57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

chrisroberts916 · Dec 13, 2010

I finally got my boat in the garage this past Sunday. I did some cleaning. I'll add some photo's and a link to my photo album. I plan on uploading every picture I take and I plan on taking a lot, but all work is being done by myself, yes even split and flip deck. Please share your thoughts along the way and kick in the butt if I'm needing it.

It's because of the great people of the forums that I have the courage to attempt this. I am a mechanic by trade and raised in a family own graphics business. I've restored couple VW's and paint a few boats but I never split one.

chrisroberts916 · Dec 13, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

Here's a link to my photo album. Please have a look.
PhotoBucket

Now for the questions
The support boards under the front deck is separating from the boa, see following pics

chrisroberts916 · Dec 13, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

The original transom was only about an inch thick I will be replacing it with 1 1/4 + glass so I had to cut back the sides to make room. I'm thinking about making battery boxes to fit in the sides?

Don't forget you can see all the pictures at
PhotoBucket

twkjr 1250 · Dec 13, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

that is one sweet looking lonestar . never knew they made fiberglass boats . i had a 68 20' cuddy aluminum one years ago my first boat good luck with your rebuid i'll be watching this one close

idonthaveaname · Dec 13, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

You've done this before.... haven't you.

chrisroberts916 · Dec 13, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

No, I never done this before, but I had good teachers. Right here on this forum. I spent all last winter wishing I could be working on mine. But it was well worth the wait because I just kept reading and learning from others on the forums.

chrisroberts916 · Dec 13, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

I started filling the million holes on the dash and sides. I chamfer (sp) all them then backed them up with muffler tape, worked great. My plan is to move the steering to the left side.
More Pics

PhotoBucket

chrisroberts916 · Dec 14, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

I feel I made progress today, but I have a few questions to ponder.

1. The lone Star has two alum. stringers that I found to be full of water and ate my transom. I need to know if I glass in a 3/8 plastic air line to vent/drain in bilge area is a good Idea or bad and I should just glass them up without the tube?

2. Has to do with the keel. My drain plug is at floor level should the keel drain? or again just glass it closed see pic with finger pointed

If ever wonder why a 53 year old transom would give up, how about the 29 holes in the transom alone.

Glassed in some wood in the rear corners, I may want a cleat there at some point

Don't forget to check photo album 21 pics uploaded tonight
PhotoBucket

idonthaveaname · Dec 15, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

You do nice work! This ought to be quite a vessel when you are done and I am looking for to the finished product.

My preference would be a hard PVC pipe, of course other opinions may differ. Nonetheless, I think drainage is always a good idea if you can direct it.

Now...you might want to work on your curls or at least improve your eating habits...that's one skinny arm you got there!

Greg Mrozinski · Dec 15, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

Chris,

Nice boat and nice work so far. Keep it up as we are all wanting to see the final result.

chrisroberts916 · Dec 15, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

Thank you and please keep the comments coming, it helps keep me going.

More progress today! I got the transom cut and glued. but first couple pics off holes.

I needed my saw horses

Transom

I will cut the top after it drys.

I hope someone will get something out of all the photos, there is already over a hundred in Photobucket

Will update more later!

vettenuts · Dec 15, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

Thanks for posting, I am learning a lot and about a year behind you having just bought my boat a few weeks ago. I am currently in the planning and learning mode. Have a few questions if you don't mind and will suscribe to this thread for sure.

Did you actually have to cut off the top or was it mechanically fastened?

How hard was it to remove and keep it in shape?

What are you using for the transom, plywood?

How are your stringers?

I don't have a garage to work in so I have to wait until spring to do anything on the boat. First step will be power wash the hull and check for structural damage then motor removal. Need to see if the motor runs and if it does I will move it into the basement so I can work on it next winter.

twkjr 1250 · Dec 15, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

chrisroberts916 said:
I feel I made progress today, but I have a few questions to ponder.

1. The lone Star has two alum. stringers that I found to be full of water and ate my transom. I need to know if I glass in a 3/8 plastic air line to vent/drain in bilge area is a good Idea or bad and I should just glass them up without the tube?

