Another Maine Starchief

[GA_Boater]

Trying to stab screws into rivnuts is a frustrating thing. The deck has to be perfectly aligned because it's all blind work. Not impossible, but it can make you sweat.

If you used the white 4200, you would have white hands. LOL

Do you have thread for the other project, OH?

 

[oldhaven]

Do you have thread for the other project, OH?

I'm afraid the other project got started before I found iBoats, so any information on it is at another forum site. I am sure Ii am not the only one with split interests on here, and I hope the relationship between the two is friendly. The two threads for the other project are:

http://www.fiberglassics.com/glassi...rojects/another-fleetcraft-restoration#116763

http://www.fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/home/library-additions/fleetcraft-boats-3#107495

On the Starchief front, I cocoooned the boat for the winter, despite the fact that we have been surprised with great Indian Summer weather here in the Northeast.


sad picture. Looks like it is crying. Any further work will be down in my cellar when the snow flies, as the remaining good weather goes to fall chores and getting as much as I can done on the Fleetcraft

Ron

 

[jbcurt00]

Getting rivenuts to draw tight and not freewheel while trying to drive a screw into it was another drawback posted by someone in the Starmada, 64osby maybe?

 

[oldhaven]

Getting rivenuts to draw tight and not freewheel while trying to drive a screw into it was another drawback posted by someone in the Starmada, 64osby maybe?

I expect a bigger problem is freewheeling while trying to remove a fastener. That would be a lot harder to drill out or remove than a rivet. I bet the round rib profile means poor grip. I'll stay with rivets.

 

[64osby]

Yes, worked with rivnuts for over 20 years. If they get cross threaded they will spin and will often spin while removing. Can be okay for one time use. They were used in steel tubing. I would think an aluminum rivnut (if they are made) would have less holding power then a steel one and would be more inclined to spin.

 

[laurentide]

Is that a 60's 88 series off to the right in the photo? If so, wow, cool vehicle!

 

[GA_Boater]

I'm afraid the other project got started before I found iBoats, so any information on it is at another forum site. I am sure Ii am not the only one with split interests on here, and I hope the relationship between the two is friendly. The two threads for the other project are:

http://www.fiberglassics.com/glassi...rojects/another-fleetcraft-restoration#116763

http://www.fiberglassics.com/glassic-forums/home/library-additions/fleetcraft-boats-3#107495



Ron

Many of us float around between different forums. FG is a good source, similar to this Starcraft forum and our Resto forum. We often refer members to the FG Library and I hope they use our brochure section for expanded Starcraft info.

Ron - The Imperial is a gem. She has fins, too! :thumb:

 

[oldhaven]

Is that a 60's 88 series off to the right in the photo? If so, wow, cool vehicle!

Yes it is. Sadly, I am going to sell it after a lot of years of enjoyment. You come to a point when you realize you can't do everything.


https://maine.craigslist.org/cto/5245811570.html

 

[oldhaven]

Ron - The Imperial is a gem. She has fins, too!

I really like the old finned boats. They were high style for a relatively short crazy period of time that means a lot to me in my life. Maybe I should add big fins to the Chief..........Nah, I guess not.

Ron

 

[oldhaven]

They did exist on cuddy boats. Looks better on a runabout for sure. Though if you ever watched any episodes of Buck Rogers or Commando Cody this will look familiar.

 

[falkenman]

Nice rover-

 

[oldhaven]

The Mercury 4 stroke 90 came in and I went and got it today and transferred it to the shop that will be doing the rigging. It was in a huge box that more than filled my 6 foot truck bed with the tailgate down. We did not even open it up, so I will have to wait for an Easter surprise. They will store it for the winter until the boat is ready in the spring. This will be a good deadline and incentive for me to get the transom and enough done so the motor can be hung on the boat by April or May next spring. Another incentive is that the owner of the shop has a '59 Glaspar Seafair Sedan (http://pinetreeboating.com/pinetreeboating.com/Lincolns_Seafair_Sedan.html#2), and he and a couple of other owners of small vintage cabin boats have planned a 2-3 day joint cruise on Champlain for late June or July of next year and we have been invited to go along. chemicalwire take note. We may ask for some advice if I can get my act together. Linc is an old time Mercury dealer with a lot of experience. I have known him for lots of years, back to my Maine Island Trail days. He took a long trip, (in stages), in a 23 foot skiff with a Merc 115 from Maine around Nova Scotia , down the Seaway to the Great lakes, then down the Mississippi, through Florida, and then up the East Coast and back to Maine.

