196? Crestliner Mustang? Resto begins Help needed

[Camlee98]

Hey everyone first post here. Great site I've done a good bit a reading and now am looking for some input. I bought this boat, motor and trailor for 300 bucks (Not as good a deal compared to some I've seen on here lol but it will do). So a rundown on what I got.
Motor is a 1987 US Marine Force 50hp (I was told it runs good but haven't messed with it yet)
Ok trailor will need a little help but nothing major.
And the boat......From my research it looks to be a Crestliner Runabout? Not sure the year.
Now a couple questions to get started.
I've walked the deck and don't feel and weak spots. It does have outdoor carpet glued in so I'm debating on ripping it out and sanding and painting the deck or putting new carpet in....suggestions? I will also need gauges and stuff. I'll post some pics next and you guys can chime in with suggests and such. Thanks for the help!

 

[oops!]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

a big hearty welcome to you...!

i boats is a really good information site....but its developed into a really big seconf family for a lot of guys

search core sample....

as long as the motor works you got a deal...

as far as the carpet or paint.....you need to decide what you want to do with the boat....fishing?....ok...paint is good....but if it is used for all around boating with ler little woman on board....they like cushy carpet beneath there feet...

for the best of bolth worlds...some people use snap in carpet.

 

[Camlee98]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Thank you very much! I'll be doing a little lake and pond fishing with the kids. The main goal is to take the family out for some fun. Tubing, swimming and just little trips in the lake. Here's some pics so you guys can get a better idea of what I'm working with.

 

[mike64]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Hey Camlee98,

Nice looking old boat!

In addition to Oops! good advice, take a good hard look at the transom for rot if you haven't already. Move the outboard up and down and see if the transom flexes-- it shouldn't flex at all. Look for cracks in the fiberglass on the outside of the transom that will indicate the wood inside is soaked with water. If you really want to be sure, drill a 1/2" or so into the inside of the transom in a few spots with your smallest diameter drill bit and see what comes out:

Light colored dry sawdust=good news
Wet sawdust=bad news, transom doesn't have long
Black crumbly stuff=worst news (rot).

Fill the small holes with 3M 5200 sealant.

Enjoy your boat!

 

[Camlee98]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

I'll be checking the transom again with the testing methods you mentioned thanks. It looks like someone added 1/4 inch stainless to the front and back of the transom mabey for that very reason but I'll check to be sure. Couple newbie questions to start out.
Do remove all the cleats, lights and windshield before buffing and waxing? (I'm gonna see what kind of look I get after that may be shotty paint not sure yet)
Looks like there was some kind of emblems on both sides of the boat that left rivets sticking out. Can I grind these down and cover with gelcoat or something?
*WARNING*Dumbest question of all! How do you take the cowl off the engine I can't seem to figure that out LOL.
Thanks for all the input so far!

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Camlee welcome to iboats thats a fgood lookin boat for $300.00 if it runs . You can remove everything off the bow if you want to and it will come off easily otherwise you can buff carefully with it all on ( stay away from the windshield ) I can assure you it will be delicate if it is original . The rivets yes you could grind them down and fill the holes Oooops will be along to tell you what to fill the holes with . On the motor cover that I cant help you with all I have is Mercuries and they come off differant .

Rick

 

[zorak]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

There should be a lever on the front of the motor on the bottom of the cowling that will flip from right to left or vice versa.Untilt the motor and it should be close to the center of the transom clamp

 

[Camlee98]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Thanks for the input! Well I got most of the carpet off. Man someone really liked there glue!!!! The deck is all original, I and see an old emblem molded into the fiberglass deck looks like a big c with a crown over it. I also noticed that the deck is cracked/pulled away from the edges in some spots. I also found the original seat holes and those are open not sure how much this hurts the inside of the deck. From what I can tell there is some sort of foam in there??? The deck has a small spot cut out in the back exposing one drain plug hole (lower) and another hole that doesn't exit the boat???? I'll be posting some pics later soon as my batteries recharge lol. As far as the cowl still no luck LOL no latches buttons pull cords magic wand lol nothing. I'm such a newb! Thanks again for the help and I'll post those pics in a bit!

 

[Camlee98]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Emblem

Cracks

Drain holes and deck cutout

Seat holes

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Stainless plates on the transom would be a big red flag for me on the transom.

