Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

[bananaboater]

Re: First Starcraft. Thoughts?

Re: First Starcraft. Thoughts?

Speaking of that bumper trim, can that be bought by the foot anywhere? The PO spray painted my existing trim black and it's sticky as flypaper.

I'll get some pics up next time.

The original insert is no longer available but an OK substitute can found (Taco makes some and I think iboats carries it). I removed my original lower one and took several hours and lots of fine steel wool rubbing to save it. The top one needs work like yours as it has been painted. May or may not do that.

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: First Starcraft. Thoughts?

Re: First Starcraft. Thoughts?

The original insert is no longer available but an OK substitute can found (Taco makes some and I think iboats carries it). I removed my original lower one and took several hours and lots of fine steel wool rubbing to save it. The top one needs work like yours as it has been painted. May or may not do that.

I really wouldn't mind putting some time into saving it if I knew there was something I could do to peel that paint off and get a good rubber surface again. Would fine steel wool work for that?

 

[bananaboater]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Can't help you on that. The problem is that whatever might remove the paint may damage the vinyl. I have not tried anything like that yet.

One thing when I removed the lower vinyl is that it pulled out of the track easily. The upper might not be as easy, it is a longer curved situation and I have read on here that sometimes the vinyl is secured on the end/s with a screw or rivet.

I am trying to keep as much of the restore as original as possible, so I am saving things like the vinyl inserts.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

For the upper rub rail I'd sooner try to slide it out from one end versus trying to pull it out of the track.

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Here's the latest update. Things are coming along slowly but for the small amount of time I have to work on the boat I'm pretty pleased with my progress.

Just a small fraction of the crap we've ripped out.

Teardown is complete and I'm nearly finished stripping the non-skid crap from the inside of the hull.

Next up is the outside as soon as I get my rolling stand built. I had just a tiny amount of spray-on stripper left and did a test run... Wow, there is alot of paint there.

I'm a little concerned with this patch job.
Inside.

Outside

I think it will hold just fine but I'm a little bummed that it's really not going to clean up very nice once the outside is painted.

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

My guess is that the PO hit a rock, which also caused a slight twist in the hull, which was there before I ripped the lid and dash out, so I know it wasn't caused by a release of pressure up front.

Any ideas how to twist it back???

I was able to save on side of the transom so that should make it a little easier making a new one. I have everything I need, should get done this week.

I built a motor stand, just need to add the castors, which I got for free from a friend.

Also now have both of the motors in one place. This is the running 65 horse Chrysler. It's really in great shape, I just need a prop lock nut and have yet to add the controls.

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

This is the 45 Chrysler, which I have yet to get going. I'm pretty positive it will run once I get some work done to it. I want to get the compression tested but I think it will be fine. A small motor mechanic friend of mine spun the flywheel and seems to thing it's got plenty, just not for sure yet.

It's got a few cracked coils. I'm having trouble finding some replacements!

It does have the controls with it though, which I'll use on the 65.

That's all for now, guys! Best of luck to the rest of you with resto's going.

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Also meant to tell you all that I couldn't save the aluminum cap that was on top of the transom. It had over a dozen nails pounded through it and was split in the middle. I'm looking for an alternative...any ideas?

Also, what have you guys done to your transoms after resin? Since the resin can be damaged by UV light I assume I need to paint it with something. Would something like porch paint work?

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

NO responses!? I guess the brotherhood is not quite as strong as I initially imagined!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project.

Porch paint would be great. The brotherhood is often slow on the weekends.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

That 65hp should be a good motor for the Jupiter, nice to have the parts motor if you need some too.

Is that black stuff on the hull bedliner? That's a lot of paint to strip off, the boat will be lighter.

 

[snowman48047]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

Nice find! That 65 will be sweet. My dad had a 16' Starcraft something or other that my buddy now has and it originally had an old 60hp Evinrude on it. That boat FLEW with that thing.

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

That 65hp should be a good motor for the Jupiter, nice to have the parts motor if you need some too.

