restoring a 57' aluminum boat

[hnkogan]

Hello!
I hve just bought a 57' aluminum boat (feathercraft).
The boat is in an exellent condition for it age.
It does need a number of things, though:

1. Needs two wooden plates for the back (I do not know their correct names in boating lingo! Please teach me!).
One piece of wood goes inside the boat and is cut according to the exact pattern of the boat's back. What material is acceptable/good for this? Is the marine plywood good enough? Someone suggested that only a solid mahagony board would do. I need a piece 12.5"x54" for this. There are no boards this wide around here. Should I use marine plywood or compose the back from two pieces?
The other piece is an outside mounting plate for the motor. I know it has to be solid wood board. What wood is acceptable (besides mahagony?)

2. It needs new floor. Can I use a regular exterior plywood? What finish should I use? How many coats? (suppose I am not putting carpeting).

3. The boat appears to have been originally painted inside and out. I do not care for paint. I would want it just polished. How do I stripe the pait off aluminum?

4. It has no seat cusions. I would want some. What are they made of? Any foam is ok? Or some restrictions? What do I cover them with? There are some old snaps to attach cusions. Where do I get those?

Thank you all very, very much in advance for your help!
Hana

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Welcome to iboats......

Paint removal can be done with chemical strippers and is very tedious work.

The floor is called the deck.

Lets identify what you need and you should post a few pictures of the boat.

Boating is not a cheap $$ pasttime but doing all your own work does help.

 

[hnkogan]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Thank you very much for a very informative video.
I am attaching the link for pictures:
http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/t...otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

As you can see, the transom is gone. I will have to replace both the inner and the outer boards. I do not know if the inside transom wood has to be one piece; I assume the outer one has to be, but this is not a problem, it is much smaller.

The deck needs replacement. Do I have tyo use the marine plywood or is the good quality (what is good enough?) exterior plywood OK? What waterproof finish should I use? Also, I would rather not use the carpeting, but I am not sure it is a good idea to leave the finished plywood exposed. Is it a good option to laminate the fiberglass mat? If yes, only top, or also underside?

The gunwale is a very nice textured aluminum, but the inside and the outside of the hull have been painted ugly green/blue. I would prefer to strip the paint and polish the while thing uotside and spray paint the inside something neutral (silver?). I am wary of stripping some protective coating off the hull. The paint appers to be really sucked in into the metal..

Thank you very much!
Please help with any suggestions/advice/ criticism.
Hana

 

[kfa4303]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Hi hn. Cool toy. Aluminum boats are great because they're so easy to work on using every day tools and materials. There are really only a few rules; 1.) Never use Pressure treated wood on an aluminum boat as the preservatives used in it will cause galvanic pitting in your hull. Instead, use high quality, non-PT, exterior grade plywood. (Aruaco is a popular brand available at most Lowes/HD, but there are many others.) Marine grade plywood is nice, but it isn't necessary and it can be a little hard to find and pricey too. 2.) Regardless of the type of non-PT plywood you choose, you'll need to seal it. There are several different ways to go. The best is probably to use spreadable 2-part epoxy. You can also use fiberglass mat and resin. Both of these methods are great, but the materials are also a little pricey and you may have to order the materials. However, West Marine carries epoxy if you happen to have one near by. A third option is to use several coats of Spar Urethane on all your wood surfaces. It's not quite as good as the other two methods, but if done properly, you should get many seasons of use out of it and it can be had at any Lowes/HD hardware store. 3.)Use Stainless Steel hardware and/or aluminum pop rivets throughout to mount the coated wood to the hull. It's best if you can also dip the hardware in 3M 5200 marine sealant prior to installation. You can get a tube at most Lowes/HD for about $7. 4.)As a far as painting aluminum, strip/sand the old, loose paint and prime using aerosol Zinc Chromate Self-Etching Primer. You can usually get it at auto stores or Lowes/HD too. Apply several light coats, especially to any bare aluminum, then paint using the brand of your choice. Do a search here in the forums for a variety of brands and methods. Of course, if you have OCD you can sand/strip the entire hull and polish it to a mirror finish like an airstream trailer using very fine grit sandpaper and aluminum mag wheel polish, but it takes A LOT of work. That's really about it. 1.) No PT lumber, 2.) Seal using either epoxy, f'glass and mat, or Spar Urethane/exterior grade paint. 3.)Stainless hardware, 4.) Use ZC self-etching primer, then paint.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[hnkogan]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Thank you very much!
I assume the interior pain has to be removed before priming, it is too old, although I do not see any flaking.
1. What paint remover to use? (I do not know what paint they used and what is safe for aluminum).
2. No, I do not have an OCD,but I do aim to get rid of exterior paintwork and polish it. It will probably take a year or two. What do I use to remove the paint from hull exterior?
3. So what wood do I use for the transom? Could it be composed from the two boards? (inside)?
4. The existing floor (that they removed) consists of 3 pairs of boards, the center drain channel remains uncovered by the floor. I would like to have it covered. Is it ok? Or does it have to be left open?
Thank you!
Hana

