Picking up a project boat... Ideas?

[arethirdytwo]

I have been getting a wicked hankering for a boat. Specifically a stars & stripes. We live miles from two enormous lakes here in Austin and we have the weather for boating. Found this little gem (turd) locally and am going to check it out. Always been my favorite ski boat and the price is right. I have good experience in fiberglass, and am have a full stocked garage. I haven't seen this beast yet but am going to look this weekend. Has a trailer, motor but it has sat. Under $1000 so if there are no holes, rot or massive problems I think I may jump. Any input?

[arethirdytwo]

Well I just got off the phone with the guy that has the Mastercraft. He is going to pull it out and check the wheels and tires on the trailer for me and I plan to head out there this weekend to check it out.

Today I am going to look at this beast. I like the look of the Star and Stripes better but like the walk though bow on this one... Good thing is I think I can get a pretty solid deal on the Supra.

[22AudiQ]

[vwjrm]

The stars and stripes is a great choice for a project boat. I'm a huge MasterCraft fan, so I'm a little biased, but the wealth of information and availability of parts on the web is great. I've owned an 87 prostar and now have an 05 X2, but I've always told myself that I will someday rehab a S&S to run around the lake with.

I'm assuming you've checked out the forums over at teamtalk? There are some really well documented projects over there. You'd be hard pressed not to find information you're looking for.

For parts you can't go wrong with www.skidim.com. There prices are fair (always have 10% off coupons) and they are very knowledgeable if you have technical questions.

Honestly, I doubt you'll ever get your money out of either boat if you restore it but the market for the S&S is still very strong. Properly done, you will still have a very desirable boat.

[tip]

Sounds like fun. In my experience those older Supras are prone to stringer rot... but any boat that looks like its been sitting outside for years will have that problem. (But maybe its different in TX?) That being said, it sounds like you know what you're getting into. Older direct drive boats are simple to work on.

I am jealous and make sure to make a build thread somewhere! iboats has some pretty knowledgeable fiberglass resto guys but I know there are some wake specific sites out there. My dad and I are currently doing a floor in a 72 Glastron GT160. Let us know what you pick up! I have always been partial to late 80's, early 90's Ski Centurion Falcons.

Gotta love the 90's color schemes!

[Cabby-Blitz]

Whats your planned use for the boat?


For a project boat I always thought some sort of old school jet boat would be a blast. But I already have a ski boat.

[arethirdytwo]

Nice to see people chiming in! I am waiting to go pick up the stars and stripes. The Supra had too much rot and the tandem axle trailer was more than I wanted to deal with. The damn boat was HEAVY as well.

I will absolutely make a build thread. The deciding factor on the Stars and Stripes was that there were no holes in the hull (a lot of these era boats have pinholes) and the weight is more in the range of what I wanted. It also has a single axle trailer which means only two wheels bearings and tires in a field. Not much rot in Texas which is nice, but doing wheel bearings in 105 degree temps in a 50 year old closed marina is no fun haha.

Updates to follow!

[arethirdytwo]

Cruising. Also skiing, wake boarding and tubing. The biggest reason for a direct drive boat? Turning. As a kid my dads buddy was a professional barefoot/slalom skier and took us out on his Ski Nautique. To this day I never get over the feeling of flat turning a direct drive ski boat at speed.

I kid you not, he tossed me the first time he did it. I must have been around 12 and he looks at my dad and mouths "Hold On" and pulls a full speed 180 degree turn on lake Austin (basically a river). Dad got launched into the side and I got chucked out the side! None the less we never spoke about it to my mother but that feeling is still burned into my mind. Fast forward to high school and we would try and launch girls out of a Malibu

Not to mention the bob tail of a direct drive just gets me going. Updates to follow, the boat is at Lake LBJ about an hour away and I just have not had time to go grab it.

Whats your planned use for the boat?


For a project boat I always thought some sort of old school jet boat would be a blast. But I already have a ski boat.

[Cabby-Blitz]

I know the feeling, grew up with a Malibu in the driveway. Used to ski on a really tight river and took a real experienced driver to make the turn at one of the ends.

[arethirdytwo]

But when the right driver took the turn it would pull your skin off

I know the feeling, grew up with a Malibu in the driveway. Used to ski on a really tight river and took a real experienced driver to make the turn at one of the ends.

[vwjrm]

Here's my old '87 prostar for some motivation. It's not a stars and stripes, but this is my all time favorite hull/windshield combination. First year of the "jet fighter" windshield with pop outs. It was super clean and the only reason I sold it was to get into a bigger wake boat. I know I'm gonna miss it.



By the way, what year is the S&S? MC started with fiberglass stringers part way through '83.

[gtibeer]

We love our Mastercraft!!!!!!!

[arethirdytwo]

Gorgeous boat.

Sad update I will most likely be scraping the boat. Major rot as it is a '76. We will see. Optimally I want a late '83 as that is the year I was born and the whole fiberglass stringers.

Here's my old '87 prostar for some motivation. It's not a stars and stripes, but this is my all time favorite hull/windshield combination. First year of the "jet fighter" windshield with pop outs. It was super clean and the only reason I sold it was to get into a bigger wake boat. I know I'm gonna miss it.



By the way, what year is the S&S? MC started with fiberglass stringers part way through '83.

[tip]

Sad update I will most likely be scraping the boat. Major rot as it is a '76. We will see. Optimally I want a late '83 as that is the year I was born and the whole fiberglass stringers.

Bummer dude. Any chance you want to try to replace the stringers? You said you have some fiberglass experience... They aren't really *that* bad to replace. I guarantee others have done it before on that boat and you can find information online. I'm sure you've thought about it.... anyway, just hate to see a boat scrapped! Good luck and keep us posted

[arethirdytwo]

Better news! After he got into it more he gave the stringers a 95%. The only rot is in a few spots where there were screw holes. Easily repairable. So now it's back on the list. I'd have just grabbed it by now but I haven't had time and frankly want him to replace the tires.

[vwjrm]

Good news. Start posting some pics when you begin the tear down. I love a good project thread.