1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

[kfa4303]

Re: 1960 Starcraft? Help me identify what I just bought.

Re: 1960 Starcraft? Help me identify what I just bought.

Not stupid at all Fisherball. In fact, it makes perfect sense. Gasoline and Kerosene are both non-polar, organic solvents and tar is an organic solute, so they should be miscible. Good 'ol organic chemistry 101. "like dissolves like." (water/polar substances dissolve into other polar substances (e.g water into vinegar), whereas oils/non-polar substances dissolve into other non-polar substances (e.g. tar into gas) )
Oil + Vinegar = yummy vinaigrette, but because the two substances are dissimilar (polar vinegar and non-polar olive oil) they will not readily mix unless energy is added to the system and forces the two substances to emulsify)


Nerd alert! Nerd Alert! Nerd Alert!

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Starcraft? Help me identify what I just bought.

Re: 1960 Starcraft? Help me identify what I just bought.

Ok, I jumped ahead a little in buying things, but Bass Pro had a 1 day sale and I picked up 6 seats for $22 each. I figured that if I dont use them, they will be easy enough to unload.

Here is one of my daughters helping my unpack them.


I am wanting to do something like this in the back (I think I can slightly modify the new seats to do this, with little effort).

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1960 Starcraft? Help me identify what I just bought.

Re: 1960 Starcraft? Help me identify what I just bought.

Score on the seats! That's a deal and a half, and they all match which is nice. Btw, where did you get your cup holder tray? I've been trying to come up with a clever solution, but all I did was screw the type you hang from your car window onto my bench seat :/

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Those bottom pictures were of a Tracker boat at Bass Pro. Honestly the only cup holders I have now (in trucks and boats) is a cheap roll of duct tape. On the cheap stuff, the glue tends to ooze out the sides and you can place that roll anywhere, and it will hold a cup.

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

OK, I am going to start building my new transom. I have looked through a bunch of threads (til I got overloaded) but I cannot seem to find one that tells me what kind of resin and fiber mat to get. Can someone either point me to a link or let me know what kind I should use?

(Idea for a sticky? Industry acceptable materials for re-building?)

I think I should mention that half of the transom on the interior is exposed. I am not sure if that changes the materials or thickness.

Also, would I be able to use the same materials on the decking? I guess I am looking for something I could use on both if the price reasonable.

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Bumpity, Bump Bump Bump...

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Hello again icam. I'm not an f'glass guy, but a lot of members here order supplies from a site called Uscomposites, but before you order mat and resin, you might want to use Gluvit to seal both your transom and internal seams of the boat. We had a member seal his transom using Gluvit epoxy recently with great results. You'll need to paint over it for UV protection, but otherwise is very easy to use. It should also be easier to track down and source the Gluvit than all of the f'glass and supplies. I gallon should be more than enough for to seal the transom, benches and seams of the boat and you don't need separate products for each job. You may also want to try to find a West Marine nearby and use their epoxy system. Most folks that aren't familiar with f'glass try to avoid it due to the fumes and mess that can be associated with it. Of course, you can do amazing stuff with f'glass, but it may not be worth the hassle of getting supplies and learning to use it on the fly if all you have to seal is the transom. Just some food for thought to add to the confusion

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Here's a link to USComposites, lots of folks here buy their epoxy and polyester resins there and it's where I buy my epoxy.

You can go with epoxy resin on your decking and skip the glass cloth, but if you go with the polyester resin you have to use the cloth. I used 4 coats of epoxy resin on my decking and it looks like a mirror and is tougher than train wheels.

I use the 635 with the 3:1 hardener, if you go with the epoxy be sure to buy the pumps at the bottom of the page for easy 3 to 1 measuring.

If you're still fighting with the PRC (plastic roof cement) an earlier poster was right about the kerosene and gasoline cutting it. I'd blast all the old hard junk off with a pressure washer and then dump some kerosene on it and let it set for a couple of hours.

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

KFA,
I am definitely going to Gluvit on all seams. This boat seems to have alot, and I might add some more.
Jigngrub,
Thanks for pointing me there. I will cruise their site! I am fighting the dang roof crap. Its amazing, they must of used the 30 year stuff. I am 2/3 done, but to be honest I have not put 100% of my time in that. I have been prepping the boat for the soda blasting, and De-winterizing my bayliner.

Good News though, I sold my 12' Alumnacraft! Really sad to get rid of it, but I could not give it the time on the water it deserves. So I sold it to my Brother in law. Its his first boat, and I still have access to it if I want! He and his kids are excited to bring it out to the lake.

