Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

[jigngrub]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I should also add the when you get everything properly removed you'll be able to access the transom wood from the top, and if the wood isn't to rotten you may be able to drive a couple of long deck screws down into it leaving a 1/4-1/2" of the screw exposed to grip with a hammer claw so you can lift it up and out.

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I finally had time to work on the boat today and was able to remove the transom. It took a bit of work, and a little pounding with the hammer (not much!), but now its out. That's the last of the major parts removal, although I'm thinking about removing the 3 aluminum rails that go the length of the boat--that the decking attaches to. The decking has been replaced a couple times and the rails have lots of drill holes. The rails are also loose, so they probably have to be re-riveted anyhow. I've attached some photos. Next, I'll clean out the hull and prep it for paint.

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I'd like to paint the boat with a swamp grass camo pattern inside and out. I'm thinking of painting the whole thing a flat tan, and then use a stencil to paint on the grass pattern (saw it on YouTube). What sort of surface prep do you recommend? The exterior is the original paint and plain aluminium, and the interior was painted a flat dark green (it has some peeling going on). Should I prep by sanding back to unoxidized metal,chemical strip, or clean and paint? Thanks for your help.

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I vacuumed the sand and debris out of the bottom of the boat tonight and am seeing a pretty heavy application of some sort of epoxy that was poured over the rivet heads that go through the bottom of the boat. Its the yellow stuff in the photos. I'm not sure if this is stock or if there were leaking rivets that were sealed with this stuff later. Is this some type of sealer that is normally used on the bottom of aluminum boats? Some of it is flaking off near the rivet heads. Do you think I should chip this stuff off and re-seal it with similar epoxy-type stuff?

 

[Teamster]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

Have you filled the hull with water to do a leak test???

I don't think it came from the factory like that,...

It might be a good idea to clean it out re-buck the rivets and then seal with Gluvit,....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

The yellow epoxy stuff is probably old Gluvit or similar, and if it's yellow and flaking it needs to be removed.

I agree with doing a leak test and fixing any leaky rivets now.

What are you going to do for floatation foam?

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I'll do the leak test today--it will be easy it's already raining I'm planning on using blue closed cell insulation for flotation. I'll also pull the three rails that run the length of the boat and getting a new set built. The old ones are full of holes from previous redecking. Gonna be doing lots of rivitting in the near future.

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I spent the weekend removing the decals from off the side of the boat using a heat gun and a scraper. Everything is off now except a ton of the adhesive the decals left behind. Can this stuff be removed with a wire wheel? Or maybe a metal hand brush and acetone? It's a mess and there's lots of it.

Also, to prep for painting should I brush the whole thing down to shiny metal, or just clean the surface, prime it and paint it? Thanks!

 

[Teamster]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

Goo Gone or WD 40 should work for adhesive remover,....

I know nothing about painting boats,...........I leave mine looking old and ratty looking from a distance to keep people away from me on the water,...........

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I was thinking of painting it like a giant duck so I can sneak up on the birds this fall

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I was thinking of painting it like a giant duck so I can sneak up on the birds this fall

Let me know if that works, if it does I'll be painting mine up like a giant Crappie!

 

[Piece715]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

If that works then I am really living right...

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

Man, you've got to let us all know if that works. I'll be sending back my cans of camo paint...

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I finally got the adhesive off the boat. WD 40 and a putty knife worked best. I buffed the exterior with a cup brush on an angle grinder. I'll wipe it with mineral spirits and clean it with tri-sodium phosphate before painting. I'll finish scraping the loose paint off the interior next, clean it and prep it for painting. I've attached a couple of photos of the buffed boat. As you can see in the photos, there are plenty of spaces that are not buffed down to metal. The reason that I buffed the boat was to get the last bits of paint and adhesive, and smooth out some of the old gouges. Will there be any problem paining with only portions down to metal? I'll be painting it a flat camo with paint made by Hunter's Specialties.

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I was cleaning the old Gluvit off the interior of the boat last night and found that one of the boat's ribs is cracked through and two more have cracks, but not going all the way across. I'm not sure what would have cracked the ribs--they are about 4' back from the bow, and there are a couple dents in the hull in that area. Does anyone know if this is a major problem? (I cracked a rib once and it only hurt when I laughed...) Can the cracks be stop drilled and then the ribs reinforced with a piece of aluminium sistered and riveted over the brake in the rib? Does it need to be welded? Thanks for your help with this. It's the only structural problem I've found with the boat and hope its reasonably fixable.

 

[Teamster]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

I would probably have a good aluminum welder have a crack at that,.............For piece of mind if nothing else,....

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

Yup, I'd fix em. Either of your ideas would work just fine.

 

[Backslider]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

Here are some photos of the finished product (well almost finished). Thanks to everyone who has helped!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

Looks good BT!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Alumacraft Backtroller 17 Restore

Man, what a great huntin/fishin rig, well done