'73 Crestliner Tinny Norseman? resto

[TheSauce]

I think I had an attempted restore here once before, and ended up just buying a nicer boat to run around last year. It was a 14ft crestliner fiberglass tri-hull with a Chrysler 45. Engine purrrrs, hits the water nice - the floors were redone etc etc - its a nice ride, just too small for our needs. Here are some pics of last years fun and the few times we've been able to run it this year.

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Last week I saw an ad on craigslist - boat with trailer for $450. It had been up for almost a month and had no images. I tried contacting them thinking it would have gone, but to my surprise he sounded like he was shocked I called. I told him my concerns and asked for pictures since there were none in the ad. I think I got a great deal - esp because I talked him down to $375.
1973 crestliner norseman (19?)came off the line in april
is there a site that lets me look up the hull id number for free??

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

PO says he ran the motor on it with no oil - he threw in another old 80hp outboard of unknown condition.



As soon as I got it home I got to work tearing everything out because the old metal gas tank had corroded and fuel had eaten through the wood and foam. About 75% of visible foam after pulling the deck was waterlogged. So I yanked it out.




I got bored and had extra paint lying around - so I gave my buddy a custom paint job :lol:

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore




Went on a supply run and saw this bike - had to snap a pic


Ill keep you guys updated. I started this 2 days ago - and my goal is to have it operational and atleast done enough to go out on poygon for memorial day



Im curious - should I seal the bare alum after cleaning it? I was thinking of leaving some space for a ski locker - curious if something like bed liner or an epoxy paint would be ok to coat the inner hull with? I've seen people here post about 'gluvit'? but I cant find it...


I've got 8cu ft of 2 pt pour foam - I didnt want to go this route but it was given to me so the price was right. Figure ill devise some sort of drainage system for water under the foam (since the factory hadn't heard of 'drainage' before) and then put foam is designated areas possibly sectioned with flashing. Ive been watching alot of aluminum resto's here on the forum and am learning alot just by this.

Thanks for looking

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Leak test splash today after foam removal. Still need to acetone and powerwash - still unsure on how to seal/treat before foaming.






and here is the motor that's on the boat since i forgot that:


this year im just planning on redoing interior hooplah - before next season I plan on redoing the transom if it needs it, and turtle-ing it for some new skin.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

The rear tow eye that's pulling out and the GIANT metal plate on the back of the boat indicate the time to replace the transom has PASSED already:

How did the rear transom cap get cracked:

You've got it almost torn down enough to do the transom now, why wait? It's clearly in need of replacement.

You'll need to get it a good bit cleaner on the interior before you apply GluvIt to the interior hull rivets & seams.

Gluvit is available from Iboats & several online vendors:
Gluvit Epoxy Waterproof Sealer, 2lb - ITW Philadelphia Resins RM330K

What is an AMFC CRL?

 

[greenbush future]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Yep the boat was priced nice, and because you can see what needs fixing, I'd say you got a good deal, even if both motors are toast. That transom looks scary, but with the floors tore up, fixing that shouldn't be too bad. That fat alum plate on the back is s sure sign of weak maybe rotted wood behind it. I've never seem the transom cap crack like that, pop it off and show us what is under it. Really nice boat for the $$ IMO.

 

[lokonn]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Looks like you did alright on the deal. As the others have said now is the time to do that transom. That cracked cap can prolly be welded up good as new while you have it off for transom. Welcome back to the drydock!

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

I need to get back to my truck to get the paperwork on the boat to be sure - the registration says AMFC but Im pretty sure its a crestliner norseman.

As for the transom plate - its wood not steal lol so yeah thats something I want to do. I was going to wait just so I had less to do but here is my question; the transom on this boat is wood covered in resin just like any other boat right? but it is sammiched between two pieces of aluminum? Without drilling, the only wood I can see is on the outside of the hull.

So then to replace transom I remove caps, remove engine splash bay thing or w.e proper name is, and then the wooden transom should be 'somewhat' easily removed, but definitely visible right?

as far as how it got cracked, I'm not sure. You can see straight through So this leads me to believe that wooden transom thats supposed to be on the inside is missing?

I've seen alot of you posting from the Midwest - south michigan etc, any chance there are southerin WI boaters?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

I need to get back to my truck to get the paperwork on the boat to be sure - the registration says AMFC but Im pretty sure its a crestliner norseman.

