New guy, starcraft mariner 210

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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Yeah there is a trick, I use plastic drop cloth to cover the layer of stripper so the fumes stay there and it doesn't dry out before getting a chance to work. I used the orange label Klean Strip. My Chief took 2 gallons of it and I pressure blasted the stuff off too but you better not have anything else around when doing that. I also used 3M pads with handles to scrub and wire wheels on a drill sometimes that stuff is tough to get off. The transom was the worst on mine too for some reason.
 

jmalecek

Seaman Apprentice
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Feb 21, 2006
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37
Thanks thebrain.
Do you guys think I can use closed end blind rivets slathered in 5200 for some of the seams? I don't see a way of bucking new rivets in some of the spots.

Thanks,
Jamie
 

Watermann

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Personally if I couldn't use a solid rivet I would use a SS machine screw and nyloc with the 5200.
 

jmalecek

Seaman Apprentice
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Feb 21, 2006
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Personally if I couldn't use a solid rivet I would use a SS machine screw and nyloc with the 5200.
Waterman, this is the seam I am referring to This seam is hidden behind this run of AL This is riveted to the walls and under the floor ribs. I don't wanna take to much apart and the erector set fall apart. Jamie
 

JimbC

Chief Petty Officer
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Jun 30, 2009
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456
Have a good aluminum welder plug the holes that you can't get to.
But the first thing you need to do is get the boat as clean as possible. Then you can see every hole. Clean really good put the plug in and fill with water just above the water line then mark the leaks.
 
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Watermann

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Yeah don't be welding around that seam, the sealer material will fry out causing big time troubles. I would recommend putting some paint stripper on that seam and wheeling off the paint and corrosion to see what it looks like all cleaned up first. That piece on the inside is a spray rail brace and I wouldn't want to take it off either.
 

classiccat

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Agree...this is the last place that you want to weld; you'd be better off leaving it alone; slap some JB or Marine-tex over the missing rivet heads and paint over it. The seam gasket + rivet expansion (friction) is probably holding it in place.

What I would do for each missing rivet,

carefully drill-out the rivet (5/32") and drill right through the spray-rail brace; it's going to be offset from the hull skin by at least the length of the longest seam-rivet bucktail.

Then drill an oversized hole in the spray-rail brace (from the inside!) to expose the bad rivet's bucktail.

If the missing rivets are behind a rib, then you may have to grind-away some of the rib to access the missign rivet.

remove the bucktail

Upsize the seam rivet hole to 3/16"; drill from the outside.

debur the holes.

Install a new solid 3/16" brazier head rivet.

If you're not comfortable with riveting, you could use a 10-24 SS screw/nylock combo coated with 5200; I personally prefer rivets over screws since the rivets expand in the holes and you don't have to worry about dissimilar metals.
 

JimbC

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So I am curious how many times have you guy's welded in that seam on a Starcraft boat to know for sure that this is a NO NO.
Also I see no reason why you can't drill those rivets out and replace. All you have to do is remove the upper rivets in that side piece and bend it slightly out of the way to buck the new rivets. Don't remove the bottoms ones just the ones I've circled. Then you will have access behind it to buck the others.
 

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classiccat

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So I am curious how many times have you guy's welded in that seam on a Starcraft boat to know for sure that this is a NO NO.
Also I see no reason why you can't drill those rivets out and replace. All you have to do is remove the upper rivets in that side piece and bend it slightly out of the way to buck the new rivets. Don't remove the bottoms ones just the ones I've circled. Then you will have access behind it to buck the others.

Me? Never. ...another member of the mob has (barato2). Have you?

he needs to access the rivets closest to the outer-chine.

You'll never be able to bend that brace far enough out to properly position (and maintain that position) a bucking bar; the ribs are in his way....even if you were able to achieve that severe, acute angle, you risk cracking the brace at the chine when you bend it back in place.
 

JimbC

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I will bet you a $100.00 I could remove those rivets and replace the other ones and be able to buck them without hurting that piece then rivet it back.
 

JimbC

Chief Petty Officer
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These boats are really not that hard to build. Of course you would need all the tools and a nice shop. :laugh:
pretty bad iboats screwed up their forum and don't have a clue how to fix it.:rolleyes:
http://youtu.be/dMisKpcbmVI
 
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Watermann

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Yeah that sure looked easy alright, :rolleyes:

So for the record I agree 100% with BF on the steps to repair those bad rivets. No I don't want anyone to weld on my boats seams and yes I love rivets to the tune of nearly 600 in my Chief rebuild. :happy:
 

64osby

Admiral
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Jul 28, 2009
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Can't say specially on a Starcraft, but on my Lone*Star there is a thin black membrane between the panels at the seam. Welding would certainly do more harm than good on that boat.

I would think a good rule of thumb would be if it was riveted don't weld it. Welding on certain types of aluminum will make it brittle and subject to cracking in the future. There is lots of info on the web about chasing cracking hulls.
 

jmalecek

Seaman Apprentice
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Feb 21, 2006
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37
Thanks for the info guys. I think drilling holes in the spray rail brace will make it look like swiss cheese. Theres atleast 20 rivets on the starboard side, and close to that on the port. All of the rivets are spaced enough apart where they will need their own hole in the brace.

The storms we've been having have been filling the boat up so I see most of the leaks on the bottom, the worst of which is where the knee brace attaches to the bottom.

I had to step away from it for a bit and decide if I really want to put the structural integrity in my hands knowing my family will be on the boat.

Thanks.
Jamie
 

classiccat

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Dont worry about putting a few holes in the brace...the spray rail brace on that model is overkill; most use tabs...in fact, the seam rivets normally go through the brace.
 

Watermann

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Just takes 2 things to have what you want, desire and money. There have been a bunch of people before you that lost their desire to finish one of these old boats, especially when looking at the overall daunting task at hand. Take a look at some of the finished threads out on the main SC page for some inspiration.

I agree about not worrying about the rivets though those braces, isn't there side panels that cover them anyway?
 
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