1977 Starcraft Restoration project

[Watermann]

Did you do a leak test that I missed? You're really getting going and I don't want to see you miss some important steps if the hull needs repair.

Bedliner belongs in the back of a pick up truck, not in a boat as it won;t seal anything. It will fail and you'll be sorry just ask jbcurt00

I'm a big advocate of removing the splashwell so you can properly clean the inner transom skin of corrosion, fill pitting. holes and then prime / paint the skin. Flip that transom wood around and take a look at the white on it, that corresponds with corrosion on the skin that has to be removed. SW removal allows you to clean up the transom seam to a nice shine too and allow the gluvit to adhere properly. The main area that needs cleaned spotless and gluvit applied is the keel as it's the source of most leaks due to the abuse it suffers and there are 3 pieces of AL attached there with a ton of rivets.

 

[pntbtrjllytme]

Yes I did a leak test last year and marked every leak. Im also double checking by bringing her to a lake after everything seals to make sure I didnt miss anything. Also Im actually planning on completely redoing the splash well (no idea how to yet...) but its too low.. id love to raise it up a bit and its cracked and rewelded so it looks like poo to me.. if im redoing everything it will have to be perfect Im not doing this to do a half ass job it will be done right. I sanded each rivot with a wire brush drill bit before i put the glovit on.

Also.. I wasnt going to mention it but I do feel it could make me push a little too hard and maybe miss key steps.. but my best friends grandmother passed about a month ago from a massive stroke. She was unresponsive in her last days and it hit us very hard. Ive known him and his and his family since middle school (im 31 in may). But we just found out his grandpa is full of cancer. He broke a rib bending over.. so im trying to get this done asap to bring him out on the bay where Ive been out so many times I just know where to go to limit out every time. He loves to fish so trying to get it done more as a last wish for him. Frankly hes not going to make it but im doing my best to get her ready by may to get him out on the water.

Anyways.. the bedliner is a bad idea so should I do another coat of glovit or is there anything else to add on top thats better? There are only 2 leaks in the back of the boat the worst part was the nose and i sealed it quite well now that the floor is up. Appreciate the tips and also the concern of any missed steps I dont want to miss anything if I can help it. Thanks a lot guys!

 

[Watermann]

How much Gluvit do you have? I used pretty much all of a qt can on my boats as the seams use up a bunch. I create a puddle of the stuff in the keel too. So I've not put on a second coat but if you do I think it would be best applied before the first coat is set but not completely gassed out and cured just to be sure it adheres. Also don;t worry about those rivets through the ribs, the gluvit can't get underneath to seal anything properly.

 

[pntbtrjllytme]

Lol I did the rib rivets... but I puddled the ones in the keel and any ones I thought would be important. But I dont have any more left. I could get more if needed but I honestly doubt it. The bedliner I mentioned was just an extra easy step more "just because" than anything.

 

[jbcurt00]

Yeah, bedliner uke:

Put bedliner on stuff you attach to the hull, maybe, like the deck, built in boxes or side panels. Or use the deck-over (or its blue box equal) ala Jasoutside's Islander or WMs SeaNymph (right?). But any of that over epoxy. Not sure how any of the 3 would go down over WOGs OTF or straight spar.

But no bedliner/deck stuff directly on the hull itself, IMO its a poor choice. As are pink packing peanuts flotation.

Hi. My name's John. I have MBS. But no I dont want to talk about either of those ^^^ poor choices

:facepalm:

Carry on...

 

[pntbtrjllytme]

I checked the gluvit this morning and it looks like it sealed everything very well so I dont think Ill need another coat of it. crankbait cowboy Im looking online at the clark craft epoxy for the transom. Wondering if you could tell me how much I should order? Also, do you use this on your plywood on your floors? If you do I would need some for that as well. Thanks in advance!