I'm not sure. You can see straight through So this leads me to believe that wooden transom thats supposed to be on the inside is missing?

I've seen alot of you posting from the Midwest - south michigan etc, any chance there are southerin WI boaters?

Check the map listed here for iboaters near you:
iBoaters Get-Together!!!

Add your own pin to the map if you'd like to, but please don't post personal details on the map. It's a public, open forum just like iboats. However you want to label your pin is fine, but include your iboats user name. That way if someone's looking for boaters near you, they can find you here searching for your user name.

I've seen a few Crestliner's w/ exterior transom ply, and apparently they often used exterior ply instead of an interior plywood transom:

You can see the exterior piece installed ^^^

So if it's a Crestliner,AND the only transom plywood is on the outside of the hull, AND it's not soft or rotten, perhaps you could wait a bit to replace it.

If so ^^^ Great!

But typically, even exterior wood transoms & cracked structure at the back of the boat, indicates there's a soft/rotten transom on the inside.

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

I mean the exterior ply made me almost walk away from this steal upon seeing it. It was the only thing he didnt send me pictures of or make mention of. But I really wrenched on the transom and the wood still feels solid - that being said I think it needs to go asap. As far as an interior wooden transom I'll go jump in her and check this time for certain - if there is wood sammiched between aluminum; my guess is its toast because all of the water drainage was blocked by foam, the bilge was only empty because of the drain, all other channels were soaked with fuel soaked water trapped in by foam...so yeah.

Ill get back to you in a bit gonna go get a new tire on the tow rig and go play in the boat taking time to snap some boat porn for you guys. Then I might hit up the tri hull to see whats biting.

Smiles and pride my friend hahaha thats great.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

I'm not a "Tinner" but...Been on the Forum for quite some time, and don't think I've ever seen or heard of an aluminum boat transom that was not constructed without wood being "sammiched" between the outer and inner aluminum skins of the stern. Some MFG's did NOT use the outer piece of plywood as a pad for the motor but in my experience ALL transoms had the plywood inner core. You may luck out and find that it is not "Wet and Rotting" I certainly hope that this is the case.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Cool project. Cute pibble puppies too I just got my first a few months ago and she's a sweetie.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Looks like a well built boat.
I'm in NE Illinois

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Looks like a well built boat.
I'm in NE Illinois

I see a few in wisco too. If any of you midwest iboaters feel like coming out here and showing me a thing or two about transom repair:lol:, I'm hesitant/nervous to pull this sucker out and even more so to replace it :cold: seems a daunting task. Back to reading the tutorials for now

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Sauce,
I redacted your email address & phone# from your pin on the map. Thanks for the pin, all else & your access to it have not changed. It was suggested that as an open map, linked from an open public forum, it'd be best to not have too much personal info listed on the map. Someone not registered here, could access your info there.

If any of us want to connect & meet any other iboater's, using your user name on the map lets someone find you here & send you a PM. Via PM's email & physical addresses plus ph#'s can be exchanged.

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Sauce,
I redacted your email address & phone# from your pin on the map.

Thanks, yeah I wasnt sure if it would show up or not kind of forgot to look to be honest

Pics to follow - did some pressure washing today before the rain - waiting on a pending engine trade on Saturday, CL offered me a smooth running Johnson with working TnT for both my old decrepit Johnson's. Still mulling the idea around, I still say its a win, but I'm gonna stop by my mechanic and see what he thinks about these first - and if he can tag along.

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

starboard side of stern - little confused if this means there is no interior transom, meaning there is only the exterior? If there is only the exterior, can I replace it with something other than wood? Should I replace it if it seems solid(just because im redoing everything else?).

Inside downward shot:

interior downward shot:

Outside downward shot:

(to the left is the angle bent steel? i think that covers the seam where the cap and 'transom'? meet. sorry for shotty terminology)

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Port stern:

downward interor:

downward exterior(sorry for the finger, same angle bent steal here)

bit of a different angle on this:

again:

 

[TheSauce]

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

Re: My Old AMFC CRL aluminum Restore

here are some randoms of the motor and stuff that i took for the guy looking to trade
this is of 1 of the johnsons that came with the boat, this one is on it currently - not sure if running or not, im not an engine guy