1979 18' v5

[wheeldriver]

My two cents on that keel guard is you might consider leaving it off. That thing has been a problem when a rivet loosens and starts to leak at a rib location for many people including myself. I found the problem is rivets at the rib/keel guard locations are going through 3 layers of aluminum and spaced 3 and 4 inches apart, its a lot to ask for a lonely rivet over time. Gluvit on the outside of the rivet wont solve a leak problem at those rib locations, water fills the keel guard and then travels up the leaking rivet shaft and leaks into the boat between the rib and the aluminum hull. In my research on the subject I came across 2 threads of people that have talked to starcraft about their guard leaking, heres one leaking keel guard post 5. In it someone talked to starcraft about it and they said it has no structural need, its there for those that want to beach there boat. The second one (I can't find the thread) but someone spoke to a engineer at starcraft and he said they have admitted it is a faulty design and don't make boats like that anymore.

During my leak test I had a leaking rivet or rivets on my keel guard. Impossible to determine which rib rivet was the problem, I said the heck with this and pulled it off and never looked back. I've thought about putting on a after market rubber keel guard but never have.

Add to it what is your skill level at installing solid rivets, also those old holes are no longer freshly drilled holes with clean inside walls. Again just my two cents. Hope you have no more surprises with the V5. I'm looking forward to the finished product.

 

[dozerII]

My two cents on that keel guard is you might consider leaving it off. That thing has been a problem when a rivet loosens and starts to leak at a rib location for many people including myself. I found the problem is rivets at the rib/keel guard locations are going through 3 layers of aluminum and spaced 3 and 4 inches apart, its a lot to ask for a lonely rivet over time. Gluvit on the outside of the rivet wont solve a leak problem at those rib locations, water fills the keel guard and then travels up the leaking rivet shaft and leaks into the boat between the rib and the aluminum hull. In my research on the subject I came across 2 threads of people that have talked to starcraft about their guard leaking, heres one leaking keel guard post 5. In it someone talked to starcraft about it and they said it has no structural need, its there for those that want to beach there boat. The second one (I can't find the thread) but someone spoke to a engineer at starcraft and he said they have admitted it is a faulty design and don't make boats like that anymore.

During my leak test I had a leaking rivet or rivets on my keel guard. Impossible to determine which rib rivet was the problem, I said the heck with this and pulled it off and never looked back. I've thought about putting on a after market rubber keel guard but never have.

Add to it what is your skill level at installing solid rivets, also those old holes are no longer freshly drilled holes with clean inside walls. Again just my two cents. Hope you have no more surprises with the V5. I'm looking forward to the finished product.

Thanks WD, some interesting thoughts. All except 4 rivets on this keel were 5/32 which is strange in it self, none were missing, but a lot were corroded.I don't think this boat ever saw a lot of actual use just a lot of sitting in a very harsh environment. My line of thinking the holes are already there and will be opened up to 3/16, the keel strip is in good shape it might as well go back on.

 

[wheeldriver]

That is odd that all the rivets did not match up.

Maybe I missed it, but have you pulled the transom yet? Fingers crossed no more ugly surprises turn up.

 

[64osby]

Wow, who would have imagined.

I'll be watching the progress. Good luck with her.

 

[Decker83]

I don't know about a design flaw, but after that flat piece of aluminum went through the forming rollers it gave it a incredible amount of strength..

 

[dozerII]

That is odd that all the rivets did not match up.

Maybe I missed it, but have you pulled the transom yet? Fingers crossed no more ugly surprises turn up.

Haven't pulled it yet, i like to leave it in place for flipping as it helps keep the hull rigid. Hope there are no big surprises.

Wow, who would have imagined.

I'll be watching the progress. Good luck with her.

Thanks 64

I don't know about a design flaw, but after that flat piece of aluminum went through the forming rollers it gave it a incredible amount of strength..

Not only strength, but I think that keel adds greatly to directional stability when under way.

 

[dozerII]

So this weekend I took the Admiral out to the hanger and we went over the procedures for bucking rivets. We proceeded to start on reinstalling the keel strip. After 45 minutes, eight rivets, and some colorful discussions we decided that things have been really good for 39 years next month, Quote "so maybe I should find someone else to buck my rivets" Sheesh:hail:

 

[laurentide]

So this weekend I took the Admiral out to the hanger and we went over the procedures for bucking rivets. We proceeded to start on reinstalling the keel strip. After 45 minutes, eight rivets, and some colorful discussions we decided that things have been really good for 39 years next month, Quote "so maybe I should find someone else to buck my rivets" Sheesh:hail:

At least she gave it a shot...I wouldn't have even asked! As others have said, I wish I were close enough to give you a hand.

