new deck & stringers, man this sucks

[medalist1901]

So, I am new to iboats, and I just bought a 1988 Starcraft Medalist 1901. i payed $500.00 the boat is in need of some work. The hull and outdrive is in great shape. But, the deck and the foam, and i think the stringers are bad. This is my first boat, so, i kinda fell in love with her.. The only problem is i dont know much about reparing them. i am a auto machanic and good with my hands. I just need a little help on putting the new stringers in?? First, are stringer the 3 boards that go from the front of the boat to the rear, I think they might be but i wanted to make sure. the problem with putting them in is i dont know if I need to take the top of the boat off to put them in. once I put them in, do I have to put a resin or fiberglass on them?? Then the deck, does that get screwed down?? then coverd with resin or fiberglassThe boat is an open bow. Another thing is how do I tell if the transom is bad?? Basicaly, I have no clue on how to repair this, but I want to learn. I just hope when the wife finds out it needs this I can still keep the boat, but, I can always get re-married.. LOL

 

[oops!]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

this place is like boat university.....you can learn it all right here.
but ...before the tutorials.....

its big job.....approx 200 hrs and $1000.

we do it for the fun of it....or we, like you, fell in love with our boats.

read jason j's skanky beast in the compleated projects forum...it is a start to finish tutorial.....actually ....read the whole compleated projects forum.


also the hull extension thread is very detailed......if you can afford the time...i highly suggest reading the whole thing....there is really great discussion and details on a total re fit....stringers...transom....deck....glassing ...everything

any thing else...post here and we can walk you right thru it....

cheers
oops

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

thanks oops! ill check it out now. i just hope i can get this all done in about 6-7 mts.

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

wow!! that did help me understand a lot. it dont look to much of a job...LOL But, im not afraid of it now, it looks kinda simple. I do have a few more questions about putting in the new stringer, do I glass them to the hull of the boat ant seal them from any water?? my boat is an bowrider so I am going to have to pull the top off to get the stringers up to the bow. One thing I an having an issue with, all of the ones I looked at where all outbord boats I have a 4.3l V6.. Does anybody have any links to a resto, with a inbord bowrider, with pic's. If so, that would be great.. OH!!!! i almosst forgot... DoI need to make any measurements on anything before I start the demo, and how does the top of the boat come off, take the stip off, drill the rivets or take out the screws... is there any kind off glue or anything I am going to have to deal with??? Thanks Guys you ave been a great help ever since I bought this boat!!

 

[oops!]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

ok....thats lots of questions ......


first of all....all boats...od or i/o are just about the same...once the cap is off you cant tell if its an open bow or closed.


the only difference between an ob and a i/o is the transom shape...(splash well cut out) and the motor cage.

you can follow the hull ext thread...its very simelar and will take you right thru it...its an i/o.

yup the cap comes off just like you said....there might be some silicone stuff between the joint....but thats minor....you just get an utility blade in there and it cuts it pretty good.

there are a few things we gotta go over before you start cutting or ripping the cap off......

first ya gotta be sure the strings are bad and the foams weyt before ya rip it....

search core sample....both foam and transom.

take lots of samples first....and then youll know what you have to do.

isecond....you might just get away with doing the mid deck before the bow floor.....that means the cap might not have to come off.

cut the floor out first....then see how far the rot or wet goes foward before you commit to the cap coming off.

as far as the strings.......they are supported off the hull with shims...( not wood...less than 1/4 inch) and bedded in peanut butter....then....glassed in.

the deck is screwed down and then tabbed and finally glassed...the hull ext thread coveres it totally....its a big read...but well worth it for you.

as far as the transom....the core samples will tell you.....and if your doin strings around the motor cage....the motor has to come out !.

hope that answeres some stuff....but the hull thread will have it all...there is an index at the start....but id suggest to read all of it....the info and discussion is fantastic...

