Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

[jpstude]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Hi, Watermann - I have a '78 Chieftan 18' and it has the same plexi windshield as yours does. I see some with two piece windshields. I have put in a post on whether those are stock, of if our windshields got broken, and replaced with that stuff. Mine is trashed, with checking and scratches. I'll at least have to get a new piece of plexi for it, but I'd sure like to replace it with a two piece setup. BTW, I live on the "other side of the mountains" in Skagit County. Bought my boat in Ore. about 6 weeks back. My outdrive may be buggered so, let me know, if you are looking at getting rid of any of yours - J.P.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Yeah - Winter isn't fun when you have things you want to do.

When you drained the donor, did you probe the block drains. Sometimes rusty mung clogs the drains and all the water doesn't come out. I don't remember if Jason had that in his link. ^^^ I'm sure he did, but don't want any bad words from E. Washington to singe my ears.

I used an angle pick to prod around inside the drain holes, yeah I would hate to be out my donor engine.

Man...summer didn't waste any time putting us in its rear-view!

this landed on the tin this morning:

My red leaf maple is starting to drop a few leaves with the help of some strong cold winds. I think the winds I have right now may have belonged to Dozer a few days ago. :cold:

Hey that's ours, just cuz were taking some of your tin boats. I know what you mean W, we have had frost up here three mornings already. Had to dig the spuds yesterday to get them I the root cellar. It's get real close to work on the boat season.

I have one mound of reds left to dig up in my garden. I should have a couple months of indoor work on all my aluminum pieces and when the weather breaks I hope to get started on hull repairs and then painting.

Hi, Watermann - I have a '78 Chieftan 18' and it has the same plexi windshield as yours does. I see some with two piece windshields. I have put in a post on whether those are stock, of if our windshields got broken, and replaced with that stuff. Mine is trashed, with checking and scratches. I'll at least have to get a new piece of plexi for it, but I'd sure like to replace it with a two piece setup. BTW, I live on the "other side of the mountains" in Skagit County. Bought my boat in Ore. about 6 weeks back. My outdrive may be buggered so, let me know, if you are looking at getting rid of any of yours - J.P.

Hi JP welcome to my thread, I'm guessing you'll be starting a thread on your Chief too. I thought about the split lower window setup too, would be a better match if you ask me matching the top windshield. I don't think that era of Chief's had a split lower, I'm pretty sure guys fabricated them on the rebuild. 1/16" aluminum bend to right angle and some sealer would do the trick.

As far as the LU's go, I have a few of them I won't be needing. Your 78 LU should be the same as the MC's I have, feel free to PM me about it sometime.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Got started on the bottom of the hull paint removal, made this little movie for others to check out. Seems the paint removal question comes up often here in the resto forum. Even 2 or 3 layers of paint fly off when using the stripper and fan jet on my pressure washer. A god send for the rivet areas.

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Thanks for sharing...definitely seems to work better than scrubbing by hand...also less of a chance of scratching up the surface by using wire brushes...
And kudos for the two handed tango with the camera in one and the blaster in the other...

 

[laurentide]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

A couple of guys on the forum suggested that I use a turbo tip on my PW wand when I was at this stage, and it worked amazingly well. I found a cheap one at Lowe's, I think. It really tears through the old paint after several hours of stripper penetration.

 

[dozerII]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

An here I thought "Nooks and Crannies" were only in English Muffins Good video, nothing like a good pressure washer for clean-up.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

With great relief I offer up a pic of the Chief in the turtle position, with every last spec of red, white and blue paint gone from the outer hull. Those of you who have done paint stripping know how daunting of a miserable task it can be. When spring starts to set in, I will tackle the inner hull along with the hull repairs (fill pitting with marine tex & gluvit). It's a nice feeling to see after all that work that I have NO hull cracks to repair.

I have only one dent in the hull that will show, there are a few more on the bottom as expected but they won't be seen ever again after being flipped back, that is unless I run someone over.

