Sinker

There are some things you just don't cheap out on. My TM remote is one of them.  My batteries seem to last me a very long time too. 

S. 

11 hours ago, BillM said:

If you actually want to catch one, head to the Kawarthas.   Crane and a few other were popular years ago, but like everything they got a tonne of pressure and it's definitely not like it used to be.

Same with the kawarthas. Everyone is a musky pro staff these days. Its brutal. 

S. 

@DRIFTER_016 Nice rig. Is that an 18ft? That motor looks huge on the back lol......Wrong colour for me, but I bet it goes good! The old starcrafts are great boats. Mine is solid. I replaced a bunch of rivets that were starting to show wear on the transom brace, but otherwise, she was good to go. 

S. 

20 hours ago, porkpie said:

If you have the paint code I’d appreciate it.  It looks almost exactly like the factory paint on my old 16 foot SSV.

I will try to remember to get that for you. Its a little lighter than the lund green, but close enough. That's what I was going for. 

S. 

Nice Lew! If you still have those boards, a quick kijiji ad would make them disappear quick. Save yourself the work, and help someone else. Not only is it stupid expensive, but hard to get too. 

I miss building decks. One of my favourite things to build. 

S. 

On 5/17/2021 at 10:20 AM, mamona said:

Very nicely done. I do not think you will ever sell this boat. 
Plus all the story behind the scenes

Yes, a lot of history there for sure. A lot of PB's, a lot of new species, a lot of close calls, and some of the best times of my life in that boat. My kids too! My grandkids will probably use it once my kids and I are dead and gone lol 

S. 

16 hours ago, porkpie said:

Any chance I could get the type of paint and paint code you used.  I’d like to repaint my duck boat this season.  It’s a real patchwork of paint at the moment!

This is the second time I've painted this boat. First time was 15 years ago, and I did a TON of prep work then, and the paint stuck really well. I just used exterior latex paint, believe it or not. I used the same stuff this time, and just sanded everything and cleaned it well before painting. Its ultra flat exterior latex from sherwin williams. They just shook their heads when I told them it was for a boat, said it would never last, but if I get 15 years out of it, I'm fine with that LOL ......Its just a fishing and hunting boat man, doesn't need to be fancy. I can get you the actual code when I'm home if you want, but I just picked it from their colour wall and went with it. 

S. 

On 5/17/2021 at 8:18 PM, Hack_Fisherman said:

Hey, what was the original floor you removed, looks like standard deck boards. Or was that a temporary overlay installed when the floors started to go soft? 
 

what are the panels you used on the top of the Port side bench?
 

 

Well, the original floor when I bought this boat in '93 was 1/2" plywood, with vinyl, I ripped that out 15 years ago and re did the floor with presure treated fence boards ( cheap rebuild that time) I used it that way for 15 years with intentions of going to aluminum plate, or checkerplate, but just never got around to it. 

The panels on the side are a composite plastice/wood. They were a type of siding I used many years ago, and kept a bunch around when the job was finished. They don't fade, absorb water, or rot, but they are heavy, and not very strong laterally. They worked good there though, and will last forever. 

S. 

2 hours ago, Fisherman said:

Ski masks work well too.

So does thick skin 😎😎

1 hour ago, porkpie said:

That’s one slick looking rig!  You can take a 50 year old Starcraft and make it new again!

Yep. It would cost me 30 grand to buy a similar new boat right now. I almost bought an 18 foot starcraft freedom with a 90 yammy tiller, but my wife made me a deal that if we spend the money on rebuilding this one, in 5 years we buy a new big boat for the great lakes, and traveling around on. How could I pass that up? The complete rebuild cost me about $1800 all in, and took almost a month, working on it in the garage after work in the evenings. The worste part was covid and sourcing/waiting for materials. Could have done it in a week if I had all the materials on hand at one time.

S. 

6 hours ago, Hack_Fisherman said:

Awesome, looks like a great build. How were your rivets? I’m up to my eyeballs in my 16.5” Starcraft SS. It’s a 1975. Similar hull and construction to yours except I have a more vertical freeboard than yours. Yours looks like it would feel much more open. 
Did you put any floatation in it?
 

My foam was all above the floor, and bone dry so I left it alone. It works, because I found out the hard way several times lol....

I replaced hundreds of rivets. I have to thank Irishfield for his knowledge on that part of the project. He led me to the right tools and places to get supplies. The solid rivets took a few tries to get good at, but once you've done a few, they are easy, and strong. I replaced every single pop rivet in the boat. 

What are you powering it with? The SS is a much bigger boat than mine. Deeper for sure, not sure about width. Mine is 84" wide at the widest point of the gunnels. Long transom, but no splash well.....the reason I swamped it twice. Both times I was coming to shore on a beach on lake Ontario with a full load of duck decoys and gear, with breaking waves. My own fault. No damage or injuries lol

S. 

34 minutes ago, misfish said:

That is one hell of a  rebuild buddy . Very nice workmanship.

Why is it that, all great fishermen, drive RAMS ?

Thanks buddy!

I've had a few RAMS and never had a single issue with any of them. Just get in and go. 

S. 

So, after 28 years of beating up my boat, the options were buy a new one, or rebuild mine. New boats are ridiculously expensive, and good used ones even more, so I rebuilt mine. Its a 1993 Starcraft 16 Widebody. Nothing fancy, but it has served me very well, and is very versatile. I take this rig to backwoods speck lakes, and troll the great lakes on the right days, and also hunt it right until I can no longer break the ice, so its seen its share of conditions, been swamped twice, and sunk at the dock once Lol. I dont think i could ever part with it to be honest. Anyways, here's some pics start to finish. 

Get some quality light rain gear/bibs, you will get wet. Also, a pair of goggles for the cold/snowy/rainy days duck hunting. You will thank me later. I have ran a tiller my whole life. 

S. 

nice to see your getting out. Where the feeesh? 

S. 

Yeah, you gotta get a pair of split ring pliers. Best thing ever. You will wonder why you even tried without them. 

S. 

No steering assist on the 70? 

You won't notice any difference from any other tiller really. That's a sweet boat too. You will love that rig. So much more versatile than a jon boat. 

S. 

They can't make you pay retro unless they can prove I actually drove my truck, which I didn't because of covid. And your insurance doesn't get notified of an expired sticker charge either, for the record. 

Anyways, I will deal with it when its mandatory for me to have one, and until then i will carry on driving for free.  

S. 

19 hours ago, Fisherman said:

Why put off the inevitable,  we are supposed to be adults and not play ______.  Pay now or pay later, but why wait for the rush.

 

Why pay at all if I don't have to? They dont need my money, I do. Its just a money grab anyways. Why do we pay $120 for a sticker? If I don't legally need it to drive, why would I pay? 

S. 

1 hour ago, Rizzo said:

...except you are not allowed to be with a friend

You are if someone is a single person living alone. 

Just go! 

S. 

So, how was the fishing? I haven't gone yet, but plan to go this evening. That sign is NOT going to stop me. I am a resident of this area, and I will be launching my boat and going fishing with my family. Give me my ticket, see you in court,  I am done following rules that make no sense. See you on the water!! 

S. 

My sticker still says MAR20, and it will until i either get a ticket, or they send me something saying I need to get it. 

S. 

Sweet rig bud! See you on the water! 

S. 

oops

In my yard we call that fertilizer.  

S.