New project begins

mv6767 · May 4, 2010

Well I broke down and picked up a summer project on the 26th of March it is a 73 Starcraft Mariner. Here are some pics of the initial tearout. I currently have all the floor, front deck and the foam removed. My plan is to run aluminum channel across each rib and redeck with .100 5052 aluminum. I know it's not the norm here, but once it's done the aluminum will be covered with hydro-turf.

jasoutside · May 4, 2010

Re: New project begins

mv6767 said:
Well I broke down and picked up a summer project on the 26th of March it is a 73 Starcraft Mariner. Here are some pics of the initial tearout. I currently have all the floor, front deck and the foam removed. My plan is to run aluminum channel across each rib and redeck with .100 5052 aluminum. I know it's not the norm here, but once it's done the aluminum will be covered with hydro-turf.

Looks like a great project! Welcome aboard!

ezmobee · May 5, 2010

Re: New project begins

Great project. Real nice motor!

North Beach · May 5, 2010

Re: New project begins

MV, welcome to iboats and the gang. What is that? Maybe an 18 footer?

And as far as the approach you take-it's your boat

So have at it and post up some pics so we can tag along.

starcrafter65 · May 5, 2010

Re: New project begins

Nice gas Tankl!

As someone said - under all that stuff is a brand new aluminum hull!

mv6767 · May 5, 2010

Re: New project begins

Thanks, I have been lurking here for awhile and really enjoy the information this forum has to offer. It is the 21ft model with a 73 135 Johnson. The reason I plan on going with the all aluminum approach is because I will be using this hull for not only recreation, but also fishing and as a tender for duck hunting on the Upper Mississippi and on Lake Michigan. Not to mention the long term dependability of materials that don't rot away, I am even thinking of using the original transom board as a template for making a new one out of rectangular tubing. I have gotten my quotes for the materials and it will run around $1500 to do this. I am also really considering the pool noodle flotation.

elkhunter338 · May 5, 2010

Re: New project begins

On the floatation topic, does the foam really matter. My guess is the boat is going to sink with or without the foam. I left the foam in mine and added some spray foam to kind of glue the foam blocks together. I think if I had to do it all over again I would have poured foam into the hull like the new starcrafts. This would greatly strengthen the hull and if you hit something and punched a hole in her, more than likely the foam would act as a sealer and very little water would run into the bilge.
Or I would consider below floor fuel tank and maybe even fishbox below the floor and foam in the holes. My new floor was put in 5 years ago and I never considered relocating the fuel tanks or a fish box. Never had a boat bigger than 14' before.

ezmobee · May 6, 2010

Re: New project begins

elkhunter338 said:
I think if I had to do it all over again I would have poured foam into the hull like the new starcrafts.

I sure wouldn't. We've been seeing some significant corrosion caused by that stuff. Maybe the new stuff is better but I'm sure not going to try it.

dozerII · May 6, 2010

Re: New project begins

Great looking boat and a nice project, I really like how deep boat is.
Glen

mv6767 · Jul 11, 2010

Re: New project begins

Well I got all of the floor pulled out, along with the foam and cleaned it up some. I did fill it up with water to the floor level and found around a dozen seeping rivets. 6-7 of which are in the bow area with very limited room for rebucking them. Overall I feel this project is gonna be fairly easy and straight forward. I'll post up some pics next week.

elkhunter338 · Jul 11, 2010

Re: New project begins

Are you going to gluv-it the inside. After seeing how salt water effects alum. If I had to redo my floor again I would have used gluvit below the floor and considered leaving all the foam out.
Do other alum. boat builders use foam in the floor?
We had a welded alum boat sink at dock last year for some reason, and if it had foam it did not matter. Does anyone know if the foam in the starcrafts will actually keep them afloat, or is the foam just there with no purpose.

I did not use gluvit, and I put all the foam back in plus some from homedepot with some spray foam out of the can to glue it in place, I sure hope I do not have the corrosion problem, but will not be pulling the floor back up.

fshngho · Jul 12, 2010

Re: New project begins

I don't think the new spray foam from cans reacts to aluminum. I would think the lable on the can would tell you if it did. I would worry about the limber holes being stopped up. As far as keeping the boat from sinking, not sure, but it does give strength when wedged between the hull and floor and I figure what would it hurt?

Dale

ezmobee · Jul 12, 2010

Re: New project begins

Definitely Gluvit that sucker.

As for the pourable foam, I don't how much of the corrosion we've seen has really been from the foam itself or if it was just the wet foam holding (possibly) salt water against the hull. I think any of our alternative foam ideas would breath better and lessen this issue.

mv6767 · Jul 12, 2010

Re: New project begins

I plan on using pool noodles or blue construction foam for the flotation. Most of the hulls I've encountered with pourable foam eventually end up soaking up water thus creating a weight issue over a few years. I'm going to be using aluminum channel from side to side on the top edge of the ribs, then putting .125 5052 aluminum over that with hydroturf for the floor cover. Durable and rot proof.

New project begins

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