Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

[Bondo]

Hey Guys,..... I Kinda forgot about this,...........<br /><br />

<br /><br /><br />I haven't attempted the Repair yet,.....<br />But,.... A Good Friend who's a Welder Everyday,+ I have come up with a Reasonable sounding Plan to Fix it................ <br /><br />I'm going to open up the insides, pulling the side panels out to gain access to the Inside of this Chine,..<br /> <br />The ONLY Chines on a Starcraft hull that Aren't Rivited On,+ Wet on Both sides,.....<br /><br />Then, after I Clean the area with abrasives,.... I'll lay a 3/8th" round aluminum Rod down along the Inside Radis of the Chine,.......<br />Danny will then Stitch it up the Outside of the Chine,... <br />Making Sure that he Burns Into the Rod that I'm Holding in place,..................<br /><br />I Think it'll Work............... <br /><br />Then I'll Sell the boat,+ Recommission My Old Town Atlantis.............. <br />I've Already unloaded the Other Starcraft I had............

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

Hi Bondo,<br /> The 16-foot Super Sport I had several years ago split in the same area. I don't think it's an uncommon issue.<br /> I ended up having a patch bent to shape and riveted into place on the inside of the crack. Lasted me two more seasons before I moved on to a glass hull...<br /><br />- Scott

 

[KilroyJC]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

I wish I had known this BEFORE I redid the floor & poured foam...

 

[Laddies]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

We have bent patchs about like a 1" angle iron out af sheet aluminam and TIGed to the outside, that saves taking the floor out, just keep the floor wet on the inside, never had a problem fixing them that way

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

My 1979 rebuild is going on it's 5th year since rebuild, and I never done anything to the splash rails....200 on the rear, abusing everything fwd of it (18ft)...I don't have any cracks..???<br />What do ya reckon the reason is??? That some are cracking that is...

 

[lark2004]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

I think it was bondo who had this problem too, he something about the way the factoty trimmed something inside the hull scored the inside of that bend, creating a weak point that the alloy snapped/cracked along.<br /><br />His boat sunk.

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

Welding Aluminum compared to welding steel is like comparing NASCAR vehicles to GM cars. Aluminum does not tolerate over or under heating. It can PINHOLE from a good welders best efforts. PINHOLES do lead to fractures if the seam is trying to be flexed. It can crystalize from a too sharp press bend or if squeezed too tightly in a forming press. It could easily set up a fracture line if scored as stated. -------It is a very touchy metal for careless people to work on in a modern plant.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

Originally posted by lark2004:<br /> I think it was bondo who had this problem too, he something about the way the factoty trimmed something inside the hull scored the inside of that bend, creating a weak point that the alloy snapped/cracked along.<br /><br />His boat sunk.

<br />You're absolutely Right Lark,........<br />Here's a C&P of the post I did on JasonJ's thread,........<br />

Originally posted by Bondo:<br /> Hi Jason,....<br /><br />I caution you to Not buy a Starcraft..........<br /><br /><br />I, just this summer I sold a mid-80s Starcraft 180SS for $100.00,....... I got it 3 years ago for Nothing,....<br />It had a 55hp Johnrude Electric Shift on it,.... I sold him the motor for $500.00,...... It had No Spark,.... after some repair estimates$$$,... He brought it back,+ I refunded his coins...(Now a Parts motor if anybody needs anything)......<br />I picked it up for My Lovely's son,... He showed No Interest,..... I was ready to Scrap it for the Aluminum,+ this guy wanted it,.. So it's Gone.......<br /><br />The boat you see to the left is My Primary Ride,.... It Sunk,.. a few weeks ago,......<br />I Found the Fatal Design Flaw in the Starcraft Aluminum Hulls,..... Every 1 of them that have been built since the Early 60s............<br />A friend has told me about this since I bought the boat 6 or 7 years ago,... I was in denial,.... But He was Right,.......<br /><br />The outside corner chines, are the side-panel of the hull,... The side-panel is bent Out at nearly 90*,+ then bent In at nearly 180*,.. Then it joins the Bottom-panel of the hull a few inches in from the chine,.......<br />Then the Clincher is,.... When the Natalex is lain on the inside,.. They Trim it off at the bottom, which is on the inside of the 180* bend,... With a Utility Knife,....... It Scores the Aluminum,...... At about .045 thick,.. it took 32 years for Mine to Snap on that Score ,.. I was Lucky,+ Reasonably near shore when the primary bilgepump Quit.........<br /><br />The local marina up on the St Lawrence River has sold Thousands of these hulls since the beginning,... They tell me they've also Repair countless Hundreds of them over the years.........<br /><br />If they'd have just moved the Seam to the chine,.. Instead of the Flat area,.... It would have Never been an Issue............<br /><br />You live in the Northwest,.... That's where All the Really Great Aluminum hulls are built,..........<br /><br />No matter the Price,.........<br />Don't buy an Old Starcraft............