2. Has to do with the keel. My drain plug is at floor level should the keel drain? or again just glass it closed see pic with finger pointed

If ever wonder why a 53 year old transom would give up, how about the 29 holes in the transom alone.

Glassed in some wood in the rear corners, I may want a cleat there at some point

Don't forget to check photo album 21 pics uploaded tonight
PhotoBucket

the hole in transom bottom (keel) is needed for drainage after pulling boat out of water you pull the plug out and let it drain. when stowing you keep bow up so rain water drains out . It will be 1" diameter . i used a brass 1" sleeve from marine store ,comes pre flared on one end 5200 it in after sizing and leaving enough to flare outside edge . i said outside edge because it will be easier to flare from out side. look at pic

chrisroberts916 · Dec 15, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

twkjr 1250 said:
the hole in transom bottom (keel) is needed for drainage after pulling boat out of water you pull the plug out and let it drain. when stowing you keep bow up so rain water drains out . It will be 1" diameter . i used a brass 1" sleeve from marine store ,comes pre flared on one end 5200 it in after sizing and leaving enough to flare outside edge . i said outside edge because it will be easier to flare from out side. look at pic

Sorry if I worded it wrong, but I know what a plug is. The part in question is the channel which the the finger is pointing to is about 1/4 below the plug hole, that would be the keel? Well it was wet in the channel. Should I install a vent hose 6" or so up the transom so it doesn't trap the moisture inside?

chrisroberts916 · Dec 15, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

Did you actually have to cut off the top or was it mechanically fastened?
Yes, my boat the cap sits flat on the hull and a 6" wide heavy mat glassed all the way around
How hard was it to remove and keep it in shape?
Mine held it shap very well. The 2x4 screwed across the back was measured from the loops for the steering before it was split
What are you using for the transom, plywood?
I was waiting for this question. I used 3/4" Sign Board, my parents own a commercial sign / graphics business and I kinda borrowed a sheet. At $120 a sheet it's a pretty good grade with 0 voids. The good thing about it it has been in the shop on a shelf for a year or so and is good and dry

How are your stringers?
I got lucky on this boat the stingers are metal wrapped in glass.

vettenuts · Dec 16, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

How are you refinishing the top, are you going with Gel Coat or a paint? Are you going to try and color match?

chrisroberts916 · Dec 16, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

I'm going to paint it. As far as the color it going to be yellow again and it will be easy to match because I painted it School Bus Yellow earlier this summer. The boat was blue when I got it in the spring.

CheapboatKev · Dec 16, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

I can give you zero advice on the glasser..but what I can do is say...

I LOVE this boat, the graphics are killer and you're doing a helluva job!!!

I (and many) of us tin starcraft guys have kicked around the shark teeth old flying tiger style look...

Keep up the good work!

chrisroberts916 · Dec 16, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

This is what it looked like in the spring when I traded a push mower for it.

I bought a 40hp Johnson for it and liked it enough to give it a nice paint job

Then in the fall I went to install a speedo and when I screwed into the transom a stream of water came out the hole

So that is how it jumped in front of the '57 Winner that was suppose to be in the garage now

So when I'm done with this one look forward to the Winner next

oops! · Dec 16, 2010

Re: 57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

hi buddy.....nice boat and great work so far.

need some more info and an overall shot of the drain tube.....where it goes, as i havent quite got the full picture yet.

but basically....the only thing a tube does is transfers water or air to an area.....this is what a blower is for,,,as well as a bilge bump.
if you have a sump lower than the drain plug...lower the plug !
also as far as your transom.....you were mentioning that it is around 1 1/4 ish thick?.... need to be thicker......check the ob clamp, that will tell you how thick to make the transom......better a little thicker than thinner.

one more last thought before i get back to work.....the cap joint is called a flange joint......and ita a real pita to put back on....make sure the hull is secure and the sides dont flop outward, or re aligning the cap will be a killer.

cheers
oops

57 Lone Star rebuild thoughts and advice welcomed w/pics!!

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