12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

[fshngho]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Great work you & Rosylnn have done! Nice you are getting a little experience behind your belt before attacking the SS. Have you decided on a new name?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

She'll be a good looking 12 footer Mike!

Thanks Jason, yup there are many like her but this one is mine

Great work you & Rosylnn have done! Nice you are getting a little experience behind your belt before attacking the SS. Have you decided on a new name?

Yeah a nice little paint job before the Starcraft won't hurt. We are going to keep the name "The Loon" maybe with new lettering eventually.

I need to get two vinyl decals made for the AeroCraft logo made as well.

Thanks for stopping by fellas!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Here are the photos of the little rig after the second coat of smoke grey rustoleum. I couldn't be happier with the results. Very glossy, seems to be adhering well.

I'd like to fish on the boat soon, how long do you guys think before I can splash her?

I will be stripping the old letter off the stern, and replacing them with new ones.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

I'd like to be able to get back out on the river and catch some more of these...

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

She looks great!

I know the time line in my head when I paint my hull is somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 - 4 weeks before anything touches the Rusto paint job. Seems like it takes a long time for that stuff to fully cure.

BTW: I think Northern Pike are beautiful, colors are sweet. Slimey, yah that too.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

I've heard those kinds of numbers thrown around for Rusto cure time myself, so I'd best keep her in drydock for a bit.

I have the epoxied transom wood begging to get bolted back in for a test run too!

I think I've decided to coat the transom wood with some spar varnish to add UV protection to the epoxy. I really like the look of the wood, I'm out of the grey rusto paint, and I have the varnish laying around collecting dust.

I know folks have recommended this in the past, has anyone actually done it? My concern is that the varnish might have to be reapplied every so often to keep it looking nice.

If nobody knows I will go ahead and find out for myself

Yeah Jason I agree...those Northerns are nice looking fish(mean as all get out, but prettier than a bullhead).

I'd really like to catch a tiger musky someday, as they have the stripes of a musky mixed with the spots of the pike. Cool stuff!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

One of the things I need to finish on the AeroCraft is the middle bench hatch.

Here is a piece of 1/2" Arauco plywood, cut to fit on the top of the bench, flush with the sides. It had to be cut at an angle to be perfect so it was a little tricky.

Here's a photo before I cut the angle. I don't want it to be rubbing on the hull at all so I trimmed it down a bit.

I then cut out a hole in the middle, so I could set it in the boat and reach inside to trace out where the opening needed to be.

I had some help catching scrap wood from a local salvage crew. You can see their little yellow trucks there.

Some lines(scribbles more or less) to show where the hatch will be. I went wider on the port/starboard sides since I have more wood to work with, and this needs to be strong.

I will be using epoxy resin and I think I'll also need some sort of backing plates to make it up the the task?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

My 5-year old was more than happy to jump up in the little rig to test out the bench. He says it's "pretty good"

I might have to get creative with the hatch cover, since the battery posts are pretty near the lid. I might have an idea to buy myself about 1/2" of leeway.

Here it is after the opening has been cut out. It fits great and this is above average carpentry for me. Those of you who are familiar with my work know what I mean.

A closer shot. This will make a great place to keep the deep cycle, or other odds and ends. Not sure if I will be able to use gaskets too make it dry or not. The battery case makes that optional.

Next up is test-fitting the transom pieces, drilling the wholes out and getting it permanently bolted in. I have some topside painting to do first as well.

I'm assuming that the weather will turn warm right after my fishing license expires in 5 days:facepalm:, so I need to get one of my boats ready for the water.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

GOOD Spar varnish (There IS a difference) can last 2-3 years if you apply 3-4 initial coats. Epiphanes is my preferred choice. Give your transom 4 coats to keep it looking good an protected from UV. After then initial coating one coat every two years should keep her looking Great!!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

I think you'll enjoy having that extra storage space there buddy.

