Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

[eric80233]

Yea, another one.

I bought this cheap, and I know why now. I have to replace all the wood in the boat, including the small pieces that rim the hull (to screw the top to the hull). Anyway, here are my questions:

I've done some looking at the forums for recommendations for the weight of the cloth for the transom, but I couldn't find any. I found out that the transom had been replaced (VERY poorly), so I don't know if I can just use the same, which is 12oz. (.020" thickness). Some help here would be appreciated.

Same question for the stringers. I measured it and the cloth seems to be 100 mils, which is really thick. It looks like one layer, but, again, I don't know what to use here.

Got some pics, which I'll put on now.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Welcome to the iBoats Dry Dock!

Nice project you got there. I recommend MDO plywood or AC Fir Ext. Grade. You can use Marine grade but it is expensive. I have posted some drawings on how I recommend building stringers, transoms, and decks. They are based on using AC Fir Ext. Grade plywood. I would think for a boat your size that for starters 5 gals of resin 10 yards of 1.5oz CSM mat and 10 yds of 1708 Biaxial Cloth should be just about right. Check with your local body shops or marine shops to see if there are local suppliers. If not this is a good online source www.uscomposites.com. Make SURE to wear ALL protective gear i.e. goggles, Respirator (not a dust mask), gloves, Tyvek Suit (Baby Powder helps keep the itchin down).
41/2" grinder with back up pad and 34 grit sanding discs, circular saw, recip saw, pry bar chisels All tools of the trade. No dumb questions, we've all been there.

Welcome Aboard

(click the pics to enlarge, click again for bigger)

 

[Kotte]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Welcome to iBoats. I can't give you alot of advice for your project. I myself just started restoring my boat. I just can give you one good tip, don't cut through your hull. Please don't ask how I know that. Lol
Again welcome and good luck.
Kotte

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Looks like you're already off to a good start by popping the cap. Welcome to the forum.

 

[eric80233]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Thanks for all the help. An update (and I need to post some more pictures on here as soon as I get them off the camera...):

I went ahead and go the 3/4" ACX for the transom (geez that stuff is heavy -- tore a muscle getting it out of the truck). Been doing a lot of reading lately on the forum, and one suggestion is to use the 1708 on the hull side and interior of the transom, and use peanut butter between the two layers of ACX. I assume that's good advice? I'm grinding down all the inner surfaces to get what I guess is the poly resin off of the hull. I assume I want to get ALL the glass/resin off that area for two reasons: first to make a reasonable surface on the hull and keel to avoid creating voids, and secondly to make sure any fabric/resin that's even remotely loose is gone before I put epoxy on it. Good assumptions?

I'm really not too concerned about building the transom; it's a lot of work time-wise, but fairly straight-forward. I am concerned about the stringers, but I haven't carved them out of the boat yet. I've been thinking about using 5/4 pressure treated decking material, but I'm worried about warping and the moisture content. I haven't talked to the lumber yard about a doug fir substitute. For sure, I'll be hunting up your posts on the stringers.

More to come!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Eric,

My preivious post, gave you the information on how to build your stringers, transom, and deck. I would recommend 1/2" or 5/8" for your deck just for weight issues. Check out the drawings, they show you exactly what to do. You are correct about the reasons for grinding the old glass. It needs to be done to ensure proper adhesion for the new glass and resin.

 

[eric80233]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Sorry about that. It looked like one pic to me. Got it. If I understand the transom schematic color coding, you run peanut butter, CSM/resin, ply, CSM/resin, ply, CSM/resin, the two layers of 1708. The CSM is 1.5oz? In your system, do I tab the inner CSM layers to the hull, or cut to fit the transom?

I'm using 1/2" for the deck -- pulling that out is how I found the transom problem. On your stringer schematic, how do you butt splice the ply pieces and keep it straight to make it long enough?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Transom - Fit the 1.5 oz CSM to the Plywood no need to tab. Make SURE to wrap the edges of the ply with the CSM and PRE Coat the edges with resin. Before installing drill some 1/2" holes in the transom to relieve air pockets. The PB will fill the holes when you clamp it home. Use PLENTY of PB.

Stingers - Allow for a minimum of 18" olverlap when making lengths (See drawing below)

(click the pic to enlarge)

 

[eric80233]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Sweet! One last question (I think) -- I assume that I treat the ply with epoxy and let dry before I start glassing it into the boat?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

NOT epoxy, unless that's what you WANT to use. It is MUCH more expensive. Laminating Polyester Resin would be my choice. Yes, precoat the wood first and then coat it again and while it is wet apply the CSM and wet it out, again making sure to wrap the edges.

 

[eric80233]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

It's finally sunny enough here to work on the transom. I'm using my 4 1/2 grinder/sander. Is the transom skin plywood with gel coat over it? It looks like there was a layer of CSM over something that appears to be plywood. I don't want to create any (more) holes in the transom than I already have....

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Look at my drawing. The outer skin of your transom is about 1/4" thick fiberglass.
Then you should have about 1 1/2 inches of plywood and csm mat. Get rid of ALL the wood and mat but LEAVE the 1/4" outside skin.

 

[eric80233]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

I'm getting ready to put the transom into the hull today, if the weather holds out. One question: how do I apply the PB to the transom? I read somewhere to use a regular 1/4" notched trowel, like I use for tiling floors. I'm just afraid of applying too much and make the transom too thick.

Oh yea, and a second question -- as I was researching this question this morning, I found another of your posts (and thanks for all the advice you give everybody) that mentioned not using CSM between the transom layers. In your schematic, you showed CSM and resin between them. I've coated the transom pieces with poly resin. I'm using epoxy for all the glass work, so I don't know why i'd need to use the CSM?

Thanks.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Why are you switching from Poly to Epoxy??

The Entire Transom should be coated with resin and then layered with 1.5oz CSM mat and wrap the edges too just like the drawing shows. You can do this OUTSIDE the Boat. Once it is dry you then install the transom. Don't worry about applying to much PB. I'd suggest drilling some 1/2 inch holes in the transom to act as air relief holes during clamping the excess resin will squeeze into the holes and fill them. It will also squeeze out along the edges and the bottom. You should have a large plastic spoon on hand to fillet the resin around the edges when it does. Have you figured out how you are going to clamp it all in place??

 

[eric80233]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

I have. I've put the 1/2" holes in for the motor brackets which I'll use as pins to locate the two halves together. Then I'm using 2x4s top and bottom with C-clamps to hold it all together. should be plenty of pressure by the time I'm through with all the clamps.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

Why are you switching from Poly to Epoxy??

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

If I understand you correctly, you do NOT have the Two pieces of Plywood for your transom glued together? If not why not? You should coat the two mating surfaces with resin, lay a layer of 1.5oz mat and then stick em together. When they're dry coat the rest of it with resin and cover it all with mat and resin. It wil then be ready to install.

 

[eric80233]

Re: Newbie restoring '74 Starcraft Capri 15'

I have the stringers installed (just glued to the hull at this point), and the transom built and almost read to install in the boat. It's taken a lot longer than I thought, but I'm having a blast learning new skills. I need to add some, what I'll call, laterals across the stringers to support the floor. I figured I'd rout out notches in the stringers and lay the laterals in the notches, screw them in, and lastly glass the laterals into the notches. I think I should probably do glass the laterals AFTER I glass the stringers to the hull. Does that make sense?