 

[andgott]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Please STOP what you are doing before you do something you are going to regret!

You have a classic boat there- And she is in great shape in a lot of ways. First, The hull exterior and interior are NOT painted. The blue is actually anodized aluminum... Unfortunately, there is no way to really repair or replace it. For the interior, I'd leave it alone- It's not perfect, but it looks good enough. You can clean it up a bit, but don't get to aggressive with polish, or it will come off.

You are going to want to get in touch with the feather craft owners association. People there will be able to provide you with all sorts of information on how to restore her right- Here are a few links for you-

http://www.feathercraftboats.com/

http://www.feathercraft.net/

I don't know where you are located, but there will be a big gathering of feathercraft boats near Knoxville, TN in a few weeks (I think it's may 18th & 19th). We went last year, there were something like 30 boats... Great show.

-Andrew


The exterior would look great if given a good polish, to a mirror finish

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

+1 for what andgott said, really really research things before actually doing anything!!!! Those are very nice, and fairly valuable hulls... don't destroy it!!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

NICE BOAT!

The inside of the transom is what is very important. I would recommend a nice clean transom made from 2 layers of 3/4" exterior plywood glued together and coated with spar varnish........ on the exterior there is a single piece of 3/8" plywood with the same finish as the inside piece.

The true decking used on the older boats was slotted mahogany or teak wood boards.

Now a few questions:

What are you going to use this boat for? Show? Pleasure cruising? Fishing? This would all make a difference on it's finish and materials used.

What are you going to power the boat with?

Where are you going to use the boat? Lake? Bay? Fresh or salt water?

 

[hnkogan]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Thanks, Andrew!
I actually never touch anything untill I am perfectly sure I understand what I am doing.
So the blue is adonized. How then can it be polished outside? If I put sandpaper to it, it will come off. But perhaps it's ok for it to come off if the right polishing agent is used... I would like the answer on this. In principle, I would like to paint the interior, eventually... Can one paint over adonized finish? I wopuld just paint silver metallic. The blue gets on my nerves.
About getting in touch with Feathercraft people, I know both sites for 3 years. I am trying to register and post all these questions to the feathercraft.net; they sent me a broken link and do not answer emails. If you are a member, perhaps you can point this out to them.

I am in tri-state area. The gatherings are just not my thing... Hope you all enjoy it!

Please send further suggestions!
Hana

 

[hnkogan]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Thank you!
1. What glue to use for gluing together the two layers? Also, there is a guy here who has some phillipine mahagony boards, they are 3/4" thick, but only 7" wide. If I am doubling anyhow, can I compose each layer from 2 or 3 pieces, so that seams do not match? I feel the board is better than the plywoodd... Or am I wrong?
2. Where do I get spar varnish? (never heard the name).