 

[Camlee98]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Yeah I'm gonna be doing some checking on the transom. I've moved the motor up and down pushed and pulled it and can't get the transom to budge. I'm still gonna drill a small hole and see what's inside as instructed by one of the other fella's.
If I follow that crack line all the way around and free up the deck will I be able to just pull it out or is it glued down or something?

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Canlee that Crestliner Logo on the deck is tooooooooooooo kewl if you redo the deck figure out a way to cut it out and either frame it or reuse it in the new deck . My 64 Del Rio doesnt have that that I am aware of now I am tempted to go tear the carpet out of it LOL.


Rick

 

[Camlee98]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Thanks that's why I snapped a pic of it. I thought it was pretty cool myself. I'm still working on finding what model and year this thing is. Before I found the emblem I could see stliner outline from a decal or something on the side of the boat. Anyone know about why lies beneath this deck?

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Well if its like just about every other fiberglass boat out there you will find a pile of mulch under there that used to be the deck and stringers . I havent touched my Crestliner yet so ll I know is its soft under the carpet.


Rick

 

[Camlee98]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Alright carpet is all removed. I found out how to open the cowl on the motor found a little lever under the steering linkage. I attempted to start the motor before I remove it. No luck just clicks once so I'll be picking up a new battery tomorrow. (The one I have has been sitting for 3 or 4 years lol figured I'd give a shot anyway charged it overnight no go). After alot of research on the crestliner resto site, I feel my boat is a early to mid 60's Mustang or Sandpiper. I also found that MFG bought Crestliner in 1965 so I'm guessing that's why I thought it was a MFG when I first started looking into it. I will be taking my drill to the transom tomorrow and see what kind of bad news I can find. As far as the deck goes the stringers seem solid and the foam spots are spongey. It looks like I have 3 or 4 stringer that run vertically down the hull. I saw how it was put together on that crestliner site and can't remember if they were wood covered with fiberglass. Everything else is foam. The deck seems to be some sort of hard plastic? It also looks like this was laid into the hull and then glassed in around it? Would be nice if I could pull that out in one piece but I think that is wishful thinking lol. One of holes drains the upper deck. What is the other two hole for that you see in my pic? I'm guessing one is for under the deck to keep the water out. The other one doesn't drain outside the boat so I'm not sure what it is? All for now catcha later!

 

[Camlee98]

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

Re: Getting my feet wet Help needed

After much thought and reading here on the site I've begun! Started dismantling the cleats and anything else attached to the boat. I've also started removing the bump rail any suggestions here? Lots of staples making it difficult to remove. I'm going to gut the transom and then do a seacast transom. Pics on Monday!

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: 196? Crestliner Mustang? Resto begins Help needed

Camlee if you are going to the trouble to pull the cap on the boat go ahead and do the transom right and make it with wood. Seacast is honestly a bandaid you would use if you were not pulling the cap .


Rick

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: 196? Crestliner Mustang? Resto begins Help needed

Great boat Camlee. I agree about the transom. If your going to go through all that work, then replace it with wood for sure. I had a crestliner like that years ago, actually was my first boat. Not sure of the year though but it was 13'6" long. Fun boat for sure.

 

[Camlee98]

Re: 196? Crestliner Mustang? Resto begins Help needed

Oh great after all that research on seacast. I thought it was suppose to be better than wood? Stronger lasts longer and easier to use? I have zero exp. with fiberglass none zilch. Do I trust myself to do that job? Ok enough of that cross that bridge when we get to it. How bout this bumper rail? I've pulled it off one side and it's gonna be mishaped can I just set somehting on it to straighten it?

 

[Camlee98]

Re: 196? Crestliner Mustang? Resto begins Help needed

Alright good day today! I removed both sides of the rubrail and got the windsheild off in one piece. Most staples came out with the rubrail lol still have a few to go. I now have to make a engine stand so I can get that outta the way. Questions so far.
1. Good way to straighten the rubrail out?
2. How hard is it to disassemble the steering cable from the engine?
3. What did you guys use to put the boat back together? (rivets?)
4. Did you repair the spots where the staples came out?
5. The floor that's down now is very thin about 1/8" thick. When I remove this what do I put down in it's place?
All for now pics tomorrow!