1977 StarCraft 18' SS restore

[Decker83]

pics of the donor trailer..



The leaf springs sit under the axle and lowers the boat.. Also has five leaf springs.. Would this make for a rougher tow?



Can't really see in this pic, but the cross member has been bent do to hitting the pavement.. I can fix the cross member, but don't like how it happens..
Maybe put a small roller at the lowest point on the cross member to keep it from dragging..



Like how the spare tire is carried.. Would need to remove the jack and replace with a swing back jack..
No adjustments for the runners.. No rollers on trailer..
Is it necessary to have rollers for keel?
I have read a lot here on i-boats about the runners with carpet holding water and causing a problem with the aluminum hull.. How critical is this?

 

[Watermann]

I don't think you would need a keel roller up front since those inner bunks are way forward.

 

[jbcurt00]

In what I've read iboats, many swap rollers to bunks on their trailers.

IIRC, Dozer has done it on all his trailers that had rollers. Depending on where you launch, some do still have rollers.

FWIW, I have 1 roller trailer, and if i leave it under my Duracraft, I'll swap it to bunks.

On my phone, i dont see the trailer damage, and the front of that trailer may not be conducive to swapping to swing away jack.

More leaves may be stiffer, but w/out more info, I wont say it'll be a harsher ride for a lighter boat.

Are the 2 motors comparable weight? I forget?

 

[dozerII]

I boat in fresh water only, but I could see salt waster trapped in the carpet on bunks causing a problem. If you boat in salt water use plastic bunk sliders to keep the aluminum off the salt. The lack of adjustability on the bunks may be a problem with the donor trailer could be a real problem, as the hulls are different shapes.
Rollers / Bunks is like a what kind of oil should I use thread and cause a lot of controversy.
I'm bunks all the way and here is why, every aluminum boat I have bought has been on a roller trailer and every one of them had damage to some degree to the hull at the roller sites. The average 16' SS with gear weighs 14 -1600 lbs give or take, most of the bunk trailers have 16 rollers, contact patch per roller 3.5"x .5" = 2" x 16 =32 sq inches or 50 lbs per square in. If you put that same hull on 2 x 9' 2" x 4" center bunks and two 8' x 2" x 4" outboard bunks your pounds per sq inch is way lower, 96"x 3.5"= 336 x 2 = 672 sq inches and 108"x 3.5" = 378 x 2 = 756 . 756 + 682 = 1438 sq inches or 1.1 pounds per sq inch. The numbers make it easy to see why I prefer bunks

 

[Decker83]

In what I've read iboats, many swap rollers to bunks on their trailers.

IIRC, Dozer has done it on all his trailers that had rollers. Depending on where you launch, some do still have rollers.

FWIW, I have 1 roller trailer, and if i leave it under my Duracraft, I'll swap it to bunks.

On my phone, i dont see the trailer damage, and the front of that trailer may not be conducive to swapping to swing away jack.

More leaves may be stiffer, but w/out more info, I wont say it'll be a harsher ride for a lighter boat.

Are the 2 motors comparable weight? I forget?

This is why I like this forum so much..

JB.. The damage is hard to see from the pic I took.. The last cross member is pull back about 1" or more because of dragging..
The wheel on the jack show major abuse because it will drag the ground and some of the welds have torn lose on the mounting bracket..

Both motors are the same GM 3.0L.. They should weigh about the same.. Don't know on the out drive..

 

[Decker83]

I don't think you would need a keel roller up front since those inner bunks are way forward.

Thanks watermann.. Didn't know if the rollers needed to on the donor trailer.. The Dilly trailer has them all the way down it on the keel..:noidea:

 

[Decker83]

I boat in fresh water only, but I could see salt waster trapped in the carpet on bunks causing a problem. If you boat in salt water use plastic bunk sliders to keep the aluminum off the salt. The lack of adjustability on the bunks may be a problem with the donor trailer could be a real problem, as the hulls are different shapes.
Rollers / Bunks is like a what kind of oil should I use thread and cause a lot of controversy.
I'm bunks all the way and here is why, every aluminum boat I have bought has been on a roller trailer and every one of them had damage to some degree to the hull at the roller sites. The average 16' SS with gear weighs 14 -1600 lbs give or take, most of the bunk trailers have 16 rollers, contact patch per roller 3.5"x .5" = 2" x 16 =32 sq inches or 50 lbs per square in. If you put that same hull on 2 x 9' 2" x 4" center bunks and two 8' x 2" x 4" outboard bunks your pounds per sq inch is way lower, 96"x 3.5"= 336 x 2 = 672 sq inches and 108"x 3.5" = 378 x 2 = 756 . 756 + 682 = 1438 sq inches or 1.1 pounds per sq inch. The numbers make it easy to see why I prefer bunks

Dozerll, you and JB and Watermann make this site one of the best, if not the best, on the internet..:first:

I don't do the saltwater.. Would like to use the plastic bunk sliders..
You have totally convinced me to use the bunks.. The math doesn't lie..
Thanks so much..

 

[g0nef1sshn]

Dozerll, you and JB and Watermann make this site one of the best, if not the best, on the internet..:first:

X2 Decker. Plus a few others. I cant answer a lot of questions so I let these guys do it. But you have a good thread going here I enjoy stopping in!

