1966 Starcraft Holiday Interior Work

[SHSU]

Looks like you have a good plan in place, will be interesting to see how the foam flows out.

SHSU

 

[66Holiday924]

The boat is in the shop getting acclimated. I head back to do the foam in the morning, the last chance for it to all blow up in my face... I've done everything I can think of. I have a controlled environment, I've kept the chemicals in my house so they didn't freeze or get super cold, although they were kind of cold when they were delivered... I have clear solo-cups that I'm going to use. I purposely chose clear ones with colored lines on them so I can make sure the mixture is 50:50. I have plenty of foam. I bought three 2 gallon kits of the Total Boat system. They are supposed to max out at 8 c.f. each. I measure that I have about 20 c.f. to fill. I am hoping this goes well. Next I'll get the decking rebuilt and send it off to the shop.

 

[66Holiday924]

Remember I am a self-proclaimed amateur. With that in mind, I think the pour in foam was a success. It's not pretty but it's in and the whole plan seemed to have worked out great. I bought 6 gallons, or 3 kits of the Total Boat Floatation Foam system. I thought, if it were perfectly filled, I'd use around 5 gallons. I ended up using about 4-1/2. I have a cavity beneath my foam, created by the plastic sheeting. and I was pretty successful in leaving about an inch between the foam and the plywood. I will have to trim a few spots down. I had a couple spots where it ran over a little and got into areas where I didn't want it. No big deal, I trimmed it back pretty easily. My strategy to block off areas where I didn't want the foam to get into by building a foam wall, worked, but what I learned is that the foam is very runny when you first mix it, and less after it starts to expand. It gets a lot less runny and it gets very sticky, after about 30 seconds, after mixing it. So I ended up pouring it in bulk areas while it was runny and then doing the edges to build up a "wall" to trap it in after it started foaming and expanding a little in the cup.

I will do this again when it's time. I'll do a better job next time, but I'm happy with what I did. I definitely improved my boat!!!

 

[66Holiday924]

I'm sure, based on the workmanship I've seen on iBoats, what I did can be improved on but here are my notes for working with the foam for anybody who's considering it:

- I think a controlled atmosphere is a must, a heated shop or pull barn with consistent heat throughout.
- I used Total Boat. It worked great. The clear solo-cups with the lines on them were very helpful so I knew I was measuring accurately. I used about 150 of them, 3 new cups for every pour (have a garbage can near). I used 16 oz cups to make sure I had enough time to thoroughly mix. I didn't want to go too big.
- Mix the foam per the instructions, until there are no visible swirls
- Have a plan before you mix. You do have to move. The reaction is fast. It doesn't need to be a panicked move, but from the time you mix until the time you're done pouring you have to move so know where you're pouring ahead of time.
- have rags handy. WEAR GLOVES! This stuff is sticky. It is just like Great Stuff expanding foam insulation. It will not come off your skin for a couple weeks and plan on ruining whatever clothes you wear...
- The plastic sheeting worked well. Folding it so it rides up the stringers is a must.

 

[Moserkr]

Looks good to me! Nice work!!

 

[SHSU]

Nice job and pics!!!

I like how well it seems to have worked for you and kept that separation that has always been a concern.

Also good idea on running the 4 inch corrugated for wires. Didn't even think about it until I saw it in your pics.

Question: on the mixing did you do it by hand with a popsicle stick or use a drill with some type of adapter?

SHSU

 

[66Holiday924]

Nice job and pics!!!

I like how well it seems to have worked for you and kept that separation that has always been a concern.

Thanks!

Also good idea on running the 4 inch corrugated for wires. Didn't even think about it until I saw it in your pics.

