Bryguymi's Boat

[bryguymi]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

Maybe you can get Ezmobee to move this to the restorations section so all those glass experts can start chiming in??

Sorry, maybe I should've started a new thread there? I'm kinda new at this forum stuff. Bryan

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

I built the outboard motor stand, it's awesome. Then I built one for my neighbor and he did breaks on my wife's mini-van. We both made out on that one (he's a mechanic). Zach helped me build it too. He loved it!

Love the outboard! If you need any inspiration, I'll be cheering you on. I love the boat, it's awesome. I might want one,................. yea I want one.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Don

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

It's a bit of a judgement call. It's a Starcraft so it certainly could be here. But as a fiberglass boat, there will certainly be more traffic & people who've done glass work chiming in. PM Ezmobee & ask him to move it to the Resto forum.

But 1st, click the 'edit post' button @ the bottom right of your 1st post.

Once that edit window opens, click the 'Go Advanced' button @ the bottom right corner

When that advanced window open, at the top there's a Title box, change the title to something relevant to your boat:

1963 Starcraft Fiesta Hardtop Full Restoration

Or something similar. That way people that have similar boats will do a driveby & maybe lend you a hand. Fiberglass hardtops present interesting challenges sometimes, and since it looks like yours is integral to the rest of the boat's cap, it will be even more so.....

But more importantly by giving it a relevant title, it will be easier for those that come after you to find your thread & use your resto as a reference for theirs

Great looking motor, looks like it's got an extension leg to make it a long shaft. I've got a 1961 Evinrude 75hp StarFlite (model # 50926 short shaft w/ unicharger)

Nice work digging & getting started, make sure to take TONS of notes & LOTS of measurements. Our glass boats are more structurally dependent on all the parts & pieces working together. Significantly more so then the tinnys do.

Sometimes it helps if you shoot the pix w/ a tape measure visible:

If you start to tear out the cuddy cabin structure at the hull & the deck, you'll want to build a cradle that will more fully support your hull while the inner framework is removed to reduce the likelihood of flex & sag. Glassing the deck back in w/ the hull out of shape, even slightly, may cause the cap to not fit correctly. And that would be the least of the problems that are possible...

Some have built a dual purpose cart/cradle that allows you to roll the hull around on the cradle as you need to while working on the interior. Then it will also convert into a cart that the hull can be flipped upside onto to cleanup & repair defects, dents & dings in the hull.

Look for WoodOnGlass's Blue Flamingo thread. He built a nice cart/cradle, has helpful links in his signature line. And there are quite a few trying their hand at upholstery work during their restos.....

Safety protection gear is not optional during demo, grinding & glass work....

 

[bryguymi]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

Hi jbcurt,

funny that you suggested to take measurement pictures; I'd already taken lots and lots of "measurement pictures" for future reference. Hmmm, maybe great minds think alike? As for your point about building a cradle to put the boat in, are you suggesting the I remove the top half from the hull? I had not planned on removing the top half from the hull. If I do not remove the top half from the hull, do you still think it's so important to build the cradle?

Bryan

 

[North Beach]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

Bryan, I think JB is assuming you have stringer/subfloor rot. Have you checked below the glass? I'm getting way out of my realm of knowledge here......

 

[emoney]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

First, welcome to iBoats!!! I think it's awesome you're going to replenish this old girl. Anybody can go buy one of those shiny, fancy new boats. It's takes heart to decide to bring one back that's been ignored. So, kudos to you. JBCurt gave you some great advice as there's plenty of folks around here that have already been where you're going, and that's going to be an invaluable resource for you. Prior to iBoats, I was one of those "drop it off at the mechanic's place and wait for months to pick it up by paying an arm and a leg" guys and I can't say enough how thankful I am that I signed up around here. Good luck and we're excited for you about her future!

 

[bryguymi]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

Bryan, I think JB is assuming you have stringer/subfloor rot. Have you checked below the glass? I'm getting way out of my realm of knowledge gere......

