# THE BIGGEST TIN RUNABOUT



## satx78247 (Mar 14, 2018)

Friends,

I've started looking for a LARGE (over 20 feet to 24 feet would be best) tin runabout to fix up & modify into a dedicated Gulf Cost fishing machine.

Either OB-powered or an I/O open fisherman would be OK (especially if the I/O rig is Mercruiser or Volvo powered).

Do any of you know who made such a BIG/DEEP/BEAMY tin hull & even WHERE to look for such a beast??
(I'm buying yet another Ford F250 Diesel PU w/ZF transmission, to replace the truck that was stolen last Fall & that "would pull a house".)

yours, tex


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## LDUBS (Mar 15, 2018)

When I read your post the first that come to mind was North River boats. I don't see too many used ones around. And, of course they are $$$$$


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## ProduceMan (Mar 15, 2018)

Something like this? https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/boa/d/22-bayrunner/6523998054.html?


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## gatorglenn (Mar 15, 2018)

satx78247 said:


> Friends,
> 
> I've started looking for a LARGE (over 20 feet to 24 feet would be best) tin runabout to fix up & modify into a dedicated Gulf Cost fishing machine.
> 
> ...







I know these are pretty common up here, around the Great Lakes.


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## satx78247 (Mar 16, 2018)

LDUBS; ProduceMan; gatorglynn,

A few points:

1. I've never seen or heard of a North River boat. = Must NOT be sold here.
2. I've NEVER seen any LUND, other than a garvey/johnboat style hull around south TX.
(LOTS of Lund BIG johnboats, though.)
and
3. I'm NOT looking for a boat that is $$$$$$$$$, like the one in CA. = I'm looking for "a project" to redo to suit me.

THANKS, gents.

yours, tex


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## EZ707 (Mar 17, 2018)

Look for an older Starcraft Islander. Great hulls that are very customizable.


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## Weldorthemagnificent (Mar 17, 2018)

X2 on the islander. 


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## LDUBS (Mar 17, 2018)

Well, if it were me I guess I would keep a lookout on craigslist sites within an acceptable radius until something that met my needs popped up. 

That Islander is a nice looking boat.


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## earl60446 (Mar 17, 2018)

Yep, Starcraft Islander would probably be your best bet. Nice high gunnels and lots of them out there.
See a lot of them on the great lakes.

Tim


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## eshaw (Mar 18, 2018)

The Islanders look like some really good boats that can be had reasonably. It looks like the ones with a hard top and an outboard are a little less common than the I/O setups. The v6 would be nice, I just don't think I'd want to give up the deck space if I was looking for a big boat though. It would make a good river boat for the Mississippi too.


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## satx78247 (Mar 19, 2018)

EZ707. et. al.,

I've never seen an Islander in the flesh but it LOOKS like a NICE boat from the photos. = Looks like THE boat to re-format for the salt.
(I'll start bird-dogging craigslist daily until I find one.)

IF I could find one with a DEAD or DYING I/O it would be swell, as I know where there is a Mercruiser 140HP, controls, OD, etc. for "almost free"/200.oo cash, that has very low hours (like less than 50 since it was rebuilt) & that was in a 1976 ski-boat that was wrecked in the stem area, when a drunk ran it into a stone retaining wall.
(The stern area looks undamaged.)

THANKS, tex


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## EZ707 (Mar 20, 2018)

satx78247 said:


> EZ707. et. al.,
> 
> I've never seen an Islander in the flesh but it LOOKS like a NICE boat from the photos. = Looks like THE boat to re-format for the salt.
> (I'll start bird-dogging craigslist daily until I find one.)
> ...



I really suggest going with an OB model. It really gives the boat a roomy feeling. I almost had one for $700 that I almost took but the guy was super sketchy and had zero paperwork on anything.


