# Boat shopping question



## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Shoeman said:


> I used to hate black motors, but that 06 40 4 stroke bit my chain, until I figured out what it likes at the ramp.
> 
> It likes nothing but a gentle squeeze of the bulb.



'06? Is it grey with yellow plastic fittings under the cowling?


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

skipper34 said:


> I just sprung for a new StarCraft Stealth 166 SC. Deep V one-piece bottom hull, not welded. 16 ft. long X 7 ft. 1 in. wide beam. Side console, 25 gallon live well, lockable rod storage, it came with a 60 hp ETEC and Minn Kota power drive 55 bow mount. Vinyl flooring and casting decks. Humminbird PiranhaMax 4. 3 deluxe seats. Damned nice boat for about $20,000. Bay Outboard Marine in Saginaw. Ask for Kent. I set mine up with a Happy Troller for the outboard.
> Works well if you are careful. Much cheaper than a kicker.


How do you like that ETEC? I looked at a Renegade today with a 90 ETEC on it. 

Also looked at Lund and Smokercraft today after work. Might do some traveling tomorrow to check out Alumacraft. Not a lot of boats available right now due to production being shut down so that's a bummer. The Lund Adventure 1675 is the one that has spoke to me the most so far for my needs. The StarCraft is appealing because of the deal on a year old model they have. Decisions decisions.


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

FishMichv2 said:


> How do you like that ETEC? I looked at a Renegade today with a 90 ETEC on it.
> 
> Also looked at Lund and Smokercraft today after work. Might do some traveling tomorrow to check out Alumacraft. Not a lot of boats available right now due to production being shut down so that's a bummer. The Lund Adventure 1675 is the one that has spoke to me the most so far for my needs. The StarCraft is appealing because of the deal on a year old model they have. Decisions decisions.


Etec’s are the best outboards you can buy for a fishing boat if you are going to put a lot of hours on it.

The boat build calendar starts July 1 for the next model year. So this July is when they start building the MY21 boats. In a normal year, by late May or beginning of June the factories shut down to switch over to the next model year boats. But the models that aren’t changing can keep in building. It will be interesting to see what happens this year.

And on the Renegade, I’m not 100% sure, but I think it’s built at the Lowe plant in Missouri. It’s a very cheap boat trying to get a piece of Tracker’s aluminum bass boat business.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

piketroller said:


> Etec’s are the best outboards you can buy for a fishing boat if you are going to put a lot of hours on it.
> 
> The boat build calendar starts July 1 for the next model year. So this July is when they start building the MY21 boats. In a normal year, by late May or beginning of June the factories shut down to switch over to the next model year boats. But the models that aren’t changing can keep in building. It will be interesting to see what happens this year.
> 
> And on the Renegade, I’m not 100% sure, but I think it’s built at the Lowe plant in Missouri. It’s a very cheap boat trying to get a piece of Tracker’s aluminum bass boat business.


Nope. The Renegade he is referring to is the StarCraft Renegade. The StarCraft is anything but a very cheap boat.


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

skipper34 said:


> Nope. The Renegade he is referring to is the StarCraft Renegade. The StarCraft is anything but a very cheap boat.


Well the Starcraft Renegade is a completely different boat than the Lund Renegade I thought you were talking about.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

piketroller said:


> Well the Starcraft Renegade is a completely different boat than the Lund Renegade I thought you were talking about.


Oh sorry, my bad. I wasn't aware of the Lund Renegade. I think the OP made the trip to Saginaw and looked at the StarCraft. I towed mine home today.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

ESOX said:


> '06? Is it grey with yellow plastic fittings under the cowling?


All black


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

FishMichv2 said:


> How do you like that ETEC? I looked at a Renegade today with a 90 ETEC on it.
> 
> Also looked at Lund and Smokercraft today after work. Might do some traveling tomorrow to check out Alumacraft. Not a lot of boats available right now due to production being shut down so that's a bummer. The Lund Adventure 1675 is the one that has spoke to me the most so far for my needs. The StarCraft is appealing because of the deal on a year old model they have. Decisions decisions.


I have had zero problems with my Etec. It's quiet, easy on both fuel and oil. Starts every time.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

piketroller said:


> Well the Starcraft Renegade is a completely different boat than the Lund Renegade I thought you were talking about.


