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*SOLD* 1988 checkmate starfire

81 enchanter said:
thanx, yes he saw it on here, didn't get his board name though.....
Click to expand...

That was me :-) Thanks! Made it home by 3, it's tucked away in the pole barn after a cold-ass bath in the driveway to shed the salt. Can't wait for spring! I love the "no mistaking it's me" color scheme! This is my 3rd Mate (the newest I've owned LOL!) :cheers:
 
redsput said:
That was me :-) Thanks! Made it home by 3, it's tucked away in the pole barn after a cold-ass bath in the driveway to shed the salt. Can't wait for spring! I love the "no mistaking it's me" color scheme! This is my 3rd Mate (the newest I've owned LOL!) :cheers:
Click to expand...
im glad it went to someone on here! im sure you will enjoy it as much as i did! it does look great on the water!:surf:
 
Yeah i have the same boat only mines 1 year newer with a 4.3 they look awsome sitting in the water you will get a lot of people look at the old girl i get complements on mine all the time!!!
 
Ran across this old post tonight... I sold this Starfire about 4 years ago and broke my kids heart.

Jr (now 22) fell in love with this boat when I let him use it on a regular basis back when he was still a high schooler - ya, maybe not the smartest thing I ever did putting a 17 year old in a 60+ mph boat, but I know I would have given my left nad in high school to have a boat like this to use.

Last summer I saw it up for sale again and could not resist, so I bought it back. Sadly it had suffered greatly the few years gone... Tired, abused, beaten and faded horribly. I gave in and sold it to my boy for a good ol' father-son resto project. We're close, hoping it's back on the water by sometime in July - but that may still be optimistic.

Original 350 is at the machine shop (will be a mild build)

Stainless Marine headers with 4" thru hull

dual ram hydraulic steering

bravo drive (yes bravo)

new interior, countless hours of wetsanding and buffing

some reconstruction and new glass in the back bulkheads (repair + strength)

lost the swim step and stainless rails for a cleaner look.

I'll post some images in the restoration area soon.
 
even worse is how sad I have been that I sold it and currently trying to track down another. everything now is in rough shape!!
 
It Lives again!

A long overdue update.... Crammed like hell last week. Jr and I finally finished the Starfire enough to at least go get some break in hours on it at Hardy Hot boats weekend last Saturday. ( bead stash depleated... )

Still some gemlins to chase, including re-fabrication of the sundeck (to clear the taller intake and super sucker spacer that are propping up the 650 race brawler well above the stock location.

Overall the boat ran out very well, 74-75 GPS with 3 good size guys in the boat and just under 1/2 tank of fuel. Using a 23 Ballistic 3 blade trimmed to the moon and over revving (5800-6000 according to the oe SW tachometer.)

Prop tested a 23 4 blade Turbo today(over-through design from my outboard.) Great holeshot and mad acceleration, but peaked at 68 mph, 5800 rpm.

I have one more 3 blade turbo 24p to try, but am not expecting much.

Any reccomendations for a good bowlifting prop with decent handling and good top speed? Laser2, mirage plus, solas scorpion, and Tempest are those I keep coming back to ..


The boat is an unusual combination... 18' 3" starfire swapped to a bravo XR drive and dual ram hydraulic steering. Weigh was offset via edelbrock alum heads and stainless marine exhaust. Lost the swimstep, and hoping to shave another 50 lbs from the sundeck during the rebuild also (currently the deck weighs a ton, suspect its water logged....)
 
Maybe start a new thread with pics and such of the rebuild and further progress? Love this boat! Thanks for saving and improving her!
 
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