TOPIC: My friend gave me a boat, what do I do now?

It's a fiberglass Starcraft. Kind of a bastard child, I'm getting the feeling. But here it is:

And here is what is left of the boat plate. In real life resolution the model is "14' COB" then something was clamped on top of it. Can anyone tell me what I have?

I'd really like to turn this into a pretty fish and beer chaser in the delta and mountains around Sacramento here. Any help in identifying this boat would be appreciated.

Thanks and take care,

Tom

Well the first thing you did was post here, and that was a smart thing to do.
Welcome!
Hopefully a few will chime in on what yours really is, because I don't know.
The engine though is perfect. I am a big fan of the OMC three cylinders.
Go over it with a fine toothed comb, and have some fun.

welcome tom,have you looked in the glassic library yet?its at the top of the page.
there are alot of folks here that will help you out,john

I know others have different methods, but my advice is get it in water and have some fun. THEN, come back a take it all apart and fix everything. There is nothing worse than to take something fun and turn it into a monumental project. (obviously you must make the motor fairly reliable, or it isn't fun)

Todd

Thanks for the welcome. I've been reading a few of the restoration threads and there is a lot of useful information here.

Looking at the '64 catalog in the library, it appears that I have a Cobra. It's the top one on the cover , and the name appears in the caption on the top of page 5. 'Cobra' fits with the 'COB' text in the model number on the boat plate. (It's probably not called that, but I don't know what it's really called).

Anyway, I've done a fair amount of boating, but I never have owned one before. Getting her going again should be a fun project and I'm looking forward to it. I expect I'll be around here a lot looking for advice and words of wisdom.

Take care,

Tom

Hi Todd,

Thanks, I like that plan. I think the hull is in decent enough shape, and the interior can be made serviceable. The engine needs a rewire before it can go anywhere, however. I'll post some photos once I get home from work tonight, so you all can see what I'm talking about.

Now I need to get out of my pajamas and go to work to earn money so I can work on boat projects.

Tom,

Get rid of the boat before it drains your bank accounts and ruins your marriage. Just go back to being a "normal" landlubber - it's an easier way of life.

If you MUST proceed - you need to know that California has one of the most robust and active groups of classic boat owners on the planet. Go to goldenstateglassics.com/ and have a look around. I personally know a dozen or more old boat junkies right in the Sacramento City limits. They are a great bunch of people. The engine on your boat looks like a Johnson 55 or 60. It also looks like a short shaft - those are hard to find.

Bruce

Tom

It's like looking into a mirror!

That motor looks to be a 1969 Johnson 3 cly 55 hp Electro Shift.
Be sure to use only Type C lower unit fluid or you will burn up the clutches inside. I have a 1963 Starcraft Ranger 14' with the same motor. Here is a link to my thread. You will find a lot of help there for your project.

www.fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/29-member-projects/59941-1963-starcraft-14-ranger-project.html

You are going to love this boat. They attract a lot of attention when you take them to the lake, so be ready to answer questions about it.

And like Bruce said you should check out your local boat clubs. They can be a valuable resource for parts and information.

Welcome aboard and you have a very nice friend. Nice boat.

Looks like a good time about to happen!

Hi again and thanks for the welcome all.

Boy, you guys know your boat engines. I'm not sure how you could tell from the photo I provided but you're dead on. It is indeed a 3 cyl '69 Johnson 55 with electric shift. The model number is 55es-69a. Does that make it a short shaft? Anyway, it looks like a PO did some work on the battery cables and the fuel lines. The fuel pump looks new as well. The rest of the wiring is going to need some work. See the pic -



The insulation is in very bad shape and the wiring that you can see through it is green. Not the normal coloring for a good copper conductor, I understand. I looked at one of the wires hard and it broke. Fortunately I'm a good hand at rewiring stuff. I spent 6 years as an electronics technician in Uncle Sam's yacht club a very long time ago and I still remember a few things. I just hope I can find a replacement wiring harness, rather than have to do it wire by wire.

I'm very glad to hear that the motor is worth saving. I'm told that it was running great the last time it was used, but that's what they always say. It supposed to have a new prop, too. I'll be doing a compression test soon. If that looks good I'll order the manual, water pump impeller, etc.

I've been through your thread lf, and I know I'll be going through it a few more times. Good stuff there.

So as much as I'd like to take Bruce's advice and run like hell, I'm afraid I'm already hooked on this. The good news is I'm not married, so there is no ruining that. The bank account gets drained every month already, so nothing will change there either.

As for my friend being very nice, Robert, let's just say that there may be a hint of revenge in this gift. You see, I gave him a fiberglass Travco motorhome about 20 years ago that has cost him a lot of money since. I think he may be getting even with me!

Rewiring is a normal task on this engine. The wires are always brittle and ready to brake. Just remember to keep track of the two wires that go to the shift solenoids. If you get them backwards you will only have forward and reverse, no neutral. Be sure to leave extra wire going down to them just in case.

Just post if you get stuck. We will try to help.

P.S. That is a short shaft (hard to find)

I have a mid 60's OMC with electric shift. The fellow I bought it from was an OMC mechanic back then. He said the electric shift models got an undeserved bad reputation because people never covered the control box to protect it from rain/dirt. Just a heads up on eliminating a possible headache in the future.

I have a 73' Evinrude and when I last checked complete wiring harnesses were available.
Check marineengine.com or a dealer.
Yours will be different though.

Hey all,

Thanks for the info Jim. I did some searching and all of the electrical parts for my motor are available from CDI electronics through various dealers. The prices for the internal wiring harness range from $140 to $195, depending on which site you go to. I'll add it to the list of things to get after the compression check results.

Lf, it's good to know I'm not alone in the bad wire world. I'm also really glad the motor is worth saving.

Jepstr, so hopefully I'll be a good storer, uh...storerer? I think that the fwd/rvs switch is built into my throttle unit and engages when you push the lever forward or pull it back. I'm not real sure right now because I haven't had a close look at yet. I'll keep your advice in mind.

Hopefully I'll get past my trailer wheel grease seal size issues this weekend (say that 3 time fast), and get her home. After that I can get check out the motor and see what's next.

I'm getting very excited about this project. I'm looking forward to bringing this boat back to life.