1987 Starcraft Islander Restoration

[rwjaco19]

New to iBoats here, but love all the great info thus far. Anyway, I'll get right to the point. My Dad has finally let me have this ol' girl (1987 Islander 22' w/ Mercruiser 4.3 I/O) to restore. I have many many fishing/pleasure boating memories on this boat and want to make more of the same memories with my kids and have the ol' man come along, but it is in need of a complete restoration except for the motor and outdrive. We've been able to start the motor every year and it has been properly winterized after each summer. But, she has not seen the water in 7 years due to floor rot along with a multitude of other areas that just need to be redone. The foam under the deck is waterlogged, and I'll be taking it out and probably replacing with pink or blue foam boards from Home Depot. Does anyone have finished pictures of an Islander restore with a different layout/configuration. I'm just looking for ideas. I'm in this boat for nothing but sweat equity right now, but I don't mind spending the right amount to finish her off the right way.

If anyone has pics of finished restos, any suggestions, floor plans, etc., I'm all ears. I love this boat and really want to see her hit the great lakes and start slaying fish again. Hoping to to have her ready to fish by spring, but maybe a shakedown cruise by end of summer. We'll see.

 

[todhunter]

In my opinion, if this is a first time restoration, having it done in less than 1 year is pretty ambitious, especially if it's a full gut and restore (stringers/transom/deck). Get the drive/transom assembly/and engine out of the boat then get the deck fully pulled up. Drill some core samples in the transom and evaluate the wood shavings if you can't already tell it's rotten around the keyhole. Same for the stringers. I had plans of having mine done in 6-8 months, but it looks like it's going to be just over a year to get mine done and splashed. Good luck.

 

[BWR1953]

In my opinion, if this is a first time restoration, having it done in less than 1 year is pretty ambitious, especially if it's a full gut and restore (stringers/transom/deck). Get the drive/transom assembly/and engine out of the boat then get the deck fully pulled up. Drill some core samples in the transom and evaluate the wood shavings if you can't already tell it's rotten around the keyhole. Same for the stringers. I had plans of having mine done in 6-8 months, but it looks like it's going to be just over a year to get mine done and splashed. Good luck.

It's a Starcraft Islander... aluminum boat. No drilling stringers!

 

[rwjaco19]

I've got the floor and foam completely out. the stringers were just held in place by the foam as they are aluminum. I've got my 19 y/o home from college, so I've got a little extra help right now. Transom has a little rot around the bottom edges where the floor met the back of the boat but doesn't extend into the engine well or near the keyhole for the outdrive. If I have to replace it, I'm thinking of taking it to my local marine mechanic/boat specialists since I've done the hard part already by removing the floor and foam. It's basically an empty hull now. Can't believe we got it completely gutted in 2 days, but we're motivated. I grew up on this boat and just glad to have it where I can work on it now. Here's a photo of the progress.

Couple questions:
1. How hard is it to pull the motor and outdrive? Are there any threads/videos anyone knows about that would highlight the process?

I've got access to equipment that would make this an easy job (tractor w/ forks for lifting motor out etc.) If it's not too bad of a job I will attempt it. I'm mechanically inclined so it's not out of my wheelhouse.

2. Has anyone used flex-seal or any other waterproofing for seams and rivets? Want to seal them since I have the floor out. I've heard of Gluvit but will have to order (not available at any stores locally).

3. Has anyone used KingStarboard Seadek for transom material before (just wondering if it would work)? Thinking I want to go with hard plastic or a composite so rot won't be an issue in the future.

 

[rwjaco19]

Well... Talked to my local Mercruiser techs today and I got a good idea of what it's going to take to get this done right. Let me know if this sounds about right:

- Marine shop will pull and replace motor/outdrive for $800
- Local boat builder/repairman will replace rotten transom for under $1,000 since I've done all the hard work by removing everything. This includes sourcing new wood transom and coating in epoxy to waterproof it.
- Will have marine shop pulling motor do a tune up, replace timing chain, and water pump while the motor is out on an engine stand. Should be b/w $500-$700

All-in-all, should have new transom and good running 4.3 for under $3K. That leaves me a little over $2K for rebuilding the inside of the boat how I want. Keep in mind that I already have downriggers, rod holders, and the captain's chair is salvageable.

Any suggestions on decking material, vinyl, steering/gauge box material?

