year, so I can get these boats DONE. - Side note: Shoreland'r trailer is too small... Oh well, I'll just get another one for the Miss Chief.

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Hey, Brenn - STARCRAFT ALERT! - There's a 21' for sale for $300 (yep, $300!)on the Albany Oregon C/L! From the ad it sounds like the guy has done a bunch of work to her already, and maybe lost interest - You might want to check it out. If I didn't have mine, already, I would.

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Brenn... Oops - It's on the Corvalis C/L

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Hey JP where's those pics you promised us? Don't tell me it's too cold over there either!

 

[Coldstream]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Watermann - Yep, I think the transom replacement is a must, also. And, yeah, I can't believe someone did that, to the transom, either. On mine, there is a filler on the starboard deck trail, near the front the cuddy. I think that may be the original, but I'm not sure. It may have had a v-fuel tank under the v-birth. I have the transom cap off, and there is no trace of a hole for the fuel inlet, however, she does have four chrome vents (two facing forward, two facing rear) and one of those may have been the original fuel inlet. My tank (replacement tank, aluminum) will be under the v-birth, for weight distribution. I'll look into the phtobucket account, so I can post better pics. - Will do on the out drive. I gotta see if mine can be resurrected first.

Sorry for the late reply but I just got caught up with your story. My '73 Chieftain 18 has an air scoop on each gunwale, facing forward, with paper hoses directing air behind the side panels towards the motor compartment. Then there are 2 scoops facing backwards on the rear deck, one of which has the blower, both again with paper hoses to the motor compartment.
Mine had a fuel filler on the port gunwale that went to a steel fuel tank under the port side seat. I will try to get a bilge tank at the same point even if it means building a bridge deck to allow for the filler hose.
Merry Christmas from BC.

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Well, spring is nearly here, and I'm still kicking. Miss Chief has been sleeping quietly, in the shelter, over the winter, and it's getting close to time to get back to work on her. I have been working on the Springbok, off and on, and gotten her all stripped to metal, with the exception, of the exterior bottom, below the waterline. In spite of having about 5 coats of paint on it, it looks pretty nice, now. I have to see if I can flip it on the trailer by myself. Then I can finish stripping her, seal her up, and then it's on to painting her so we can use her in some lakes, the bay, and the river (Skagit), while I finish the Chieftan up. Man, I want my Starcraft DONE!!

 

[barato2]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

another hibernator emerges from the den.... glad to see you back. soooo..any pics of the current "tin detour"?

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Here's the little one, nearly stripped. I finally have a sunny day so, I pulled her out of the garage and flipped her over so I can strip the bottom tomorrow. The entire boat was slopped with camo paint, and other various colors. It has been a ton of stripper, and a load of elbow grease, but I think it will be worth the time. Once she's all stripped, and sealed, it will be paint time. As soon as I get her ready, I would imagine I will be called out on the next shut down, in some far away state... AHH well, at least she'll be ready when I get home... But then again, it will be time to get on the Miss Chief... Being a boat owner is a terminal disease... Ya gotta love it!

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Welcome back, JP. Cute little tinny alright. :thumb:

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Hey - Welcome back, JP. What kind of tin is that on the trailer?

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

barato2! Hey pal - Yes I have crawled out of the snow bank, and will get my face scraped and hair mowed tomorrow, prior to being shot for a sasquatch! Yep - a pic below. She's getting there, and then it's on to the real fun: the Chieftain. I have to let the enclosure and the ground dry out a little, but then I'm on it like blue bonnet! I have also managed to record nearly enough material for an album, over the winter... Gotta keep my hand in on that too, you know. I hope you all made it through in famous fashion, and all is well for you and yours - J.P.

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Thanks, GA Boater! The "toy tinny" is a 12" Princecraft (Canadian brand) Springbok model. She's almost done, and I want to "do it right, but hurry the heck up" so I can get after the Chieftain, again. HEY! I'm your 9,000th post! Well done, sir! - I hope you made it through this crazy winter in grand fashion, and all is well with you, and yours - I got tin under my skin - J.P.

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

Watermann - Hey... I'm out of the snow bank! Man, your boat is looking fine. I was thinking it sure would be fun to have a gathering of the Starcraft tribe, over on Roosevelt, or some other lake/bay, Puget Sound, someday. It would be great to get to meet some of the clan from the Northwest, and actually all over, visit, have some fun, share our stories, and even do some much needed fishing! - I must admit I have missed you characters over the winter - Hope all is well for you and yours... BRING ON THE SUNSHINE! - J.P.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

I yak too much. :facepalm: The Princecraft is a nice little one. A small one is always nice to have for small waters and back-up. Like until the Chieftain splashes.

 

[jpstude]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Chieftan 18' - Starting point

The "little tinny" is ready for the Gluvit treatment. I'm thinking I will flip it up, on one side, do the waterline seam, wait a day, flip it onto the other side, do the other seam, then maybe stand it on the stern, do the aft seam, and then do all of the floor rivets, and the bow area, where the bottom attaches to the keel. I have to dig out the various junk that has been put in the bow cavity, over the years, so I can Gluvit those rivets. I'm thinking of masking some, so the Gluvit doesn't get all over the place, I'll use a stiff brush to get a thinner coat and hopefully keep sags, and runs to a minimum. Sound right? Any tips, caveats, etc? - I know it may seem that I'm off in la-la land, but, this little one, is practice/learning experience, for doing the Chieftan, and I'm darned anxious to get on to that project.