starcraft sea mist hull repair (cracks)

[xjdriver]

since my motor blew i decieded i should just go ahead and repalce the floor and transom. this is what i found under the floor:blue:, just thought i would get some advice before i just get it welded. crack through the hull is about 4 inches long. 2 braces cracked in the middles and some of small cracks around the rivets on the braces.
i have more and better pics,but the uploader sucks. whats a good way to upload pics?

 

[mbroughton02]

Sorry about the crack. I'm no an expert on that. As for the pics, I upload mine to imgur.com and then it will give you the code to copy and paste into your posts. Super easy. Use the "large thumbnail" size.

 

[jbcurt00]

Post better pix, cant see a 4in crack.

Re-think welding,not the best choice for repairing a rivet built boat.

 

[Furrylittleotter]

Post more shots showing location. My first thought is a patch panel installed with 3m 5200 and peened rivetts, then simply gouge out crack and fill with J-B weld.

Neil

 

[xjdriver]

alright guys here you go.. click the pic

 

[Furrylittleotter]

I see the new pics. Damn. That boat must've been beat to death. Unless it's a family heirloom I'd think about scrapping it and getting a different one.

Neil

 

[xjdriver]

I see the new pics. Damn. That boat must've been beat to death. Unless it's a family heirloom I'd think about scrapping it and getting a different one.

Neil

lol ya , not really a family hierloom, but i dont want to get rid of it

 

[Furrylittleotter]

I can dig it. If you come up with a better solution I'd be interested to see what it is and how it lasts. I'm an excellent fabricator and tig welder and my best assessment with the damage to critical supports on such a low value boat is to replace it with one that doesn't have that kind of history of abuse. I can't even imagine what they did to cause that. Sorry.

Neil

 

[xjdriver]

I can dig it. If you come up with a better solution I'd be interested to see what it is and how it lasts. I'm an excellent fabricator and tig welder and my best assessment with the damage to critical supports on such a low value boat is to replace it with one that doesn't have that kind of history of abuse. I can't even imagine what they did to cause that. Sorry.

Neil

I think I might have found what coused the cracks in the suppors, the center floor support stringer is missing about 2 feet in length i can see where it used to attach to the last cracked brace. i think mabey if i can extend it back to the original length and weld the cracks in the supports mabey with a little reinforcement it will be alright. I am guessing welding the through hull crack is not a good idea and i should try to patch it with jb weld, or what about gluvit?

 

[jbcurt00]

Patch panel, back buttered w 5200 and rivetted over the crack, on the outside. Stop drill both ends of the crack.

 

[xjdriver]

Patch panel, back buttered w 5200 and rivetted over the crack, on the outside. Stop drill both ends of the crack.

all cracks are stop drilled, sounds like a plan. looks like ill have to remove the brace to get at the crack better so i think i should remove the other brace aswell and try to bring them somewhere to have them repaired. did some work on the boat today, removed transom wood. transom skin is in ok condition, some corrosion mabey from pressure treated? all above the waterline. there was also a board behind the motor mount, not sure if its neccesarry.

 

[jbcurt00]

Exterior wood is un necessary except to protect the actual hull from damage. But, a wood motor pad comes w some cost in that it can cause corrosive pitting (even if its not PT ply) when it gets wet. Most remove it.

A 1/8 aluminum pad is often used instead. Back buttered w 5200 and well fastened.

 

[Furrylittleotter]

Gluvit is a thin coating. I doubt it wold fill that crack.

I really see no logical path to rehabilitation for those "ribs" but keep us posted.

I suppose with enough time, effort and money it can be made "usable".

Neil

 

[bunnymoney]

Hi xjdriver, I would like to follow your journey.

I have a '65 Jet Star that seems quite similar to your sea mist.

IMHO, before you start any repairs, get a better idea of exactly what caused the cracks.

After all, this boat is over 50 years old and apparently these cracks really weren't bothering you until actually saw them.

I personally don't think the short centerline stringer is the cause.

Long term flexing of the rib like a bow (and arrow) will cause work hardening and finally cracks.

If you were to tie both ends of the rib together with an aluminum angle or flat bar you could stop the flexing and further cracking.

The longitudinal crack on the lapstrake is harder for me to understand.

Your first pic from post #5 is from the outside.

Can you explain the paint loss in the crack area?

This doesn't look like trailering damage.

