1965 Sunchief project

[waytoohard]

pickup this old Starcraft and i'm fixing it up to use for fishing. I have already started on it. I was about to post a question to the forum but decided to try posting this project as a topic. I will try to keep this up to date as I go. i have to go find out how to post photos

 

[jbcurt00]

Welcome W2H
Pix posting help:
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/forum-rules-and-guidelines/9938375-photo-upload-tutorial

I prefer option 3.

The other options work too, but require you to make 3 posts before you can upload.

 

[waytoohard]

Ok just got done hosing about 5 gallons of eastern Washington dirt out of it. Thanks Curt I found that thread but had to figure out how to reduce my photo size, found that on the camera.
So this Boat has been sitting since 1986 uncovered but with bow up. It had leaves, bees nests, and about 5 gallon of dust and dirt. The floors were bad and there is a couple of soft spots in transom. I not restoring it but intend to use it for fishing. Here's some photos -- I hope Sorry but I don't get the camera icon, just the link the image icon asks for url Back to drawing board
I'm going to replace the 110hp with a 140hp I have in a boat I bought for 500 bucks good motor, outdrive alpha 1 and trailer, soft floor and transom. I have a mechanic that treats me right so will get the 110 running and outdrive working then sell them and the extra trailer. Going back to photo thread for more study.

 

[GA_Boater]

The way your trying attach pics first requires 3 posts by you. One more and you should be good to go. As long as they aren't too big. :smile:

 

[waytoohard]

on to my question; after spending much time cleaning to boat out after removing the floor I noticed how small the drain channels in the ribs are. Mine had screws and old rusty nails and leaves and wood chips plugging them. I can see that it will drain over the ribs after the water gets to 1-1.5" so it isn't going to sink, but times all those ribs it's still a lot of water. It looks like something we just have to live with. The thing that bugs right, now after removing the floor is all those rivet parts that have or will drop inside the ribs. They will end up causing blockages it the drains. My guess is I'm just being anal. Those spend rivets are to large to pass thru the drains on my boat.
Also looking at the ends of the ribs where the floor meets the sides , when I rerivet to them I have a good chance of hitting part or all of the existing hole. That would weaken the hold. If I move back toward the center some it will leave a space resulting in movement thus weakening the hold. another question Would stainless rivets cause problems or add strength?
Also at 21' long is floatation necessary?

 

[GA_Boater]

Did you you find flotation under the deck? If you did, put flotation back in. If you didn't, put flotation in.

Rivet mandrels and all kinds of other stuff plug the limber holes. Most of us pressure wash several times until the limbers are clear. Any water will degrade the flotation foam over time, so it's best to make as much of a path as possible to direct water to the bilge.

Your chances of lining up the rivets are about as good as winning $1.6B in the Powerball. If your deck is original with 1 set of rib holes, you still have a lot of meat for new holes. If the deck has been replaced before, not so much AL left. Some of us add what I call rivet plates on top of the rib ends for drilling new rivet holes.

BTW - Your pics are too small. LOL

 

[waytoohard]

No Title

Should receive plywood today bought 3/4' marine

 

[waytoohard]

No Title

 

[GA_Boater]

There ya go.with pics. :thumb:

One more source of limber hole blockage is the styrofoam flotation. It crumbles into itiy bitty beads that block them. I hope it's on the way to the dump.

 

[jbcurt00]

Yep ^^^

A pressure washer put into the end of a rib will blow all manner of debris outta the limber hole and out the other end of the rib.... esp a 3500psi pressure washer

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I used a pressure washer, leaf blower, shop vac,, air compressor / blow gun and flexible butter knife to clean out the ribs and limber holes.

 

[Watermann]

:welcome: to the Starmada!

Nice find on the Sun Chief, some outside overall pics would be good too.

So your on the right side of the mountains here in WA. Not too many of us here at the forum, most are from the west side.

When you say you're not restoring the Sun Chief I'm not sure what you mean. Loosk to me like she needs everything that goes into a resto.

I have some advice for the "non"restoration of your Starcraft boat. You'll need to do a thorough hull inspection once cleaned up to repair what's gone wrong for old gal over the past 50 years. One of the main things is to check the bottom of the hull at each and every rib end for any cracking out from the rivets. Another common problem area for cracking is that area above the seam that looks like a V. Some call that a spray rail others a chine but either way it can crack as can the bottom at the rib ends when these Starcraft boats are used with compromised decking and side panels.

The cracks can be subtle like mine were...

and some that are a little more obvious...

