1952 Duracraft Sportsman

[m casey stock]

After much research it has been determined that I have a 1952 Duracraft Sportsman open cockpit. Thanks Kim Ward for helping me put a date and model on my tinny! Anyway I felt it was time to maybe start documenting my progress. Maybe I can help someone along the way and intern, get help when I need it. No big hurdles at this point, just many, and I mean MANY layers of paint. I've stripped it down to the original layer and beyond in some places. I'm going to post picture of when I got it and then up to the point I am today. Although I have already posted some of the pictures before, I thought it would be good to have them all grouped together from start to finish. So.....here goes.....

DAY ONE



I purchased this boat and trailer May of this year (2012) I probably paid too much @ $500.00 but I like the boat, so who cares

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

A couple of months ago I decided to start stripping the paint. As I mentioned earlier, there are multiple layers. I thought about blasting, but to have someone do this that really knows their stuff (you have to be really careful with aluminum) would wind up being costly and I would have to take time out of my busy schedule to transport it. I want to do as much as I can myself and at a relaxing pace, so I decided to use good old automotive stripper, something I am very accustomed to using. The first couple of layers came off like slime and with very little effort.


At this point you can see the original paint and the factory graphics, this is what helped to determine the age (that and the very low serial number)

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Glad to see you started a resto thread.

I'm in for the journey.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

I got excited with my progress and flipped the boat to start on the bottom before I took pictures of the almost completely stripped topside, so I'll have to post those when I flip it back over. Of course that will be after I finish the bottom and paint it. Here it is at the point I was at a couple of weekends ago with the bottom. I'll take pictures this evening of what I did this weekend and post them, probably tomorrow.


You can see in the pictures the sides and the rear that I was working on before I flipped it and see it is almost completely down to the aluminum, the topside is even cleaner.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Glad to see you started a resto thread.

I'm in for the journey.

Thanks TDF! Thank you also for your help in determining the maker, without that, I would not have been able to find the rest of my info.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

What are you using to strip the bottom?

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

What are you using to strip the bottom?

Automotive paint stripper from O'Reilly auto parts, P# MPR 7713 says that it is safe on metal boats.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Check out lakelovers thread. He used some Klean Strip in the Orange can on his Tinny and it took it off in a hurry.


http://forums.iboats.com/showthread....ight=lakelover

​

​

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Looks like some good stuff. I'm hoping I won't need any more stripper after what I did this past weekend. Pressure washing is my next step. Then washing down with something to neutralize any chemicals that might be left behind. Any tips on that?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) Get it at Lowe's. Follow directions on the package. Make sure you prime all Bare Aluminum With Self Etching primer. Just need a light coating of it. SEM makes a good one.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) Get it at Lowe's. Follow directions on the package. Make sure you prime all Bare Aluminum With Self Etching primer. Just need a light coating of it. SEM makes a good one.

Thanks I'll pick some up this week.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Okay, I'm not sure I'm going to do much more to the bottom, at least not with stripper. Maybe try pressure washing to see if it will take off the bits of paint on the keels and in those tight cracks and then a light sanding to even things out from the stripping, good primer and a nice coat of white epoxy with hardener to finish it off. Then I'll flip it back over and start working on the top side again. Over all I probably haven't spent even eight hours on the paint removal, a couple hours here and there between other projects, so it's looks pretty good for the short amount of actual time spent. Here are the pictures after last weekends work and another gallon of stripper.

 

[jcchappy]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

That Duracraft is looking great. It's amazing how far a gallon of stripper will go.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

That Duracraft is looking great. It's amazing how far a gallon of stripper will go.

Thanks! I'm so looking forward to getting paint back on the bottom and flipping it back over onto the trailer. I'll then put it in the shop and work on the bow cover I mentioned in your post.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Looks very good so far, I suspect you ought to use some self-etching (SE) or zinc chromate (ZC) on the hull before you prime & paint. Looks like enough bare aluminum got exposed or will be when you sand to need the added adhesion of the SE/ZC. Doesn't have to be a very heavy coat, just enough to be able to see that you've sprayed it:

Permission to come aboard & follow along..

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Looks very good so far, I suspect you ought to use some self-etching (SE) or zinc chromate (ZC) on the hull before you prime & paint. Looks like enough bare aluminum got exposed or will be when you sand to need the added adhesion of the SE/ZC. Doesn't have to be a very heavy coat, just enough to be able to see that you've sprayed it:

Permission to come aboard & follow along..

Permission most gratefully granted! And thanks for the tip! Other "projects have kept me away from the boat, but I hope to get back on it soon, VERY SOON!!!

 

[seven_magnum]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Wow, I have the exact same boat sitting out in the pasture waiting for me to finish the islander. Glad to see another duracraft guy. Those boats are awesome! I can't wait to see how she turns out.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Cool 7_mag! Would love to see some pictures of her. Do you know what year yours is?

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Been busy, been sick, been doing everything else but working on my little boat, tis the life of a 45 year old , BUT I was able to do a little work this week. I've put it back on the trailer and finished completely stripping the sides that I plan to polish. I actually have the boat in my shop now too with winter coming on. Next step is to take it back off the trailer and do a little sanding on the bottom before priming and painting it. The bottom will be white with the sides polished and the top a different color. Here are a few pics if my current progress.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1952 Duracraft Sportsman

Lookin Good. Have you decided on what paint you're gunna use?