So.............after working through a mini-stroke a couple of years ago (found myself on the ground while mowing the backyard and lost the use of my left arm and side. Recovered the use of my left side and can walk without a cane now and no speech problems. I am lucky! Still have a problem with Vertigo now and then and cannot fly my RC planes anymore.) Had given the boat to a neighbor who said they would finish the restoration. Bad decision. Got the boat back a couple of weeks ago and am in the process of restoring the StarCraft SS again. Had to spend the last week cleaning the cheap silicon material they spread over the inside rivets and slopped all over the inside bottom of the hull. Anyhow, I used a power washer, 50/50 mix of vinegar and water with cleaner added, a 3M rivet cleaning wheel a drill (3 of them! they wear out fast) on a drill, some Acetone, and a stainless steel wire brush to work on the mess. Today I'll spray a mist of phosphoric acid (1:3 water) over the inside of the hull below the deck line, and power wash the spray out of the boat in preparation for applying Gluvit to the rivets and inside seems. No leaks that I can detect as it is, however, I'm going to use the Gluvit prior to putting the new marine grade plywood decking on the boat as added "insurance". Also have the new marine grade plywood transom pieces assembled and coated with West Systems epoxy (2 coats all over) and will install the new transom after the Gluvit dries.
Safe boating,
Joe
