1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

[ilovevintage81]

Ive been working on boat and noticed the wood is rotten like mulch on transom well looks eay to do but ill have to cut the bolts off it looks like a 2 by 10 will work i was wondering maybe best kind of wood to use like pine oak treated and maybe what kind of sealer when i put back im going to use bolts with hex heads whoever did before used 4way screw heads and they didnt file the treads at end after cutting bolt so thats why i cant get loose i guess i should use stainless should i put rubber washers on bolts that go through or just use a sealent or both and do i want the wood to be even with aluminum or comedown a little to make stronger cause it looks like 1 3/4 by 9 inches what they have in there

 

[bonz_d]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Most folks here use 3/4" ply sandwiched together and cut to fit. You do not want to use pressure trated wood on an aluminum boat as the chemical in the wood react with the aluminum and cause the aluminum to corrode. Stainless and sealant is also the best way to go.

 

[ilovevintage81]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Ive heard alot about treated reacting to aluminum but i was going to paint the aluminum first i really want to use regular oak and paint about 10 times it wouldnt take a hour to replace again since ill be using bolts that i can take off easy i really dont like plywood but i haven measured so i might have to do that if the 2by is too thick i need something strong since ill have a big motor on back i can get ruff cutt ceadar or oak but ceader is lighter but heard that its good with water and lasts

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Plywood is actually stronger than solid wood and because of the layering and pressure used in manufacturing, will not warp as bad, especially in 3/4" thickness, you could use oak plywood if you are going for the nice oak look. If you seal your plywood properly then you should have no problems with rot for a long time or ever depending on how you store the boat. Even painting your aluminum, I would not risk the chemicals from the treated wood leaching through.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Hi ilovevintage81. You are correct that you should NEVER use pressure treated wood on an aluminum boat as it will eventually lead to electrolytic pitting. Instead, you'll want to 1/2"-3/4" non-pressure treated, exterior grade plywood. Most folks find that it takes two layers glued and screwed together, then sealed. You can use several products to do the job. The best option is to use 2-part spreadable epoxy followed by paint, the next best option is probably several coats of Spar Urethane. Your final option is to simply paint the wood with several coats of quality, exterior grade paint. I like Rustoleum Professional Oil Based enamel. Be sure you mount any/all wooden components to the hull using stainless steel hardware dipped in a bit of 3M 5200 and/or aluminum rivets. That's really about it. The rest is only limited by time, money and imagination.

 

[ilovevintage81]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Well only about 5 inches on each end will show and i was going to paint the whole inside white of the boat i guess ill get the wood out and figure how thick ill need it should it be so tight i have to hammer it in or should it slide in smooth maybe a 1/16 clearance i guess after sealing will probly add a 1/8 or more from swelling and like 3 layers i just dont have alot of cash could i just use oil based enamel to seal it cause i can get a quart for 8 and i bet the marine seal is probly 25 i will always have covered but if i get caught in storm may get wet im tring to spend as less as possible spent so much on stripper i dont want to spend over 500 to finish that way if i resell i can get my money back

 

[ilovevintage81]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Ok thanks for the info ive got in mind what to do i was wondering about the 3m and rubber washer on outside guess i can use both but thanks for the inquires

 

[m casey stock]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

No "money back" guarantees in boat restoring LOL :lol:

 

[ilovevintage81]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

You are right but can get money back for materials but not for the elbow grease and alot of that

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

It shouldn't cost much to redo the transom. One sheet of 3/4" and one sheet of 1/2" layered together should be more than enough for the transom, and 1 gallon of Rustoleum paint goes a long way. The killer is the stainless steel hardware. You gotta use it, but it gets kinda pricey, so try to by as many pieces in bulk as you can. You should be able to get everything you need to do the job from Lowes/HD including the 3M 5200, plywood, SS hardware and paint. They even sell aluminum angle, if you should need it do any framing. Gotta love those tinnies

 

[ilovevintage81]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Yeah i wont be going back to local hardware anymore unless for bolts everything else theyll break you up i think im going to use solid oak and plane it thats what they used before must have lasted 20 years i dont think its original as long as i get 10 years ill be ok but year i havent been to lowes yet been checking out prices on the web and they have some good deals on aluminum strips and stuff i want to use diamond plate in a few places but all i have is a jig saw i quess i can cut with it i have a few blades im thinking about closeing front in like it was original and putting storage under but not forsure on useing thin plywood and i dont think lowes sells pieces of aluminum sheet that big i figured i i do out of two sheets and in middle run a piece of crome then it would look better and eventually i could find a salvage windshield i was going to use for fishing right now and do a little in winter when im not useing i went to a couple sites and there outrages on sheet metal

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

You might want to price Solid OAK. A piece of 2" solid oak in the dimensions you'll need will cost more than a 4x8 sheet of Plywood, and as stated it will NOT be as strong or last as long. If you're on a budget the Plywood would serve you better. If you thin the first two coats of Rustoleum Oil based paint 30% with mineral spirits and then put 3 more coats on @ full Strength your transom will last for Decades.

 

[ilovevintage81]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

I need a 2by 9 about 54 inches long ill use pine if i have to plywood has to many ways for water to get in you can soak oak in water and leave out in rain and it wont hardly affect it i know its high in price but this peddlers mall has cedar and oak but its 5/8 by 8ft 10inches wide so maybe i can sandwich them together they say 1 bys but when you measure its 5/8 i wonder if transom board should be wider the aluminum only comes down that far its probly 8 1/2 cause my transom is 16 inches need room to slide in

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

plywood has to many ways for water to get in

Not if properly sealed/painted.

... and again, plywood is much stronger than dimensional lumber.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

+1. Two layers of glued and screwed plywood will be stronger, but I guess on such a small boat you'll probably be fine. Either way, you'll need to seal them properly. Epoxy is great, but a bit expensive and messy. It also needs to be painted for UV protection. However, but both Spar Urethane and/or Exterior grade paint will work well also. You can even thin the first few coats of paint with a bit of acetone to help it soak deeper into the wood.

 

[ilovevintage81]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Ive been hearing about thining the first couple coats ill cheap prices of the good stuff cause that will be the only wood hard to get to and i want it to last longer than 5 years ill do some research on that urathane thanks

 

[jigngrub]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

i want it to last longer than 5 years ill do some research on that urathane thanks

Keep your boat covered or garaged when not in use and it will outlast you.

 

[ilovevintage81]

Re: 1960 lonestar 14ft aluminum boat

Once i get wood and carpet down ill definetly keep covered