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## Shaugh (Mar 20, 2018)

I'd suggest you try a nationwide craigslist search engine like this:

https://www.onecraigs.com/

just search for brand names or even something like "20ft aluminum boat" will give you lots to see and compare... maybe even travel..

https://www.onecraigs.com/craigslist-search/index.htm?q=20%20ft%20aluminum%20boat


one from Houston:
https://houston.craigslist.org/boa/d/20-ft-aluminum-shrimp-boat/6484202185.html


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## satx78247 (Mar 22, 2018)

Friends,

I believe that I've found MY STARCRAFT. = A 1973, 22 foot open boat with a 165HP (230CI Chevy based I/O) & Mercruiser outdrive. - It's available from a estate in the DFW area.
(The engine has 318 hours since it was rebuilt, with the papers to document the work.)
The deep/wide tin boat is on a NICE/shop-built tandem trailer with 4 decent tires.


It was last used in SEP 2017, shortly before the PO passed away on 02OCT17.

I talked to the executor of the estate an hour ago & he wants it GONE for 600.oo plus the unpaid storage fees. = About 1,000.oo total.

The hull is in decent shape, inasmuch as it was repainted about 3 years ago but needs a complete remodeling of the interior seating & trim, which is fine since I can re-do it to suit me.
(The seating/trim looks tired & about like you would expect after being exposed to the TX Sun for most of >4 decades but it's all there Terry Garcia, our local "upholstery guru lady", to use for patterns.)

THANKS for your advice, tex


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## LDUBS (Mar 22, 2018)

Can't wait to see the pic's. Congrats.


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## satx78247 (Mar 22, 2018)

LOUBS,

"Color me" PLEASED & LUCKY clear down to the ground. = Presuming that "Terri" has the time to do the interior soon, it should look nice & be re-launched in time for the late Spring boating season down on the salt out of Aransas Pass, TX.

Note: As best as I can tell from looking at StarCraft photos on the IBOATS site of "restorations & renovations", I believe that it's called a HOLIDAY IV. 

yours, tex


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## gatorglenn (Mar 22, 2018)

satx78247 said:


> LOUBS,
> 
> "Color me" PLEASED & LUCKY clear down to the ground. = Presuming that "Terri" has the time to do the interior soon, it should look nice & be re-launched in time for the late Spring boating season down on the salt out of Aransas Pass, TX.
> 
> ...


wow that a great deal. Congratulations 


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## EZ707 (Mar 22, 2018)

What a score!


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## satx78247 (Mar 22, 2018)

gatorglynn; EZ707,

To quote an old saying: "Even a blind hog sometimes finds an acorn."
(The executor said that he wished that "that eyesore" was at someone else's home. - I agreed with him, as long as it was at mine.)

Now, if I could just find a period photo or factory brochure of what it looked like when new.
(My beloved Darla says that it should be at, least "externally restored".)

yours, tex


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## eshaw (Mar 23, 2018)

Congrats on your acquisition! Type 1973 starcraft sales brochure into your search bar. When the results pop up you'll see a picture of a boat with a sectional view that states they build the good times into every starcraft. Click it and go to the visit tab. It will give you A LOT of info on these. Colors, optional equipment, etc.. Enjoy. I like working on boats too and I'm trying to find a deal on one myself, looks like a great platform. If something would happen and you lose out on this I'd look at Chieftans also.


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## satx78247 (Mar 23, 2018)

eshaw,

THANKS for the info. - I think that I'll get the local office supply to make me a LARGE color copy on good paper.

yours, tex


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## satx78247 (Mar 23, 2018)

eshaw,

Fwiw, the HOLIDAY IV (18 or 22 footer) isn't illustrated in that brochure. - I wonder if the colors/trim/options are the same as the similar items for the Cruisers of that year, too??

The HOLIDAY that I've found seems to have always had a white hull with dark blue foredeck & gunnels.

yours, tex


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## Weldorthemagnificent (Mar 24, 2018)

This is a link to a thread where the poster has compiled Starcraft brochures (shhh it’s on another forum!!) 
https://forums.iboats.com/forum/owners-groups-by-manufacturer/s/starcraft-boats/358596-starcraft-brochures


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## satx78247 (Mar 24, 2018)

Weldorfthemagnificient,

Wouldn't you know that the 1973 brochure isn't on that site?? = Things got changed each year, especially trim.