I don't believe that I have stringer rot, but I do have minimal floor decking rot, near the rear of the boat. I was planning on tearing out the floor decking to replace it completely, and at that time further inspect things below. Should I be doing this differently?

 

[North Beach]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

Well once the floor comes out I guess you'll know exactly whats goin on But again, I'm a tin head.....

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

PM your way Bryan.

I've already taken lots and lots of "measurement pictures" for future reference. Hmmm, maybe great minds think alike? As for your point about building a cradle to put the boat in, are you suggesting the I remove the top half from the hull? I had not planned on removing the top half from the hull. If I do not remove the top half from the hull, do you still think it's so important to build the cradle? Bryan

Taking the cap off will do several things:

• Give you much better access to the transom ply that will most likely need to be redone. Even if the transom seems to be exceptionally sound structurally, it's probably 2 3/4" ply pcs laminated together (w/ or w/out a covering of CSM & resin (or epoxy)) so it could easily hide rot. Water penetration into the 'soft' deck you mentioned could be minor or major. Most builders didn't do buyers any favors in the wood protection department during construction. So once 1 area of wood: Seat box, deck, transom, stringers, storage bins or the cuddy benches got wet, water would quickly migrate into all connecting/abutting wood structures. And once those areas below deck get wet, w/ minimal exposure to air flow, they tend to remain for quite a while, and it spreads into additional areas, esp in neglected & stored uncovered boats. Until you get the deck up, there's no way to know what you'll find below. I got lucky & have hollow core stringers that originally contained no wood in my FireFlite. So I won't have to do any stringer repair, fab or install. When you start a thread, we'll deal w/ exploring/testing the transom for rot.
• Depending on condition of the cap & hardtop, and the exterior of the hull, having the cap off will make working on those much easier. Flip the hardtop/cap upside down & touch-up/repair/redo any of it's glass & structure. Just like the bow of a tinny, there's probably wood backing behind/under the cap. Flip it back over to work on the topsides, and at some point paint/gelcoat both sides. Same w/ the hull inside & out.
• Separating them allows you to work the glass & etc from above. Working from below you'll be using the resin & etc overhead. You also have to fight the sag of the wetted glass much more so then if working on the top of a surface.
• Having the 2 halves separated makes them easier to handle, lighter, shorter in height to have to reach across and you can work multiple areas all at once w/ less chance of getting back into the unkicked resin before it's hardened. This isn't exactly true if you do wet on wet layups, but there is a short period of time to wait for the resin to tack off enough to roll on a 2nd, 3rd or even a 4th layer almost 1 after the other. But there is a short period you'll want to let the layup kick.
• Ideally, you'll want to have a few prepped small areas or parts ready w/ glass pre-cut and staged so that when you do a large area, you can use up any left over resin so you'll 'waste' less kicked resin.
• And the main resin I planned to remove mine was because I've never done any glass or body work ever. The only way to remove & re-install the transom w/ out removing the cap is to cut the cap gunwale towards the bow somewhere you expect it to be easier to blend the repair into the adjacent gunwale area. Having quite a bit of repair work on my cap will probably be way more involved then repairing the gunwale if I'd cut it, but it will all still be connected as 1 large cap.

Cutting the cap like avpaulb did to gain access to the transom:

Even if you don't remove the cap, depending on what you find below deck, you may or may not 'need' to build a cradle. Depending on how the builder put all the parts & pcs together, when quality varies wildly across a single boat line from many different builders, there may be some additional work that should be done prior to starting the put back. Although my FireFlite did not have any flotation foam, which is sometimes used as both a flotation component and a structural component, the glass is what I would best describe as flimsy. The hull sides upto & over the gunwales, the bow area, and a good bit of the hull bottom. So I may add a layer or 2 of CSM & resin over the interior surfaces or use expanding pour in foam. So even though I don't have to remove the stringers (which if you do remove them, usually means build a cradle if you don't you may not need to build 1) I need to build a cradle. Even minor changes to the shape of the hull (waves, hooks etc) will change the handling characteristics of the hulls performance on the water.

