Transom woes.

starry-eyed

Seaman Apprentice
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Sep 19, 2016
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This is my first post and I need some technical help. I read several threads regarding rebuilds and repairs and learned alot in the last three days. The boat in question is a 1966 Starchief and to my dismay it has a rotten behind. I've crawled under the splash well, peeked up under her gunnels, and cursed a bit. I'm stuck on how to remove the splashwell drain tubes and where to start with removal of the splashwell. I'm sure that I'll have many more questions as I continue de-construction.
 

jbcurt00

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Moved to the Starcraft forum

Welcome to iboats

Get a hack saw blade and a pair of vice grips, slice thru drain tubes and then fold them into the middle to remove them. They are a 1 and done part, not salvageable

Some rivets, vinyl insert, rubrail and transom end caps all have to come off to remove/install the transom.

Post up some pix, we love the old SCs getting rebuilt.

Look around the SC forum I've moved this to. Lots of great info in there....
 

starry-eyed

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Sep 19, 2016
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Thanks, jbcurt00, I suspected that was the case with the drain tubes. Are replacements available? Also, is it necessary to remove both the interior and exterior rub rails?
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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May 24, 2011
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Welcome to TinLand, Starry.

The drain tubes are available. A tool is used to seat the new ones, but some of the guys have made a tool. Gotta find a pic of one here some where.

The exterior rub rails don't need to be removed to take the splashwell out. Some Starcrafts may need the interior rub rails removed, some don't. Got any pics? Posting pics is the fee to cover Starmada dues. :D
 

jbcurt00

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Rubrail doesnt for splashwell removal, but for transom replacement, it really just needs a bit loosened to allow the gunwale to be bent up or cutoff.
 

Tnstratofam

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Aug 18, 2013
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:welcome: You've come to the right place as lots of people here have replaced their transoms. Ther is a link in my sig line to the thread where I replaced the transom in our SS 160. It may have some useful info and pics. Speaking of pics post up some when you can so we can check out what you're working on.
 

starry-eyed

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Sep 19, 2016
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Pics are coming! Rules state there must be t three posts before pics. . . I'll be back to the boat on Thursday, need some rest!
 

Strychn9ne

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Aug 27, 2016
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Following this one, I have a 1965 Siren that will be needing a transom in the next few years. Mine's still solid enough, but has began to separate from the outer skin in a few places. Good luck with yours!
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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as far as transoms go, a starcraft is a walk in the park to replace. These guys will give you all the help you need.
 

oldhaven

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 30, 2015
Messages
568
I'm in late on this one , but welcome to the Starfix boatyard. There seem to be a few Starchief's headed for a new lease on life this next year. I'm looking forward to following along.

On the drain tubes you don't even need the hacksaw blade, just a big screwdriver and a hammer. Crumple in the outer flange and push them into the boat.
 

starry-eyed

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Sep 19, 2016
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Oldhaven, thanks for the tip, I'll have them out (hopefully) within the hour! Also, I just posted on your Another Maine Starcraft asking for your help. You beat me to it! Welcome Aboard, Sir!
 

starry-eyed

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Drain tubes are now in hand.
 

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starry-eyed

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Another question. . . In this photo there are four vertically oriented slot-head screws (bolts) along the outside edge of the transom, see the blue tape with arrows. I assume that there are nuts on these and that the bolts need to come out for transom board removal. In order to get to the nuts, it seems that the splashwell has to come out but I'm not sure where to begin with that. I don't want to start removing rivets and pieces that aren't necessary.
 

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Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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Jan 12, 2013
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Welcome to the Starmada :wave:

I'm happy to see another Chief in the dry dock fleet! This year we've had a good run of OB Chief's being worked on so you shouldn't have any problems that haven't been solved. What's your plans for the old gal besides the rotten transom replacement?

Looking forward to some pics. Here's a link to photo posting. http://forums.iboats.com/forum/forum-rules-and-guidelines/9938375-photo-upload-tutorial
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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To remove the SW you have to remove the rub rail inside and partially on the outside*. To start you'll need to remove the vinyl insert to expose the machine screws underneath. On the outside you could just remove enough of the screws/nuts to lift off the RR to expose the attachments of the SW wing from the top of the gunnel.

*You'll have to take off all the end caps to include the bow cap which is a special bear to tackle, I was there so read on my thread how to remove it.
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/owner...95#post6530595



fetch
 

starry-eyed

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Sep 19, 2016
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Thanks for the reply, Waterman. The boat story began 5 years ago in the fall as a joint venture with my brother. The first winter I kept it at my place in Oregon as I had a machine shed for storage and work. The plywood floor from stem to stern was shot as well as the cabin bulkhead and helm.

Everything rotten (except the transom) was removed including all wiring, gages, and wheel. I started with replacement of the floor and the cabin storage compartments in order to secure a firm foundation for a new bulkhead and cabin door. I installed a rigid 1.5 inch pvc conduit under the starboard gunwale for new wiring from the front of the splashwell to the helm which included deck lights, stern light, fuel gage, bilge pump, and primary power to the helm as well as the speedo tube, Humminbird transducer lead, and a pull cord for future use if needed. I added a battery shut-off switch underneath the brace at the front of the splashwell.

The helm and bulkhead were reconstructed with a combination of laminated cherry panels and mahogany with the helm getting a matching gage set of speedo, tach, fuel, and amps plus dash illumination and switch panel. I constuced a console on the upper dash area for another switch panel, CB and marine radios, and the Humminbird. I trimmed the sides just below the gunwales from the cabin bulkhead to the SW with mahogany.

I recently got the boat back in my possession again and discovered the transom woes about a week ago when installing two downriggers. Yikes ! Looks like another winter project. . .
 

oldhaven

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Aug 30, 2015
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You have the full width splash well in the '66 OB just as I do in my '67. Later ones are more cut away at the ends, if you look at pictures in later restorations. The big well, while distinctive, really precludes the easy removal of those bolts along the transom edge, especially the upper ones, Unless you have a special combination of extensions. tools and a lot of patience they are inaccessible. You could grind the heads off the bolts and push them through, but putting the nuts back on new ones after installation would be harder yet. You really should remove the splash well as it makes transom replacement so much easier. As a matter of fact, with that shape full well, everything you have to do in the stern area will be less frustrating with it out. I took mine out in a couple of hours and did a few repairs to it and stripped it over the winter.
 

starry-eyed

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Sep 19, 2016
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I have loosened the inside rub-rail forward to the cross-brace at the front of the SW. The cross-brace is attached to the inner gunwale by the large corner brace as shown in one of the pics. I assume that these corner braces need to be removed in order to facilitate removal of the SW bottom and sides in one piece. It looks like once the corner braces are seperated from the gunwale sides, the entire SW can be moved forward and down to clear the rub-rail and then be lifted out. Is this correct or have I overlooked something? Like I previously mentioned, I don't want to drill out or cut anything that is not necessary.
 

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oldhaven

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Those corner braces are not original, from my own experience. They would have to be detached at least from the gunwale so you can move the well forward. In addition to the several rivets along the top and vertical sides of the well you do not mention the many (many) wood screws along the bottom. They have to be removed, but if your wood is gone soft that's easy except for crawling under there. Check for cracks at the upper outer corners inside the well. That may be why the corner braces were added. I had to add one to mine, but did it inside the well.

Ron
 

oldhaven

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One more thing. Did you already remove the vertical braces that should go from the well upper crossmember to the deck on each side? They would be right under those corner braces. Unless yours never had them, they are important supports for the well and the side panels. You can find several pictures of mine in my thread.
 
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