Sorry for the confusion there. The Renegade I'm referring to is made by StarCraft. Thanks for the info.


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## FishManDan (Mar 24, 2013)

Umichguy has a Starcraft Renegade which is really a sweet boat and that is comming from a Lund Owner. It really has a great ride. It sits low on trailer which allows easy access and pulls well.


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## FR8DAWG (Jul 15, 2019)

I had a 18’ Starweld by Starcraft. At the time I thought it was a great boat. I’ve since upgraded to a Lund. Wow. Remarkably better ride and almost everything else about it. I’m sure there are many great boat brands, but I love my Lund and it’s worth what I overpaid, IMO. I had a Yamaha engine and loved it as well on my Starweld. However, my Lund has a Mercury. I wasn’t enthused when I bought it but it wasn’t a choice. I’ve been pleasantly shocked by how quiet and smooth it is. I’m now sold on the Merc. I am sure Evinrude makes a great engine too. Point is, all the motors seem to be great, and as far as the boats go, I would highly recommend getting in one on the water before purchase. I wish I had the first time around. Go step in them and really look at the functionality of the floorplan.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

FR8DAWG said:


> I had a 18’ Starweld by Starcraft. At the time I thought it was a great boat. I’ve since upgraded to a Lund. Wow. Remarkably better ride and almost everything else about it. I’m sure there are many great boat brands, but I love my Lund and it’s worth what I overpaid, IMO. I had a Yamaha engine and loved it as well on my Starweld. However, my Lund has a Mercury. I wasn’t enthused when I bought it but it wasn’t a choice. I’ve been pleasantly shocked by how quiet and smooth it is. I’m now sold on the Merc. I am sure Evinrude makes a great engine too. Point is, all the motors seem to be great, and as far as the boats go, I would highly recommend getting in one on the water before purchase. I wish I had the first time around. Go step in them and really look at the functionality of the floorplan.


Yeah I did exactly that and bought a StarCraft. With an Evinrude.


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## Gordon Casey (Jun 13, 2017)

skipper34 said:


> Yeah I did exactly that and bought a StarCraft. With an Evinrude.


Just a layman question. I have only owned 2 strokes cuz 4 strokes were not invented yet. My sons 4 stroke runs so smooth, idles forever without fouling and doesn't require oil. Why do people buy 2 stroke engines? Cost, loyalty, weight? I know Evinrude really improved the new 2 stroke but you still need oil.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

Gordon Casey said:


> Just a layman question. I have only owned 2 strokes cuz 4 strokes were not invented yet. My sons 4 stroke runs so smooth, idles forever without fouling and doesn't require oil. Why do people buy 2 stroke engines? Cost, loyalty, weight? I know Evinrude really improved the new 2 stroke but you still need oil.


Evinrude has been my go-to outboard since I have owned boats. I am very loyal to a company whose products have treated me well for over 50 years.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

I have a big Smokercraft Freedom with a 90n ETEC. It's an open skiff utility layout. It rides great, and is a safe boat. Starcraft offers the same boat, with their branding. 
I also have Alumacrat and Mirrocraft 16'ers. They are well built and don't leak. Waiting for a used Crestliner to replace the Mirro. I've had a few Crestliners. They ride excellently.
You mentioned Lunds, they are great boats too. 
I've had Trackers. You get what you pay for. Avoid Blue Fins. They are leakers. 80's era Starcrafts too, at least the Islanders and bigger boats.
The other brands, such as Sea Nymph, Lowes, Northwoods, etc are servicable, and would work great, depending on frills you are looking for.


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## waxico (Jan 21, 2008)

skipper34 said:


> Evinrude has been my go-to outboard since I have owned boats. I am very loyal to a company whose products have treated me well for over 50 years.


The biggest advantages for 2 stroke verses 4: 2 strokes are substantially lighter, and their powerbands help for quicker holeshots and spinning up to serviceable RPMs.