The corrugated drain tile is actually 3 inch, and it's for natural ventilation. On one end it connects to a cowl on the front of the boat. On the other it's tucked under the sheet plastic in the cavity I created. As you move through the water the cowl "scoops" in air, the corrugated tile, tucked under the plastic sheeting, directs the air to ventilate the cavity and the engine compartment, and it escapes out the aft cowl. This is how my boat was set up when I took it apart. They used bilge duct which ended up getting torn, so I decided to go with something tougher, that won't be damaged when you throw gear under the bow, drain tile.

Question: on the mixing did you do it by hand with a popsicle stick or use a drill with some type of adapter?

I did the mixing by hand with stir sticks, basically big popsicle sticks. I purposely kept my pours smaller, to allow ample time to thoroughly mix, because I knew I was mixing by hand.

 

[SHSU]

The corrugated drain tile is actually 3 inch, and it's for natural ventilation. On one end it connects to a cowl on the front of the boat. On the other it's tucked under the sheet plastic in the cavity I created.

Look at my assuming. You know what they saw about that... lol

So since it isn't for wires, you going to run them under the gunwales?

SHSU

 

[66Holiday924]

Look at my assuming. You know what they saw about that... lol

So since it isn't for wires, you going to run them under the gunwales?

SHSU

lol, don't worry about it.

I actually rewired the boat a couple of years ago and I did end up running the wires down the gunnels. I did a few things to clean it up though.

- I greatly reduced the number of wires running the length of the boat by basically running battery cable in their place. It goes from the battery through a fuse, to a fuse box under my dash, and then everything on my dash get it's juice from the fuse box, and I ran a negative battery cable all the way down the other (port) side of my boat so there is a good place to ground up there. The positive cable is on a switch. Nothing on the boat gets juice when it's off. It is the only connection to the battery (which cleans that up a lot).

- There are still wires, sensors, bilge pump, aft running light, maybe a couple others that had to run the length of the boat, so I ran them in 1" corrugated tubing to a junction at the back of the boat, so they can be reused over and over again. For example when I buy a new bilge pump the wires that run the length of the boat don't get changed out you just tie it in to the junction at the back of the boat. The idea there was to eliminate the collection of wires that accumulates from buying new equipment and running new wires, and it makes it easy because you don't have to run the wires too. I also put a good ground bar back there.

If I ever keep my boat in docked somewhere I'll have to redo the bilge so it can still draw juice when my switch is off.

Anyway, yes, I did end up running my wires, the ones I had to run along the gunnels, I used zipties with an eye on them. The eye goes on the bolt for the rubrail. They worked out great!

 

[SHSU]

lol, don't worry about it.

I actually rewired the boat a couple of years ago and I did end up running the wires down the gunnels. I did a few things to clean it up though.

That looks really good. Mine I built around the idea that a single wire wouldn't kill another component. So a bad ground wouldn't kill everything. Obviously the single point of failure would be at the fuse block, but once it left everything had its own power and ground. A lot more wires and my next project would follow more like what you have.

SHSU

 

[66Holiday924]

That looks really good. Mine I built around the idea that a single wire wouldn't kill another component. So a bad ground wouldn't kill everything. Obviously the single point of failure would be at the fuse block, but once it left everything had its own power and ground. A lot more wires and my next project would follow more like what you have.

SHSU

It's the same mess of wires for everybody who redoes one of these boats. It comes from years of adding this or that, and replacing electronics. There's always a huge rats nest of wires... I went a little thicker 16ga., bought good marine grade wire, designed it to minimize the number wires running the length, and set it up so the same wires can be reused as things fail.

Like the bilge pump, they come with three wires hanging off of them, about 6' long, all I have to do is tie it into the little junction at the back of the boat. No running new wires, or splicing... Basically plug & play. When I add my stereo for this project, I run it to the fuse box at the front of the boat, real easy, it's on a fuse, and there's a good ground right there too.