Now for the long winters nap of the Chief's hull. Although I have a ton of work left to do inside the garage on the cabin and windshields during the cold months to come.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Looks great in turtle hibernation mode

It also looks HUGE in that ^^^ pix you just posted.......... Come on early spring

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Those of you who have done paint stripping know how daunting of a miserable task it can be.

I only stripped just the bottom of the Jet Star. I really liked the results but it was a real drag!

Man, that ^^^^ was a ton of work you now have behind you, well done:thumb:

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Congrats on a huge milestone... If you are going to lay down some new paint on the top side, you can fill some of dock dents with marine tex.... I have been immensely impressed with how well it bonded it to the aluminum. It cures super hard (but sandable) and takes primer/paint really well. Just a thought.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Lookin' good, man. Kinda reminds me of the the USS Zumwalt without the superstructure. Oh, and without the armament.

[URL=http://s1184.photobucket.com/user/sv29n/media/USS_Zumwalt_DDG-1000.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[dozerII]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Bin there don that, good job and ya it is hard to do. Nice lob the hull looks in real nice shape. I will be starting the same process on my 18 Holiday in a couple weeks.

 

[pckeen]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

That is one nice stripped hull - must be glad that is done! Things will go much faster now.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Looks great in turtle hibernation mode

It also looks HUGE in that ^^^ pix you just posted.......... Come on early spring

Thanks, yeah that hull looked like an acre in size when I stood there for the first time with the jug of stripper in hand.

I only stripped just the bottom of the Jet Star. I really liked the results but it was a real drag!

Man, that ^^^^ was a ton of work you now have behind you, well done:thumb:

Was a big relief to have the chore knocked out, thanks and I hope your big tinny doesn't have 2 or 3 coats of paint on it.

Congrats on a huge milestone... If you are going to lay down some new paint on the top side, you can fill some of dock dents with marine tex.... I have been immensely impressed with how well it bonded it to the aluminum. It cures super hard (but sandable) and takes primer/paint really well. Just a thought.

I will be shooting some paint on the hull and I have to decide on painting the bottom. Heads up for you guy buy Marine Tex stocks soon as I will be needing a bunch for skinning my transom, dent filling and corrosion pitting. Thanks for stopping by!

Lookin' good, man. Kinda reminds me of the the USS Zumwalt without the superstructure. Oh, and without the armament.

Yah know I could set something up on the bow maybe on a pintle mount with chicken plates!

Bin there don that, good job and ya it is hard to do. Nice lob the hull looks in real nice shape. I will be starting the same process on my 18 Holiday in a couple weeks.

I wish one day I would find a boat someone hasn't done multiple coats of paint on and maybe I could just do some light sanding. I was amazed at how nice the hull was on this Chief. Will be looking for your Holiday thread!

That is one nice stripped hull - must be glad that is done! Things will go much faster now.

Hey Peter, how's things going up in the frosty north in Naden land? Yah well I do still have the inside but only 1 coat and may be able to just sand and shoot some paint.

Thanks for stopping by, it's funny how all of you guys are like friends who who I've never met and don't mooch my beer.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Oh - You have beer? Be right over.

 

[pckeen]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Hey Peter, how's things going up in the frosty north in Naden land?

Well....the kids and I will be restoring our first snowman today.:faint2:

And the admiral has agreed I can restore a 31' Airstream....which I yet have to buy.:joyous:

 

[dozerII]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Beer you say, what's your address?:laugh:

 

[Watermann]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Uh yeah a local brewery sells me their beer by the can. The frosty mugs are above next to the J?germeister.

 

[dozerII]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

Uh yeah a local brewery sells me their beer by the can. The frosty mugs are above next to the J?germeister.

Now that's a beer fridge, Hmmm, no address hey, I'm not that far away I could be there in a few hours.

 

[Watermann]

Re: Tin addiction 18' Starcraft Chieftain

OK, in a desperate bid to start on something besides the tear down, I have the old transom in the garage drying out. I took a measurement and found it to be an odd size, 1-5/8th's". I'm wondering if the wood is just swollen some and if not, how the heck do I come up with that number without using 3 sheets of ply? I would like to use marine grade but here all I can get is 1/2" and 3/4" as I found out when doing the SN resto.