I'd like to see what it looked like 44 years ago.

yours, tex


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## gatorglenn (Mar 24, 2018)

satx78247 said:


> eshaw,
> 
> Fwiw, the HOLIDAY IV (18 or 22 footer) isn't illustrated in that brochure. - I wonder if the colors/trim/options are the same as the similar items for the Cruisers of that year, too??
> 
> ...


 Here is one I found on line. Looks to be a boat you can do about anything with.










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## satx78247 (Mar 24, 2018)

gatorglenn,

YEP. = That's it.
And NOPE I didn't guess correctly, as it IS all white (rather than 2-TONE, striped or anything more complicated to do). Being that "plain Jane" certainly makes the repainting to "factory stock" an EASY task. = Repaint the major part of the hull snow white, repaint the registration numbers on the sides & the boat's name on the transom, then simply paint the gunnels/deck plain royal blue & DONE.

By chance, do you know of any good/quality photos of the interior for "Terri, our upholstery guru" to copy??

Fwiw, the more I consider this "find", the more pleased that I am.   
I've seen several of the Holiday IV hulls advertised around the country for sale for over 3,000.oo & in no better shape than this one from the estate. Plus the engine is a 165HP rather than the more common 120/140HP marinized "Chevy II" block.
(The 230CI Chevy marine engine has a reputation for being "under-stressed" & long-lived.)

Two lounge seats reupholstered, the Bimini top remade, some "sign-painter's plywood" for the sole, some sort of carpeting fore to aft & a few incidentals & the redo is pretty much FINISHED.
(My GUESS at the total cost from purchase to re-launching is <2500.oo.)

yours, tex


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## Weldorthemagnificent (Mar 24, 2018)

Not sure what year but this one belongs to a friend. Holiday 18 outboard. 


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## satx78247 (Mar 24, 2018)

Weldorthemagnificent,

That photo looks like the photo that I saw on the Worldwidewierd of a 1976 model HOLIDAY but I'm NOT sure of the year. = There are a great deal of misidentified years in our tin boats, as so many were made one year & sold/titled as "new" in an entirely different year.

MANJO'S MARINE SERVICES, that used to be a StarCraft dealer in NETX, sold a friend of mine a new 16-foot 1966 manufactured StarCraft fishing boat in 1969. It is currently titled/registered by TP&WD as a 1969 hull.

yours, tex


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## gatorglenn (Mar 24, 2018)

satx78247 said:


> Weldorthemagnificent,
> 
> That photo looks like the photo that I saw on the Worldwidewierd of a 1976 model HOLIDAY but I'm NOT sure of the year. = There are a great deal of misidentified years in our tin boats, as so many were made one year & sold/titled as "new" in an entirely different year.
> 
> ...









The first is of a 73 22’ but the second pic is of a 76 18’ but they should give some kind of idea of the inside layout 



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## satx78247 (Mar 25, 2018)

gatorglenn,

The interior layout of the 18 foot OB & 20/22/24 foot I/O StarCraft hulls are (or at least I was told, on another forum) are quite different. - The "posting gentleman" told me that the 22 footers had pedestal seats forward (rather than the "back to back" lounge seats) & a pair of individual seats on each side of the "doghouse" on the stern-drive models. Unfortunately, he had no photos for "Terri" to copy.

Btw, I was talking by phone to my Darla last night (She is working for several days in the Dallas area on redecorating a large commercial office building up there.) & she likes the idea of a TEXAS FLAG "motif" for the interior of our "new to us" Gulf-fishing boat.

I'm hoping that when I get a chance to go back up to Killeen, that the "crashed & trashed" StarCraft 20-footer & that still has the seats is still there to "scavenge" the seats (and maybe some other "bits & pieces") out of. - Making seat frames./padding from scratch would be a PITA.

THANKS for your input.

yours, tex


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