12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

I'm thinking about bolting this piece of ply as a step under the bow stop. Nice to have a place to stand while connecting the winch cable to the bow eye(which doesn't exist yet).

I need to move the bow stop back or attach some sort of extension on it so that the bow roller is 1'-2' closer to the bow. Unfortunately the I-beam is only cut to allow it at two locations. So I may need to cut two new notches somehow.

The trailer is like some sort of off-roading boat trailer right now but I'm going to throw two smaller tires that are in great condition on it later this week.

 

[SCHRECK]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

H A you are doing a fine job, kind of making me want to don some raingeer and get at it but time is on my side, i am going fishing. can do that in the rain my islander has a hardtop so i stay dry. anyways great job. Peter

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

H A you are doing a fine job, kind of making me want to don some raingeer and get at it but time is on my side, i am going fishing. can do that in the rain my islander has a hardtop so i stay dry. anyways great job. Peter

Hey thanks Schrek

I'm going to be gearing up myself for some cold weather river running this week myself

I hear you as far as staying dry under a hardtop...Huron Sr. has a 24' Seaswirl Striper walkaround with a hardtop and aft curtains that will keep you dry in any conditions.

That why I love islanders so much too...have fun with her

 

[Fishpoop]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

IMHO, Gluvit is too expensive to use as a water proofer for wood. To use it on rotton wood to stiffen it up and to seal aluminum rivits yes, it is worth every penny. Use resin or spar urethane which usually run about $15 to $20. I just did my transom and motor plate with spar urethane and it looks great. did 4 coats on each board while sanding with synthetic steel wool in between coats. Looks like glass. I am all but finished with my little tinny so stay tuned for my pics...

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

IMHO, Gluvit is too expensive to use as a water proofer for wood. To use it on rotton wood to stiffen it up and to seal aluminum rivits yes, it is worth every penny. Use resin or spar urethane which usually run about $15 to $20. I just did my transom and motor plate with spar urethane and it looks great. did 4 coats on each board while sanding with synthetic steel wool in between coats. Looks like glass. I am all but finished with my little tinny so stay tuned for my pics...

I agree...the only reason I was going to use the gluvit for the wood was that I still need to do my seams and rivets with the gluvit so I figured why not just use it for everything

Since I'm obviously on a budget for this resto I will use the spar varnish on all wood for now and maybe coat it with something more durable like epoxy resin later on. QC(moderator) did a wooden transom with spar varnish a year ago and says it's holding up pretty well so that's good enough for me

Where is your resto link FP? Can't find it...sounds like you need to start one! Did you ever end up buying that Boston Whaler knockoff you posted the thread about?

 

[Fishpoop]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

I forgot that I looked at that "whaler". It would unfortunately take a ton of work to get her worthy and I really don't have the place to store it until I could work on it so I had to pass right now. If I had a place to store it until I could start the work I think I would snatch it up. It is a pretty good deal for a project boat. Who knows, maybe this winter if it's still sitting there I'll bite the bullet and pick it up and worry about storing it then. Besides, our river eats glass boats so if I get it I would fix it and then sell it.

I do not have a resto thread at this point. I am planning on doing one next week. I'm off to camp later today for our PA archery opener this weekend so I don't have time. I got the boat about 98% completed yesterday. All I need to do is build small decks for the very back of the boat to hide the bilge and to set the gas can and battery on and that is it for boat restoration. Of course since it will be my river fishing rig I'll need to put on rod holders, fish finder, net holder, engine, etc. but that can wait until hunting season is over (January.)

Stay tuned...same bat time, same bat channel.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

FP good luck with the whitetails...I'm thinking about getting one of my compound bows out or maybe even the recurve and putting some meat in the freezer myself.

Looking forward to seeing your pictures.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Update---the 5.5hp Johnson is a 1955 and it runs like a dream

It didn't quite plane out fully with two 200lb guys, deep cycle and fishing gear but I figure we hit 12mph easy. It needs to be run quite a bit to get everything optimized and it just sounds better and better the more you run it.

It's easy to start and operate and I'm glad that these older OMC outboards are so simple and tough.

I did shoot some video while cruising around the fishing hole and I will add that when I get out of work(unless I decide to venture out into the October rainy weather to run the motor some more)

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Here is a little video footage of the motor running at various speeds. I've got some seafoam that will get the carb cleaned out a bit and plan on running it as much as possible prior to the big freeze

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Nice there Huron, she sounds really good !! I got a 53 erude 15 hp i need to get a tune up on !! john

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Nice there Huron, she sounds really good !! I got a 53 erude 15 hp i need to get a tune up on !! john

Hey John, with all your sweet Mercs I can imagine the 'Rude has to wait in line LOL...thanks I think she sounds good too Are you going to do the work yourself or have somebody take a look at it?

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Some photos of the old 5.5hp.

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Hey John, with all your sweet Mercs I can imagine the 'Rude has to wait in line LOL...thanks I think she sounds good too Are you going to do the work yourself or have somebody take a look at it?

hahaha my merc guy said he would take a look at it !! I need a manual for it
!!! yours looks in petty good shape !! mine isnt to bad !! John

 

[evildocrsx]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Is that 5.5 Johnson the one your gonna use? It would look very nice if you painted it.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Is that 5.5 Johnson the one your gonna use? It would look very nice if you painted it.

I've been testing the motor out to make sure it will run well for me and so far I'm pretty happy with it...I'd like to get some new paint on it...I agree it would look pretty nice redone. I may get some new Johnson emblems to put on it with the Sea Horse logo.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

We had some luck fishing for Northern Pike in the river yesterday. I did miss a Michigan State overtime win over Michigan but I'll take monster pike over that any day. Here's my 28" Northern caught on a spinnerbait in about 4 feet of water

My buddy Chris hauled in this 30" Northern on a red and white daredevil spoon in the same water...both Pike were released and swam off to be caught again and also to keep the bluegill population from being stunted in the river...they tend to be good at that.

We managed to get both of these fish in the boat without a net...guess what I'll be buying soon...would've been much easier than grabbing them by hand

This is what Pike will do to your tackle

Good fishing, motor ran like a dream...what a day on the water. The best thing about this fishing spot is that NOBODY ever goes there due to massive trees that have fallen across the river.

We had to portage my boat to cross and not many folks have that kind of ambition...so the spot is secluded and hasn't been fished at all this year by anyone except us.

That is the real advantage to my little aluminum rig. Bigger boats can't even launch here(no dock/ramp) and even kayaks and canoes turn around and head back when they see the mess of trees blocking the way. For this reason we decided not to get after it with a chainsaw. Keeps our fishing hole private and full of fish.

 

[mddubya]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

I just found this thread, nice work Huron. The boat is looking great and the engine sounds like it runs as good as it did when it 1st built. WTG!!!!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

I just found this thread, nice work Huron. The boat is looking great and the engine sounds like it runs as good as it did when it 1st built. WTG!!!!

Thanks mdubya...I poured some seafoam in the 6 gallon tank yesterday and that motor is running smoother and smoother every pull. Love those old outboard 2-strokes.

 

[mddubya]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

. Love those old outboard 2-strokes.

No doubt, as soon as I get finished with my ski boat I'm jumping on the old 1961 Mercury 800E my Dad had on the boat I grew up on. I want to get it running again, cleaned up and find a period correct boat to put it on.

 

[evildocrsx]

Re: 12' 1960s AeroCraft restoration

Did you go out fishing in your boat or is that your friend's boat?