Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

[Grandad]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Thanks low277. OK, remember you asked. I'm just a do-it-yourselfer really. I suppose I learned the most from my Dad from an early age. I got my first set of grown-up tools for Xmas at age 8. With Dad's help, built my first boat at age 14 & the second at age 16. I specialized in machine shop in high school, following my father's footsteps as a tool & die maker. I ended up apprenticing as an electrician, a simple mercenary career choice over toolmaking which paid poorly at the time. My electrical career included positions as electrician, instrument technician, foreman, superintendent and inspector. I retired 5 years ago from my job as an equipment approvals inspector and now teach electrical apprentices part time. I think that if you live long enough every DIYer gets the opportunity to develop a lot of skills just by trial and error.
Thanks for asking. - Grandad

 

[low277]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Grandad, I suspected as much, I picked up on the reference to a one shot bender and greenlee hole punch.

Very nice work!

 

[sprintst]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Tons of great ideas man.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Thanks sprinst. So many ideas, so little time. - Grandad

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Carp, I think I may have to take my computer & my SC's and go home

That's an awesome plan, but the rendering is

Outstanding on both counts!

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Hey Grandad,

Just stumbled on your build... Wow I'm blown away at your innovative thinking, engineering, and mechanical skills... What a great boat!

I love how your keeping a vintage look to everything!

I'm very impressed!

 

[Decker83]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

WOW what excellent progress you have made. Everything is perfect as usual. Just amazing,.

Here's to you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving Day.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

That's an awesome plan, but the rendering is

Outstanding on both counts!

Thanks jb. I usually start to sketch an idea with pencil on scrap paper, then model things in the CAD program SolidWorks. I find that CAD forces me to be practical in my designs and requires exacting dimensions. Because it's 3D, I can rotate views and zoom from all angles to get a reasonable picture of how the finished project will look before even aquiring the materials. It also lets me dream and "what if" a little bit. One of the great features is that if I draw things properly, I can see moving parts in different positions to confirm there's no interference with other parts. I'm teaching myself how to use SolidWorks, so every new "drawing" contains a new challenge. - Grandad

 

[Grandad]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Thanks bear and Decker. Don't get too stuffed with Turkey today. We already celebrated Thanksgiving up here in Canuckistan back on October 8, your Columbus Day. - Grandad

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Canuckistan

New term for me, LOL!

Just found your thread and wanted to thank you for all the ideas you have shared about your project. I also still have my electric trains from childhood days in the 1950's and entertain my grandchildren with them regularly. Regarding boats, I am currently trying to finish my fifth and LAST project boat, a fiberglass 18 ft. dual-console with outboard power. Your head/changing area is absolutely brilliant and encourages me to believe I too can provide that capability. My FIL and fishing buddy was a Master Shipwright at the local Navy Yard during WWII and I am positive he would be impressed with your concepts, planning and execution. Well done, Grandad!

 

[Grandad]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

New term for me, LOL! Just found your thread and wanted to thank you for all the ideas you have shared about your project. I also still have my electric trains from childhood days in the 1950's and entertain my grandchildren with them regularly. Regarding boats, I am currently trying to finish my fifth and LAST project boat, a fiberglass 18 ft. dual-console with outboard power.

Thanks Willy. About 10 years ago, I was working on a plan for a 30' x 12' twin O/B triple pontoon houseboat that would have the outside pontoons slide inward for trailering at an 8'-6" width, but I got too old to start such an ambitious project and put my energies into this Holiday instead. The kid in the Xmas 1955 picture below still looks the same to me except that some of the hair on top now covers my chin instead. I don't know where the bow tie is, but I still have the train transformer in the picture to power my foam cutter. This past spring, I had to replace the cracked cord that in the picture still has the new packaging curls in it. Now if it was just that easy to replace some of my parts ... - Grandad

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Great picture Sir!

I can see you dreaming up all sorts of ideas!

 

[Streetgang]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

What an amazing forum, an unbelievable post and great people. Thank you.

But then, quite a few throw in the subtle humor and it goes over the top.

Never heard "Canuckistan" so another reason to follow your resto and the other great posts. Nice work !

 

[djpeters]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Do you still have the train?

By the way. I work with CAD everyday with progressive dies. We are running UG NX7.5, but our special machine dept runs Solidworks. I've modeled up a few boat parts as well!

 

[Grandad]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Do you still have the train?

Yup, I still have it. Your question prompted me to get it out of what looks like my mother's fastidious wrapping in newspaper dated 1963. I found the model in an online original 1953 catalog in a set costing $25. It's worth hundreds now as an antique in excellent condition. Hey, I'm even older. I wonder what I'm worth now? Oh yeh, the condition ... - Grandad

 

[Grandad]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

OK, I haven't posted in awhile. I'm retired, but busy with other things. I have a change of plans for the soft top. As much as I like Plan A reported above, it has its drawbacks. Plan B allows me to fold the top out of the way for those that need the sun some of the time. It will also trailer better, folded and booted within the tower. The entire tower will also still fold down with the top attached. I don't like the use of bimini support straps from the deck, so I'm installing horizontal struts from the tower to support the forward bow. The aft bow will be fixed in position to the tower on centre with the aft tube. The 2 intermediate bows will have conventional spreader straps. So, here's the concept drawings in CAD.





I've been dressing up the welds on the tower so they'll be smooth and take paint better. I've also bent all the bimini bows from 7/8" mirror finish stainless steel and have them installed.







Unfortunately, the person I thought might sew the bimini for me is unavailable, so I guess its gonna just be Nana and me doing the best we can with it. I hope to have more pictures of the tubing in a few days, but the finished top will probably be at least a month away. - Grandad

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Awesome revision.

 

[Streetgang]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Always a joy to watch your work.

 

[tgp***]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

Just cruised your thread. That's some serious skills you have there. Nice work.

 

[Streetgang]

Re: Starcraft Holiday Reno and Hull Repair

A question please from your patch work.

Did you put a rivet into the stop crack holes you drilled or just leave them?

Thank you.