 

[waytoohard]

No Title

Waterman, I'm on the west side, got the boat in Finley your side. i hope to use the boat in the Columbia this year. I SURE hope I don't have those cracks in mine. The deterioration in mine came from sitting 25 years, I'm thinking. I will check.

 

[Watermann]

Some have the cracks and some don't it all depends on the usage of the boat. If you look through my Chief resto you'll see I added hull stiffeners. The stiffener additions came out in later models to help stop those cracks but having new tight decking and side panels goes a long ways towards keeping them at bay in the future. Also the IO config SCs are the ones more apt to have the cracks due to the weight of the cast iron most likely.

She's got a nice profile, I love these old boats.

 

[waytoohard]

I'm still concerned with the riveting for the new deck, I think that with 36 chances the hit the existing hole either totally or partially , I will. That would make the new rivet worthless so far as holding anything. I?ll try to mark the old hole location on the chine and that?s about all i can see to do. Also the support at the seams is very flimsy, just a thin peace of aluminium. What about adding wood cross pieces between the stingers and screwing the deck to them. The deck in these boats doesn't seem very structural to me. Its not attached to the hull except for one flimsy rivet on the ribs and and to two light weight ,flimsy stringers. It seem that the boat must rely on the structural strength of the hull itself.
Looking at the top ends of the ribs, I won't be gettin much force or volume of water thru that hole. The rivets that are still sticking ou i will try cutting off with dremel That mat leave a small enough piece to pass thru the limber hole. The one that have fallen will never find their way out. A number of the rivets that hold those stringers are gone also.

 

[jbcurt00]

Did you you find flotation under the deck? If you did, put flotation back in. If you didn't, put flotation in.

Rivet mandrels and all kinds of other stuff plug the limber holes. Most of us pressure wash several times until the limbers are clear. Any water will degrade the flotation foam over time, so it's best to make as much of a path as possible to direct water to the bilge.

Your chances of lining up the rivets are about as good as winning $1.6B in the Powerball. If your deck is original with 1 set of rib holes, you still have a lot of meat for new holes. If the deck has been replaced before, not so much AL left. Some of us add what I call rivet plates on top of the rib ends for drilling new rivet holes.

BTW - Your pics are too small. LOL

Note the rib end advice GA posted earlier

And any one part may appear flimsy. Well riveted into an assembly, its something else entirely.

Side panel is somewhat triangulated 2 edges of gunwale, panel, deck and hull. Same for 1 stringer to rib, rib end to deck and deck back to stringer, twice.

Some got boats w no decking left intact and have used plywood scraps for deck butt joints. But deck riveted to the aluminum strip does too.

If you plan to swap to pedestal seats, you'll probably want plywood doublers for them
Some use those doublers as the deck seam doubler too.

A pressure washer to the end of a rib will blow all manner of stuff outta the other end of the rib.

 

[GA_Boater]

Trust us on this, Way. The deck and side panels absolutely do add structural rigidity.

The rib-end plates Watermann mentioned were added to later boats to add even more. Some where in the forum, one of the members made a nice drawing showing how they work to prevent the cracks WM pictured. Your Sunchief may not need them, but should be considered for any Starcraft used in rough water. The factory even made retro-fit kits for dealers to install.

 

[waytoohard]

Making progress, cut and fitted the deck, filled it with water to the floor line (no leaks) and am trying the wind shield from the Wellcraft out for fit on the Sun. The plywood is drying and will b ready to seal in a day or two. I should use epoxy resin for that, right? I will cover it with paint or something. I'm going to open the bow to the front of the hatch, I think I'll use the hatch opening and just run back on those lines thru the dash and have the opening windshield, so I can access a river anchor system. I can hear the protest now. AHAWWWWW!! EYE EYE EYE. It will work for me I hope. I will listen to your reasoning on this. Removing the paint on the sides for painting is some thing I'm not looking forward to. I?ve seen some say " no paint stripper, it will ruin the seal between the joints". What has been the experience of other on this. I Was a house painter for about 20 years and I don't think stripper works well enough to worry about that, BUT I don't wish to be bit on the ass either.

 

[jbcurt00]

If paint stripper attacks the seam sealer used by SC originally, theres a whole fleet of SCs on iboats in trouble.

Mine included.

 

[waytoohard]

MOD EDITED - Please read the forum rules.

Also picked up plywood for sides. Need to buy epoxy soon. I live in a port area on Puget Sound so can get most things local. Rivets ??? 3/4" ply wood on deck any one know what pop rivet I'll need?