14' Lone Star Repairs

[jasoutside]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Throw a little snow in there? Does that count for a leak test?

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

According to the data sheet it bonds well to aluminum and is rated for water immersion. Hey, I'm all about experimenting with new stuff. Just be aware that if it fails you will have some "Do Over" It's your boat so, if you want to give it a try, I see nothing in the specs of the product that leads me to believe that it would be an outright failure.

I prefer testing for leaks by floating the boat, NOT filling it with water.

I was also thinking JB Weld, but that isn't flexible. See below on what my float test would look like.

But when the lake water is solid ice it won't leak so it's the second best way.

Look guy's the boats dry, no leaks.

I know putting water in a boat is not the greatest thing, it can do damage. I also think the the pressures on the boat are not the same and it may or may not show what would happen if it were actually IN the water.


GA, Thanks for the cudo's on the rail repair, I hope it holds up.

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Throw a little snow in there? Does that count for a leak test?

Isn't that the way you brought the Islander home.

I should have left it outside tonight, it's raining like crazy now, But it would be full of ice in the morning..

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Well we had a bit of rain yesterday and the temps stayed above freezing. Today is in the upper 30's and Sunshine for a change. Checked out a local launch on my way to work this morning and it had some open water. So......

I did a little more paint removal on the main seam and


I put two small motors and a battery to get some weight in it. Still had to lean the boat back and forth as I worked my way up to the bow. Had to break some of the ice to get enough room, but it was pretty thin.

Results, transom lower corners leaking very bad, and about 20 other spots on the main seam. So I'll be looking for options to seal that seam (see next post), get to try Gluvit out on the interior, maybe even try some bucking. I was hoping to not have to paint the interior until later.

It also provided an opportunity to see what the engine turning finish would look like in the sun.

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Here some pics of the seam I worked on today, Thick blue paint, I swear it's house paint that was slathered on with a brush. In the back corner it was covered with white material, caulk or maybe 5200? Under that is some hard, very sticky aluminum colored filler??? Very tough to remove. The seam is kind of filled from the transom corner about half way to the bow.

I would love to know what the aluminum color filler is and maybe use that to reseal the seam on the outside. Just put it on a lot neater than the PO.



When I look in the seam it looks there is a thin black membrane, can't get a pic of it where it shows up. I assume this is supposed to be a gasket or seal between the two sheets of aluminum.

Flipping the boat to continue paint removal is the next step.

I'll be researching bucking, gluvit and aluminum seam filler. Any help is welcome.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

HI 64. The filler was probably JB weld, or a similar epoxy compound. It's great stuff, but not necessarily the most attractive. I'm not sure about the membrane though. I've never heard of a boat having that, but there's no telling what a PO did to it. I would also get in the habit of putting your plug in from the inside. It would suck for it to fall out and go bye-bye while you were under way causing you take on water. I also put a small little chain or zip tie on mine so that even if it does come out, it won't go far and I can't loose it. I like the brushed aluminum look and the welding job looks top notch. Keep us posted!

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

kfa, I think the membrane would have been a factory install, if that's what it is, I could just be seeing things. Bifocal's & low light don't work for me.

On the plug I was playing around with an idea of making a platform in the back of the boat to hold the gas tank (keep it from moving around) and moved the plug to the outside. Yea I like the chain idea, my old boat had a really strong string. Haven't lost one yet but there's always a first time.

I looked at your Ark Trav, looks like a nice simple set up. Hope you found the fish.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Thanks for the compliments on the boat, but it's a MAJOR work in progress and mostly just a fun distraction. I actually just made a little rack/cradle thingy out of some bamboo to keep my kicker from rattling around in the back and getting dirty when not in use. I just made what looks like a ladder and laid it down in the back behind the rear bench seat. It now keeps the motor several inches off the sole while still allowing drainage, it also gives me something to bungee the motor and it's little 1 gal tank to so they can't rattle around anymore. Best of all, I can just lift the whole thing out to hose things down and it cost $0. You can kinda sorta see in this pic. I'll try to get a better one with the motor in place. Cheers!

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

I've been taking it easy on paint removal after the quick seam paint removal for the leak test. Seems I have picked up a little tennis elbow. Maybe wire wheeling is not a great idea.

Removed the rest of the outer seam filler, whatever it is. Tool of choice is....

Does a great job cleaning out the seam and chipping off the filler without damaging the hull anymore than it already is. I had mentioned something before about a gasket or filler between the seam and indeed there is one, thin black rubber. There's another good reason to not weld on a riveted boat.

Started rebucking rivets and it looks to be going good, but time will tell, 2nd leak test coming if the weather holds.

While I was fixin' rivets I decided to knock out a tiny little dent in the stern corner. Turns out is wasn't a good idea. Opened up a little hole :facepalmbright spot in pic flashlight shining through).



Broke out some JB weld and made a little bent filler piece out of some scrap alum.



