'82 Bomber backyard rebuild

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Dude!!! No fiberglassing in an aluminum boat!!! ... epoxy resin is all you need.

Blue Fins are good boats and there's a few restos of them on here.

You can probably figure deck, foam, transom replacement, maybe replacing a few rivets to stop leaks (which is easy), and Gluvit on the inside seams and rivets for future leak prevention.... and this will actually be cheaper and quicker than finishing that f'glass thing sitting in your yard.

Tinnies are a much easier and quicker fix than the itchy stuff.

Here's a link to the Blue Fin forum here on iboats:
Blue Fin Boats

There's a few restorations in there.

That's all I needed to hear, man. Thanks. I'm gonna see if she's still available.

 

[mark1961]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

She probably wont ride as well as the old glasser so your fillings might need attention every now and then ......id swap the 60 for the 70 if it was me.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

If you get it, start a new Blue Fin thread here in the main resto forum and we'll forget all about your first mistake.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

If you get it, start a new Blue Fin thread here in the main resto forum and we'll forget all about your first mistake.

Ha! I just sent the email, but the ad is a couple of weeks old, so somebody may have snagged it already. I really like the lines on these older Lund/Starcraft type tin hulls. I just did a little reading on a couple of other resto sites, and the guys who have aluminum Blue Fins praise their seaworthiness. Fingers crossed.

And I think it may be a "no-brainer" if that old OMC 60 can be made to run for $850.

Just to provide further justification (rationalization?) to myself, I haven't spent a dime on the glasser project yet...just labor.

 

[mark1961]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

And I think it may be a "no-brainer" if that old OMC 60 can be made to run for $850.

It may well be okay but doesnt appear to have power t&t, does the 70?.....you will be happier with the performance of the triple on that rig as well......something to think about.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

It may well be okay but doesnt appear to have power t&t, does the 70?.....you will be happier with the performance of the triple on that rig as well......something to think about.

Unfortunately, my 70 doesn't have it either unless you consider my lower back to be a manual tilt and trim.

So the 60 is a two cylinder?

Still haven't heard back, but I've got the tin boat bug now. One with no trailer or engine would work fine as well if this one's gone.

 

[Bomber Goober]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Somehow I missed this thread through all my searching for Bombers. I sat down and read through the whole thing just to get stabbed in the heart when I read the last page :Cry: I thought I was gonna have a Bomber buddy especially since we were both sitting with freshly ground hulls. I hope you don't give up on her,but either route you go GOOD LUCK!

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Somehow I missed this thread through all my searching for Bombers. I sat down and read through the whole thing just to get stabbed in the heart when I read the last page :Cry: I thought I was gonna have a Bomber buddy especially since we were both sitting with freshly ground hulls. I hope you don't give up on her,but either route you go GOOD LUCK!

Hey, I haven't given up on that boat just yet...but the practical allure of an aluminum hull may just pull me in. I'm also on a very large, usually rough lake, and something with higher freeboard and a deeper v would simply be safer and more useful...I can't even cross the lake in that Bomber on many windy days. It is a cool little fishing boat, but if I can find a cheap tinny I fear it may be landfill material after I strip everything useful off of it. FWIW, I did get four seasons of use out of it.

Best of luck on your Bomber project....lookin' good so far.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Aren't BlueFins from the same 'family' as the Starcrafts & Sylvans....

So, ah, yeah, ya might find a helpful resto thread & some guys to help ya get it squared away, around here somewhere.....

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Aren't BlueFins from the same 'family' as the Starcrafts & Sylvans....

So, ah, yeah, ya might find a helpful resto thread & some guys to help ya get it squared away, around here somewhere.....

Yeah, it looks to be an identical hull to the Starcrafts of that vintage.

 

[mark1961]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Unfortunately, my 70 doesn't have it either unless you consider my lower back to be a manual tilt and trim.

So the 60 is a two cylinder?

Still haven't heard back, but I've got the tin boat bug now. One with no trailer or engine would work fine as well if this one's gone.

Bummer......the 60 is a twin, early to mid 80's vintage......your 70 is an '82.

If the add is still up good chance its still available......

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Well, I think somebody may have moved on that Blue Fin before me. No response from the seller. Moving on to the next CL opportunity, there's this "gem" of a project boat, a 1972 Starcraft 18' Chieftain. This is the only [crappy] photo in the ad:

Here's the text: "1974 Chieftan Salmon/pleasure boat. 115 hp mercury outboard. Double axle tilt trailer. Boat is a 100% PROJECT boat motor is off of boat. Floor is torn up and cudy door off. Boat needs work. Motor last ran 5 yrs ago. Motor has been stored in my garage. Big cuddy cab!

Price is $750, but I feel like this is a bargaining opportunity.

Before I inquire with the seller, I need some advice from a couple of aluminum boat guys here. I do not want a cuddy boat, so I would completely gut the thing. Would this be an undertaking beyond the skill level of "kind of handy homeowner guy?" I'd also prefer to run my smaller three cylinder, but would a 70 get this thing up? Are Merc 115s good? Sought after for resale value? Reason I ask is I may ask if he'd sell it without the engine. My initial thought was that the hull would be much lighter without that superstructure, but I've been wrong before...just ask my wife.

Thanks dudes.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

If posting these photos of boats that I don't own is inappropriate for this forum, please let me know....I realize that it's pretty far off topic from my rebuild thread, but I've been getting great, helpfully responses thus far.

Anyway, here's a photo of an 18' Starcraft with what I assume is a CC conversion, which is exactly what I'd want to do, but I can't make out the power of that OB:

 

[jigngrub]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Oooooooooooo!!! I would so chop the top offa that thing and make a nice BIG open boat!!!:watermelon:

I may try to talk you through the build... but deep inside hope you would fail so I could offer you half of what you gave for it and get it for myself.:laugh:... J/K about this, I'll help you any way I can.

To chop it you will have to buy some tools you probably don't have like a couple of rivet setting tools and an assortment of blind rivets... along with materials like aluminum angle and maybe some square tube.

If you can get the 115 running I'm sure it would be of value to someone.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Oooooooooooo!!! I would so chop the top offa that thing and make a nice BIG open boat!!!:watermelon:
.

Yeah, we think alike on this subject. I'm never gonna sleep on the thing...or at least plan to.

So, cool, it's do-able. I'll keep you updated if I can get a look at it soon.

The weight of my 15' glass boat was spec at 750#, but I know it was a whole lot more with all the water in it, and my 70 got it up to 35 or so on glass calm water. A stripped down 18' aluminum hull shouldn't be much heavier, if at all, right? It really just need to plane...speed isn't a big issue for me.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

I gotta 17' Tracker deep V with a 50 hp 4 stroke on it, it jumps up on plane quick and does 32 mph with just me in it, you shouldn't have any problems with that boat and a 70.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

Great, thanks jigngrub! The wheels are turnin' big time right now.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

...and this guy has the same side console control unit that I have...he just mounted it on the port side of the center console! Perfect. Just like driving in the UK....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

A port side helm isn't desirable because of prop torque, that's why all the propped boats have the console on the starboard side. You can do a port helm with a jet boat because there isn't any prop torque.

 

[laurentide]

Re: '82 Bomber backyard rebuild

A port side helm isn't desirable because of prop torque, that's why all the propped boats have the console on the starboard side. You can do a port helm with a jet boat because there isn't any prop torque.

Ahhh, that makes sense...but would the same rule apply to a center console? Of course I could just salvage the windshields from my glass boat and make side consoles, which would definitely be more comfortable for others in the boat.

I'm getting way ahead of myself here. First I have to check the thing out and talk $.