Starcraft Superstar 14 seats

[thisusernamevalid]

Hi. I picked up a Superstar 14 yesterday. The original seats had been removed and some 2x10 planks installed. The brackets are still there. I'd like to put it back to original. The problem is at some point the seat supports were removed. You can see where the hull was patched to close up the rivets holes.

I am assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that there was styrofoam under the seats originally? I would like to put some flotation in it.

So, how would I go about replacing them? Anyone know where I can get these parts? They don't have to be exact, this isn't a full on restoration, but the planks have got to go. If need be I can use 1/4" ply with an epoxy finish, but would prefer the aluminum.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: Starcraft Superstar 14 seats

This is a rowboat right? The "C" brackets are still riveted the inside of boat? The support is a piece that hangs from the gunnel to the seat bracket at a 45 degree angle. Is that right?

Post a picture if you can. I have a sea scamp and the seats are hung in the same way. I can post a picture for you once I know exactly what you're talking about. I may be able to make a couple of these for you from scrap in the shop if you can't do it yourself.

Welcome to Starcraft headquarters. All things Starcraft!

 

[thisusernamevalid]

Re: Starcraft Superstar 14 seats

Yes on most accounts, but the angle supports are still there. The support I'm talking about runs from the seat down to the hull on the front and back. It's a piece of aluminum with a ledge fabricated to support the seat across its length. I'll try and take some pics, but since mine are missing I might be further ahead to find a pic of one that hasn't been modified.

Thanks for the offer to make one, but I think once you see what I'm talking about it's not quite as simple. You'd need a break capable of about 4' bends.

Here you go. The part outlined by the red box.



But, now that I look at this pic, I note there are no angle brackets and the gunwales are higher. This must be an earlier or later version. According to the person who posted this it's a 1966 Starcraft Superstar 14. Mine is a Superstar 14, but I don't know the year. I need to do some more research.

 

[thisusernamevalid]

Re: Starcraft Superstar 14 seats

I should probably delete everything and start over! But, so as not to create too much confusion....

Here's a picture of a boat like mine. The gunwales are lower, and the ID plate is located in the correct spot on the transom. In the first pic the ID plate is at the far right in the pic...er...port.

Anyway, it looks like there were metal boxes that probably provided some stiffening for the seats as well as floatation. I need to duplicate them, although I'm thinking wood now. By the time I had them fabricated I could buy a different hull.

 

[Bwana Don]

Re: Starcraft Superstar 14 seats

Those metal boxes only hold the flotation. They offer no support of any kind, they are really thin. They do not touch the floor at all. They also look like a pain to make! I was offering to make the thin straps that come from the gunnel to the middle of the seats on the edges.

What to do. Make them out of thin wood and fill them with foam?

 

[thisusernamevalid]

Re: Starcraft Superstar 14 seats

Those metal boxes only hold the flotation. They offer no support of any kind, they are really thin.
What to do. Make them out of thin wood and fill them with foam?

That's where I'm at, I have a full wood shop. While I agree they don't support the seats, they do stiffen them. The box being screwed to the bottom of the seat helps to remove flex and support a heavier load.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Starcraft Superstar 14 seats

Read thru Jason's Jet thread. He made a kind of similar bench out of epoxy, plywood (don't know how thick) and 2" pink insulation foam.

You could size the bench top to match 'X' # of sheets of 2" sheet laminated together, w/ a small overhanging edge. You could coat 1/4" plywood w/ epoxy and and adhere it to the 2" foam assembly..... Then laminate 2 bench sized pieces of plywood to get the correct thickness of bench top to fit into the support channels still riveted to the hull, my Jet's brackets were sized to fit a plank just over an inch thick by 13" wide. Coat it w/ epoxy and attach it to the foam box w/ the 1/4" ply skins attached.....

Roughly

It may be quicker to PM Jas & he might be able to direct you to the posts dealing w/ the bench fabrication. If you see a pix of a guy's legs in green MC Hammer looking pants, standing on some pink foam sheets, you found the right area of his Jet thread :facepalm:

 

[thisusernamevalid]

Re: Starcraft Superstar 14 seats

Thanks. Once I get into wood as opposed to metal I'm good to go. Been doing cabinetry etc. for a long time.

I think I might skin the rear of the back bench in aluminum though, just to add some protection from the gas tank and battery. I can get a sheet from the local big box home imp store.