1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

[tcampbell011]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Thanks for the info, I think I'm going to go with your idea 1988starcraft. If the aluminum doesn't support the floor, what does? Or is the plywood normally stiff enough not to need support?

I think I have found a motor. I talked this guy down a couple hundred and I'm planning on getting it this afternoon. Do you think it looks like a good motor?

http://kalispell.craigslist.org/boa/2994910259.html

 

[tcampbell011]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Oh and the program I am using is called Adobe Fireworks. Its part of the software package that includes Adobe Photoshop and Illistrator.

Thats one perk to being a student, I get great discounts on software

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Thanks for the info, I think I'm going to go with your idea 1988starcraft. If the aluminum doesn't support the floor, what does? Or is the plywood normally stiff enough not to need support?

I think I have found a motor. I talked this guy down a couple hundred and I'm planning on getting it this afternoon. Do you think it looks like a good motor?

http://kalispell.craigslist.org/boa/2994910259.html

A lot of manufacturers slight the deck framing and decking and support the deck mainly with 2 part pourable urethane foam. This is a bad design that doesn't give the bilge drainage and the foam gets saturated, and when the decking sit directly on the foam it becomes saturated and rots quickly. Your boat may have been of this design before the PO did his resto.

You could probably get away with no additional framing if you use a quality 3/4" decking and turn the top grain so it runs side to side. You will need a perimeter angle fastened to the hull on the port and starboard sides. this is a minimal installation and I don't recommend it for a solid deck. The joints on the individual pieces will also squeak if butted tightly together.

I've been meaning to ask you, does the decking set on the ledge on the port and starboard sides? What does it look like when you put a straight edge across the to of your "Z" channel and one of the ledges. Will this make for a flat deck, or is the Z higher than the ledges? If the ledge is even in height with the Z, can you fasten to the ledge without penetrating the hull?

 

[1988Starcraft]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

1988 Starcraft here. I looked at the pictures of your boat and the only floor attachment points I can see are just like they were on my boat: a single rivet at the end of each rib and along the Z section. Do jigngrub's test and I bet you'll find that the level line is from the ends of the ribs where the attachment points were to the Z section. My boat had no foam under the floor and had no other support for the floor other than the Z section and the ends of the ribs and (this is important) support provided by the seats, console, live well and storage compartment. On my boat those are all screwed into the floor from above and they certainly help keep the floor stiff, maybe more so than the perimeter attachments and the attachment up the middle to the Z section. I used 7/16" plywood flooring and it's totally stiff: no flex anywhere, I checked. My 14 footer has very little open floor space with all the above deck features installed, and that may be why there was no additional floor support needed. I didn't do a thorough check after the floor was in but before the above deck attachments were made, but I certainly walked on it and I don't remember thinking it felt flexible. You have a sketch that shows what you'd like your boat to be like and I don't think you'll get the same deck support from above deck features as I did. You also have pedestal seats which may need to have a much stiffer floor than I have. How wide is your boat from from one side of the rib to the other? Mine was something like 53". If yours is considerably wider from one end of the ribs to the other, or if you use an open floor plan with little support provided by things above deck screwed down to it, then an additional longitudinal support on each side may be needed, or as jigngrub said, use thicker plywood than I did. I was constrained to using what I originally had so that I could replace the above deck features and use the original above the waterline attachment holes. You could have the flexibility to make it thicker which couldn't hurt.

I was curious about the ledges jigngrub mentioned too. They look too high up the sides to be a deck support unless you've got a lot of space under your deck. I'm guessing they might be the bottom of a storage area buried under your gunnels but can't be sure. You have wide gunnels that would allow something like that to be built in. My boat being smaller, doesn't have the wide gunnels.

