TOPIC: My FREE 67 starcraft arrow

On the side of the ride for free during a rainstorm was a boat and trailer..towed her home, two minutes from my house... Hull in great shape..however, no engine, no dash, no windshield,no steering, no steering wheel.

So far I have cleaned her up, removed the crappy wood someone put on the back of the boat
I have removed the ugly brown latex paint splattered all over her
I have ripped out the decking, and replaced with exterior ply and lots of 3m 5200
I have painted the interior semi gloss white with oil based paint

Have to wait a week for the 5200 to cure, then i plan to urethane the floor
Before i fiberglass the new decking

Looks like a lot of work but I enjoy it!

My neighbor has a larger boat, its a starcraft just sitting and rotting
I plan to make him an offer to get the parts,
Windshield, steering, dash console, windshield...
Hopefully he will sell it, or its off to the junk yard!

I will post pics to this site
So you can all see my progress!

I do have some questions perhaps you can help me out with though:
Since the boat has no steering at all, can i use an aftermarket system and are they complete
Or do i need to scavenge some parts? All I have are four pulleys one in each corner

Also after the floor has been replaced, short of towing it to the nearest lake..how would i make sure it is going to float? I know I can use a jose to fill it with water to check for leaks in the hull...but i would hate to sink her after putting time and money into her

Also the max engine size I can use would be 45 horsepower
Would it be best to wait to purchase the steering system so that I can match it up to the engine?

Also. Boat has a side mount plate where the throttle once was...i will need a replacement
Since orig parts are very hard to come by can I just mount one that looks cool and functional up there?
What should i be aware of....all i need is trim. And speed....correct?

A far as the basics. I have two bilge pumps. On in the rear and one mounted on the side
It appears there are two on/of switches mounted on the rear...

I have tons of questions...so I appreciate any help you can offer
I am in upstate NY

Welcome!
For starters I would get rid of the pulley system.
A new after market steering system will be great.
The controls will have to match the engine you buy.
A boat that size tilt or trim won't be necessary.
A tach in my opinion is the only necessary gauge.

Sweet thanks for your reply! If i get a new steering system
Such as one of the many offered by teleflex,

Is it a complete system?
And can i use any steering wheel or does the thread size have to match up..
And perhaps it is wise to get a motor and controls first then match
It up to the steering system.....

Am i correct in assuming both bilge pumps can be wired to on/off switches?

I am quite new at this.....thanks for your help

I have posted all of these pictures in one album on picasa located here:

picasaweb.google.com/107549417771345965615/1967StarcraftArrowFiberglassBoat

Is it a complete system?

Pretty much, you may have to purchase a mount for the splashwell area and a connector to the motor. Also, most do not come with a steering wheel, allowing you to choose your own style.

And can i use any steering wheel or does the thread size have to match up..

Most all of the newer systems these days use a 3/4" taper shaft for the helm. It's pretty much the standard for all marine steering wheels these days, some adapters are available to interchange some automotive style wheels, new style to old style, etc..

And perhaps it is wise to get a motor and controls first then match it up to the steering system.....

The steering system is (in most cases) completely independent of the brand of power you choose. One exception would be some of the early Mercury powered craft that had Merc's "Ride Guide" steering system installed by the dealer. The controls for the motor ARE mostly specific to the brand and sometimes year of the motor, look for a complete set-up to make your life a little easier there.

Am i correct in assuming both bilge pumps can be wired to on/off switches?

Yes, they can. Many people running two pumps wire one on a switch, and the other is wired to automatically come on if a float switch is activated by water in the bilge. Very handy if you leave the boat unattended on the water overnight, etc..

Hope this helps, just my two cents worth. Welcome aboard Wayne.

Thank you so much for the valuable information...i think i have a line on a motor and controls..... I also see a few pics of a guy with a boat like mine with NO windshield....very interesting indeed!