Hmm lots of egar people.

[kcassells]

By the way. Any 87 starcraft islanders been restored? Haven't found many pics even here on it. Maybe i'll be the first.

Funny you asked. BTW there seems to be a lot of action in current threads with that tinny starcraft boat. No harm no foul.

 

[GA_Boater]

The place JB got the list of completed Islanders came from this thread - http://forums.iboats.com/forum/owne...ft-rebuilds-and-restorations-they-re-all-here Chieftains are similar to Islanders as far as layout, so they are good sources for ideas too.

A word about thread views. They really don't mean anything. If someone is curious and looks at the thread, the view count goes up. Some times the viewer has nothing to add, so off to look at something else. Also if Googlers click on a found search, the count increases and 99% of the viewers aren't members.

Why don't people finish the rebuilds? Several reasons for that. First some are finished and the builders hit the water and never look back. Or return to finish the thread. Others underestimate time and expense involved. I think the biggest reason they don't finish is because they have short attention spans - By that I mean a dreamer buys an inexpensive boat needing work and the dream turns into a nightmare so the boat gets moved to the back forty until the Admiral gets fed up. Then one more cheap boat pops up on Craig's List and the cycle begins anew. Tin or glass makes no difference.

When you start on the Islander, you have to post some pics, at least a few. Or the Starmada Mob will show up. :lol: Looking forward to seeing her, viper. If I missed pics - Shame on me.

 

[GA_Boater]

Here is a Chieftain hardtop - On of the examples I mentioned for ideas. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/owne...boats/647196-1974-24-chieftan-express-project

 

[Patfromny]

Hey guys, don't want to hijack the thread. I do understand the looks mean nothing. I'm guilty of several hundred looks by my creeping. Some of the epic threads took me week's to read through. I am in no way upset by the lack of interest and truly took all advice to heart and used most of it when applicable. You did hit the nail on the head there Wood. I thought I came off unappreciative at times. I find that the biggest problem in typing out conversations rather than speaking them is the lack of syntacs. Someone can sound angry when they are goofing or aloof when they are just confused. I found that my problem was I didn't ask the full question or give the full details up front. You were giving me advice on paint and prep and then after several back and forths I finally let you know it was going to stay in the water all season. My bad there. a lot of wasted time there though the prep you suggested was followed almost to a t. I have to learn to be more concise when structuring questions. I personally couldn't and wouldn't have done this project without iboats. It was my creeping that convinced me I had enough of the skill set to do so. I personally thought that my boat not being a very popular one plus it was a straight resto rather than a modified build just didn't blow anyone's skirt up. No harm no fowl. just about everything I have done to the boat has been learned from iboats, flotation, easing the corners on my plywood, epoxy (even where to get it cheap), how to build the transom, I even hung the boat from my rafters to prep and paint thanks to you guys. Never would have thought of that. So thank you to all that have responded and who I've read for all the help. My experience here has been overwhelmingly positive. Cheers to all and thank you. I hope to get that thread back up and going soon. I'm too proud of the finished product not to show it off.

 

[jc55]

Pat, you bring up an interesting point. I solely put up threads for a few specific reasons. One is to document the uncommon for someone else's reference in the future. Another is to get info, share ideas, and push my own personal limits. Most of all, it's to keep myself publicly accountable to not cut corners, and actually finish. :joyous:

People gravitate to what they can relate to. It's also true in real life. When I did my Sportcraft, there was little interest. With the Steiger Craft pilot house total refit and repower, little interest. Then I pick up the rattiest, unidentifiable piece of junk you ever saw for $100 on the side of the road, and there's tons of interest without doing a lick of work to it yet, LOL. You just can't take it personally. Glad you're here Pat.

 

[gm280]

I too see a clan like following on certain projects on these threads. But seeing hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of replies usually means the OP posted some progress and then the entire clan posts a "like" reply making the project receive so many posts. But if one were to extract so many "good job" type simple replies, there would be the usual common replies one could expect from most any typical project. I try to read many of the larger projects (larger via replies) and there are times I read through many pages without much quality info other then "great work" type replies. But that is also part of the project experience and creates a group like following. We all want replies to keep our enthusiasm flowing to spark that wanting to finish mentality. But I can assure you, even the littlest boat rework takes a multitude of more time then originally expected...by years some times. I know I'm guilty of that for certain! Post those pictures and projects and keep everybody informed about your project. They do get seen...whether replied to or not! So many folks would rather look and learn then type replies a lot of times. JMHO!