Keep in mind, my boat although very similar to yours, could be different enough so that what worked well for me isn't the right thing for you to do. I just want to explain my approach clearly enough so that you can benefit from using it if it's appropriate. Have fun. 1988 Starcraft

 

[tcampbell011]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Alright time for an update. The last couple days I have spent sanding and stripping, I think its almost ready to gluvit. I don't have a power sprayer, or a shop vac so I have made 3 trips down to the "do-it-yourself" carwash. The paint stripper worked very well besides all the chemical burns I have lol. Its sad that I can't bring myself to pay $3 for some gloves :facepalm:

Right now I'm washing with a white vineagar/water wash. Then I'm gonna rub it down with mineral spirits and/or laquer thinner. After that its gluvit time..

Here is my plan for painting the inside of the hull.

gluvit
sand
light coat of self etching primer
rustoleum bare metal primer
rustoleum topside paint

does that sound right? I didn't see any rustoleum self etching primer at HD (and it got bad reviews online) do you think it'd be okay to pick up some SE primer at an autoparts store?

 

[tcampbell011]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Here are some photos of my progress. They are in sequential order. (earliest photo at the top)

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Hmm, I'm interested to see how ya finish off those gunwales, eh

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Hmm, I'm interested to see how ya finish off those gunwales, eh

Me too.

Port and starboard sides are going to need a lot of reinforcement now... like benches all the way across the width of your boat in 3 or 4 places. Bench boats don't have wide gunwales because the benches support the sides. A boat with wide gunwales is an open deck boat.

An open deck boat without wide gunwales will be weak.

 

[tcampbell011]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Do they need to be wide? ... Or strong? I was thinking I would rivit strong aluminum angle down the sides. There is actually doing to be some support because I'm making a console on one side and some storage on the other. I have my plan drawn up on my computer I'll upload it later tonight.

 

[tcampbell011]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Also I'm planning a raised stern deck and a casting deck up front, that should help with support I hope.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Here is my plan for painting the inside of the hull.

gluvit
sand
light coat of self etching primer
rustoleum bare metal primer
rustoleum topside paint

does that sound right? I didn't see any rustoleum self etching primer at HD (and it got bad reviews online) do you think it'd be okay to pick up some SE primer at an autoparts store?

That SE primer from the auto parts store should be fine, you could probably do the whole inside with a couple cans. You apply it very lightly.

I used this Rusto Marine Metal Primer http://rustoleum.com/cbgimages/documents/207016_MA_32oz_MetalPrimer.pdf on my interior under the topcoat rather than their clean metal primer, and it is very tough with good adhesion.

If you can't find it locally, I ordered mine thru the Do It Best website and with free shipping to store, had it shipped to a local hardware store. You can find which stores participate on the Do It Best website.

 

[tcampbell011]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

here is my plan, any suggestions?

 

[andyrmilwaukee]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Ok this may be the stupidest question ever asked, however I have been browsing this board on and off while I look for the perfect (read cheap) boat for me to redo, my question is everyone is worried about the deck rotting, why not use 1/4 inch aluminum sheet for the decking and sea cast for the transom? Wouldn't this make the boat rot proof? Am I missing something like the cost or the weight or something?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Ok this may be the stupidest question ever asked, however I have been browsing this board on and off while I look for the perfect (read cheap) boat for me to redo, my question is everyone is worried about the deck rotting, why not use 1/4 inch aluminum sheet for the decking and sea cast for the transom? Wouldn't this make the boat rot proof? Am I missing something like the cost or the weight or something?

You should ask those questions in a thread of your own, asking them here could be considered hijacking this thread.

 

[tcampbell011]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

no that's totally ok with me. Actually I was planning on asking the same thing. From what I gathered an aluminum deck would be better although really expensive. Also I don't know how easy it would be to cut with a jigsaw.

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Aluminum = expensive and not easy to cut. I used 1/8" aluminum plate for a transom plate and that was no fun cutting. I don't know the weight compared to plywood, although I think I read a post about that somewhere here in another thread.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Cutting is easy if you have the right tools, a skill saw with a bi-metal blade... bi-metal skill saw blades are expensive though.

Depending on the thickness of aluminum you use it can be 3 or more times expensive than the very best lifetime warranty plywood deck.

