Hi Everyone! New member, new boat, new project :)

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jayjay

New member
Joined
Jun 26, 2017
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
Antigo, Wisconsin, USA
Hey everyone!

Not sure if this is the proper place to post an introduction, but here we go :)

My name is Jesse, and I know next to nothing about fishing, and even less about boats. Most of my fishing experience has been from piers and river banks, and I have caught 3x more colds than fish. I just got a 14ft Starcraft aluminum boat and trailer for... and you should be seated for this... $0.00! My wife's cousin had this boat they never used and was taking up space in their garage, so they said I could have it if I came and got it. A few quick calls and 20 minutes later the boat was in my yard.

Here are the pics of it!
20170625_183806_zpse633gr3j.jpg

20170625_183842_zpsrcjkl4hp.jpg

20170625_183818_zpsbf1gio73.jpg


I have a few ideas of things I want to do, but am going through the projects forum here looking for inspiration of what else to do. The things that I know for sure are:
  • Close off the space behind the rear bench and back of the boat for the battery and gas tank for the outboard that I plan to add to the boat
  • Build a deck for the area from halfway between the middle bench and front bench to the front of the boat for standing and fishing from
  • Rod storage and a few storage compartments for tackle boxes, life vest, and small fire extinguisher
  • Carpet the interior surfaces to minimize clanging and banging

My lack of experience is preventing me from deciding what would be good vs what would be a waste of time, so I would love to hear opinions from more experienced people. I do prefer to stand and cast, but I also want to have enough room for two people to fish from this boat as well. I also haven't taken this on the water, so I have no idea what the stability is like. I did run the registration numbers online and learned that it is a 14 foot Starcraft, but not sure which model.

Thanks for looking, and thanks in advance for any advice or ideas!
 
Welcome Aboard Jesse !! what part of the country do you hail from ?

#1 - don't do anything until you get the correct paperwork transferred into your name.
#2 - awesome score for $00.00 !!
that gives you about $2,000 for personal modifications and a nice motor.
#3 - ensure everyone wears life jackets on the first few outings until you find
your comfort zone of standing and walking around in the boat while in the water.
#4 - I would take it out a few times and just have fun and do some fishing
and don't do anything for a couple of months until you have a good understanding
of what you want to do - - - like you said; some things could be just a waste of time.
there are literally hundreds of excellent threads in this forum for ideas on modifications
and making repairs to leaky seams and rivets as well as replacing the transom wood.

HAVE FUN - BE SAFE !!

.
 
Johnny said:
Welcome Aboard Jesse !! what part of the country do you hail from ?

#1 - don't do anything until you get the correct paperwork transferred into your name.
#2 - awesome score for $00.00 !!
that gives you about $2,000 for personal modifications and a nice motor.
#3 - ensure everyone wears life jackets on the first few outings until you find
your comfort zone of standing and walking around in the boat while in the water.
#4 - I would take it out a few times and just have fun and do some fishing
and don't do anything for a couple of months until you have a good understanding
of what you want to do - - - like you said; some things could be just a waste of time.
there are literally hundreds of excellent threads in this forum for ideas on modifications
and making repairs to leaky seams and rivets as well as replacing the transom wood.

HAVE FUN - BE SAFE !!

.

I am from Antigo, Wisconsin :)

Anytime I go in a boat I insist everyone on board wears a life vest or keeps it within arm's reach at all times so we're good on safety - also no beer allowed on board. I am not a strong swimmer so I want to eliminate as many possible factors for an accident as possible. I am going to be checking the boat over when I get home from work tonight to look for the hull identification number and if that is affixed and readable I will be registering it online this weekend. Also planning on going out this weekend after I seal up a few drips in the bottom of the hull. My guess is that the sealant is old and cracked and needs to be replaced because there is a slow drip at the very bottom of the keel (I think that is the right word for the V-shaped bottom?). I am also going to be drawing a diagram of the boat as it is now with measurements so I can play around with some ideas on paper.

I've been watching some Jon boat conversion videos on YouTube, and I know for sure that I want to put a floor in so that I don't have to worry about stepping on the curved part of the hull and risk losing my balance. I am also fairly certain I want to add some storage compartments if nothing more than to cover up the battery and gas tank (once I get an outboard for it) so they are not exposed to the elements.
 
Hey Jesse , I to am a new Member and I live in Arkansas. I too have recently took ownership of a 1957 14' V-hull DuraCraft with a 25HP Mercury Outboard . It looks alot like Your Boat. I've owned several Ski boats over the years but never anything this small. This Morning my fishing Buddy and I took the S.S. Minnow(that is what I call Her) out for the Maiden Voyage (sort-of ). NOTE TO SELF: DON'T STAND UP !!! You're gonna wanna be VERY ! VERY ! CAREFULL MOVING AROUND. Saying that These little Boats are Very Unstable is an Understatement.
 
Good advice from S.S.Minow????

Many newcomers here (welcome aboard, by the way) immediately want to begin adding or subtracting things from their new craft.

I believe it was Johnny who suggested you just go fishing for a while. After a half dozen trips, you will have a much better idea what you, and your boat, can handle or need.

richg99
 
Yes, nice boat!!!!! Congratulations!

I'm with those that say just use it for a while. Only then can you really focus on what you REALLY need. I've modded lots of boats over the last 40 plus years and in the end am not too sure I improved many of them. Anyway, if it were me (and it aint) I would focus on the hull: making sure its good and watertight first. That could be a project just by itself. Then I'd focus on the transom, inside and outside the aluminum skin. For a car this would be the equivalent of making sure the motor and transmission work, before tinting the windows and installing woofers....

In fact, I've been working on a very similar 14' boat lately, this one a Smokercraft (part of my tinny fleet). The objective there is to get it shipshape after years of knocking around. Tonight I installed a fresh transom on the thing, fighting off hoards of aggressive mosquitos (we only get sunshine gaps for short periods each day between the rain - a very wet year). I have deliberately stayed away from loading this boat up with mods as it is nice and light and is easy to manhandle into farm ponds, and rows beautifully. Great in rivers too. Lotsa memories there, with plenty more to come.

Anyway, just my .02
 
Welcome Jesse, Looks like your boat is in good shape to start with, congratulations.
Antigo hey the home of Mepps spinners isn't it. What a great place for fishin all around you. My father lived out side of Birnamwood toward Wausau and I'd go up to visit and fish for bluegill mainly at the lakes a little north of Antigo until six or so years ago when he passed. We'd eat breakfast at a nice popular restaurant in Antigo, don't remember the name of it now (may be Three Brothers). Just reminiscing those were fun time.
I'm new here too at least at posting, it's a great forum and if inspiration is what you're looking for it's here.
Get a use trolling motor just to get you on the water for the rest of the year and enjoy that boat.
 

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