I don't believe that I have stringer rot, but I do have minimal floor decking rot, near the rear of the boat. I was planning on tearing out the floor decking to replace it completely, and at that time further inspect things below. Should I be doing this differently?

See verbose comments above:redface: about water & rot

Here's a link to a free e-booklet that discusses some fiberglassing info

The Fiesta is a nice looking rig, looking forward to tagging along as you put her back together. Happy to help anytime I can. Sorry it took so long to get back to your Q's.

 

[North Beach]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

Here's the 62


And the 64



Hope it helps...

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

If it matches the 1962, you'll need to take care not to un-necessarily damage the glass stringers. If un-damaged, no stringer fabbing, replacing or glassing (Great!). But the chine 'step' wood stringer along the hull sides to bottom joint will also need to be checked for water damage. It will be tougher then a standard stringer replacement. And is probably more heavily glassed into the hull bottom & hull sides. Plus it is a finished surface. Only carpet, gelcoat, or vinyl will be covering it, so slight imperfections won't be hidden from view. So take extra time & care during removal & replacement.

The 1964 has a 'regular' wooden stringer/rib system that will probably need to be removed & replaced if it's gotten wet.

Depending on when the design change took affect, your 1963 could be either system. Depending on where you'll use the boat when done, will help determine if you need to add a layer of glass if the hull seems thin, too flexible.

North Beach: Where did you come by all these brochure pix? Great resource, thanks.

 

[North Beach]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

If it matches the 1962, you'll need to take care not to un-necessarily damage the glass stringers. If un-damaged, no stringer fabbing, replacing or glassing (Great!). But the chine 'step' wood stringer along the hull sides to bottom joint will also need to be checked for water damage. It will be tougher then a standard stringer replacement. And is probably more heavily glassed into the hull bottom & hull sides. Plus it is a finished surface. Only carpet, gelcoat, or vinyl will be covering it, so slight imperfections won't be hidden from view. So take extra time & care during removal & replacement.

The 1964 has a 'regular' wooden stringer/rib system that will probably need to be removed & replaced if it's gotten wet.

Depending on when the design change took affect, your 1963 could be either system. Depending on where you'll use the boat when done, will help determine if you need to add a layer of glass if the hull seems thin, too flexible.

North Beach: Where did you come by all these brochure pix? Great resource, thanks.

Back when none of us of knew anything, I started buyin em up on eBay.... They sure have come in handy since some of the earlier versions on Flicka are too small and wont let you copy....

And since they were called the Fiesta in 62 and 63 and changed over to the Biscayne in 64 I'd bet (hope) the stringer construction is the same as 62.

And...I saw the cursed word Styrofoam in there too......

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Bryguymi's Boat

I 'think' the styro was mentioned as a part of the bow cap support system..... But loose pcs of styro under deck is nothin' compared to trying to remove expando foam below decks.

NB: PM headed your way....

 

[Mouse action]

OK I'm posting this brochure page for a new guy who just picked up what I consider the best looking boat Starcraft made back in the day. Hopefully he'll get his pics loaded sometime soon. I'd love to see this one get restored!!

We think it's a 63 Fiesta that's been painted over.

Click image for larger version

Name: 7a7794364eef7640bfa6b36197415dfc.jpg
Views: 1
Size: 147.3 KB
ID: 140096
I just picked up this very glassic,what you would call "a barn find"stashed away in a garage for a bunch of years.its in absolutely mint condition from stem to stern,the cabin is gorgeous.its a super little boat that get thumbs up,up and down the canal.i will post some pics soon.what a find !

 

[Mouse action]

heres our NEW starcraft fiesta!

 

[jbcurt00]

Mouse,
Please start a topic about your new to you Starcraft. Posting in NorthBeach's topic is considered a hijack.

Please read thru the forum link below in my signature. The forum rules and guidelines are listed there.