blazin_jason
Seaman Apprentice
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2012
- Messages
- 47
Have had the itch to get a boat for a few years. With lots of projects always on the go never got around to it. The last year I looked at a couple boats (starcrafts), but nothing worked out. Finally decided to put up a wanted add and got a response for this. It's an '82 SS160 with a 2001 Honda 90HP 4 stroke on an '08 galvanized trailer. Quick back story is the PO had this boat for about 15 years and used it mainly on lakes and a little on the ocean (fishing/tubing/etc). Went through a couple different OB setups and finally stuck with the Honda. Got a bigger boat and this one sat for the last 3 years. Starter solenoid was stuck so he got that replaced and I got to hear it run. After a couple visits I had it hooked up behind my truck happy to have found it. Took it out the next day for a quick leak test/run and it ran pretty well. Noticed a problem with the throttle, so I eventually replaced the cables which took care of that. Moved the battery up front under a seat and cleaned up a little wiring out back. Next time out was just for a few hours on the lake. On the way in the tilt decided to give me troubles until the motor eventually raised. Once home and after a little testing the tilt motor was dead. Couldn't justify almost $600 for a new one from Honda, so luckily API Marine offered to build a new one if I sent them mine. $150 and 3 weeks later I now had a new (crack free housing) tilt motor. However after I first sent it away I decided to change out some broken rivets (about 40). Started to work on the transom and wasn't happy with how much play there was between the panels (now the silicone made sense). So this is what prompted the start of the tear down. I knew I wanted to redo the boat, but I was planning on using it over summer and starting that in the fall. Hopefully it will be ready to go next year when the weather gets nice again. Here are a couple pics from when I first got it home. Then a pic showing the foam, or lack there of. Although it made removal quite fast. Then a current pic. Hopefully going to pick up some materials this week then I can continue taking it apart.
So quick game plan is to:
Either replace topside gunwales or weld/fill unused holes, same with transom
Replace all rivets with stainless machine screws :S (quick count shows around 2000?)
Powder coat the entire hull (hopefully)
New floors/transom/sealed/deck vinyl
Aluminum under deck fuel tank
New rigid foam
New pedestal seats 4 out back, new bow cushions
Gauges/steering wheel and just general clean up
I've tried my best to research any potential problems with the stainless and aluminum. It seems it's only a problem when given the opportunity to corrode. I'm hoping that an epoxy powder primer and the white top coat should isolate any potential issues. That's my hope at least :S
Having not really used the boat like I planned, changes and improvements are going to be done the best I can plan. Just want it to be a clean and reliable fish & fun setup. Here is a quick crude idea of what I am going for. The top won't be used and new shorter height bow rails will be replaced in black, with hopefully black powder coated window frames.
Luckily there are lots of good builds on here and people to help, cause god knows I'll need it!
So quick game plan is to:
Either replace topside gunwales or weld/fill unused holes, same with transom
Replace all rivets with stainless machine screws :S (quick count shows around 2000?)
Powder coat the entire hull (hopefully)
New floors/transom/sealed/deck vinyl
Aluminum under deck fuel tank
New rigid foam
New pedestal seats 4 out back, new bow cushions
Gauges/steering wheel and just general clean up
I've tried my best to research any potential problems with the stainless and aluminum. It seems it's only a problem when given the opportunity to corrode. I'm hoping that an epoxy powder primer and the white top coat should isolate any potential issues. That's my hope at least :S
Having not really used the boat like I planned, changes and improvements are going to be done the best I can plan. Just want it to be a clean and reliable fish & fun setup. Here is a quick crude idea of what I am going for. The top won't be used and new shorter height bow rails will be replaced in black, with hopefully black powder coated window frames.
Luckily there are lots of good builds on here and people to help, cause god knows I'll need it!
In addition, SS is structurally weak...shears very easy and sometimes prematurely. So are you positive that you're getting the right amount of torque for a lifetime seal? If you're dead-set on going this route, consider mil-spec. Lastly, removing 2000+ rivets