1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Leaving it as it is would be the easiest and quickest option:D

I'd be inclined to leave it as is but each to their own.

When I take a long view look at the boat from the stern, with the big splashwell in there...

I have a hankering to turn it into a center console, with a poleing platform, and keep it for bonefish/tarpon running on the salt flats of the FL keys.:D Why? I dunno, I just do.

Oh yah, throw on a great big OB too - or maybe twins;)

If you decide to shorten it check beforehand that you wont have any clearance issues on the front of the splashwell when the motor is tilted right up.....

Jas, this is CRUCIAL advice right here!!!!!!!!!!!! I've even heard of new boats that had a problem in this area due to poor design. They need more space than you think. You wouldn't want to be kinking control cables and such due to too tight a fit. Gonna be a pain but you may need to do a complete mockup. Or at least measure everything with the Johnson tilted up the whole way on the stand.

Totally agree with you fellas. That was one of the things I was athinkin about when I mentioned fit and finish pieces I need to work through. I thought about that late one night when I was supposed to be sleeping:eek:

My guess is I'll be fine. The well needs to come down lower anyway to hit the drain tube holes once I make the cut and slide it back (if that makes sense). But you guys are absolutely right, I need to be sure before I start hacking at it!

Thanks for getting my back guys!

What I really ought to do is get a batt for the OB (need cables too), hook up the controls, get it up and running on muffs, T&T, take measurements. That will be a fun thing to work on;)
 

Wrongsyde

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 24, 2010
Messages
77
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Get it set up and running??! I think I hear a splash! Yay!!!
 

Teamster

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 8, 2010
Messages
1,923
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

The bottom color of a boat black or white makes for a serious debate in fishing circles,...

Two very good friends of mine go round and around on this,....Mostly in fun!!

The one for the black bottom had won a couple of Masters Walleye Circuit tournements, Including the Master Walleye Circuit Championship, Along with the Cabelas Nation Team Championship, And the FLW Walleye League Championship,..

The Fan on white bottom boats is a former Professional Walleye Trail Champion,...

Campfires during pre-fishing are the best!!!!,.........
 

kilowatts

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
299
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Hi Guys:

I've belatedly made the transition from the big girl to the little girl! Looks good so far but apart from selling the tinny and buying a glasser, I think I'd tend to leave the splashwell as is. It does look really good and I'm sure that after you've finished it will look better.

kilowatts
 

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Get it set up and running??! I think I hear a splash! Yay!!!

All depends on the time I can get working on er eh. I do hope by summers end though!:)

The bottom color of a boat black or white makes for a serious debate in fishing circles,...

Well, sounds like either way, black or white, I should come out a champion fisherman;)

What about Blue ?:)

Truth be told....

Jennifer (wife) really wants the Islander to be blue (I am/was completely set on black). So that big girl may very well end up blue. This Jet Star could certainly be a black over white boat...

2010_starcraft_stx2050.jpg


You guys who follow the Islander thread are prolly rolling your eyes right now over my blue v. black paint struggles.:rolleyes:

What about no paint? :)

TII

I really like what Bighoss has going on with his rig, sharp...
http://forums.iboats.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=101837&d=1310086782

...except I'd swap and go white over bare alum.

But, I am on a well here at the house. A couple gallons of chemical stripper sprayed all over the place isn't all that appealing to me. So, bare alum is out unless I want to haul the rig somewhere else to strip paint.

I think I'd tend to leave the splashwell as is. It does look really good and I'm sure that after you've finished it will look better.

kilowatts

No doubt, it is cool lookin! But man is it huge!
 

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

I stayed up way past my bedtime to get a couple of things done last night.

I decided to punch in extra rivets all the way around the outside gunwales. For every one the guys at Starcraft put in, I installed two...
P1060456.jpg


So, rivet spacing went from about one every 12" to one every 3"-4". Sewed it right up and it made a marked difference in the strength/rigidity of those gunwales.

You can also see that I just used rivets to deal with all the little holes in the gunwales. Super fast and easy;)

Good thing rivets are cheap! I have pushed way over 200 new rivets into this Jet.

