Tin boat questions (not Starcraft)

Cloudrnnr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 13, 2014
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156
I've sold myself out of Starcrafts at the moment, but I am sticking with tin. Working on a remodel on a Polarkraft Bass America and wanted to run a couple of questions past the Tin Gurus (that would be the Starmada). First, as I am drilling out rivets to deconstruct the interior for new carpet/vinyl/something else (more on that later), I'm finding something I didn't expect. The blind rivets are aluminum heads and bodies, but the body/shank is coated with some kind of plastic. I'm not familiar with these, and I'm not finding them readily in online catalogs. Anyone know what they are and where to get them?

Let's talk floor coverings. Currently the entire boat is covered in carpet, bass boat style. It isn't bad, but does hold pike slime just a bit. I would prefer to coat the interior with something like Durabak, then use something like Seadek pads for the walking areas. My biggest problem is how to get the hatches for 4 storage areas and two livewells to fit reasonably again without a carpet to carpet "seal". Any thoughts on a gasket or material to close up the gaps from removing the carpet?

Last one--the Bass America is a welded boat and fairly thick on the hull. The PO, however, ran the trailer without guides and didn't keep the padding up on the fenders. He also apparently power loaded by Braille. As a result, there are some fairly deep, non-structural gouges along the sides. I'd like to fill them when I repaint the exterior, so the question is, will a metal body filler hold up?

Thanks--totally not Starcraft related, but I figured y'all would know better than anyone else.
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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Jan 12, 2013
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13,747
Man I was hoping to see some more of your sweet big tin Crestliner cruiser!

On those hatches I had the same issue in my SN trying to solve that one. I made the hatches fit as tight as I could and put some weather stripping in. It sort of works but in rough water it sloshes out still. I've searched high and low online for livewell hatches but there doesn't seem to be much other than super expensive ones like tempress that have horrible reviews. Then you have to buy something they will fit on.

I've done a bit of dent work on my boats and used Marine Tex as the filler, it's a little pricey if you need a bunch but it works great and won't come off or absorb water.

It takes guys a while to find new these new threads but I'm sure some others will be by to chime in.
 

Cloudrnnr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 13, 2014
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156
I shall endeavor to get some pictures taken of the big Eagle soon. She doesn't need restoring as much as "sprucing up". The big tough spot on that one will be the dent pushed into the port side from the PO' "aggressive" docking.

I've seen one solution to the hatch issue with vinyl flooring--riveting aluminum angle, picture frame style, around the hatch openings with countersunk rivets, as well as riveting a shim on the hatch side under the vinyl. Loads of extra work, and my mitering skills suck!
 

Cloudrnnr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 13, 2014
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Just a little dense at times. I found that I asked the question about the gouges before. JBWeld seems to be the answer..
 

Cloudrnnr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 13, 2014
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Here's a quick shot of the Eagle, the day I brought her home. Tough to see the depth of that dent back near the transom, but other than that one spot, she's in good shape, just a little tired.
IMG_20150911_143807809_HDR%202_zpst0k6a2jy.jpg
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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Ah yeah the Chief's tin brother!

JB weld is a huge pita to sand though, that's why I prefer marine tex it's claim is strong as steel and sands like wood. Feathering out JB to look good wouldn't be much fun. :cool:
 

Cloudrnnr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 13, 2014
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Ah yeah the Chief's tin brother!

JB weld is a huge pita to sand though, that's why I prefer marine tex it's claim is strong as steel and sands like wood. Feathering out JB to look good wouldn't be much fun. :cool:



Good to know. Marine Tex it is!
 

Cloudrnnr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 13, 2014
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156
Well, so much for the welded hull not having typical tin boat issues. The sides of the hull are braced to the ribs with aluminum fillets with tabs that were welded to the ribs. At least half of them are cracked. The rear deck skin is also aluminum and had three small beads on each side. 5 of the 6 are also broken completely loose. Aluminum welder here we come!
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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Sounds like people who have Starwelds will be coming around here sooner or later. Good luck with the welding!
 

dozerII

Admiral
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Oct 25, 2009
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6,527
I think other than the real heavy aluminum boats made for offshore Hewescraft etc, the thin aluminum ones that re welded are more prone to stress cracking than riveted ones. Sure don't see many light aircraft with welded skins??
 

Cloudrnnr

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Feb 13, 2014
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I think other than the real heavy aluminum boats made for offshore Hewescraft etc, the thin aluminum ones that re welded are more prone to stress cracking than riveted ones. Sure don't see many light aircraft with welded skins??



Glen, that could definitely be the case. In addition, despite the good things I had heard about Polarkraft, this older boat was done under the previous management--and I'm not sure what their business model really was. The welds were obviously done with a spool gun with a very fine wire, most are contaminated, and nearly all are of a shorter run than you would expect. This little boat has apparently had a good deal of abuse in her life as well. I cleared my TIG guy to spend a full day fixing cracked braces and ribs, as well as reinforcing areas he felt were prone to further cracking.
 
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