Is this oddball a good project?

[84CJ7]

23' 1959 Lone Star, Cruise Liner (i think)<br /><br /> http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/9/2/78770892.htm <br /><br />From the research I have done this thing is basically a big pop can you can attach an outboard to. Its horrible about vibrations and bad on handling and acceleration. Its so light that I think itll probably roll and frolic in the slightest weather. And yet a cruiser that is all aluminum and takes an outboard is the strangest thing I've ever seen and I can't seem to stay away from it. Its even got diamond plate aluminum floor now, no wood in the thing cept under the cushions down below. The damn thing even has fins, I love those.<br /><br />I would like something cheap as a project that has (or in this case had) a little bathroom and kitchen and place to sleep without them all being tiny little holes you hafta crawl into. Plus I dont want a huge fiberglass beast that takes a 3/4 ton truck with a large v8 to move. This thing is so light that even with the counter weight of the engine removed I can just barely lift the tongue. Plus that little under area with the big windows is standing height everywhere but under the bow which is still tall enough to sit upright even for me at 6'.<br />I don't even think that ancient trailer is capable of taking a brake kit without axle replacement.<br /><br />If I were to get the pop can for $1000 would that be a decent project? Don't think the owner (consignment boat) will go that low but ill try anyways. Its been there since April when they sold the motor and controls off it. The owner seems to have way more invested than he will ever get out of it. (I spose those tanks and the diamond plate floor werent cheap)<br /><br />The work and skills required to fix it and replumb water and such are not a problem btw.<br /><br />It would be used in the St. Croix/Minnesota/Mississippi rivers with rare trips to see the great lakes possibly for diving.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

I let the experts comment on what you are getting into, but I do see your attraction to the "pop can".

 

[Solittle]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

I had an 18' version of one of those a lot of years ago. Fun - - kinda. After the novelty of the cabin wore off it became more of a large storage space for coolers, vests & just stuff. Another negative with the express cruise design is the exhaust gasses tend to get sucked up into the cockpit.<br /><br />It might be worth a grand to you but me thinks you would be hard pressed to sell a 46 year old boat with no engine for that kind money. It may be a fun project and worth it in your eyes. Give some thought though to the total $$ you will have to put into it to get a running rig on a sound trailer.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

Nice classic boat, but my gut feeling is too much $$$ unless you really really want it. If that included a motor and trailer, maybe, but just the hull seem a bit steep. But it's just an opinion.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

I'm gonna come in on the side of it being worth it. In my mind, for $2000 you are getting a fairly large boat that needs no structural work that is sitting on a trailer. Paint it up if you want, but that would be a nice, hardcore fishin' rig that you could set up for comfort if you want. You can find a 125/150 horse outboard for it and have a nice rig. Considering the nasty rotted hulks I see people buy for $1500, I just can't see that $2000 is out of line for an aluminum hull that really doesn't need work. For about $5000 total after finding a motor, you could have a serious rig, I see a lot worse boats go for $5000. If I had the green and was close by, I would drop 2 large for it. If you can get it cheaper, even better...

 

[84CJ7]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

For the record the trailer is sound and functional, but it lacks brakes which I would prefer to have, and I am not sure that the old axles are compatible with the new brakes kits, so possibly new axles would be necessary if I decide I need brakes.<br /><br />And its not $2000, the guy is down to $1600 I believe I was told, I am sure I could get it for $1500, but iam in no hurry so I was looking for $1000. It has the holes and fuel setup for an outboard, I just hafta get one and bolt it on then string the throttle and shift cables up, real easy, one days work at most. At that point its a running boat. To make it useable as a cruiser I would add a water system, also not hard and only a days work. Then I have to decide what I want to do for a bathroom, dunno if I would bother with a pump out head or just a dump out one, depends on whether I decide to go for longer than day trips. Its less than a weeks work total to functionally finish it and all I need to find is the motor I want. Apparently its so light it went well with the former 90 hp so I figured something like a 4cyl 115 would be best.

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

I think it's awesome. And your concerns about vibration and handling can be fixed with some urethane foam in the floor. Looks in the pictures like the gas tank is against the gunnel about mid-ship? Those should probably be up front, and might level you out a little better, but that depends on what the cabin weighs. I think JasonJ is right. That could be one awesome fishing boat.