3. No show. I want to use it for skiing and trips. Where we live, it is mostly easily accessible freshwater, however, we go to Cape Cod every year for 4-5 days, so it will go there with us. It is self understood that upon return it will have to be well rinsed to protect from the saltwater effects.

4. It came with 1961, 18HP Evunrude, which needs a tune-up.

5. I like a nice boat but I would not spend too much money on non-structural improvements. So I guess I would go with exterior grade plywood for the decking. Is 3/8" adequate or should I use 1/2".

Thanks tons!
Hana

 

[kfa4303]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Hello again hn. If you just want a nice fun/fishin' boat you can do all the work yourself. Non-Pt, exterior grade plywood really is best and is quite strong. Some versions even come with nice finished veneers that look pretty good. 3/4" is a good size to use. Two piece laminated together should be thick enough for your transom, but one layer should be thick enough for the floors should you build them. You could even use 1/2" on the floor, but I would stick with 3/4" for the transom. You can glue the two layers together using a construction adhesive such as PL 400. Lay the wood flat and put as much weight on them as you can to ensure tight bonding. Once it cures, you can then coat it in several coats of Spar Urethane (a.k.a. Spar Varnish) which should be available at most big box stores. It's a clear product and will actually bring out the grain in the plywood, but you can also paint the wood instead using a heavy duty exterior grade paint like rustoleum oil based enamel, or porch paint.
Great motor you got there too. The 50s-70s Johnson/Evinrude 18-20 hp motor are arguably one of the best pound-for-pound motors ever made (I'm biased though. I have a '66 20 hp ). Assuming the compression is good on the motor (over 90 psi and both cylinders within 10 % of each other) you can fix everything else for under $150 and you can get virtually all of the parts you may need right here at iboats. Check out the links below and holler if you get stuck.

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/columns/max/index6.htm (use to tune of the motor)

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/v...evinrude-johnson/ITEM_2514/ITEM_251400001.htm (parts catalog with exploded diagrams of entire motor)



http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=1060599

 

[hnkogan]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Thanks so much, Commander,
I am wondering how to check the compression. I started disassembling the engine and got stuck temporarily because the auto store does not have the harmonic puller with the correct bolt diameter. The first link you gave talks about listening to the cylinders, it's a sound advice for experienced, a pity I can not use it! I am wondering how one would measure the compression using some tool. Judging by the outer appearance, this engine did not have so much use..
Thanks again!
Hana

 

[andgott]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

So the blue is adonized. How then can it be polished outside? If I put sandpaper to it, it will come off. But perhaps it's ok for it to come off if the right polishing agent is used... I would like the answer on this. In principle, I would like to paint the interior, eventually... Can one paint over adonized finish? I wopuld just paint silver metallic. The blue gets on my nerves.

It will come off if you polish it, too. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can really be done to salvage it once it's too far gone. I'd leave it as is- Remember that it's only original once. If it bothers you, you CAN paint over it, the prep is really no different than for bare aluminum. But, the 'correct' thing to do would be to remove the color and polish the aluminum.

If you plan on just slapping paint on and using it as a fishing rig (which doesn't sound to be the case!), I'd BEG you not to... You can easily sell that hull for far more than a more 'appropriate' aluminum fishing boat would cost you! I've seen all too many of those beauties destroyed by people trying to make them better for fishing- Decks and seat chopped out, pedestal chairs mounted, etc.

-Andrew

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Being a "Purist" for these old classics, I have to agree with andgott on this one. She is much to original and in much to good of shape to go mucking about with her. It would be such a waste!!! You'll get many more compliments leaving her "Pure" than trying to Pretty her up. Get that motor humming like a Bee and go fishing!!! JMHO!!!