Did you drill "ALL", ( including on the ribs ) the stop crack holes yourself?




Now I'm getting really interested.

Do you have any pics of the whole boat inside and out from various angles?

This doesn't look like you are the first to remove the floor.

In the 2nd pic from post #5, what is going on off to the sides?

Looks like pour-in foam?

Don't be surprised if you find many more ribs cracked when you remove the stringer.



IMO the main thing is to stop the flexing and you will stop the cracking.

The floor securely attached to the ends of the ribs should prevent excess flexing.

Is this the boat in your avatar?

 

[xjdriver]

Hi xjdriver, I would like to follow your journey.

I have a '65 Jet Star that seems quite similar to your sea mist.

IMHO, before you start any repairs, get a better idea of exactly what caused the cracks.

After all, this boat is over 50 years old and apparently these cracks really weren't bothering you until actually saw them.

I personally don't think the short centerline stringer is the cause.

Long term flexing of the rib like a bow (and arrow) will cause work hardening and finally cracks.

If you were to tie both ends of the rib together with an aluminum angle or flat bar you could stop the flexing and further cracking.

The longitudinal crack on the lapstrake is harder for me to understand.

Your first pic from post #5 is from the outside.

Can you explain the paint loss in the crack area?

This doesn't look like trailering damage.

Did you drill "ALL", ( including on the ribs ) the stop crack holes yourself?




Now I'm getting really interested.

Do you have any pics of the whole boat inside and out from various angles?

This doesn't look like you are the first to remove the floor.

In the 2nd pic from post #5, what is going on off to the sides?

Looks like pour-in foam?

Don't be surprised if you find many more ribs cracked when you remove the stringer.



IMO the main thing is to stop the flexing and you will stop the cracking.

The floor securely attached to the ends of the ribs should prevent excess flexing.

Is this the boat in your avatar?

well they wern't really. except for a leak that was getting worse. I thoght mabey just a rivet.

Im not sure why the paint is like that couldve hit something? paint is flaking pretty bad below the waterline.

yes thats expanding foam on the edges of the floor. idk why. also the liquid nails like stuff all over the gunwales to hold the carpet, it sucks I cant seem to ger it off. po did some wierd stuff.

floor was rotted pretty bad but I didnt think it affected structure. mabey thats why they cracked.

yes its the boat in my avatar 64' model. I added some more pics to my previous album from post 11 as well if you want to take a look.

 

[bunnymoney]

Thank you, I did look.

I read somewhere here on iboats this spring about someone using a particular chemical to remove the glue and foam with ease. I just don't remember what it was. Hopefully someone else remembers.

Your sea mist is 16'. With the 70hp I presume it went along quite quickly. You have a pitot speedo- how well does it work and what was top speed?

Back to the problems at hand- If your floor is not attached well to the ends of the ribs it will not provide any structural value.

How tight is/was the dash and deck joined to the sides? Is/was there any movement between the dash and gunnels/sides?

Can you physically cause the ribs to flex and open/close the rib cracks? If so how and what did you do?



Assuming you continue with the refurbishment what are your re-powering thought/options?

 

[mbroughton02]

also the liquid nails like stuff all over the gunwales to hold the carpet, it sucks I cant seem to ger it off.

I encountered all kinds of adhesives on my project. Professional strength goof off in the big 1 gallon jug took almost everything off, and jasco premium paint and epoxy remover took off anything that the goof off didn't do. Certain glues took a few applications to remove, but it all came off eventually.

 

[xjdriver]

Thank you, I did look.

I read somewhere here on iboats this spring about someone using a particular chemical to remove the glue and foam with ease. I just don't remember what it was. Hopefully someone else remembers.

Your sea mist is 16'. With the 70hp I presume it went along quite quickly. You have a pitot speedo- how well does it work and what was top speed?

Back to the problems at hand- If your floor is not attached well to the ends of the ribs it will not provide any structural value.

How tight is/was the dash and deck joined to the sides? Is/was there any movement between the dash and gunnels/sides?

Can you physically cause the ribs to flex and open/close the rib cracks? If so how and what did you do?



Assuming you continue with the refurbishment what are your re-powering thought/options?

well I could really never get the pitot speedo to work right. i used gps speed from my humminbird. fastest ive ever seen was mid 30s with 2 people.

the floor seemed to be attached pretty good, the areas above the cracks was the worst roted, I think the foam was keeping my feet from going through.