 

[Decker83]

X2 Decker. Plus a few others. I cant answer a lot of questions so I let these guys do it. But you have a good thread going here I enjoy stopping in!

Thanks g0nef1sshn..
There are a number of great gentlemen and women here on i-boats.. You could start a new sticky on them.. They have helped me out countless times on my deckboat..
I'm just a old southern boy that likes to tear stuff up..(LOL)

I need to find more time to read more threads here.. I really like what you have going on in your thread..

 

[Decker83]

Nothing new to you pro's, but I was able to spend a couple of hours removing the transom assembly.. Didn't have to much trouble until I tried to remove the
exhaust pipe.. Took a look at those bolts and said %$#@&^.. Never seen them before.. Didn't even occur to me to try a 12 point socket..:facepalm:

Finally tried a 3/8 socket and DUH!!!! it worked..
The transom looks very clean. Think I can make a good pattern from it..
Here is just some more pics..










Hope everyone has a great hump day...:madgrin:

 

[Watermann]

That donor's trailer is almost exactly the same as mine for the Chief or at least looks very close. I love how the cross members are swept down so the boat sits inside like a nest. I would toss that old galsser on it's ear and get my SC on there with quad 2x6 bunks.

Fun work tearing those donors down, so when's the old glassers final ride to the dump?

 

[dozerII]

Wow, that's the first glasser transom I've seen that isn't all black and squishy in the keyhole, someone must have actually taken care if her.

 

[Decker83]

That donor's trailer is almost exactly the same as mine for the Chief or at least looks very close. I love how the cross members are swept down so the boat sits inside like a nest. I would toss that old galsser on it's ear and get my SC on there with quad 2x6 bunks.

Fun work tearing those donors down, so when's the old glassers final ride to the dump?

I like the donor trailer also.. If it doesn't rain me out this weekend I will swap trailers.. If I'm not mistaken, I read how you did this and will do the same way..
Going to try and sell the Dilly trailer and let the glasser go with it.. No dump fees that way..:nono:

Wow, that's the first glasser transom I've seen that isn't all black and squishy in the keyhole, someone must have actually taken care if her.

The PO said he replaced the transom last year before he became ill.. That was his main reason for selling the boat..

 

[Decker83]

Hope everyone had a good Saturday.. Removed the floor and gas tank last night.. The tank was very clean on the outside.. No pics yet..:facepalm:
I started this morning by removing the last tid bits left on the donor..
Cut a piece of 24 ga paint grip galvanize and screwed it to the outside of the transom.. Traced the hole layout with a sharpie.. Made a nice pattern..

Hooked the donor trailer up and backed the boat up to a tree.. Put a 4x4 in the back of the transom and wrapped a log chain around it..
Wrapped the other end around the tree.. Then I pulled the trailer out from under the donor boat..

 

[Decker83]

Not sure what thread I read this.. Think it was Watermann's thread..
Took the winch off the dilly trailer and lowered he tongue to the ground.. Backed the donor trailer as far back as I could over the dilly trailer.. Got it all centered up and released the winch.. Pulled out the strap and hooked up to the Starcraft..
I don't like to put pics up of myself.. The Admiral was taken the pics and thought I should be in them all.. Hope you don't mind looking at my old mug..:lol:
















The last pic shows about 6" space between the lower bunks and the hull.. Will need to do some major changing on the trailer..

 

[64osby]

Nice transfer Decker.:thumb:

Hope the neighbors like the new lawn ornament.

 

[jbcurt00]

Nice trailer swap!

Congrats!

 

[Decker83]

Tried to get the donor boat back on the dilly trailer.. That was a no go..:doh:
The donor is 84" wide and the dilly trailer side supports were only 76" wide..:rant:
Thought I could just unbolt the mounting brackets, but no way.. One of the PO's welded them to the trailer.. So out come the grinder and hard disk to cut them lose..
I will have to get the donor boat back on in the morning.. Can't leave them in the yard or the city will get on me!!:scared:

 

[dozerII]

Hope everyone had a good Saturday.. Removed the floor and gas tank last night.. The tank was very clean on the outside.. No pics yet..:facepalm:
I started this morning by removing the last tid bits left on the donor..
Cut a piece of 24 ga paint grip galvanize and screwed it to the outside of the transom.. Traced the hole layout with a sharpie.. Made a nice pattern..

Hooked the donor trailer up and backed the boat up to a tree.. Put a 4x4 in the back of the transom and wrapped a log chain around it..
Wrapped the other end around the tree.. Then I pulled the trailer out from under the donor boat..

I like this one the best, I'm surprised it didn't get edited, a nice trailer taking an itchy poop

Nice job on the switch, I would recommend taking of the outer bunks let the hull set on the center ones check for clearance, if all is good re-drill the outer bunks to the proper height and you should be golden.

 

[Watermann]

Ahe yeah the leapfrog method of trailer swapping, sure beats the "Sig way" where you drop the freshly painted boat onto the ground from an excavator boom! Wonder where Sig's been anyway?

I would try just unhooking the dilly from the rig and let the winch drag that trailer up underneath the old glasser (you may need a ladder to be able to turn the winch handle at some point) and then hook it back up and winch strap the POS down for the ride to the dump.