Passed through your neck of the wood yesterday, that snow line looks like it's right about Owasso.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

GOOD Spar varnish (There IS a difference) can last 2-3 years if you apply 3-4 initial coats. Epiphanes is my preferred choice. Give your transom 4 coats to keep it looking good an protected from UV. After then initial coating one coat every two years should keep her looking Great!!

Thanks for the tip WnG, I will try out the Epiphanes. The only thing I didn't like about the other spar varnish was that 24:1 fuel mix seemed to break it down quickly.

I will try not to get any fuel on it this time around as well

I think you'll enjoy having that extra storage space there buddy.

Passed through your neck of the wood yesterday, that snow line looks like it's right about Owasso.

Yup just cold and windy...no snow over here. The kids are bummed about that.They want it to warm up or at least be able to make another snow fort.

Did you pick up another fiberglass rig for salvage over here?

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Yup just cold and windy...no snow over here. The kids are bummed about that.They want it to warm up or at least be able to make another snow fort.

Yah, making snow forts around my place can be tricky business as we have a 115 lb. black lab.

Did you pick up another fiberglass rig for salvage over here?

Yah right! A move like that would surely improve my status around my homestead!

Hey, hope you are enjoying the sun today buddy!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

A couple photos of the current status, test-fitting the new transom

These clamps are extremely easy to deal with, and strong. I borrowed them from my father-in-law.

I put two of the stainless bolts in to hold things in place while I drilled out the other holes and things could not have gone smoother.

Great practice, since I am almost ready to do the same on my Starcraft.

Next up is coating this wood with more epoxy resin, especially the edges. Then I need to paint the interior and start putting things back together.

I really wish that I hadn't used spray-on 3M bedliner on this boat. That was before I joined iboats...and I had never heard of Gluvit:facepalm:

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Well I did sand down some bumps of epoxy resin tonight, and drilled out some holes for mounting the middle bench.

I made sure to get the piece lined up perfectly, then marked two existing factory holes, so I am not creating any new ones unnecessarily.

My plan is to get this boat all finished, painted and with new AeroCraft decals so I can fish from it for a few months this spring.

Then I'm going to finish my 16' Starcraft and hopefully find a nice 14' Starcraft hull that will fit on this trailer once the winch post is moved 2' forward.

This AeroCraft is going to end up sitting on the beach up north on Lake Huron, and I will make sure to keep a 5-10hp Johnnyrude up there for all my nephews to use when they are on vacation at my folks place there.

I will have some more photos up later this week, hoping the weather keeps warming up so I can epoxy and paint outside soon.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Just waiting for epoxy to cure on the new bench piece and transom edges.

This weather is not conducive to quick curing

That should change soon hopefully.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

HA,

I like your woodworking. You're doing great work. Stay patient. Weather is turning. You'll be fishin soon.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Any way you shake it, I am sure you'll have a fishing rod in hand ready for action. I am sure of that!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Here's the middle bench hatch design. I'm keeping it real simple.

The 3/4" lid gives just enough edge to grab it easily to remove from the 1/2" base. I think I will be reinforcing the aluminum this is going to sit on. Once they pieces are sanded they will get more epoxy resin.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

HA,

I like your woodworking. You're doing great work. Stay patient. Weather is turning. You'll be fishin soon.

Thanks WnG, I tell you what I enjoy the wood working, and it's a good thing since with my measuring/cutting I get to do even more of it than planned

We are getting into the 50s this week, maybe even 60s so you are right about the weather turning. Finally.

Any way you shake it, I am sure you'll have a fishing rod in hand ready for action. I am sure of that!

Yup I have a brand-new Daiwa reel loaded up with some braided line...just begging to be cast and splashed.

I'm also perfectly happy to just cast and not catch anything. As long as I don't get lines tangled all is well.

Are the walleye out and about yet down your way?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Re: 12' 1960s Aerocraft restoration

Bench wood getting two coats of epoxy resin.

I polished the parts that I'm leaving bare aluminum with steel wool and it got shining right back up. There are so many nicks and scratches there's no way to get them all.

These dents in the bow cap are gonna have to stay. Flotation foam is going under there with a piece of plywood cut to fit in there.