1986 Mastercraft tristar

[ls1adam]

just bought a MC tristar. in decent shape. got it for a good price.
needs interior though.
can anyone recommend interior places, or how to do it myself?

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: 1986 Mastercraft tristar

Welcome to iBoats!!!!!

first off, before we get into redoing the interior, have you checked the bones in the boat to make sure everything under the floor is in good condition (transom, soft spots in floors, stringers, etc...) ?? There are some good threads that go into detail on how to check these areas.

secondly, about the interior, the question of doing it yourself or having it done elsewhere is also a tough question to answer....it is mostly based upon your skill level...there are also several threads on reupholstering seats and panels...and the equipment you need...sewing machine, vinyl, foam, attachment methods and structure....i've never sewed before in my life and i redid my seats from scratch....

do a search on the forum for 'sewing' or 'upholstery'..this will give you a good start...
I also have the link to my 'how-to' thread in my signature...it will give you the basic idea and the steps involved

but again....safety is more important than anything else...so i would check out the structure of the boat before proceeding any further.

keep us posted

mrdj

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1986 Mastercraft tristar

This ^^^ is Sound Advice!!! It's all about seaworthiness. Boats that are 26 years old with bad interiors, usually indicated they've been out in the elements. This can cause a lot of issues. You should do a thorough inspection of every nook and cranny of the deck looking for soft spots. Look below the deck in the ski locker and engine compartment and any other place you can and look for signs of water intrusion etc. Taking core samples of the substructure is the best method to determine that the wooden structure has not been compromised. You might get lucky and the "BONES" check out ok. The Upholstery, as stated above, will be totally a "Skill Set" issue. Some people have it and some don't.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: 1986 Mastercraft tristar

Mastercrafts from 1984+ have composite stringers, so no worries there

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: 1986 Mastercraft tristar

Mastercrafts from 1984+ have composite stringers, so no worries there

I'm not sure this is correct. I found at least one source that said it was not.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=983847

 

[ls1adam]

Re: 1986 Mastercraft tristar

well in my case that is correct. its all fiberglass so no rot here.
everything is good except the upholstery. i may draft my mom in to help me sew them if i decide to do them my self.
i got a quote from "jim" today for 1600.

 

[mrdjflores]

Re: 1986 Mastercraft tristar

take the plunge...do the upholstery yourself, or with help.
there are many threads here that cover sewing and upholstery...you can check out my "how to" in my signature to get a quick overview