'86 Starcraft Resto project...advice wanted

[penny lane]

Hello all!

I have been lurking around this site for a while now reading alot and learning alot from everyone's posts. I have a 1986 Starcraft 191V with a 140 mercruiser and an alpha 1 outdrive. Much to my dismay, and plain ole lack of inspecting when I purchased this boat mid summer, I have found that my transom is more the consistency of wet sawdust than wood...which means for labor day weekend I will begin my restoration project. I plan on fixing the transom first as I will have help that weekend from my uncle. He is an experieced boat mechanic who owns his own business in central Fla. I have never worked with real fiberglass before just the bondo glass crap for cars. I am very good at mechanical and electrical repairs, and fairly good at cutting wood. I plan on replacing the floor over the winter as well as replacing all the wood in the seats, cushions, and anything else thats wood. I plan to use 3/4 plywood for the floor repair and laminating 3/4 and 1/2 ply with glass and resin to repalce the transom. I know how you guys are about pics, and I will post some once I get a chance. My main question is what should I expect when I get into ripping the floor up on my boat? I know that the transom is coming out from the inside, and the motor is getting pulled too as the front motor mount needs repaired. Should I wait to replace the motor after the floor is done or can I fix my transom and motor mount then stick the motor back in and do the floor? I need to know as I am not sure if I have anywhere to put my motor once I pull it if I dont put it back in over the labor day weekend.

I know that was long winded and random but I have soo many questions and alot of work ahead of me.
Thanks in advance!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '86 Starcraft Resto project...advice wanted

Welcome to iboats. If you have soft spots on the floor then I assume you will find much more wet, stinky, horror underneath when you rip it out. I haven't seen too many glass boat restores where it was possible or advisable to not continue on and replace the stringers as well. Personally I like the look of those '80s fiberglass Starcrafts and the Merc 140 is a rock solid powerplant with ample parts support so I think it's worth the effort to restore her. Good luck with your project.

 

[penny lane]

Re: '86 Starcraft Resto project...advice wanted

Well I have started to tear into my project, I have removed the rear jump seats, dog house, and the outdrive from the boat so far. I have the motor ready for removal and hopefully will start removing carpet soon as well. The hardest thing is going to be removing the cap as the cap and instruments/bow seat frames are all cast together...porlly 400-500 pounds total. As I expected the floors appear to be completely water-logged, and most likely the wonderful foam underneath too. Looks like I have myself a whole winter project lined up, but hopefully when I am done I will have a like new boat...of course I will still need to paint and upholster the boat down the line but fixing the floor/transom/stringers is obviously a higher priority project. The good news is the engine and outdrive are in very good condition, with the engine maybe needing a fuel pump in the spring, and of course, an oil change while the motor is out of the boat. Oh, and I promise pics will be forthcoming, just a matter of remembering the camera when I go out to start working on the boat!
I look forward to everyone's advice and insight! Thanks!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '86 Starcraft Resto project...advice wanted

Sounds like you're on the right track. If you like the boat and since it has a good powerplant then it's well worth the effort to restore it.

 

[penny lane]

Re: '86 Starcraft Resto project...advice wanted

Well time for a little update on my progress.
I have removed all the fixtures from the deck of the boat, removed all the control cables, wires, and hoses for the fuel tank, and ripped up all the carpet. I then began removing the deck, with a shovel I might add. I have found that in addition to the stringers running bow to stern there are cross members running side to side from the hull to the stringers, and between these cross members is tons of foam!! I will be removing the engine tomorrow along with the gimbal assembly then begin cutting the transom out. I am most likely going to have to pull the cap on the boat as well, but since I have already removed the wire harness it shouldnt be much more than removing the rub rail and drilling out about 150 rivets I have decided to also go back with 3/4 ply for the deck as the original floor was 7/16 to the best of my guessing since it was all water logged and rotten. I will glass it completely then coat it with a rubberized marine floor coating. But the transom comes out this weekend first, and hopefully then new transom goes back in this weekend too. I have 3 days straight and help lined up for all 3 days so I shall see if the transom gets done. Hopefully I can even get all the foam out and start digging into stringer replacement some this weekend. If not I have all winter Well I will update everyone again the first of the week, and maybe have some pics to upload...I didnt see the point of posting pics of waterlogger wood rot as we all have seen that on here before.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: '86 Starcraft Resto project...advice wanted

Seems you got this project pretty well under control I used 3/4" ply for the floor in my boat and I am very happy with it. No flex at all so it feels really solid. The projects by lowkey and chrishayes are pretty great stringer glassin' tutorials.

 

[penny lane]

Re: '86 Starcraft Resto project...advice wanted

Its time for an update

Started Friday morning and removed the engine, gimbal assembly, transom, and stringers, and some foam. Much to my surprise the foam is bone dry , so no major foam removal, just removed it around the stringers to allow for replacement. After the transom was out, which mainly involved a shovel once the thin layer of glass was removed, the entire glass skin was sanded and coated in resin, as was the surrounding areas to prep with installation of the new transom.
Saturday involved a trip to home desperate first off to purchase the new wood, 3 sheets of sanded exterior 3/4 ply, 1 sheet of unfinished exterior 3/4 ply, and 3 1x8x12 pieces of white wood for the stringers. Then I cut the transom out and laminated it to the inside of the fiberglass skin with laminating epoxy. Then the second part of the transom went in with more laminating epoxy, secured with with 25 stainless steel screws. After everything was cured I soaked everything with polyester resin. I also fixed the crack on the outside of the transom where the lower out drive mounting holes are. The crack ran from the holes to the drain plug. I ground the cracks down and layered several layers of mat back on the outside. I also added about 2/3 inch of glass to the inside of the hull and transom below the plywood where the drain hole used to be. I will be replacing the drain tube and rubber plus with one of the flange drains with the pipe plug.
Sunday involved glassing the transom in with about 3/8 inch of glass over the whole transom which got me back to the 2 inch thickness required by mer cruiser for the out drive. Then I put the new stringers in and only had to do some mild trimming to the wood and notching it at the transom. After that I got them part way glassed into the hull before running out of fiberglass mat.

So for now the glassing is done until I get more bulk glass mat and some finishing cloth for the floor. In the mean time I will rewire the entire instrument panel, prep the floor area for the new floor, and maybe paint some of the area previously covered in carpet as when I'm done there will be NO carpet in my boat. IMO carpet = water retention = wood rot! I might even get around to repairing some of my broken seats and the backers for the jump seats in the rear. I plan on adding a few items while I have everything apart. First off I am adding a 2 battery switch and a second battery. I also want to add some interior lighting to the boat. I will also be refinishing the teak wood for the swim platform and other associated teak items.
Now I have 2 questions.
1. Has anyone replaced the incandescent bow and stern lights with the LED lights? I love the low power draw and brightness of LEDs and would love to use them on the boat. I have seen the marine LED fixtures but not heard anyone using them.
2. I would like to know if there is anything else I may have overlooked. I know I have a lot of plans in my head but I want someone else to mention some things as I sometimes forget stuff.

Thats about all for now, and more updates will come soon. Thanks!