1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

[Rickairmedic]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

Darren is right about the rivets but the method is backwards . You want someone outside the boat with a hammer against the rivet head while you are on the inside with a hammer as you hit the rivet from the inside it will tighen the rivets grip on the hull. Gluvit should be all you need to put back in the bow area once you are sure all the rivets are tight .


Rick

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

tar belongs on roads, roofs and lungs... not boats!


I would take and fill the hull with water. then you can get a pretty accurate idea of where its leaking.

use gluvit to seal it, concentrating on the trouble spots.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

Believe it or not, I think that tar is factory. You're now the 3rd one of us with the same boat to find the same stuff up in the front. I have it and PaulyV has it. Check out our threads. I left the tar alone. Since you removed it, I would recoat the area with Gluvit. I cleaned out my hull with a power washer. Worked amazing.

 

[TkdSilat]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

I was wondering if it was facetory installed... but it did look sloppy in some spots... i removed the tar from the sides as much as i could, but it is really really thick in the middle (right where the V comes together). Im giong to clean up all the rivets and put some water in the hull to see if it has any leaks..

Question... where can I buy new foam.. I threw away all the foam that was there, it was all water logged

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

A lot of people are using the blue or pink sheet foam from Lowes/HD. Cut and pieced to fit. This type of foam is closed cell and will not absorb water.

 

[bananaboater]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

Convinced that "tar" is original sealant applied between the layers by Starcraft to seal any leaks. Tough stuff even after 45 years. Left mine on.

 

[bananaboater]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

If you have not begun the Gluvit yet, suggest you mix up 1/2, not all as it will begin to gel just about the time you get to the other end of the hull. I still have about a quarter of my "quart" can left and am done my 15 footer.

The Gluvit folks have an instruction sheet at their site.

 

[TkdSilat]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

I spoke to the man at the local marine store..( i was shopping for a new bilge pump). he told me that these old aluminum boats had tar coated front ends. Another customer at the counter also said he has ran across the same thing. Both men recommended the the tar be reapplied in that section and to Gluvit the rest of the boat.

As soon as the tar dries, I am going to fill the hull with water... the previous owner (my neighbor) assured me that the boat does not leak. Providing he is correct, I am going to begin to cut out the foam sheets I got at home depot to fit the boat.

Question : I noticed some people built some wooden boxes (frames) and installed the foam in sections that way in the hull... is that done for any specific reason?

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

Nice find, looks like you've made a lot of progress already.

Here's a thread I posted after using Gluvit on mine, maybe you'll find something helpful in it:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=320356&highlight=gluvit+tips

Good luck, I'll be following along too.

 

[North Beach]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

TKD, nice lookin boat there bud. Do yourself a favor and don't install any wood under your deck. The folks who built these boats originally knew how to support the deck and everything you need is already there. why add wood that can become waterlogged and rot?

Use the pink or blue board from Home Depot or Lowes and I would recommend marine plywood but a lot of folks on this site are substituting with exterior grade.

Keep us posted on your progress please!

 

[ddrieck]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

Darren is right about the rivets but the method is backwards . You want someone outside the boat with a hammer against the rivet head while you are on the inside with a hammer as you hit the rivet from the inside it will tighen the rivets grip on the hull.

I have been known to wear my shirt backwards too

After I got to thinking about it and looking back at my rebuild pictures, my SS has the tar slathered all over the bow too. I just went ahead and left it as is after filling the hull with a hose and finding no leaks.

 

[TkdSilat]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

I was able to finally apply the Gluvit this evening... stunk up the whole garage and the wife is not happy!! lol

I had 3 friends help me and we did the whole boat in 20 min... even went back and redid some spots... it should be nice and sealed now... I also installed a new bilge pump. Now ready for the foam to be installed tomorrow!!

QUESTION : We noticed 3 small holes in the bottom of the boat.. like something was mounted there.... the holes were in the very back, on the floor, and went through the hull.
My friend who is into boats recommended putting in a sheet metal screws (1/2") in through the bottom, (only threading it 1/2 way), applying waterproof silicone (the same silicone he used on the bolts that hold the tranducer to the boat on his fish-finder) and then tightening the screws down and covering the whole area in silicone. I then went ahead and used some Gluvit on the inside of the boat where the screw was barely poking into the boat.

Any thoughts? I took pics, but they are not the best...

 

[TkdSilat]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

I fixed my problem...
I installed 3 1/8" rivets through the hole... and used JB WELD sealant to coat the exterior of the boat. It should be water proof for the rest of its life... JB WELD specifically states on the packing "Aluminum Boats" I will now Gluvit the inside where the rivet comes up.

I am still waiting for the Gluvit to fully dry... then I will install the foam..


Any Feedback?? Thanks!!

 

[TkdSilat]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

I started to cut of the foam today and begin to try to develop a layout plan. Here are some pics... I plan on having all the foam in by this weekend...

any feedback would be appreciated!

 

[Pap's SuperSport]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

I haven't even started the sealer yet, but your foam placement looks good!

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

TDK its looking good only thing I would recomend with the foam layout you are doing is to maybe trim the bottom of the middle of each piece down the center to insure water flows from front to back in her.


Rick

 

[TkdSilat]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

Well, after taking on a HUGE home remodeling project I FINALLY got time to work on the boat again. I refilled the hull with water... had a few small drips.. so i used JB WELD on the exterior and sealed all the leaks.
Then I got 2 gallons of truck bed liner and painted the whole bottom of the boat. It looks so good that I may just do the whole boat. I applied the bedliner paint to the inside rivets too. This boat should be leak proof. I then cut out new floor pieces using 3/4" plywood, and used boaters reisin to seal that plywood. Once that was down, I painted the plywood with the truck bedliner.

I need to rebuild the steering counsel still. My plan is to have a drivers seat, a seat in the bow, and a small bench in the back... Its getting there... take a look at the pics..

 

[TkdSilat]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

any recommendations before i start to rebuild the steering counsel? btw... this is NOT going in a show..lol its gonna be a BASIC FLOATING fishing boat... lol

 

[Triton II]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

Welcome back to your thread! I may have missed it in the thread, but did you replace the transom? Unfortunately boats with rotted floors generally have rotted transoms.

TII

 

[TkdSilat]

Re: 1970 StarCraft SuperSport Restoration

I checked the transom in various spots... its still good. The wood is rock solid... I did drill 2 holes in the transom (one in each end) just to check the wood. Its solid. Im gonna fill the small hole with construction adhesive or some sort of strong wood filler. The holes i drilled were less that 1/2"

Any other ideas or recommendations? thanks for all the info!!!!!