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## shametamer (Jul 22, 2001)

I have had them all from scottatwater,elgin, sea king.to merc,yammie, suzuki,johnson chrysler, etec....................................only engines i ever had trouble with..the chrysler and the mercs.. oil versus the 4 stroke maintenance ..the oil is probably cheaper...merc to me is like microsoft..they dominate the market.....but also are closer to entry level..than yammie,etec or honda..i run a merc now..no issues but then again it runs me to grounds then the minnkota takes over... as far as alume boats..i tried most ,alumacraft and g3..are slow hulls..never had a leak issue with a welded alume,I have with riveted. Starcraft,polarkraft, and to some extent lunds were dry rides..never found anything to not like about princecraft..it is riveted...would i go back to aluminum? unlikely..especially with alume prices equal to or higher than comparable glass boats these days..50K gets u a maxed out, fully equipped lund 1875 crossover or 1875 pro V..the same gets you and 18 1/2 foot ranger,skeeter, yarcraft, triton just as well equipped
I did recently just sell a 2017 crestliner vision.i bought it for log invested waters and shallow lake situations..found i used it sparingly..and that the glass hulls are pretty tough..with lake st clair, lake erie, saginaw bay.detour passage, brimley, bays de noc,grand traverse, huron and keewenaw bays..plus larger lakes like charlevoix,n/s lake leelanau,long,grand,hubbard,burt,mullet,gogebic, big mani and houghton just makes sense to have a boat that is capable there..and to kayak the ponds..................life and fishing have changed alot from the 12 foot car topper and the 5 horse in the trunk! Lord willin that i remain able and this virus doesnt forever change life here..i imagine i will be in the market for a warrior or big skeeter soon!


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## Gordon Casey (Jun 13, 2017)

shametamer said:


> I have had them all from scottatwater,elgin, sea king.to merc,yammie, suzuki,johnson chrysler, etec....................................only engines i ever had trouble with..the chrysler and the mercs.. oil versus the 4 stroke maintenance ..the oil is probably cheaper...merc to me is like microsoft..they dominate the market.....but also are closer to entry level..than yammie,etec or honda..i run a merc now..no issues but then again it runs me to grounds then the minnkota takes over... as far as alume boats..i tried most ,alumacraft and g3..are slow hulls..never had a leak issue with a welded alume,I have with riveted. Starcraft,polarkraft, and to some extent lunds were dry rides..never found anything to not like about princecraft..it is riveted...would i go back to aluminum? unlikely..especially with alume prices equal to or higher than comparable glass boats these days..50K gets u a maxed out, fully equipped lund 1875 crossover or 1875 pro V..the same gets you and 18 1/2 foot ranger,skeeter, yarcraft, triton just as well equipped
> I did recently just sell a 2017 crestliner vision.i bought it for log invested waters and shallow lake situations..found i used it sparingly..and that the glass hulls are pretty tough..with lake st clair, lake erie, saginaw bay.detour passage, brimley, bays de noc,grand traverse, huron and keewenaw bays..plus larger lakes like charlevoix,n/s lake leelanau,long,grand,hubbard,burt,mullet,gogebic, big mani and houghton just makes sense to have a boat that is capable there..and to kayak the ponds..................life and fishing have changed alot from the 12 foot car topper and the 5 horse in the trunk! Lord willin that i remain able and this virus doesnt forever change life here..i imagine i will be in the market for a warrior or big skeeter soon!


Man, that a lot of words for 1 sentence!!


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## Walley Gordo (Jan 21, 2005)

My last 2 boats were Lunds true the resale is great! Now for the rest of the story. The one I just sold was a 2014 Tyee noticed a lot of the hardware and flooring they use now is junk compared to my first 2006 1700 Explorer that was a well made boat. If am waiting on my new Alumacraft 175 Competitor tiller will never go back to Lund. That's my opinion take it for what is worth.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

Well I brought my Starcraft Renegade 168 home today. Gonna get her on the water first thing tomorrow. Pretty damn stoked. Thanks for all the input fellas.


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## Walley Gordo (Jan 21, 2005)

Enjoy your new ride!


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## 7mmsendero (Dec 2, 2010)

Interested in fiberglass at all? I went with a 20’ used fiberglass boat 12 years ago, I wouldn’t want to go back to aluminum. I went down to Lake Erie to shop, there’s a ton of boats down there. 