Hopefully it's a good patch.

I know someone has a signature that says "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Lesson learned, for now.

Back to bucking rivets.

 

[markcmcelroy]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Hello 64,

I have finally found a fellow Lone Star restoration friend. I have what I believe a 1955 Lone Star Commnader V that I am in the processes of stripping and repairing very similar to you. The title on my boat is incorrect and it took me several months just to identify my boat. I will include a couple of small shots of where I am prepping my boat.

I have been very inspired by your thread and the comments of others as you progress along. I am in Texas and a native of the state and was thrilled to get a boat of this name and still in decent shape. I will have questions, I am sure but wanted to thank you for all you have already shared.

I am including a few shots of the boat as I got it last summer and one of the current state of repair.

markcmelroy - 1955 Lone Star Commander

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Mark, Thanks for the hello, and welcome to the site and the madness.

I like your Commander looks to be in pretty good shape, you should start a thread on your project. You will find a few more Lone * Star owners out here. I also saw a guy that has a Chrysler Commander about 1965 or so. Chrysler bought Lone Star.

The pic you posted of the handle on the seat support looks like a boat I looked at last week. It was filled to the top with water and ice. I didn't buy it. Mine has smaller holes and I'm working on making some handles that will fit between the seat supports.

Haven't spent much time on mine lately. The wire wheel paint removal caught up with me and I'm letting my tennis elbow settle back down. When the boat gets flipped, stripper will be used most likely.

I've been playing with outboards instead.

 

[markcmcelroy]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Mark, Thanks for the hello, and welcome to the site and the madness.

I like your Commander looks to be in pretty good shape, you should start a thread on your project. You will find a few more Lone * Star owners out here. I also saw a guy that has a Chrysler Commander about 1965 or so. Chrysler bought Lone Star.

The pic you posted of the handle on the seat support looks like a boat I looked at last week. It was filled to the top with water and ice. I didn't buy it. Mine has smaller holes and I'm working on making some handles that will fit between the seat supports.

Haven't spent much time on mine lately. The wire wheel paint removal caught up with me and I'm letting my tennis elbow settle back down. When the boat gets flipped, stripper will be used most likely.

I've been playing with outboards instead.

Thanks for the reply 64. I am happy to finally get connected with some other like-minded crazy aluminum boat restorers!
Hey, understand the tennis elbow. I had to lay off the razor blade scraper too for a couple of days, my shoulder and arm were killing me.

Good idea to start my own thread. I'm curious did you photoshop the Lone Star emblem on the projected image of your boat? Looked great! I'm trying to decide on all the big decisions now about sealants, primers and paint.Won't need it for a while but will need to order with some lead time. Also was goning to mention, I have a 1970 Johnson 20 hp that came with mine that I have already had to rebuild the drive shaft and lower end (a whole long story in itself)
Sounds like you've got a sweet Evenrude 18. That's what my dad and I used back when I was a kid on our old alumacraft.

Take care and hope that tennis elbow heals up quickly!
Mark M

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Weather is way to nice to not have this little boat on the water, should have been out this past weekend.

I finished re bucking the rivets and finished up the transom.

The hull still needs to be finished, but as it sits she could be on the water.

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Thought I would test out how the Johnson QD19 10HP I recently finished looks on the transom.

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Finally got the boat out for another leak test, and my son and I tested out the Johnson 10HP I rebuilt. Click on pic for video.

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Motor ran very nice. The handheld GPS was reading 15mph at WOT.

Next step on the boat is Gluvit. After rebucking rivets, it's still leaking pretty bad. You can see the water in the boat in the video and here are pics after it was back on the trailer. We spent about 30 minutes on the water. About 5 minutes was spent retrieving my flash light that ended up in 4 feet of water, I was able to grab it with the oars:facepalm:

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[kfa4303]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Looks Great!!!! I love the old 10 hp. Very plucky for their size. The '58s have my favorite paint scheme by far. Not quite holiday bronze two-tone, not quite wedding cake white, but the perfect blend of both. Vroom-vroom!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Hey man, we're boating, like it!

 

[64osby]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

Looks Great!!!! I love the old 10 hp. Very plucky for their size. Vroom-vroom!

Hey man, we're boating, like it!

Thanks guys It's was last October last time on a boat, it was really nice be out again. Even if there was the sensation of slowly sinking as my son stated.

 

[jshbuckeye]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

WOW the transom on your Lone star is out of control, I hope I can steal this from you that is freaking sweet. I dont believe I have seen a wire brush that I could accomplish that with on my 58. what does that brush go on, a buffer, grinder or a drill? Is it a brass wheel or steel? I also love the aluminum tube idea for my 58 the nose was removed and the mounting edge is there so I now know how it will be dressed up.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 14' Lone Star Repairs

The old Lone Star and especially the Johnson look great, 64. Slowly sinking is a lot better than going down in minutes. Does that qualify as a successful leak test since you found some?