6 Most-Common Problems With Starcraft Boats (Explained)

Starcraft Boats are quality boats in an entry to mid range price point. They manufacturer runabouts and fishing boats for offshore and inland water. They also make pontoon boats.

Starcraft uses a Power-Trac, which is an innovative hull design to provide an excellent ride through all types of waves.

If you are shopping for a Starcraft Boat, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will share the most common concerns faced by boat owners.

We have searched through all the Starcraft information to find the issues you might face with a Starcraft Boat.

You should also check out our article on how reliable and good Starcrafts boats are these days.

1) Rotting Transoms

One of the most common issues that owners of Starcraft Boats have commented on throughout the forums refers to transoms.

The aluminum boats built by Starcraft have transoms that are either complete wood or aluminum between two layers of wood.

Most owners believe that the rot in the transom is caused by the water getting in, especially when the transom is entirely wood. For the transom that is a sandwich construction, water gets into the layers, rots the wood, and compromises the aluminum.

In some of the forums, the owners state that Starcraft uses Thompsons water seal on the transom to protect it from rot. However, they do not believe this is enough.

2) Random Leaks

Many Starcraft Boat owners leave comments in the forums about leaking that happens on their boats. A common area for these leaks to occur is the bilge.

This does tend to be common for aluminum boats regardless of the brand.

When it comes to Starcraft Boats, owners believe the leaking bilge is because the hulls are riveted and not welded. Riveted hulls do not hold up as well as welded ones.

Another area where owners find leaks is the floors. It does not matter if the boat is constructed of fiberglass or aluminum; the floors are made from a wood core or all wood. Unfortunately, these floors tend to rot.

Water gets in the often, typically through screw holes that are not sealed. While the rotting floor that can be replaced, but it takes a reasonable amount of time.

3) Engine Problems

Stargate Boats have some issues with the engine, including that the engine will not crank. There are a number of items that might cause this problem.

It could be something simple like the terminals, or the wiring of the battery is corroded.

There could be more serious issues that are causing the engine not to crank. For example, there could be a problem with the ignition switch, the main circuit breaker could be open, or the voltage on your battery could be low.

In other situations, the engine might crank but not start.

There could be a handful of reasons why this may occur. For example, it could be because there is no fuel in the tank or the fuel is contaminated.

There could be other reasons why the engine will not crank, such as the fuel filter might be clogged. The flame arrestor could be dirty, or the fuel tank valves could be closed to the engine.

This means that the fuel does not go where it needs to go.

4) Poor Performance

There could be instances of poor performance with Starcraft Boats.

There could be several reasons for the poor performance of a Starcraft Boat.

The boat could have contaminated fuel. Another reason why your boat has poor performance is an uneven load distribution or an excessive load. Other reasons why your boat may be performing poorly is because there could be an improper power trim position or an improper trim tab position.

You may find that you have an obstructed or damaged propeller that is causing your poor performance. Sometimes seaweed gets caught on the propeller and impacts its ability to function properly.

A damaged hull may also be the cause of limited performance.

5) Older Model Boats

There are older models of Starcraft Boats that had some problems that have been corrected in more recent models. However, if you have an older model Starcraft Boat or you are looking at older models, you should be aware of these concerns.

One of those concerns include weak transoms. The transoms could only support the outboard if it were under a specified weight. However, this did not present an immediate problem because the outboards had limited horsepower.

As outboards became larger, they were causing issues with the transoms.

As a result, these boats had a heavy stern and a rough ride, especially in choppy waters.

6) Locating Parts

Starcraft Boats have been in business for well over 100 years, which means that over time many changes have occurred. There have been changes in manufacturing and advanced technology.

This means that older parts are not being made.

They are a well known boat manufacturer, but you cannot find much information on their website about replacement parts. In addition, they do not maintain an old parts catalog.

Starcraft Boats has an extensive network of dealers; some of those dealers have been in a relationship with Starcraft for generations. If parts cannot be found through the dealers, there are numerous forums that have been fortunate when finding rare and old parts.

In addition, there are online retailers that have an extensive catalog of replacement parts.

Finally, there is an active Starcraft owners’ Facebook page that is helpful when trying to find old parts.

General Pros and Cons for the Starcraft Boat

Pros:

Starcraft Boats produce both aluminum and fiberglass boats and have a wide variety of pontoon, deck boats, utility, and fishing boats.

These boats feature innovative design and longer running surface and easily seat as many as 12 passengers for an unmatched and unbeatable boat ride.

Cons:

• Starcraft Boats have engine problems with the engine cranking but not turning over.
• These boats also have random leaks and rotting floors.
• You may find that the wood in the transom is rotting.

What Do the Reviews Say?

Starcraft Boat owners believe that the boats are well made and durable.

“…known for building boats with exceptional furniture…The seat cushions and back rests use a combination of variable-density foams to provide an ideal balance of supple comfort with firm support…appreciated when running through choppy waves.”

[Source: thestar.com]

Starcraft Boat owners love their boats and keep their boats for a long time and would buy another one.

“I have the StarCraft Superfisherman 170 sc. I bought it new at the Sportsman show in 1997. It has seen countless hours on the lakes and trailering on the roads throughout the fishing seasons. Never a leak. I believe mine was manufactured in Indiana, USA.”

[Source: lakesimcoemessageboard.com]

What is the Resale Value on the Starcraft Boats?

In general, Starcraft Boats last just as long as their competition.

Many owners keep their boats for up to 20 years and continue to enjoy them. However, it is critical to note that boats must be cared for and maintained with regular maintenance.

The better the care is for the boat, the longer it will last and the higher resale value it will have.

A 2015 Expedition Sport 186 aluminum boat sold for $23,470 when it was brand new.

That boat has an average resale value today of $19,070. So that boat has a depreciation of about 16 percent, which is fairly good for a boat.

A 2015 Limited 2000 fiberglass boat sold for $25,104 when it was brand new. The average resale price for that boat today is $20,330. This is a deprecation of 19 percent, which is not as good as the Expedition Sport, but still a good depreciation rate.

In 2015, a brand new Majestic Starliner 256 pontoon boat sold for $58,658.

Today, that same boat has an average retail price of $45,700.

This is a 22 percent depreciation rate.

Model	Year
2015 Expedition Sport 186 aluminum	$23,470 (new)
2015 Expedition Sport 186 aluminum	$19,070 (used)
2015 Limited 2000 fiberglass	$25,104 (new)
2015 Limited 2000 fiberglass	$20,330 (used)
2015 Majestic Starliner 256 pontoon	$58,658 (new)
2015 Majestic Starliner 256 pontoon	$45,700 (used)

Sources:

thehulltruth.com,

lakesimcoemessageboard.com