 

[ezmobee]

I used Clark Craft epoxy for my deck. I bought 3 gallons. That did the deck but I ran out for the transom and bummed some ebay crap epoxy off a friend who was also doing a restore to do the transom. So I'd say 4 gallons. The Clark Craft stuff is VERY nice to work with. The 1:1 ratio is dummy-proof. I applied it using wide cheapo chip brushes from Harbor Freight that I'd just toss after each coat. Do the edges with every coat so they'll basically get hit like 4 times.

 

[pntbtrjllytme]

Great thanks guys! Just finished ordering the epoxy =) So tonight Ill pick up the wood for the transom and get that cut and glued together and pressed. probably try to get the floor template created as well

 

[ezmobee]

No Title

Are you gonna include the top "wings" to the new transom template?

 

[pntbtrjllytme]

Yes I plan on making it all one piece. Did you cut 2 pieces separately or both at the same time? Im asking b/c I obviously need them to match up perfectly so just wondering how you cut yours

 

[ezmobee]

I cut them separately. I think I just belt-sanded them flush after I put them together.

 

[MNhunter1]

I glued mine together and then cut them as one piece

 

[Watermann]

Unless you have a really good jigsaw 1.5" of ply is tough to cut straight.

 

[MNhunter1]

Unless you have a really good jigsaw 1.5" of ply is tough to cut straight.

I just used the jigsaw for the curves Seriously though, mine turned out good, but I'm not sure how much of that was luck. I did use a heavier blade and used a circular saw for the straights. I think in hindsight, the individual cuts and bandsaw finish after glue-up might have been a more ideal method. If I'm not mistaken, the SS transoms have a much more pronounced arc to them as well.

 

[Watermann]

One thing I do, it might be anal, I don't know but I seek out every little void or spot around the edges where there is even the tiniest gap and fill them. The JB water weld 2 part stick epoxy works great for this because it sands so easily. Then I go about sealing, priming and painting the FITTED and DRILLED transom.

 

[MNhunter1]

bandsaw finish

I meant to say belt sand finish...oops

 

[crankbait cowboy]

Not by choice I took a whole year off from my project and getting back at it now, a splash date ????? I'd like to say fall of 2018. But never know with may, very doubtful to be sooner. Maybe spring 2018 , I bought 2 gl part A and 2 gl part B. Used it on transom 3 coats, and deck 3 coats bottom and 2 top ( going to do another on top after it's installed to help fill seams real well. As the experts before me stated cheap brushes edges twice as many coats and any flaws or chips in wood plenty. The deck and transom I used about 1/2 of the 4 gal. Gonna need to do consol fronts bow area, side panels and any other marine ply I need in boat. So I am thinking 4 gas will be close for all my needs. Just a guess

 

[Tnstratofam]

We glued our plywood together and then cut out our transom for our SS like MNhunter did as well.





I cut the straight lines with my circular saw and used a new blade in my jigsaw to cut the curves. Fine tuned it with a belt sander.

 

[pntbtrjllytme]

Wow lots of good info appreciate it guys! I will probably just end up cutting each part separately. I wasnt able to get anything done tonight except get the wood. Never purchased an 80$ piece of plywood before lol. Also, crankbait cowboy you mentioned you used titebond ll for yours. I picked up the titebond lll wondering if there was a reason you didnt use that? It has a higher pressure rating and it is waterproof where the ll is water resistant so I thought it would be better. I figure Id ask before I put it on.. Ill be taking tomorrow off from work so Im going to try to get as much done as I can over this weekend.

Watermann I will definitely be paying special attention to the edges and also planned on painting the finished product. Since you mentioned paint, what kind of paint should I be looking for? I have a little ways to go obviously but I've never painted a boat so havent even looked into that yet. And btw your chieftain is amazing! Very nice job!

 

[pntbtrjllytme]

tnstratofam just started reading on your transom repair you did. Yours looks very nice and very well documented. Im very jealous of your garage though.. Im working in a one stall :blue:. But its easy to heat up with the temps down in the 20s or lower every day with my space heater. I live in Michigan now but I grew up close to Memphis, TN. Wishing I had the warmer temps up here now it sure would make things a lot easier!