I Still see it as a Design Flaw,+ Will Never own another Starcraft,.... After this 1 is Sold..........................

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

Bondo, I find this very interesting...I've totally refurbed 2 18SS starcrafts, a 1975 and my current 1979. My buddy has the 1975 with an 85 johnson, mine has a 200 Rude.<br />Yesterday I went and inspected both hulls and the splash rail...neither has cracked.<br />I have another friend with a 17ft'r and I went and looked it over today, again, no cracks and it's a 1973, I believe.<br />I deal with a starcraft dealer in south-central Nebraska, who has became a friend over the years as I have bought quite a few replacement parts through him. We do a bit of hunting together, so I felt comfortable calling him this eve.<br />In 24 years of selling starcraft boats, he says he hasn't seen this. the only problem he recalls is the single transom gusset breaking in half in many boats that had max power installed.<br />I don't know...Maybe hes not being perfectly straight with me...who knows. But I have 2 pre-80's 18ft Super sports and have not had an issue...I would think with mine being rated for 150 and having a 200 on it, these thing would show up....I have no cracks..???

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

It took Bondo's Starcraft 30 years to crack at the bend, so I'm sure not all with that design are broken - yet. A lot may have to do with how the boat is used and where. Bondo's boat is a Laker - used on Lake Ontario - BIG water. Last I looked there's not much big water in Kansas. My SS16 was also used on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. I used to work at the marina Bondo referred to in his post and we did see a few of them like that. Having a 200 on your boat isn't really stressing the bend in question. If you went out and pounded the heck out of it for 10-20 years, it may show up. <br /> Also, keep in mind that the scoring that leads to the cracking is done by hand. If Burly Bob does this job at the Starcraft factory, then he may be scoring it a little deeper than Thelma Lou who works the next assembly line over. Lots of variables here... It may not ever show up on many hulls - you really never know....<br />- Scott

 

[Bondo]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

You're Right Scott,.........Great Points about the Manufacturing process.......<br /><br />I Can't Deny it,..... I Beat the Living He11 out My hull,........<br /><br />That Flat bottomed Tin Hull just won't make good time in the swells without Pounding.......<br /><br />With any Luck at All,..........<br />This 1 will be For Sale on the front lawn by Spring.............<br />

"My memory is muddy, What's this river that I'm in?<br />New Orleans is sinking, man, and I don't wanna swim."<br />- The Tragically Hip

I've Always Love the Hip,... Great local band from just accross the Creek,............. <br />Did you add the line Before, or After the Hurricane,..???..................

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Starcraft's Fatal Design Flaw,..???...

BIG water. Last I looked there's not much big water in Kansas.

With all due respect, we are flatter than anything you have seen....the winds of Chicago are nothing but a Breeze to us here.<br />We have quite a few lakes nearing 20, some 30 miles in length and as wide as 8 miles....a 20 mph wind will create 6-8ft swells in no time. 30-50mph winds are every few days occurance in the western parts...<br />I see worse water conditions here than when guiding on Texoma-the largest man-made lake in the U.S. at 90,000 acres.<br />Kansas has lakes that will surprise most that have never been here, and in the western half, the best bassboats made aren't enough to handle the winds that prevail here. I laugh when I see tourneys on TV that show them in what they consider "Rough" water....That's what we call normal on the flattest plains of the U.S.<br />I hope my boat never cracks, but now you have me wondering how long it will last..... <br />Maybe this would be a good excuse to buy the new rig I'd like to have....