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

Starcrafts are not glassed at the seams (at least they weren't in the 1970s). The topsides and hull are joined by a bead of sealant in the shoe-box lip, with screws, spaced about every 8-10 inches, running through into a backer strip. Check my Share-A-Project links below for some inside skinny on Starcraft rebuilds. The Medalist series uses much the same hull as my American series - once you pull the topsides you'll be looking at pretty much the same stuff I have in my links. Mine are outboards, but the basic construction is similar. You'll be using beefier materials to mount the motor, etc. into the stringers. At the very least, it should show you that it is not an insurmountable task to rebuild and the results are well worth the effort!
- Scott

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

Yeah, the floor the foam the stringers, they are all bad, I got the floor out now. the engine cage is the only thing that scares me I guess ill have too make a new one to. I read some of that thread, ill go back and read the whole thing again. By any chance do you know how heavy the top is?? Thanks for your input

 

[oops!]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

scott has some fantastic stuff on his links.....you do well to read all of them thru....

the cap with open bow area is around 200 lbs. some guys build a crane, others by beer for there buddies, some use the rafters.

dont let the motor cage scare you....its just another series of stringers.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

hey medalist, not trying to rain on your parade or anything but check the transom while your at it. usually, not always, usually the transom is bad as well the stringers and foam. keep us informed on your build. i think you will enjoy it.

 

[jcsftwre]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

When you have a chance get some photos up so we all can help you do this.
Photobucket is a good place to keep your photos once you open a free account. Then you can copy the address of the photo into your message. PM me and I can send you a step by step how to do that.
Rick (JCSFTWRE)

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

hold on oops!!! that was your boat you did that too??? man, thats a HUGE build!!! im only on page 14, and there is like 52 total... i just now got to the point where your glassing in the stringers.. looks great so far. Do you still have the boat?? What a pro!!!

jcsfwre, ill get the wife to do that for me tonight, im not that good with the computer, like she is. She said she will do it for me. I got some pics when i bought it, all the way up to where im at today..

tallcanadian, yeah, Im going too check into that transom some more, the boat is 20 years old, and sat outside for at least the past 4-5 of them. So, if im in there ill just fix it all, so I dont have to do it all over again.

One more question. When I get all the rott and the foam out of the boat, can i stand on the fiberglass?? or do I need to make some kind of bridge??? (I dont want to crack or break anything)

Thanks guys (pro's)!! Ill get them pic's up in a few, its back to the garage for me!

 

[jcsftwre]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

I laid a piece old plywood on the bottom of my boat to spread the weight as much as I could. Even then I walked and sat very lightly. the more you spread the weight out the better, I think it can crack if you put all the weight directly on one spot. More important if you happen to be a well nourished man that is dimensionally enhanced.

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

lol, no about 5/10 200lb

im still fight the rest of the carpet. man they got this stuff on there good!!

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

Sorry, I cant get the pictures up till sunday afternoon, I was thinking about going out and price shopping for the fiberglass and resin, and the wood. Does anybody know what ill need to be looking for and around how much of each (glass, resin, and whatever else I need) Any help on this would be great. Can I get this stuff from Home Depot, or Lowe's Hardware?? Thanks again

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

i'm 6'5 and 265 lbs. i stood in my boat when it was bare. mind you it was still on the trailer. it was well supported. it is stronger than one would expect.

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

oh, yeah that was another question, can I do all this with the boat on its tralier, its a bunk trailer??

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

ok. I got the pic's now I have to figure out how to get them into a reply

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

well, I cant figure out how to put the pic's on here from potobucket

 

[oops!]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

up load to photo bucket.....change the default size settings to 640 x 480....you can also resize the individual pics.....

once they are resized....cust copy the img tag.....and paste it into the responce.

really easy......

and you thats my boat....i am still working on it....i decided to do some different things to it that took the build longer than i wanted....its coming up on a year right now.....and its still not done....im looking for another shop right now to finish the build........

ill let you catch up on it.....right now there is a fantastic dusscision on motors in the thread.....and we are exploring the possiblity of a turbo charger.

 

[medalist1901]

Re: new deck & stringers, man this sucks

-1.jpg[/IMG]