1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

[monnewbie3]

Picked up a 1978 StarCraft Tri-Hull with a 1978 140HP Evinrude on the back, got a pretty good deal on it .
Motor runs like a top (after rebuilding the carbs, Link and sync, re-did timing, adjusted transmission linkages), great compression.

Transom is wet and starting to rot, so I figured it would be best to fix this now before it gets worse.

Got the top cap off this weekend, next weekend I'll pull the carpets and clean up the hull... I'll keep posting updates with some pictures.

Cheers,

Picked her up..

Engine Stand built

Engine off

Back rub rail caps

Removing Rub rails

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Gas tanks and interior gutted... nice little crawl space

Top cap sealed to Transom...

Top Cap Finally off...

Time to start cleaning?

Transom

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

About to start cutting the deck

Deck Half cut..

Getting ready to pull transom out

Transom Out!

Under the deck...

Crappy Factory glass work...

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Deck off... starting on the foam, all water logged

Just keeps coming..

Foam almost all out.. will pull the rest out and sand down this weekend, then get the stringers out

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

I see you've been busy at the dry dock for a while already. Great progress and a ton of work done so far in the tear down newbie! I haven't seen too many of these glass Starcrafts around, sure is a nice looking boat! Oh and I like your OOBS Chevy truck too, I have a OBS Silverado and love it like a brother.

I'm not a glass master but will be following along with your restore. Someday I may cross over to the dark side and get a rotten glass tub but for now I'm up to my eyeballs in tin.

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Little More progress so far... Hopefully transom will go in this weekend.

Stringers out..

Glass Supplies


Pulling out Old Glass

More old Glass

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Old Glass out

Sanded down the Transom Skin

Sanding..

More Sanding

First 3/4" layer cut, the pic makes it look bigger then original

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

2nd Layer Getting ready to be glued... PL

Starting to clamp the 2nd piece

Sanded down all the edges so they're straight (Glassed one side of the transom as well just forgot to take a picture)

Building 12 foot stringers out of 4x8x5/8" Sheets..getting them ready for glue

12 foot stringers ready to be cut

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Had to straighten one of the boards...

Clamped in for sanding and cutting

Stringer cut

Little thicker then the original board

Cleaned up the hull...Little sanding little washing.. Almost ready for stringers I reckon

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Now that's a ton of work you just tore through!

Ok, you live in a cabin in the woods by a lake. What an awesome back drop for a boat restoration.

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Transom is in..
Try to get the stringers done tomorrow.

 

[Ron0339]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

I like it. I just bought the same boat with a 1978 85hp Johnson on it. How is the project going?

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

I like it. I just bought the same boat with a 1978 85hp Johnson on it. How is the project going?

Hey Ron,
That's pretty cool, I've never seen another boat that's the same as the one got. How do you find the 85hp?
The project is coming along not to bad, ordered another gallon of resin from Noah's, hopefully can get my fillets done and stringers in this weekend .
But it rarely goes to plan lol.

Cheers,

 

[Ron0339]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

I have been working on the engine to get it running right. I have only had the boat for a month and already replaced the prop, rebuilt the carbs and replaced a power pack. Hoping to get it timed before this weekend so I can see what she can do. I noticed my transom is a little wet too so I might start tearing my down this fall. How much do you have tied up in your restore so I'll know what to expect?

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Ya the way the transom and stringers are built is absolutely terrible.

My total cost is a little different since I'm re-doing the wiring harness, interior etc.
But just for the body work and frame rebuild;
I'm at about 600$ or so.
Keep in mind I got all my ply for free, have the tools needed and i'm not going to be making it "perfect", just better then the oem spec (It lasted 30 years already ..)
I'll probably be doing my deck in poly since its 40$ a gallon, and finishing it with inter-deck, this will save me big time.

Transom and stringers.. I'm estimating about 2 gallons of epoxy, but it's going to be tight.

You'll probably come in at just under 1000$ for deck, stringers, foam, and transom with left over glass for some hull repairs.

I've yet to order flotation foam, so 600$ does not reflect that.

-M

 

[Ron0339]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

I just pulled my floor up and found that I have no stringers left for a template. :grumpy: Come check it out on my restore link.


http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...78-starcraft-tristar-br15-restore-624616.html

 

[Watermann]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Man I sure like the look of those glass SC's. Worthy of a 2nd chance at life that's for sure. My hats off to you guys and all that glass work.

 

[Ron0339]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Did you ever get those stringers in? I am using your restore basically as an instruction manual for mine since they are the same boat.

 

[Ron0339]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Do you think there is a way to replace the transom without removing the cap?

 

[monnewbie3]

Re: 1978 Starcraft Tri-Hull Rebuild Project

Did you ever get those stringers in? I am using your restore basically as an instruction manual for mine since they are the same boat.

When I get back into the office ill upload the pictures of the installed stringers, I've just been waiting to completely finish them before I upload.
It's possible to remove the transom with out taking out the top cap..
But you would damage your top cap, deck and strings..then you would have to remove the top cap anyway to repair them.
The top cap wasn't that hard to get off, just be sure to detach it from the transom, that was the tricky bit.