 

[Daniel1947]

Let me throw my 2 cents in here. I also started a thread for my rebuild, posted a lot of photos etc., and it just didn't seem to have the following that my "ego" felt it should. :neglected: It was also about that time when the Forum was going through data loss situations, etc. Yeah, I have continued working on my project, although it is on hold right now because of the wonderful temperatures we are experiencing in the south. :smow: I have been in communication with a world of truly wonderful guys...and a couple great lady's as well, on this forum. I have had a few, shall I say, "critical" exchanges :argue: with a few members, however these same members are still what I consider friends. I have seen a couple threads disappear after other ego's wouldn't accept some proven advice - one such final reply on another thread was..."OK, I will rip it all out and start over." That was the last posting of what was looking like a great restoration.

My plan of restoration changed direction from posting a continuous posting of photos of deconstruction, demo, grinding, sanding, cutting, etc., to just asking questions as I moved along. I have posted numerous questions as I ran into situations; everyone that has posted on this thread responded at one time or another to those questions. IMHO, there are enough great threads to follow here on the forum...that start out with the usual problems and questions; that I felt anther one -more or less - really wouldn't matter. I have enjoyed the sharing of information and friendship, a really great group of folks, but for me....I am not going to try to become a "Frisco Boater," or GT1M, or WOG, or any other member that has done such great documentation of their projects that we have all learned from. There isn't enough space to list all the great projects here.

Yes, my ego got in the way; I don't have the patience or time to sit on the computer posting, etc. but my plan now is to finish my restoration, I will continue to ask questions as I go when I run into something on my boat that I have not seen addressed somewhere else, and as before, it will become a mini-thread of information sharing....much like this thread just has.

I can not thank I-boats enough for supplying the necessary room for everyone to post their info. Great moderators and members make, and keep, this forum what it is, without a doubt IMHO, the best place on the net to find information. Thanks for the room for my 2 cents.

 

[viper1]

Well been there done that. I moderate a lot of facebook pages sharing many of my hobbies and other things. A lot of times its like i',m the only one putting any thing there. But a thumbs up or a like keeps me going. That and i believe its a person's responsibility to share what they know. Another reason is it creates a record for me. I can always go back and remember. See i was given the big D notice back in 2009. Said i had less then 6 months to live. I was on a lot of meds,taken some 2-3 times a day.Actually 35 different meds and 78 pills a day. I was a 350 lb+ man who layed in bed about 4.5 months. Unable to do much my self. Finally i gave it all up and quit my meds. All cold turkey, and i suffered. My doctors at Cleveland clinic, Akron and pittsburg say it wont take long. THat was 6 years ago roughly. And i'm now 230 and getting a lot better.
Reason i bring this up. This iboats, facebook and several other sights is what i read to keep my mind off of everything. I didn't comment a lot just lurked and read. As i didn't have much to offer. So now i pay it back! I guess what im trying to say is you just never know who's getting help or even entertainment from what you share. When i got some better, i bought another boat or two and this site helped a lot.
So for all those who felt hurt, disappointed or even up set. You had at least one faithful follower for quite a while. And sorry for not letting you know it then. But you can't imagine how embarrassing it is to be a slug. And the thoughts that run through your head of 6 months to live by specialists in the field. Now i feel Blessed and give the glory to God. Because each doctor gave up and said there was no treatment. But here i am. Guess thats why they call them practitioners huh!

 

[jc55]

Glory to God indeed Viper. Awesome story and thanks for sharing!

 

[kcassells]

Life...at it's best and worst on the IBoats Forum. Thank you.
On a light note...I still won't respond to your thread but I will look.

 

[kcassells]

Ya know I'm only kidding! You're a Fighter. And Humor just helps me out to cope. I hope you too!

 

[nurseman]

Thanks for sharing that viper, God does indeed get the glory! Good luck with the boat, and if you start a thread, I will be sure to stop in. Although I don't know about consorting with tinners...