Lifetime warranty plywood deck breaks down like this:

1. 4x8 sheet CCA kiln dried pressure treated ply (with manufacturers lifetime warranty) $70

1. half gallon 2 part epoxy kit $40 + $15 S&H = $55 divided by 4 sheets = $13.75

1. plastic squeegee for applying epoxy $5 divided by 4 sheets = $1.25

4. 2" chip brushes for back brushing epoxy after squeegeeing = $4

For a total of $89 per sheet.

.125 (1/8") sheet aluminum is nearly $300 per 4x8 sheet

You can check sheet and plate aluminum prices here:
http://www.metalsdepot.com/

 

[FishNmemories]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

here is my plan, any suggestions?

wow, sounds like you have got some great advice already...as far as your layout goes, having the gas tank only on one side could be problematic as a full tank adds weight to that side and when empty the other side of the boat is heavier; thus the boat will lean on the heavier side. I guess it depends on how big of a tank your going to be carrying too.

nice ride... should be an awesome boat

 

[lakelover]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

Cutting is easy if you have the right tools, a skill saw with a bi-metal blade... bi-metal skill saw blades are expensive though.

Maybe it was my technique or equipment, but I had a difficult time cutting 1/8" with a Skil saw and bi-metal blade. It kept binding and my saw was on the verge of overheating. I used a straightedge guide & clamped everything down tight. I had to let the saw cool down between cuts and probably only made cuts of a little over 3' total.

You could cut curved lines with a jig saw but it would take forever if more than a few inches.

 

[1988Starcraft]

Re: 1973 Starcraft 15.5ft unknown model AMBITIOUS restoration

I have three comments/suggestions.

The first one has to do with the layout you provided. It looks very nice and from a fisherman's viewpoint it has lots of good features. The issue of the gas tanks providing an unbalanced weight isn't likely to be a problem. in fact the weight of the batteries and the driver may on the starboard side may cause the boat to lean to starboard even with a large, full gas tank. Gas is only about 6# per gallon. If the driver alone weighs 180# that's equal to 30 gallons of gas: big tank. The two batteries on the starboard side can add at least 80# (maybe more) and only make it more unbalanced to starboard. If you will be primarily using the boat without a passenger, I'd swap the gas tank and the batteries so that you'll minimize the starboard lean. My 14 foot Starcraft always has a starboard lean when I'm in it alone and my 6 gallon gas tank is just port of centerline. Not a big deal though. With a passenger, the weight of the gas and the batteries becomes a smaller percentage of the total and they will influence the way the boat sits less.

My second comment has to do with the position of the anchor and downrigger in the stern. If you fish alone, having the downrigger right behind you will make it awkward to watch. If you put it on the port side and had the anchor locker on the starboard side, it will be easier for you to see when it releases and easier for you to get to the rod. Just a suggestion. I don't have downriggers but I do have rod holders that I troll with and having the rod on the opposite side of the boat seems to make it easier for me to use. Another thought would be to bring the downrigger forward of the storage compartment. That way it would be even easier to see and get to. Just suggestions. Set it up the way you think it will work best for you.

As far as cutting aluminum goes, I used a sawsall with a metal cutting blade. It works fine. If you go slowly, the cuts aren't very rough and require minimum grinding to smooth them up. That said, I wouldn't spend the time or money or add the weight of an aluminum deck. There is a lot of talk about rotting decks on this forum and if you store the boat outdoors or the deck is constantly getting wet, rotting can be an issue. My boat was stored outdoors on a trailer for most of it's life. My original decking was unsealed plywood with a vinyl non-skid deck covering and it lasted 25 years. How long do you think you want the deck to last? In my rebuild I used the Arauco Ply (waterproof glue between laminations), put two coats of paint on the underside and used Grizzly Grip (like truck bed liner) for the non-skid top surface and on the cut edges. Based on how long the original deck lasted, I think it will outlast me. I think aluminum (and even epoxy sealing in most cases if the boat is stored under cover) is way over the top for rot protection.

Have fun. 1988 Starcraft