 

[Watermann]

I would find a neighborhood boy that's needing some summer cash and teach him the zen ways of bucking rivets. Who knows the experience may change his life forever... and make him hate boats. :lol:

 

[Candutch]

Glad to see you're back at it Dozer. Sorry to see the headache you have ahead of you though. Good luck with those rivets, if I was closer I'd definitely swing by and give you a hand and learn how its done at the same time.

 

[dozerII]

At least she gave it a shot...I wouldn't have even asked! As others have said, I wish I were close enough to give you a hand.

She's a trooper, just not Rosie the Riveter, it would be great to have a Starmada rivet team

I would find a neighborhood boy that's needing some summer cash and teach him the zen ways of bucking rivets. Who knows the experience may change his life forever... and make him hate boats. :lol:

Good Idea Rob but I live in a ghost town with18 people and I think the Admiral and I are the youngest.

Glad to see you're back at it Dozer. Sorry to see the headache you have ahead of you though. Good luck with those rivets, if I was closer I'd definitely swing by and give you a hand and learn how its done at the same time.

Thanks Rob, we will get through this , there are guys rebuilding hulls in far worse shape than this one.

 

[dozerII]

I had the BIL come over this morning to help me install the keel strip. looks much better now.





A short video of the rivets problem

 

[Watermann]

Hey that looks like some good rivet work, be glad you have a BIL that's worth more than his weight in cr@p. :lol:

I guess on the bright side you can be happy that V5 doesn't have a rack of ribs like this...

 

[GA_Boater]

She's a trooper, just not Rosie the Riveter, it would be great to have a Starmada rivet team

That would be Starmada International Rivet Team. Have Rivet Gun, Will Travel. LOL

The Admiral gave it the old college try, Glen. Glad it's back in the right place again.

 

[InMotion]

Interesting video there Glen.... How many would I do.... any that looked like the ones you were working on. However, I would pop 1 or two "good" looking ones and see how they looked. As you found before, looks can be deceiving....

Jim

 

[dozerII]

Hey that looks like some good rivet work, be glad you have a BIL that's worth more than his weight in cr@p. :lol:

I guess on the bright side you can be happy that V5 doesn't have a rack of ribs like this...

Thanks Rob, and yes you are right no where near as many ribs.

That would be Starmada International Rivet Team. Have Rivet Gun, Will Travel. LOL

The Admiral gave it the old college try, Glen. Glad it's back in the right place again.

There's an Idea, heck if we got good enough we could apply for an Olympic sport status

Interesting video there Glen.... How many would I do.... any that looked like the ones you were working on. However, I would pop 1 or two "good" looking ones and see how they looked. As you found before, looks can be deceiving....

Jim

That's the tough part Jim figuring out which are the bad ones, might end up replacing them all.:blue:

 

[Watermann]

Replace all of the rivets.... :faint2:

Replacing the ones that looks odd would be bad enough. Don't worry over the rivets with the Monday morning crescent dents, half the rivets in my Chief were those Monday ones. For sure replace any tipped rivets with a gap as they will surely end up leaking down the road at some point.

Is this V5 a keeper, flipper or a build for someone?

 

[dozerII]

Replace all of the rivets.... :faint2:

Replacing the ones that looks odd would be bad enough. Don't worry over the rivets with the Monday morning crescent dents, half the rivets in my Chief were those Monday ones. For sure replace any tipped rivets with a gap as they will surely end up leaking down the road at some point.

Is this V5 a keeper, flipper or a build for someone?

She's a flipper, but I have to do it right, I will not sell someone a a bunch of problems or an unsafe boat. I guess the good thing is the bad rivets only seem to be on the bottom of the hull

 

[djpeters]

Wow. Replacing all the reevits? That would be a first on here!

I replaced any of them on mine where the tail looked suspect. I had a fair amount where the tail was almost flush with the rib, so basically no tail. It looked almost like it was corroded off even though there wasn't much corrosion anywhere else. I did knock out some good looking ones here and there and found them all to be good and solid. I went over them all many many times with my eyeballs as not to miss any. Good luck.

 

[dozerII]

Wow. Replacing all the reevits? That would be a first on here!

I replaced any of them on mine where the tail looked suspect. I had a fair amount where the tail was almost flush with the rib, so basically no tail. It looked almost like it was corroded off even though there wasn't much corrosion anywhere else. I did knock out some good looking ones here and there and found them all to be good and solid. I went over them all many many times with my eyeballs as not to miss any. Good luck.

Thanks DJ, the rivet situation you had sounds very familiar.