1976 Starcraft Mariner 18ft as a First Project

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PonyBoy71

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Mar 27, 2019
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Hello to all of my unpaid consultants and motivational speakers. As is usually the case, I have been lurking on the forum for quite a while. I am ready to share my journey that leads from trash to treasure. I have never done anything like this but feel confident that with a little help from you guys, it will all turn out great. So here she is on the day I brought her home. I had to retrieve her from the back of a field under some large oak trees.
 

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PonyBoy71

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Mar 27, 2019
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My goal is to do a complete renovation inside and out. This includes reworking the splash well configuration in order to add fold down bench seating, constructing a new center console to house a 13-18 gallon permanent gas tank, and re-configuring bow seating into a u-shaped bench. I have seen most everything done on various posts so I am not looking to recreate the wheel. And who knows...I may become skilled at a few things along the way.
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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:welcome: to the Starmada and into the fray that is boat restoration.

Nice to see another Mariner come along, seems the SS is the boat of choice around here.

Good for you on rescuing her from the field :thumb:

fetch
 

classiccat

"Captain" + Starmada Splash Of The Year 2020
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Welcome PonyBoy!

it looks like that boat was painted literally right before being put out to pasture.

Should be a good project. :thumb:
 

PonyBoy71

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Mar 27, 2019
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I got home last night and decided to get to work. What I found was a little surprising. I knew the decking needed to be replaced but I had no idea how badly until I started the tear down. The only thing holding the decking together was the carpet. Someone prior decided that MDF alone was a sufficient enough product to use as decking. :confused: The good news is that everything was really easy to remove. The bad news is that I have nothing to use as a template. But what's the fun in a step being easy. I will simply appreciate the end product more...I hope. My plan is to replace it with 3/4" birch or fir sealed with the varnish that I have seen Watermann recommend. But that will come later. Next step is to do a cleanup, check the stringers, look for issues and start on the transom as I have no faith that it is in passable condition. Your thoughts, tips and ideas are welcome.
 

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classiccat

"Captain" + Starmada Splash Of The Year 2020
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Carpet AND MDF... that boat didn't stand a chance. A stiff breeze could've demo'd that deck :lol:

fetch


Stick with either exterior grade or marine grade PLY which use waterproof glue; resistant to PLY delamination.

Spar Varnish is a popular choice here. There's WoodOnGlass's "old timer's" formula that's also a popular hit.

OldTimers.jpg


If you're patient and have a little extra $$, it's hard to beat epoxy resin & fiberlgass cloth. Gougeon Brother's have some great literature available (see West Systems). I used West Systems on my last boat and it cost me a small fortune. I've since started using U.S. Composites...zero complaints at a much lower cost.
 

Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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Oh boy what a bunch of work someone did to just have it turn to mush. Exterior grade only, no birch that's an interior plywood. I started using ACX fir ply and like it as lot for cost and durability.
 

PonyBoy71

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Thanks Cat and WM. I will load the trailer up with the fir, after I locate some, and mix up the popular brew to seal it all up. But I have a LOT of clean up, leak testing and aluminum inspection before I reach that step.
 

PonyBoy71

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A few more hours of work after work and taking care of the horses (thus the screen name). So far, I have only found one missing rivet on the exterior of the hull and I am the one that got a little over zealous trying to remove a brace from the storage structure in the bow. :mmph: The knee braces are intact and in great shape but I will still remove them for a closer look. The stringers are in good shape as well but I want to add a bunch more cross braces as I go forward to stiffen it up. I will be tackling the removal of the transom this weekend and maybe start work on the trailer tear down. After reading thread after thread I believe this just may be the single worst weekend of my project. :lol:

I did recruit my eldest of three First Mates to help with the clean up. I intended this to be a family project so that when it is complete we will all have some feeling of accomplishment and ownership and so far so good. And here are the required pics to appease the masses.

Questions:
1. Can height be added by reworking the stringers in order to add a permanent below deck gas tank or would that create an issue?
2. Is it a good idea to use the aircraft stripper on the motor as well or should I use a different product?

Thanks in advance for checking in on my project and sharing your insight. It is greatly appreciated!
 

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Watermann

Starmada Splash of the Year 2014
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You can create more room under the deck by moving the deck supports out and adding material at the rib ends to compensate. With the trade off of loosing some free board height. You'll then need to fabricate cross members from angle AL to add support, especially important where the deck pieces join.

I've stripped motors using stripper but only on parts you can remove like the cowl and such, the rest of the motor I sanded out.
 