I had this thick chunk of alum channel, can't remember which boat I ripped it out of...
P1060455.jpg


I installed it right under the bow plate to firm that up...
P1060457.jpg


I also took a swipe at the corrosion at the transom. Before...
P1060432.jpg


After...
P1060458.jpg


Mostly a wire wheel on a drill to clean that up. I'll take a couple more passes with some sand paper to finish it off.

I have just a few more structure types of things to do then onto prep for Gluvit and paint.
 

boatnut74

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
1,835
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Nice work as usual. Gluvit and paint? I like the sound of that!
 

MichaelP

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
1,190
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Your cranking right along.
Are you planning to treat that corrosion before covering or just cleaning it up real well and calling it good?
I have the same paint scheme dilema going on. I want black over white if the scratches don't show too bad. Wife wants that light pistachio green you see on some glassers. Maybe I'll go navy blue to match the Rude. I'd like to see black on that islander bro. Go for it!
 

yooperangler

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
721
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

I think the islander paint job should match the flotation maybe multi colored flowers or peace signs or perhaps a nice paisley pattern ?:D I like the black and white idea for the jet should be super solid with all those new rivets.
 

MichaelP

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
1,190
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Only problem there yoop is the C.G. won't be able to see the boat in the debris field.:rolleyes:
 

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Nice work as usual. Gluvit and paint? I like the sound of that!

Getting closer;)

Your cranking right along.
Are you planning to treat that corrosion before covering or just cleaning it up real well and calling it good?
I have the same paint scheme dilema going on. I want black over white if the scratches don't show too bad. Wife wants that light pistachio green you see on some glassers. Maybe I'll go navy blue to match the Rude. I'd like to see black on that islander bro. Go for it!

Yah, I'll finish it off with some sand paper and give it a good prime/paint. I did the same on the Islander. Should do just fine I think.

I'll wrestle with paint color a bit yet. Always mindful of what color my bride wants too:rolleyes:

I think the islander paint job should match the flotation maybe multi colored flowers or peace signs or perhaps a nice paisley pattern ?:D I like the black and white idea for the jet should be super solid with all those new rivets.

Only problem there yoop is the C.G. won't be able to see the boat in the debris field.:rolleyes:

Michael, you going with Tide bottles or do you like the ones from All better...

all_free_laundry.jpg
 

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

Thought I get just a little work done on the trailer today.

Jet Star levitation, trailer lined up...
P1060459.jpg


Bunk brackets installed, winch post mounted...
P1060460.jpg





And no, that isn't my scooter up there^^^^.



But I borrow it sometimes;):D
 

MichaelP

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
1,190
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

I did catch myself eyeing noodles at the grocery store yesterday.

$3 each...Must be alot of restos around here that I don't know about driving the price up. I better get me some B4 they're gone!:eek:
 

maddiedog

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 16, 2011
Messages
117
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

That's funny about the noodles! I saw some yesterday too and thought about Jason.
 

jasoutside

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
13,269
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

I did catch myself eyeing noodles at the grocery store yesterday.

$3 each...Must be alot of restos around here that I don't know about driving the price up. I better get me some B4 they're gone!

That's funny about the noodles! I saw some yesterday too and thought about Jason.

1 buck at the Dollar Tree, cheap and chipper;)

--------------------------------------------------------------

OK, yesterday I took a run at the gunwale inside alum trim. Grabbed some clamps, gloves, and my BurnzoMatic...
P1060466.jpg


I really wish I was an octopus because two hands just wasn't cutting it. Torch, clamps, trim, drill, rivet tool all going at once, not easy. It was a super tricky maneuver to heat that trim up just enough to get it to flex and give it that gentle bend vs. a big ol crease. Right at the crux of the whole set up I ran out of MAP gas. Rats! I quick punched in a few rivets to keep it where it is...
P1060467.jpg


Not yet done with it, kinda looks like carp right now, but you get the idea.
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

I don't know much about metal and I didn't think one could achieve even that much of a radius without cracking or creasing without more specialized tools. Looks pretty decent to me.
 

boatnut74

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
1,835
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

It depends how thick the metal is to. Thin metal is WAY easier to create a smooth radius. An english wheel would be ideal here, it kind of stretches the metal to make the radius.
 

MichaelP

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Messages
1,190
Re: 1968 15' Starcraft Jet Star Rebuild

From someone who dabbles in aluminum fab work I would say you've done well so far. When you pull the rest in its going to look great!
 
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