If I can get this repaired I would really like an E tec around 60hp, if I can find a used one. next would be a yamaha 70 2 stroke. I was told not to go 4 stroke and the good evinrude 70s are getting pretty old and drink gas.

 

[bunnymoney]

mbroughton02 has provided his solution to removing the yuk. His is the one I halfway remembered.


I have a 25 E-TEC on my Jet Star and just love it. Bought it new summer '09 and have 900+ hours on it. Super stingy on gas and oil. If you get a used E-TEC be sure to get a current computer report (hard copy) and service history and if possible talk with the certified E-TEC tech that did the services. I would be somewhat wary of a PO diy service and would insist on a "pro" 300 hour service and history before purchase. These motors are not cheap.

So, I'm not a typical SC purist. I have no problem re-doing or changing things to meet my needs. Tillers will always be the way I go. Your avatar and other pics certainly would suggest you could bring it back close to original if that's what you wanted.

You should be able to make adequate repairs without going to great extremes. I would like to know if anyone else ever had a crack on the lapstrake bend on the bottom of the hull. I would be tempted to use a piece of thin aluminum angle fitted to the inside of the crack and sealed with 5200 and JB Weld fingered into the crack from the outside or maybe just the 5200 from both sides without any rivets.

Question: What are the two chrome fittings on the gunnels just in front of the end caps? I recognize most everything else, but these are new to me.

The restorers here don't talk much about why the plywood transoms turn to mulch. Probably because it's obvious: water intrusion. If you look at the ends of your gunnels you will notice a muddy outline of your end caps. Water has gone between the end caps and the gunnels and run down onto the top of the transom and caused the rot. The joints between the end caps and the gunnels need to be sealed. I just painted the edge of the cap at the same time as the gunnel and let the paint do the job. You can determine the best way for your boat but be sure to seal that area because it will leak.

Keep going and we always want more pics.

 

[xjdriver]

No Title

mbroughton02 has provided his solution to removing the yuk. His is the one I halfway remembered.


I have a 25 E-TEC on my Jet Star and just love it. Bought it new summer '09 and have 900+ hours on it. Super stingy on gas and oil. If you get a used E-TEC be sure to get a current computer report (hard copy) and service history and if possible talk with the certified E-TEC tech that did the services. I would be somewhat wary of a PO diy service and would insist on a "pro" 300 hour service and history before purchase. These motors are not cheap.

So, I'm not a typical SC purist. I have no problem re-doing or changing things to meet my needs. Tillers will always be the way I go. Your avatar and other pics certainly would suggest you could bring it back close to original if that's what you wanted.

You should be able to make adequate repairs without going to great extremes. I would like to know if anyone else ever had a crack on the lapstrake bend on the bottom of the hull. I would be tempted to use a piece of thin aluminum angle fitted to the inside of the crack and sealed with 5200 and JB Weld fingered into the crack from the outside or maybe just the 5200 from both sides without any rivets.

Question: What are the two chrome fittings on the gunnels just in front of the end caps? I recognize most everything else, but these are new to me.

The restorers here don't talk much about why the plywood transoms turn to mulch. Probably because it's obvious: water intrusion. If you look at the ends of your gunnels you will notice a muddy outline of your end caps. Water has gone between the end caps and the gunnels and run down onto the top of the transom and caused the rot. The joints between the end caps and the gunnels need to be sealed. I just painted the edge of the cap at the same time as the gunnel and let the paint do the job. You can determine the best way for your boat but be sure to seal that area because it will leak.

Keep going and we always want more pics.

I really havnt decided on the repower thing yet. depends how the repairs turn out. Ive heard many horror stories about E tecs, but then again you hear them about all the new motors.

JB has suggested a patch panel for the crack. i guess I would need to try to form it to the shape of the lapstrake. he also said patch from the outside of the hull, seems like you would want it in the inside, but then again the outside would be easier.

apperently the crack through the hull is the least of my worries, how would you go about repairing the cracks in the braces? my first thoght would be welding by a professionel, mabey with some extra bracing/gusseting.

the fitting are for a ski pole, po were into skieng I guess it would also make a good tow point for tubing also, just needs a new pin. pic is from when I first got the boat about 5 years ago. I replaced the windshield which was barely able to see out off with a homemade lexan one, its been good for a few years but is now showing small cracks on the ends were its bent the most.