PonyBoy71

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Mar 27, 2019
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I did not have nearly enough time to do all I wanted to do with her this weekend, but I find that to be a common occurrence among these threads. I was able to get her cleaned up and pressure washed. A leak test showed no leaks but I will of course do another one after working on stringers and cross braces and before securing the decking.

Then I started the mother of all steps. No amount of words and warning could have prepared me for removing the transom. I had previously removed and labeled every bolt, screw and bracket so that it could be pulled out. I was hoping it would be as easy as prying the bottom aluminum brace apart from the transom, tapping it here and there, and then pulling it out using the motor through bolts as leverage. Yeah right!! After an hour of prying and tapping with increasingly stronger and stronger force and pulling/pushing/cussing I changed course. I pulled my tractor out, affixed the through bolts to a tow strap and to the front end loader, lifted it slightly off of the trailer and started the prying and tapping steps. Only this time they were accompanied by jumping up and down. I will say that once the bottom corners broke free it came right out. I must confess that with all of the excitement and my hands full with the crowbar and hammer I did not take pictures of the removal process. I was able to salvage the transom to use as a template, at least before the re-design of the SW. Fir does not seem to be an easily ready option here in the southern states so I am looking for other options besides marine grade.

At this point I simply rolled her out and turtled her up. If the weather holds out I will start the stripping process tonight. It is so difficult for me to focus on the tasks at hand. My mind wants to speed this along and work on the stuff that looks like progress such as paint,seating, nautalex, seadek and such. in the meantime, I will keep posting the baby steps.

Thanks again for the help and ideas.
 

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PonyBoy71

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I never imagined that I would be "one of those guys" that starts my project and abruptly disappears for months, yet here I am. Well, I am back! I ordered an 18 gallon gas tank that will be fitted below the center console. I will now wait to receive it in order to fit it in place to start on the stringer arrangement with cross braces. I have purchased plenty of aluminum tubing and angle pieces to reconfigure the splash well and create a bit more room for the family to get in and out. If I am being honest, however, I saw HypnoFrog and his rebuild of the same boat and got excited to get mine back on track. It is a new year so Pics and progress will be posted regularly.
 

HypnoCraft

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Aug 30, 2018
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Looks good! I am glad you have inspiration from my project! Your project also gives me more motivation to get mine into shape!

I don't know where you live, but if you can get it, buy zip strip or a similar product (aircraft stripper). It works quite well. Just remember to only brush in one direction and only once over an area. After 30 mins do a quick pass with a plastic scraper, letting the bits fall onto a plastic painters sheet. Then just continue coats to remove all the paint. Once the peeled paint is dry again it is not harmful and can be thrown out.

Its a lot of work but stick with the stripping. I have gone through 2.5 gallons of aircraft stripper and will probably need a 4th (21.5ft boat is a little bigger than yours).

Edit: oh and make sure you use a respirator with organic cartridges and work outside or in a very very very well ventilated area. The stripper is not good for your brain. Also make sure you get good gloves. I think mine are neoprene?
 

PonyBoy71

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Mar 27, 2019
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I have a couple of gallons of the aircraft stripper but have decided to only do the section under the water line. I have a friend that does vinyl wrapping and thought I would give it a try. I believe the hardest part of the renovation/rebuild for me is to pick a color scheme...I mean besides staying on task and not getting side tracked with other projects. LOL!
 

beckoning

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Dec 15, 2010
Messages
149
PonyBoy, In 2007, I did much the same as what you're doing, except my transom was useable. I subsequently sold the boat to a very happy walleye fisherman here in NW Michigan. I replaced the floatation and floor, salvaged and reconstructed the center console, left the transom alone after probing with an ice pick, and caught many king salmon on Lake Michigan with it. I used 5/8" exterior grade plywood painted heavily with Kilz sealer primer. I did the same on my 19' Great Lakes Special (SeaNymph). In retrospect, I wish I had used 3/4" marine plywood in both, but sealed 5/8" exterior will probably outlast me. The 3/4" marine would have added needed weight to the Mariner. Instead of carpet, because I didn't want to get hooks caught in the loops and didn't want to scrub off fish blood, I used marine vinyl sheet carpet on the Mariner, and heavy gauge roof membrane on the SeaNymph. Both were good decisions. Be sure to take time to replace all the floatation cells with fresh, spray in waterproof foam. Spray every crevice. It will be a safer boat, and it will support your floor well.

Where are you with this project now?
 
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