But first I have to teach him how to back it in the lake. I am not sure if I am a good instructor. I taught my wife, and now I have 2 divots on either side of my bumper where she jack-knifed. I finally told her that if you see the whole boat in 1 mirror, slam on the brakes and try again. Its her Brother.

Like my signature says;

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Your bumper has those dings because your wife is driving the wrong kind of vehicle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9h3NqMokmg

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

I think epoxy might be your best bet in the long run too. Jigngrub's deck looks amazing and I bet it's hard as diamonds. West Marine products are pretty readily available too. A little pricey, but then again it is liquid magic they're selling. Smart move keeping the old boat in the family too Now you have the best of both worlds. You can use it whenever you want, without having to do any of the maintenance and upkeep. Kind of like me and my sister's kids; grab 'em play around, have fun with 'em, given 'em back before the work starts.
Don't feel bad about the trailering skillz either. It's a tricky talent. I almost always jack knife a smidge trying to back the boat into my driveway. It's a reverse S-curve and I can never seem to get it on the first try, but I'm getting better. A longer tongue on the trailer can help reduce the tendency to jack knife and help you see the boat a little better too.

There are 4 main rules I've learned thus far in my trailering adventures:

1.) Remember, everything is double backwards, which is to say normal, when backing up, so turn the wheel the way you want the trailer to go. If you want the trailer to go right, turn the wheel to the right. Unless of course you're super cool and back up using only the rearview mirror, in which case it's triple backwards, which is to say regular backwards like when backing up without a trailer. Confused? Good
2.) Going straight forward and straight back is simple, but it ain't always easy. Once you've done the obligatory 18-point turn at the boat ramp to get everything lined up just right, being able to maneuver straight forward or back to the ramp can be one of the your most useful techniques. Hot chicks will dig it and it will allow you to slip in, snag your boat and get out while the other guy is flailing around trying to signal to his buddy in the pickup truck to "back up", "hold it", "back up, "hold it", etc...
3.) Make small adjustments to get the angle you want. It only takes a little wiggle of the wheel to make a big difference in the direction of trailer. Less is more.
4.) Practice, practice, practice.

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

I love the Red Green show!!! I got hooked when I was stationed in Michigan. They have a major part in molding a young impressionable mind into the functional piece of a man you see before you today...really, you should see the cup holders in my truck!

I am not sure how to explain #1 to my bride. I can use my sons Legos. I can see it now;
Me- Ok sweetie, this is you and this is the boat....
Bride- Why am I the starship?
Me- what would you like to be?
Bride- It doesn't even look like your truck,
Me- Just stick with me on this. You put your hand....
Bride- Does the spaceship have emergency brakes, because your truck doesn't.
Me- I told you thats what the block of wood behind the seat is for!
Bride- don't yell at me, it just scares me. Your truck scares me.
Me- (grabbing my head) I got to clean the garage....
Son- Daddy, your ears are bleeding again.....


or something like that

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Jigngrub,
I am fighting the dang roof crap. Its amazing, they must of used the 30 year stuff

Use the kerosene, it has a much higher flash point than the gasoline and will really cut the roof cement.

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

I am gonna pick some up today and give it a try!

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Well guys, I got sidetracked for a few months. I had my truck break, a death in the family, and these forest fires are panicking some customers. What is going to stink is with 14+/- fires that they are fighting, it will take a while for some of the reservoirs and lakes to get back to their original level. Some will be well below any boat ramp. Luckily there is always a shore to cast off of.

 

[orlandoclippertim]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Hi-
Your boat definately DOES NOT look like my cousins lone star. Way different.
I did my transom over completely about 6 months ago. Got 3/4 marine ply and some epoxy called T-88 (woodcraft-west marine)
I guess i could have used polyester but I was more used to epoxy. I marked and drilled all my through holes on both pieces and used scrap bolts through these holes and big c-clamps arround the edges to squeeze the glue between the pieces. Then I did 2 seperate coats of T-88 to seal the wood (first coat thinned slightly to penetrate) . i blasted and buffed the aluminum on the transom and then treated with chromic acid, the primed with 2 part epoxy primer. The installed the wood in. 4300 at the edges and a couple beads of silver silicone (paintable) over top as a fillet. made a new top cap out of 3 sided aluminum extrusion (1+1/2 inside)
worked great.
Tim in orlando

 

[JB]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

You need to pay closer attention to our rules and the age of a thread, Tim. This thread is old and dead.

 

[iCam]

Re: 1960 Aero-Craft Adventurer Restore

Yah, unfortunately the reason this thread is old is I have not made significant progress on her. I still hot her but her priority keeps getting bumped. I intend on having her on the water this year though.