First time old boat owner ?s

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Thanks for promoting me to First Class, one rank higher than I made in my Navy service. :redface:

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Progress today, 50 degrees outside. What is it about working on a boat outside that makes it better than working inside. I am not man enough to work in 30-40 degrees inside or outside so progress has been limited.

Posted more pics to photobucket of the cleaned up dash tray and the modified mounting board for the control and new switch panel. What are all those wires sticking out the back?

Taking to my mechanic tomorrow to have motor removed and worked on. Then I begin to refinish the transom after getting back. As far as I can tell right now it just needs that. Crossed fingers.

Albert

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Can't believe I haven't been in here before now..seen your bucket album a few times...oh well sorry about that...looking good, I really like the mounting panel...great idea! Spring is peeking in on us here a bit....bout time.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Did you fabricate that panel bananaboater? It looks great

Your rig has an unbelievable classic look to it...and I like the look of an old Starcraft with a Merc hanging off the transom

Hope this warm spell holds, our snow is disappearing quickly right now.

 

[osborn159]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

welcome, first let me say that is a fine vessel you have there. like that its all period. that 60's style is slick, agin nice boat, enjoy.
Dennis

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Did you fabricate that panel bananaboater? It looks great

Yes. I extended the original plywood mounting for the control forward about 4 inches to attach the new switch panel. Took angles and sawing lines by holding the wood in place. Even then the complexity of angles and curves took some fudging and I had to remake the switch mount board a second time!

And I originally made the black switch panel parallel to the bottom of the board but when I mounted in place it was crooked to the dashboard. Fortunately I had enough wiggle room to recut the hole and not have to make a third board.

It looks OK, not perfect but I am the only one that will notice (I hope).

Attacking the transom today.

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

It's almost 70 degrees so progress.......Rain predicted rest of week

I started on the transom yesterday. Here are couple pics, more at my photobucket if interested.

It is relatively sound and will last a while. If I had gotten to this point in the fall I would have probably replaced it over the winter and extended it down to the gaps in the brackets. Weird that. I am fairly sure it is original but who knows.

Paint today.

Albert

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Whoops, got wrong tag..BEFORE

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Update.

Took my trailer to the mechanic to get bearings checked out in prep for the 1000 mile trip to Lake Anna. Simple, right?

He called me to say the bearing races were turning in the hubs. Not good right? His supplier did not have replacement parts for the 45 year old trailer and if I wanted him to fix it I had to get the parts. I wound up at a GREAT old time feed/farm, Moore's Supply store in Pontotoc, MS. Literally thousands of dusty shelves of parts and I stood next to an Amish farmer whose cart with 2 horses was tied to the telephone pole out front. Standing at the counter I thought if these folks don't have what I need I'm in for trouble. Yup......trouble. The clerk spent about 20 minutes looking for a mate to my 4 lug hub, no luck. I left with 2 new 5 lug hubs, bearings, wheels/tires and a charge I had hoped to avoid. But the trailer should be ready for the trip, hope the boat is!

Albert

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

I feel ya..I am almost skeered to have my doubla axle "looked over"..
Oh mr Cheapboat, hmm not good, not good..I think you will pay for my vacation to Hawaii"

 

[ezmobee]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Yeah I'm facing the same thing. The bearings on mine are shot. I don't know (or want to know) how to replace them myself so I'm taking it to an RV shop. I can't imagine the bill will be too high as you can get a whole loaded up for like $30 http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200334722_200334722

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Almost everything fit. Bearings & hubs fine, wheels another matter. The five stud pattern OK but the wheel would not fit back to meet the face of the hub. Another 70 mile round trip to Moore's and another $25. The new wheels are "spoked" though and it will ride a couple inches higher. As I was pulling it out of the mechanic's bay it occurred to me, now I need to get another new wheel for my spare..............

Albert

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Trailer update. While under there I discovered the spring bushings are shot. Did a search on Iboats in trailer section and found enough info to proceed. NAPA, Iboats, and Moore's Feed service did not have any (another 70 miles) and after 2 hours googling finally found some in Quakertown, PA. If you have an older trailer good luck finding exact fit black rubber bushings. If you need my source pm me.

About to post pics of my pink bow flotation Starcraft (of the intergalactic kind).

Albert

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Getting close to splashing. Installed my pink Starship in the bow this weekend.

My OCD cut in and I had to get all the screws symmetrical and measured. Took me about 2 hours with pop rivets not setting in the brackets, cramps from cramped quarters etc. But it was worth it (I think).

Stopped to assess my progress and discovered all that is left is to mount my seats and figure out how I plan to switch my gauge lights.

Then install the trailer bushings and head for the lake.

Albert

 

[HopeSheFloats]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Starcraftsmanship honor's go to....the envelope please.........

Albert the bananaboater

LOL it's wild looking for sure....nice work!!!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Looks like some great work bananaboater...I can feel the excitement in your post as the Jet is almost ready to hit the water.

I have been in my own personal "45+ year-old trailer bearing hell" this past week myself. Trailers...the necessary evil

Good luck with the splash

 

[wrfalpacas]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Nice sculpting work!

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Forward seats are in. 75 degrees, no wind, sunny. Should be wind in my hair with splash from the wake. SOOOOON. The color combination is coming out great.

The rubber bushings I ordered for the trailer are taking forever to arrive. Due Apr. 14.

The end is in sight, see you at Lake Anna.

 

[lakelover]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Looking good, you've really made great progress! I like your color scheme.

 

[bananaboater]

Re: First time old boat owner ?s

Well I tried to resize/save/replace orig. of the photobucket images in an edit but not sure if they took when posted to Iboats. If still screwed up let me know.

Albert