I just purchased this boat seen here:
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/boa/2999861993.html


Unfortunately i cannot find any info online about it and starcraft doesn't have a phone number listed to contact them directly. From what i have been told by the previous owner, the boat started as a tiller model and was converted to a center console. The capacity plate says 6 ppl or 950 lbs, 1215 lbs total and 40hp max.

Anybody have anything good/bad/ugly to say about this boat? Im looking more for a spec sheet and reviews if anything.

Also the tracker motor from what i gather is a 2003 40hp 2 stroke 2 cylinder power tilt/trim electric start made by mercury. Does anyone have any info on the motor? primarily weight, known problems, spec sheet, etc?

Hoping to keep this boat for a very long time doing back bay, river, and some lake fishing. I'm very excited as its my first center console style boat and i actually got the guy down to $3450 btw.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

..or at least that's what it looks like in my 2001 catalog. The closest Starcraft to this one today is the Freedom. The SC DLX had the center console and windscreen, and perhaps some of the other "bling" on your hull may have been optional- but the catalog has very little data on this hull as to options. Its a nice 12 degree vee hull, decent for what is essentially a utility hull. This is more of a vee than the 8 degree hulls used on the Starcraft SF series- aka "lake fisherman". Hull is .08 thick- which again is very good for a utility; such that is should last forever. My old SF 16 from 1981 is now on its 3rd owner, and is used currrently for fishing in Lake Erie. I talked to the owner recently and he says it still has no issues- even though he beats the heck out of it....and the Patriot is built heavier than the SF 16 and should ride smoother.

The Tracker 40 is the same as an old Merc 402 series- a perfectly good engine- but it does tend to shake a bit at idle since it's a fairly large displacement 2 stroke. Any Merc dealer should be able to order a manual for you- if not for the Tracker, than just for the Merc version.

As for contacting Starcraft, they prefer you go through dealers. If you go to starcraftmarine.com and take the Contact us link, they list an 800 number to call for the address of the nearest dealer. A Starcraft dealer may well have some info in his computer on your model. I recall that they have extensive pdf files that used to be on line- but I don't know where they are hiding them lately.
Doug

staylor,
thanks for the reply

The stainless railing around the back with the rod holders was all custom.

I did notice the shaking at idle and the loudness at upper rpms, but it does seem to run very well otherwise. I'll definitely order the manual.

Would you have any worries taking this setup out in the nj bays? Would saltwater affect either one of these?

I'll try calling a starcraft dealer.

thanks again

...and I have an old friend with a very simlar boat that works the Chesapeake with no problems at all. Aluminum and salt water are not the best of friends, so I would wash the boat well with fresh water after use, along with flushing the motor. I would not leave it moored in salt water for an extended time.

As for the 40 Merc- it is a rather noisy motor, but you get used to it. The older 4 cyl Merc 35-50 hp were quieter- at least to my ears. There have been a lot of improvements in silencing over the past 10 years.
Doug

I owned a 2003 Patriot 160 DLX with a 40 hp 3 cyl heavy 2 stroke and it went 35 mph. Nice boat, but rather shallow v so not good in big chop. I always feared bow doing a submarine in Lake Erie swales. My boat was tiller converted to the SC with it installed about a foot from the front deck, too far forward for weight distribution. Never any trouble with boat that I didn't cause. Back casting deck allowed for 2 6.6 gal tanks to slide under in back. Absolutely difficult access to livewell and bilge pump. All welded and no problems with the abuse I gave until i ripped a gash in itin canada. Big wide carpeted gunwales to mount rodholders, using backing plates. Very light boat at 850#'s plain to tow. Actually pulled a water skier of the teen variety. Good small boat for inland fresh water. Salt water with an enclosed carpeted floor is real bad idea as you will never ever rinse salt water out of trapped puddles and lead to disaster. I paid $8k in 2003 and sold for $4k in 2008 with a lot of dents/dings on bottom and busted skeg, but otherwise good working boat. Nice boat for 2 people, maybe 3 on safer inland lakes. All welded, metal floor deck, just little wood to rot. Did have a little issue with seat base screws not holding forever in floor.

After looking your pics over, the gunwales on yours is different, mine were 12" wide carpeted. Wonder where the flotation went if it is custom. The hull and ezloader galv'd trailer look identical. with cetner console back further than my side console, you may not have submarine issue. back deck msut also be different. Good welded hull though. Good luck, starcraft makes decent stuff.

So where is the wood in this boat? Under the metal flooring? under the metal in the transom?

ohiojmj, did you purchase the boat new?

so far my only dislike is the winchstand on this trailer, it doesnt allow the boat to come all the way forward very easily. the winch also hits the boat once you get it close to the bow stop. hopefully an easy fix......