1969 Starcraft restoration

[txmntman]

1969 Starcraft Mariner - 14 ft
I've included before and after photos below

I decided to completely stip out the interior, and came back, after using gluvit to the underside and the inside, replaced the floor and then rebuild a new interior. I decided on a dual console design, with both forward and rear casting decks. All was made of wood, either 1/2 plywood, or 1x12 shelving material. Depending on the location of the part, I either used epoxy (floor and transom) or just paint (console and front and rear casting decks). Working off hours, project took about 3.5 months

With the inclusion of the front and back decks, I moved the gas tank up under the front deck, as I suspect I will be stern heavy. This also gave me some additional storage, as I now have storage room under both front and rear decks. It is somewhat hard to see from the pictures (it was dark) but the paint is a pearl gray on the boat, with a granite gray on the decking and consoles. Overall, it was a very fun project. I have some motor work to do, but hope to get it on the water in a week to 10 days.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

Very nice! Should serve you well with $4.00/gal gas. Good luck with the motor.

 

[txmntman]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

Just got a couple of more pics. These show the fore and aft casting platforms a little better. I guess you could call this a bass conversion, although that wasn't really the intent when I started out.

 

[mprtech]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

What brand of paint and what did you use to paint the hull. I just picked up a 69 Starcraft 16" alum boat myself. I looks as though the last guy painted it with a brush..Ugly. Nice job by the way.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

nice job, that 50 should serve you well.

 

[fuzzeywiggler]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

Looks good.

Good Luck with the motor!

Where did you get the windshields? (ebay?)

Fuzzey

 

[txmntman]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

Let me try to answer some of the questions.

Paint. I used the Pettit Pearl Gray topside paint. The boat is going to live on the trailer when not in the water, so I didn't feel like bottom paint was needed. I rolled it on, and used a brush when needed. Multiple coats is advised. I used that on all the aluminum, inside and outside the boat. I was pleased with the outcome.
I used regular house paint (oil based) for the consoles and the decking. Again, multiple coats was best, and I rolled it on as well.

The windshields came from Cabelas. They have different heights and widths. Due to the width of the boat and my consoles, I used the narrowest windshield they had, which was 16 inches. My consoles are 20 inches wide.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

Nice work! My Starcraft's going to have a similar color scheme - gray/white. Did you use PT plywood or just exterior grade?

I needed some inspiration and this was it. Boat's taken a back seat since we've been cleaning up fallen trees from a tornado last week; hopefully this weekend I'll get back in the game.

 

[txmntman]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

I used exterior BC plywood. My boat will be kept inside a barn, and on a trailer, so it would not be subjected to any harsh conditions. I do expect that I will perform "touch ups" on the hull and wood on a yearly basis, and may repaint the hull and decking on a yearly or once every 2 year basis. I really do expect the wood to last many, many years.

I'll update this thread once I get it on the water. It may be a week or so, but I can feel it now!!!

Good luck with your project. Keep us all informed. You will learn a lot, and your plans may likely change as you educate yourself. It was a learning experience for me.

 

[txmntman]

Re: 1969 Starcraft restoration

Just thought I would post a follow up. We have used the boat this summer, mainly for just running around the lake. It has served us well. With the extra weight of the wood, the old 50HP can get the boat up to about 27 MPH. We have used it to pull my 14 year old son around on a tube. I have yet to completed painting the trailer, but I have been pleased with the boat, and my son has really formed an attachment to the boat. I suspect it will become his at some point...