 

[Ron Everson]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

I gotta say it - boy, that thing is sure ugly! That bow would sure push some water! That said, if it appeals to you, go for it. I've looked at worse and fallen in love with them. The cheaper the better. $1,000 for a hull and trailer with no motor is about all I would pay. Make an offer and see where it goes.

 

[KilroyJC]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

It certainly isn't a "belly button" boat ("you got one? me too!").<br /><br />I think it's kinda neat, and I'm partial to the urethane foam - it made my 18' Strcraft quieter than my friend's Boston Whaler.<br /><br />As long as the hull & transom are sound, it sounds good to me!<br /><br />Check for corrosion between the outer aluminum skin on the transom and the chafe pad that the outboard mounts to...that's what I'm repairing now.<br /><br />Good Luck!<br /><br />Matt M

 

[HollaGeo]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

Go for it. Just remember you can look classy driving a Classic boat from the 50's or the complete opposite. In other words, do a good job with whatever you are planning on doing. $1500.00 is a fair price.

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

Before you buy. Lift up and look under the Diamond Plates. Should be bad under there.

 

[84CJ7]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

There are 2 gas tanks, one on each side, their so oddly placed ive been referring to them as drop tanks, i'm looking at alternative locations. The only place up front would be under the v bunk thing, that area seems to be sealed off at the moment and may be foam.<br /><br />Good to know about the foam, that would handle the bouyancy if sunk question too. Where would in go in that boat? under the floor? how does water drain then?<br /><br />The diamond plate is a recent addition, this boat is an unfinished project it seems, any work on it looks fairly recent. Its rivited in so id hafta drill which I would do right before I hand the cash over, I dont expect much corrosion, this boat doesn't seem to have been used much, its no more corroded (from what ive seen) than my 1967 or so 12' sears aluminum, which isnt corroded at all.<br />The transom was apparently flexing with the newer motor so he seems to have put a sheet of aluminum on the back almost the size of the whole back, I think its like 1/8 or 1/4, not sure how its attached, hafta look at that better, plus its got an extra sheet on the inside too that seems to be some thin extremely hard wood but its all painted over so who knows what it is, I'll check that out too.<br />At the moment trying to decide if I offer $1000 now with the idea that he needs christmas money or offer $1000 near April when it will have been sitting there for a year. Iam thinking now, in april he may hold out for a summer selling of it.

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

Most of us are usually working with wooden decks. We drill a hole, pour the foam in where we want it, and then replace the wood plug, and glass it in place. For this project, I guess I might try to lift the deck, pour, and screw it down quickly. You'd need to be really fast, though, and perhaps someone here has a better plan.<br />Channels for drainage. Boomyal inspired me with his innovations on this subject, and they're truly brilliant. So what we're doing here is using a bio-degradable foam. You tape or glue it to the inside of the hull where you want your channels. Next, you pour the urethane foam in. The bio-degradable foam, which is actually called green cell foam, is now encapsulated by urethane foam. This green cell foam disintegrates in water, though. As water will hit it eventually, it'll disintegrate, and you have channeling for any water under the floor. The plan is really good, and it's easy to use. I had about 100' feet of this stuff, which I can cut into strips, sent to me for 16 bucks or so plus shipping. It's light, so they're basically just sending you a box with packing foam in it. That's what the stuff is used for-bio-degradable packing foam. At any rate, if you're interested in going this route, you should email them directly. Below is the email address of the contact that I used.<br /> Michelle Olney [michelle@ktmindustries.com]<br />As for the thousand dollars, I agree that it's a thousand dollar boat and no more. I'd give a thousand for it if it was up for sale here. Offer it to him. All he can do is say no. If you want it bad enough, then it's worth a few hundred more dollars, and you get the pleasure of bargaining for something that you really want.

 

[84CJ7]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

I stopped in today and told them to call the guy and offer $1000 to see what he would counter offer. Haven't heard back yet.<br /><br />The transom is way thick now, it wasnt wood reinforced it was aluminum. Don't know what was original but theres a sheet on the inside of like 1/4 inch aluminum and one screwed to the outside that is the size of the whole back almost and like 1/8 or 1/16 inch. I think the aluminum channel caps on it were added by him too, they look new. He had the engine attached with the standard 4 big bolts through the transom, I'd do the same thing I suppose.<br /><br />Some of the floor was screwed down so ill try unscrewing it later, but looking at the uncovered hull way under in back id say there wont be any problems.<br /><br />I like that disposable rope trick, do those little passages tend to clog then? I suppose id just hafta keep the boat reasonably clean and make sure a bunch of crap doesnt get flushed into there.