As an aside, I asked him about using the Mercmonitor or the SC1000 tach for troll control. He said he would be worried that the low RPM's would not allow the alternator to charge the batteries enough with the big draw of the electronics and GPS, and apparently these new motors might as well be sea anchors if the batteries go dead. Don't get me wrong, He does have a really good opinion of these new 2.1L's, but was wary of the troll control feature. I will be installing one of these Smartcraft gauges at least, but will probably stay analog for the rest for now. I think I would like the econo mode capability of the Mercmonitor.

Ron

 

[laurentide]

Definitely let me know if you have any questions about Champlain. I can give you some great spots to check out in the broad lake area. You should plan to do at least some casual fishing...there are many species with healthy populations.

Will you be getting a multifunction display (plotter/sonar/engine data)? The previous generations of these can be found at reasonable prices. The NMEA link should come with the engine?

 

[oldhaven]

Thanks Andy, IF I can get this thing near done it would be fun, and I will definitely ask for a few tips, but that is a big IF by early summer.

Apparently Mercury motors do not talk NMEA directly, unlike other manufacturers, so an intermediate like the Vessel View, Gateway, or at least the Mercmonitor has to be used. I think the most cost effective solution for my boat will be the Mercmonitor, either Level 1 or 2. I can use it alone and add a multifunction display of some sort, probably a chartplotter/sonar, that will display engine information, when I figure out what the best option is. I did just sell the Land Rover 88 yesterday so I have a bit more change in my pocket to convert into Starchief bits. The Mercmonitor and the chart plotter will be on the list. I have also pretty much decided to use some of the LR money to buy some 3/4 Coosa board for the transom, laminating it as would be done for 3/4 ply. I can use the leftover part of the sheet for some of the fuel tank and stringer work under the deck.

Back to the TV and a beer. My college team Michigan just won and another good one with Ohio State and Michigan State going now. It's another Big Ten football weekend, Sweet .....

Ron

 

[Watermann]

A 90 is a pretty good motor for economy and should do good for your Chief. How much do those Mercs weigh in at?

 

[laurentide]

A 90 is a pretty good motor for economy and should do good for your Chief. How much do those Mercs weigh in at?

363 lbs is the advertised dry weight. That's about what I have on my transom with the 10hp kicker and the 70 main...that's really light for a 2.1 liter 4 cylinder 4 stroke. It should have good low end torque being an 8 valve.

I don't understand the price difference between the 75-90-115, all being the same block. But I totally understand going for the less expensive 90 for this boat.

 

[oldhaven]

Not a big jump in price between the 75 and 90, but a large expense jump for the 115. You pay a lot for the extra 25 HP. There is a considerable fuel economy difference between the 75, 90, and 115, and the 75 and 90 should last forever being under stressed and all three use the technology employed in the 150. The other advantage is that the alternator output and the other parameters and features are the same as the 115, and the displacement means a lot of torque for any of them. I will have to see what this means for my Chief and the 90, but the Mercury Marine website prop calculator predicts a pretty nice top end, (over 40) for a 90 with the light 860 pound dry hull Chief with a +21 prop This is why I am going to try to keep everything as light and simple as possible and pay close attention to weight distribution.

 

[oldhaven]

This is theoretical and may be wildly optomistic, but you can see the predicted difference between the 90 and 115. I have a feeling that if I ever hit that kind of top end with a 115 in a Starchief I would be riding alone from then on. I think the 90 should be about right and it probably gets way better economy.

 

[Watermann]

This is theoretical and may be wildly optomistic, but you can see the predicted difference between the 90 and 115. I have a feeling that if I ever hit that kind of top end with a 115 in a Starchief I would be riding alone from then on. I think the 90 should be about right and it probably gets way better economy.

Maybe to hit that 48-50 speed an OB Chief would need a 150. The Chief's hull design begins to hit the wall with design and wind resistance of the 2 large windshields. It's a nice stable ride in the upper 40's around 50 but what's fun is getting there pronto. :lol:

 

[oldhaven]

Maybe to hit that 48-50 speed an OB Chief would need a 150. The Chief's hull design begins to hit the wall with design and wind resistance of the 2 large windshields. It's a nice stable ride in the upper 40's around 50 but what's fun is getting there pronto. :lol:

I used the prop calculator for your setup as best I could remember, though it would not accept the weight formula for some reason and I had to use length instead, but it came out remarkably close to what you hit at top end. I don't know if you are using a 23 pitch prop. It's fun to play with anyway.


Ron