 

[kfa4303]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Hello again hn. To test the compression, you get a compression tester from an auto parts store (see pic). Some places will even let you rent/borrow it for cheap, but you can buy one for about $20-$30. It's basically an air pressure gauge with a small hose attached to it. You use it by removing the spark plugs and threading the hose into one of the spark plug holes. You then pull the motor 6-7 times, or use the electric starter, if you have one. This will cause the pistons to move up and down and give you a compression reading. Repeat the procedure on the second cylinder and compare the figures. Anything over 80-90 psi is pretty good. 120ish psi is even better. Just as importantly is that the two cylinders be within 10% psi of each other. If there is a large imbalance between the two, that usually indicates a larger problem. If you're lucky, it may only be a head gasket, which is fairly cheap ($20) and easy to fix. However, low or mismatched compression may also be indicative of bigger problems.
As far as the harmonic balancer puller, go ahead an get the $20 one from the auto parts store, then go get three (1/4 x 20 x 3") GRADE 8 bolts and washers from Lowes/HD and use them with the puller. The stock bolts that come with the puller are not strong enough to use.

Give these links a look and holler if you have any further questions.



http://video.search.yahoo.com/searc...ion+testing+an+outboard&ei=utf-8&fr=yfp-t-701

 

[hnkogan]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Thanks tons, guys!

1. "But, the 'correct' thing to do would be to remove the color and polish the aluminum"
I do want to polish the outside. If the blue is anodized, then it is not paint and can not be removed. It does come off with polishing. So what is your best advice, to polish or leave as is. I think it is not very nice when it is dull and has water stains.

2. Anyone has any opinion about using a 7" wide boards for the transom?

3. Speaking about purism, I am absolutely hooked up on the old things, it took me 3 years to get this boat; I just could not force myself to buy anything else after having seen these boats. But I must like it aesthetically as well. The dull old aluminum does not look good enough for me, I guess.

4. Any opinions about making the wooden overlays for seats? Hate plastic!

Thanks tons for all the advice!
Hana

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

I'd use the Arauco Plywood Laminated with Titebond III glue and then Stained and Varnished with 3-4 coats of Epiphanes Marine Varnish. Transom and Seats. If you care for it well, they'll last for decades.

 

[andgott]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

1. "But, the 'correct' thing to do would be to remove the color and polish the aluminum"
I do want to polish the outside. If the blue is anodized, then it is not paint and can not be removed. It does come off with polishing. So what is your best advice, to polish or leave as is. I think it is not very nice when it is dull and has water stains.

it CAN be removed, though paint strippers probably won't do it.

There are a number of things that work- Oven cleaner is the old 'classic', however there is also a cleaner called greased lightening that does it as well.

Polishing it will probably remove most of it as well, at least on the outside of the hull, since it's in such bad shape.

 

[Star]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Kogan,
Yes it would look neat all polished. Anadized alum. gives you some resistence to oxidization. It is not going to be easy to get an even polish that isn't spotty. I was planning to paint mine but it cleaned up like a mirror. The old Starcrafts have a very thick skin. It is also a good alum. alloy. I touch it up with rubbing compound on a right angle grinder, NOT A POLISHER!!! with a lambs wool 7' pad. I am afraid that the rivets and seams may end up with blue green halos around them. Another problem is how do you get the transom inside? If you like I can send you some pics of my polished hull. Mostly setup for fishing Good Luck!
Solid 12" board is much stronger than 2 pieces, you want to distribute the load accross the whole back to stiffen the thin alum.

 

[hnkogan]

Re: restoring a 57' aluminum boat

Thanks tons EVERYONE!
1. The Arauco plywood is not available in our tri-state woods.. All lumber yard salespeople discouraged me to their best ability from using the exterior grade plywood. So I am back to using the marine grade 3/4. It costs $80 a sheet + tax, pick your own. Is it reasonable?
2. They have some birch for seats, is it OK tro use if I seal it with some really heavy marine varnish? The marine plywood does look worse than the subfloor...
3. I would love to see the pictures of your rig, Star, but what will help me much more is a prescription on how to do the polishing, step by step and with EXACT CHEMICALS USED. (I think I understand tools. And I happen to have a good grinder).
Hana