 

[84CJ7]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

Got my reply the price is $1200.<br /><br />Any opinions before I decide?

 

[trackersocha]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

i would buy it

 

[84CJ7]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

I have decided I have to have it.<br /><br />And now a CORRECTION:<br /><br />It seems its not a 59, the 59 didnt have those *****in retro fins on the back, its either a 57 or possibly a 58 though I cant find pics of a 58.<br /><br />Thanks to this site:<br /> http://homepage.mac.com/davidkrommes/PhotoAlbum13.html <br />I now have original color pics from brochures and hard data for the stats, this IS a light boat, the 57 is heavier than the 59 but still is only 1240 (probably dry weight) It also says 1490 ship weight, not sure what that includes.<br /><br />I have a feeling this thing will weight less than 3000 tow weight on the trailer with a motor. Not bad for something with a "kitchen" and optional head.

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

Personally I love it - it's not the boat for me, but I like that it's all aluminum so you know what you're getting and any repairs will be easy to make. It looks "tough" in primer grey but you can spray it any color you like easily and cheaply. It will be lighter than a glass or wood hull and you don't have to worry about hidden damage like you do with those materials. <br /><br />My Lund fishing rig has foam under the floor which was installed from the factory. When they foamed the hull they used thin strips of foam to create "walls" that blocked the pour-in foam into the areas they wanted it, mainly leaving a channel along the keel so that water could drain from bow to stern. The pour-in foam that puffed up above the level of the floor was simply cut flush with a hand saw. When I saw that I wondered if the closed cell nature of the foam was compromised by being cut but after hosing the boat out I found that only the outer layer of the foam that had been cut was able to receive water and it dried out quickly. If you pour in the foam and screw the floor down quickly you have to leave the excess foam somewhere to vent. If you don't you'll damage the hull, the floor, or who knows what - but something has to give.<br /><br />At $1,200.oo you have a reasonable starting cost and a fun project that doesn't involve a lot of potential repairs, only finishing work which I think is the most fun and rewarding.

 

[84CJ7]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

Ok, its sitting in my back yard, won't be doing anything till spring obviously. Total price out the door with tax and registration was $1300 even. The original owner, (and half the town) spotted me towing it home from the dealer and followed me back, he will drop off some spare side windows and the spare tire later. He said the transom is all new and he tightened all the rivits on the bottom and 3M marine caulked all the seams before the diamond plate went down, so it looks like i'm pretty well set to just do the fun finish work. The trailer is the original lone star issued one with the lone star hub caps, I only noted that when he pointed it out. I took the long way home and its a very wide but very docile boat to tow, and weighs almost nothing at the moment, my cherokee towed it with no effort at 60 mph just under 2k rpms in 4th gear (manual tranny 3.07 gears). It is a bit of a sail though, I would hate to tow in a bad cross wind, probably need my big heavy truck then. It seems the boat wasn't an incomplete project either, they used it alot and really liked it.<br /><br />Another funny thing I noted, I am fairly certain its a 1958 because it has fins, but short rails and the optional windshield on the roof. But the title says its a '57 originally purchased in '52 (odd huh?) and the owner thought it was a '54. The title has a state issued hull number on it I think and the original is long gone from the boat.

 

[TimMattson]

Re: Is this oddball a good project?

I spent ten years finnishing boats at Wooldridge Boats in Seattle.Foaming is good but plan on creating draintubes from any potential water resevoirs....Also expect water to rush forward when towing it around.<br /> Use grease on any and all fasteners going thru Alum that isnt bedded in Caulk, or they will corrode.<br /> The Hull # should be in two locations and may be in the bow,on a stringer ,or even the dash.Take a flashlight on board at night to reveal hidden #s.<br /> Alum boats see more damage from Roads than on the water--secure your loads!Toolboxes and heavy items will piledrive the floors and make sure your tongue wt and balance are ok.....<br /> Enjoy!<br /> Tim M