1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

[tigger3650]

Bought this boat a couple of years ago and now it is time to start fixing some of the things with it. I don't think the last person to update it used marine tolerable materials. The floors are starting to go and the plywood backings in the bow have started crumbling. Being active duty the restore process is going to be slow but it will get there (that and I really don't want to down it for any amount of time to work on it) Dream plans, new floors, new seats, new windshield and would love to eventually put a new motor in it, maybe a 4.3l or 5.0l MPI. Again, just dreams, but the floors I will be starting this week.

 

[tigger3650]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

A few more "Before" pics.

 

[barato2]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

at the risk of sounding loike a broken record, if your floors are shot, odds are very good your transom needs replacement too. look VERY hard at this and post pics if you're not sure. some of our members have had transoms that looked more or less OK, but when they pulled the transom caps, they found mulch.

 

[Captmills]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

tis true, thought my transom would be servicable till I took the caps off and what I saw was not good. The last thing you want to be saying is "I think the engine went down here"

 

[North Beach]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

AWWW this boat has the same hull as DJ's... That thing is awesome.....

 

[tigger3650]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

at the risk of sounding loike a broken record, if your floors are shot, odds are very good your transom needs replacement too. look VERY hard at this and post pics if you're not sure. some of our members have had transoms that looked more or less OK, but when they pulled the transom caps, they found mulch.

I just had the outdrive pulled at the beginning of the year to replace the bearings and bellows. The transom looks good, not brand new but it isn't the original either. I am not a huge fan of the color of the boat and plan on repainting it in a few years, not the highest priority and plan on replacing the transom then regardless. I don't really have the means to pull the motor right now. Time and money are huge factors, especially since I am transfering in November. The other thing that surprises me is once the work was done to the outdrive i have Zero leaks. I've had it in the water for almost 10 hours and there was maybe a 1/2 cup of water in the bilge. I stick the plug and water hose in it every so often just to make sure the pumps work!!

 

[North Beach]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

Tigger that hull is called the V5. Pretty rare and designed for off shore fun!! If you want to see what things look like under the deck go here.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=427003

 

[thoerl]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

Wow, that boat looks familiar!

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

Tigger that hull is called the V5. Pretty rare and designed for off shore fun!! If you want to see what things look like under the deck go here.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=427003

V 5's are supposed to be great in big water situations. The hull will have lots of dead rise angle to it. The back of my Offshore is noticeably veed all the way back. Not built for speed but will cut through sloppy waters better. Walter Walters designed the hull, he was an offshore racer.

The 4.3 is a GREAT engine. 5.0 too. Chevy makes really good powerplants. Find a rotted glasser and cannibalize her, you get a powerplant and if you chop up the glasser your street creds rise.

 

[tigger3650]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

Okay, so Lowes and Home Depot Don't carry Arauco Plywood even though they have info sheets all over the store on it. Lowes did some digging with their suppliers and it looks like it will be the better part of a year before they can get it. Apparently a fire destroyed the plant where it is made and they aren't producing any at this time. I then wore the numbers on my phone out calling everywhere just to find exterior plywood. I found 1 supplier in the area and they only have 10 sheets of 5/8" for $20 a sheet. The next option was 1/2" Marine Fir @ $65 a sheet. I think I am going to go with the 5/8" exterior. I also need to replace/ re-route the fuel filler hose. I think it has drooped under the floor somewhere. I can't seem to pump gas into it without it back splashing all over the place. All the lines and vents seem to be clear when I push air through them but not gravity fed gas.

 

[barato2]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

it might also be deteriorated on the inside. some old hoses (brake hoses are notorious for this) will actually flake off the inside surface....this can cause a crazy situ where the pressure will go one way but not the other so brakes can be applied but won't release.

hard to believe that in Hurricane Alley you'd have trouble locating the stuff that most people use to board up their windows! but the 5/8 sounds like a good call for floors given the 300%+ price diff. it will last adequately if you saturate it with epoxy, esp the end grain. for the transom, you might want to spring for the 1/2" fir....better wood, and it will produce a transom the right thickness (1.5"). alternatively, you could use the 5/8, glue it together with epoxy, and add a layer or 2 of cloth to bring it to full thickness.

 

[tigger3650]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

So I get to the plywood supplier and what they initially quoted me was $43.40 for 3/4" Arauco, $65.23 for 5/8" marine Fir, and $39.31 for 5/8" ACX wasn't exactly right. To me the 3/4 Arauco felt lighter then the 5/8 ACX and he also gave it to me for $37 a sheet so that's what I went with. Got home unloaded and started the demo. I have family coming in from out of town starting next week so I am going to have to do this in stages because they all want some time on the water. The bow area is the worst of it and actually crumbling so i am going to knock that and the fuel filler hose out this weekend. Still deciding on what to do about the seats, but it looks like Arauco plywood and 5/4 framing.

 

[tigger3650]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

the 5/8 sounds like a good call for floors given the 300%+ price diff. it will last adequately if you saturate it with epoxy, esp the end grain..

I have looked at so much wood and vinyl that I must have confused my prices but the wood is in the garage. Now I just wish the boat would fit in there. I started taking apart the bow area. The previous "refurb" was more a cover up then anything. The just layed carpeted 1/2" ply over the existing benches. I don't think any of it was marine or even exterior grade. The wood just crumbled.

 

[tigger3650]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

The wood is out and I was able to start on the foam before the rains came. I never realized how much that foam actually weighs. I am definately replaceing it with the sheet foam.


Before:



After:

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

I just disposed of 2 boats that originally weighed 2000lbs combined dry weight. Add 500lbs for the trailer, and after rolling thru the dump scales, a total weight of 4700lbs, means there was @2000lbs of waterlogged foam

So yeah, it's heavy. Post up whatever method you use to remove the foam. Seems no 1 way is best or works for everyone.

Hope it comes out easy & leaves behind no damaged tin....

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

Oh man, truckload of wet foam subdeck, rats:facepalm:

 

[North Beach]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

The wood is out and I was able to start on the foam before the rains came. I never realized how much that foam actually weighs. I am definately replaceing it with the sheet foam.


Before: View attachment 162000View attachment 162001



After: View attachment 162002View attachment 162003View attachment 162004

Is it just me or do we see this mess every time someone removes the deck on a poured in foam application?

 

[djpeters]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

Is it just me or do we see this mess every time someone removes the deck on a poured in foam application?

Not every time. Mine was 95%+ DRY.

 

[tigger3650]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

Reading another post and got this great idea, considering the wife and i have been going over color options for months now:

 

[barato2]

Re: 1985 21 ft Starcraft Slow Project

just realize you'd never be able to sell the boat to a FSU, UCF, FAU, or FA&M grad if you ever got 2 foot itis......

sounds like you have your work cut out for you if you have to gut the underfloor, clean and seal inside of hull (that water in your foam got there from somewhere and it usually isn't all from above...plus i'd never miss the chance to fix this for once and for all while i had the floors up), cut and install foam, and cut seal and install floor all before next week. AND have the boat working well enough for display to the relatives....feasible if you don't have to worry about pesky stuff like going to a job or if you're 23 and have all the energy in the world