Is that black stuff on the hull bedliner? That's a lot of paint to strip off, the boat will be lighter.

Ya, I've tossed around the idea of leaving the 45 'as is' just for a parts motor but it's really in pretty good shape. I'm curious what I could do with both motors running... maybe trade up for something a little newer? I just have no idea what 2 40+ yr. old motors are worth...

The black stuff is not bedliner and it's staying put. Wouldn't come up with the paint stripper and it's a really thin layer, whatever it is. There sure is a lot of paint there, it's going to be one big pita to take off but hopefully worth it in the end!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

Oh man, a free boat! Sweet!!!

Sorry a little late here...

Congrats and welcome!!

 

[redfury]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

The aluminum piece you are trying to source, what is it's shape exactly? If it's a simple "L", you can source that at your hardware stores metal bin.

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

The aluminum piece you are trying to source, what is it's shape exactly? If it's a simple "L", you can source that at your hardware stores metal bin.

It's not a simple "L". It's a cap that runs along the top of the transom and you can see the shape it would be if you look at the rotten transom pic. It's got a gentle curve on both ends.

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

I know there was a lot in my update but any help with the twisted hull would be much appreciated!

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

Nice boat! I like those jupiters a lot!

I really like those chrysler outboards. I used to have a 115 and a 125, and I still have a small 8hp in my garage. They are super simple motors to work on. I have heard they don't have the best reputation, but the 8hp i have has NEVER let me down and I have used it a lot over the course of the years!

 

[Triton II]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

I know there was a lot in my update but any help with the twisted hull would be much appreciated!

Hmmm, twisted hull... I'm not sure whether to post this or not as untwisting even simple alloy structures is fraught with danger, let alone an old alloy StarCraft, full of ribs and rivets. But people here value SCs so much it may be worth a shot.

Basically if the boat is sitting on perfectly true custom built hull template/supports (i.e if you split the supports vertically down the middle they'd be mirror images of each other and the edges are in good even contact with the skin of the hull all over) the hull skin will sit proud of the supports if it is twisted. All older pre-cnc/laser cutting era aluminium boats have some degree of twist but it shouldn't be much more than a 1/4 of an inch. If it's twisted more than half an inch side to side, then you'll probably have to reverse the twist by building some framework around the gunwales to join with the hull supports and induce a twist the other way (raise the support on the low side of the twist and using anchor bolts on the floor and ratchet straps attached to the gunwale frames pull the opposite side downwards). I'd be very cautious of doing anything to untwist her until you have the gunwales and foredeck back in place for fear of buckling her bow area. I warn you that I'm not a boat builder and the above method is not easy to describe and harder to achieve, but using outer templates in frames and hydraulics is how they straighten aircraft fuselages - most aircraft with twisted fuselages are written off but rare and valuable aluminium fuselages (WWII fighters etc) are often resurrected from the dreaded "twist". Once the twist is reduced/eliminated, the rivets will all need checking and tightening if necessary, and then you'll need to gluvit her. Looking at the image the twist appears to be clockwise from the stern and quite pronounced - you'll probably need to over-twist in the opposite direction as once you let go, she'll spring back the other way a little. If the above makes any sense - good luck, and I accept no liability if you wind up with a bent and buckled boat - you shouldn't need to use THAT much force. But, hey, the boat was free, and who knows, it might even be repairable and turn into that uniquely beautiful thing - a straight and practical StarCraft!

TII

 

[-DannyBoy-]

Re: Starcraft Jupiter project. [Update: 7/25, w/pics]

Thank you Triton! That was some great info and I think I will try something like that. The twist IS quite pronounced. When I had it in a garage with a perfectly level floor I measured it and the left side is one inch higher, so it's been twisted a half inch.

The only idea I've really come up with is to just run a couple ratchet straps around the front where the twist is the worst and crank it down to as close to level as I can muster. I'd brace it side to side with 2x4's. Then once I have her as true as possible I'd go ahead and do my framework with aluminum angle iron and braces running both length and width. Technically this wouldn't fix the problem but the framework would keep her straight.