20’ Pursuit walk around with 185 hp Evinrude. Pretty easy to trailer. Very nice riding boat. 1/2 the price of new aluminum.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

FishMichv2 said:


> Well I brought my Starcraft Renegade 168 home today. Gonna get her on the water first thing tomorrow. Pretty damn stoked. Thanks for all the input fellas.
> View attachment 535533
> View attachment 535535


I looked at that same boat before I bought my Stealth 166. I like the 7 ft. beam on the 16 footer and the length allows me to store it in the garage. I also was sold on the integrated gunwale track system on the 166. But you are going to love the Renegade guaranteed. Especially with the Evinrude. Did yours come with a fishfinder? Congrats!!


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## FishManDan (Mar 24, 2013)

Wow that is a great looking boat. Should fly with that etec.

Time to get her wet. Good luck and tight lines.


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## Shlack (Apr 6, 2012)

Congrats! Awesome looking boat. I am sure you will love it.


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## FishMichv2 (Oct 18, 2004)

skipper34 said:


> I looked at that same boat before I bought my Stealth 166. I like the 7 ft. beam on the 16 footer and the length allows me to store it in the garage. I also was sold on the integrated gunwale track system on the 166. But you are going to love the Renegade guaranteed. Especially with the Evinrude. Did yours come with a fishfinder? Congrats!!


I do wish it had that track system. I'll be adding a few rod holders though. It came with the Hook 5ts which I messed around with a bit this morning. Pretty nice unit.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

FishMichv2 said:


> I do wish it had that track system. I'll be adding a few rod holders though. It came with the Hook 5ts which I messed around with a bit this morning. Pretty nice unit.


I am going to shake her down tomorrow morning. Then I will take it up to our place in Cheboygan. Good luck with your new boat this year.


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## Dauntless (Aug 31, 2017)

Shlack said:


> I bought a new Lund Impact 1775 XS last year and so far love it. Bought it at Rose Marine and they have taken really good care of me. I looked for used boats for about 6 months ahead of time, but couldn't find exactly what I wanted at a price that made it worth while. When I started adding up what I would have to upgrade or add to the used boats to get exactly what I wanted, the price was cheaper than new, but not a big enough difference to have to deal with the hassle of getting it set up. Not to mention warranty transfers, and pro-rated warranties when buying used. If you are more flexible in what you want, used is probably the way to go.
> 
> I set mine up with Mecrury 115 ProXS, 9.9 hp kicker, 80lb terrova, 2 10 inch Helix finders... It is great for targeting pretty much every fish in Michigan, and great for the family. Jigging, casting, trolling, cruising around with the family... Really easy to set up/switch out gear for fishing. I have everything mounted on the Lund track with Cisco mounts. I can put on downriggers, rod holders, handlining gear in about 15 min, and take it off to put the family in after fishing, really works well!
> 
> ...


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## Dauntless (Aug 31, 2017)

Here is my Boston Whaler 160 Dauntless. This boat is perfect! One of my favorite aspects is it's 45 gallon tank. When full, this boat tanks through surf.


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## CDN1 (May 27, 2018)

FishMichv2 said:


> Well I brought my Starcraft Renegade 168 home today. Gonna get her on the water first thing tomorrow. Pretty damn stoked. Thanks for all the input fellas.
> View attachment 535533
> View attachment 535535


Nice rig enjoy. Just for fun here are some pics of my old Starcraft. Looks like they have improved a fair bit since 2001
























Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

It took me decades to become a firm believer, but IMHO Glass is the way to go in a deep vee hull, especially for big shallow waters like Saginaw Bay, St Clair, and west Erie..Much more durable and tougher than aluminum, and generally sub 22' glass boats don't have any wood in them, transoms decks and lockers are all glass. Aluminum is good for boats 16' and under that don't have decks and lockers. Wood decks suck. Wood transoms suck. I don't hate aluminum, it has its uses. I have a 14' 20" transom Lund SSV I use on crap launches where I may have to push the boat off the trailer by hand and winch it all the way up. And its a good size for mid size lakes like Intermediate or Bellaire. But if I could have found a comparable used welded tinnie I sure would prefer it. I hate rivets.
Must be a reason people seldom sell used Crestliners and other welded hulls.


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## Sasquatch Lives (May 23, 2011)

I have had my Lund for three years now and love it. Very solid sturdy boat. Well worth the $. The Merc Pro XS has been perfect as well. I looked at some other brands and they seemed pretty cheap. Some had flimsy floors, cheap hardware and sloppy workmanship. A buddy has a Starcraft and likes it.


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