 

[66Holiday924]

I was going to cut & install my new decking but the weather is dogging me. I wanted to do it this weekend but they're calling for snow, a lot of snow. So I packed it all up and took it to the canvas/upholstery shop. The gentleman spent about an hour and a half looking at the boat and going over it with me. I can tell by his questions and suggestions we're on the exact same page. I'm feeling pretty good about leaving it in their hands. They do good work. They've done work for me before. I'll post any pictures, as I get them. It'll be a different boat when I get it back.

 

[SHSU]

I can't remember, what upholstery you having done?

SHSU

 

[66Holiday924]

I can't remember, what upholstery you having done?

SHSU

I'm going to have the entire interior of the boat redone.

- New back-to-back seats
- Side panels rebuilt and updated design
- New jump seats
- New engine cover
- New decking w/carpet, I'm putting old school, soft pile, marine grade carpet back in it
- Then I'm going to have them go down the gunnels, across the transom cover, and across the dash with white Nautolex. The Nautolex will terminate at the windshield, so the bow remains painted, and I had trim pieces cut, that go from the windshield to the rubrail where the Nautolex will terminate on the gunnels. They're also going to remove my rub rails and windshield, when they install, so it will tuck under.
- New bimini with framing and curtains

 

[SHSU]

I'm going to have the entire interior of the boat redone.

- New back-to-back seats
- Side panels rebuilt and updated design
- New jump seats
- New engine cover
- New decking w/carpet, I'm putting old school, soft pile, marine grade carpet back in it
- Then I'm going to have them go down the gunnels, across the transom cover, and across the dash with white Nautolex. The Nautolex will terminate at the windshield, so the bow remains painted, and I had trim pieces cut, that go from the windshield to the rubrail where the Nautolex will terminate on the gunnels. They're also going to remove my rub rails and windshield, when they install, so it will tuck under.
- New bimini with framing and curtains

Nice, a lot of work being done. She will look good when you get her back.

SHSU

 

[boaterdave90210]

Glad I found this thread - I'm in the process of restoring a '65 Holiday I/O. As far as interior work goes, so far I've put in a new floor with carpet and got Wise back to back seats. Really liking what you've done with your build so far - anxious to see how the interior is gonna look!

 

[66Holiday924]

Glad I found this thread - I'm in the process of restoring a '65 Holiday I/O. As far as interior work goes, so far I've put in a new floor with carpet and got Wise back to back seats. Really liking what you've done with your build so far - anxious to see how the interior is gonna look!

Thanks, but I can't take much credit other than what's been posted. It's at an upholstery shop and I'm kind of letting them do their thing with it. Do you have an active thread going for your build?

 

[boaterdave90210]

Thanks, but I can't take much credit other than what's been posted. It's at an upholstery shop and I'm kind of letting them do their thing with it. Do you have an active thread going for your build?

Yessir, here's the link: 1965 Starcraft Holiday. I am currently waiting on the bellows to be done at a local marina - since it's a pre alpha setup. Ended up finding a 68' donor motor (2.5L 120hp) off Facebook Marketplace. A few wiring differences, but it looks like everything should line up pretty well. We'll see here in a few weeks once we drop it in

 

[66Holiday924]

I finally got the call I've been waiting for the other day. The shop that has my boat is going to complete about half of the work I needed done and get it back to me. I might get two or three months of use out of it this year after all. Some of their employees had bouts with COVID in the Spring so it really pushed them back. At one point they were telling me that they wouldn't get to it until the fall and I wouldn't get it back at all this season...

So anyway, they got my new decking in. I went with 1/2 inch Douglas Fir but they say it's really solid with my foam and the framing. They're going to:
- install carpet
- modify my old side panels to fit with the new flooring and reinstall
- install new back-to-back seats
- build a new, custom, bimini top with side curtains, windshield extension and aft extension. it will be a full enclosure

I should be getting it back in about a couple weeks and then I have a few things I need to do and have done before I can get it back in the water. It'll go back to the shop in the late fall to have the rest of the interior rebuilt.

 

[66Holiday924]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, nothing looks more loved than a boat with new canvas!