 

[FIGMO]

Well... Talked to my local Mercruiser techs today and I got a good idea of what it's going to take to get this done right. Let me know if this sounds about right:

- Marine shop will pull and replace motor/outdrive for $800
- Local boat builder/repairman will replace rotten transom for under $1,000 since I've done all the hard work by removing everything. This includes sourcing new wood transom and coating in epoxy to waterproof it.
- Will have marine shop pulling motor do a tune up, replace timing chain, and water pump while the motor is out on an engine stand. Should be b/w $500-$700

All-in-all, should have new transom and good running 4.3 for under $3K. That leaves me a little over $2K for rebuilding the inside of the boat how I want. Keep in mind that I already have downriggers, rod holders, and the captain's chair is salvageable.

Any suggestions on decking material, vinyl, steering/gauge box material?

A 1,000 bucks for the transom, ouch!

Save yourself a bunch of cash and rebuild the transom on your own. There are plenty of posts on this site on how to do it. I did it on my boat, mind you it is considerably smaller as a SS16. That would leave you more money for the inside, a lot more.

 

[rwjaco19]

A 1,000 bucks for the transom, ouch!

Save yourself a bunch of cash and rebuild the transom on your own. There are plenty of posts on this site on how to do it. I did it on my boat, mind you it is considerably smaller as a SS16. That would leave you more money for the inside, a lot more.

Love the name “FIGMO”. I wonder how many know what it means? Haha. I may look into doing the transom myself, but just the transom board alone for my boat is going to be 400+ dollars due to it being an 8 foot beam. I figured if the guy is going to source the transom and do the work, if I can get them down to around 800 bucks it’s a win. Plus, if anything is wrong with it I can hold him accountable. At least that was my thought process.

 

[rwjaco19]

Well, the boat is off to the shop. Motor is being pulled, transom being replaced, and them motor being put back in. Compression check, tune up, oil change, and new fuel pump/hoses all happening once motor goes back in. Should be ready to start rebuilding in just a couple short weeks. I'll be putting it under a portable structure to keep the snow/rain off it over the winter, and so I can work on it as weather permits. Hoping to have her back on the water by June of next year.

I have a question about fish finder setup. What are people using these days? I like the Lowrance FS 7 or 9 with active imaging (not active target) for Lake Huron deep water and figure it would do well on some larger inland lakes for walleye, crappie, pike, and others of the like. Let here some thoughts!

Cheers!

 

[briangcc]

My boat came with a Garmin Striker 4 (could be the plus model). I am NOT a fan of this model...small screen size, no GPS basemap whatsoever.

I was looking at replacing it with a larger Garmin w/basemap (so I could keep the transducer) or Humminbird Helix....I want something with a built in base map like my Eagle Fish Elite had. This waypoint crap with no basemap is for the birds.

 

[BWR1953]

My boat came with a Garmin Striker 4 (could be the plus model). I am NOT a fan of this model...small screen size, no GPS basemap whatsoever.

I was looking at replacing it with a larger Garmin w/basemap (so I could keep the transducer) or Humminbird Helix....I want something with a built in base map like my Eagle Fish Elite had. This waypoint crap with no basemap is for the birds.

Yeah, I also have the Garmin Striker Plus 4 and agree that it's pretty weak.

No basemap is a real issue. The original plan when I bought the unit was for me to go out and map my favorite lake myself, using the manual method in the Garmin. But once on the water, that plan goes away because we'd rather be fishing!

I definitely prefer something better and may upgrade at some future point. Maybe.

 

[rwjaco19]

Well… the motor and out drive are out. Heads off for new transom tomorrow. I’m really leaning towards the Lowrance Elite FS 9 for GPS and Fish Finder. After all the research, that appears to be the best bang for the money. Comes pre-loaded with 6,000 lake maps already, has side scan sonar, and fish mark feature. Plus the 9 inch screen is nice, especially the touchscreen part.

 

[BWR1953]

...I’m really leaning towards the Lowrance Elite FS 9 for GPS and Fish Finder. After all the research, that appears to be the best bang for the money. Comes pre-loaded with 6,000 lake maps already, has side scan sonar, and fish mark feature. Plus the 9 inch screen is nice, especially the touchscreen part.

Yow! That's a big step up from my little Garmin, like 10 times the price!

I bet it's really nice though.

 

[rwjaco19]

Transom should be done tomorrow or Friday. Can’t wait to get this back so I can get the motor in. Found a sweet deal on a 1996 OMC 15hp kicker this week. Came with the kicker mount and ez steer for $1000. Has super low hours, runs awesome, and the thing practically looks brand new inside and out. Going to have it hard lined in to the main fuel tank when they put the main motor back in.

For the decking and cuddy floor/walls I’m going to epoxy marine plywood. Going to river where I can but use stainless screws with finishing washers mostly to keep things modular. Does anyone have recommendations on epoxy for the coating the boards before laying vinyl? Also looking for recommendations on pour foam if you got em’?

 

[FIGMO]

Transom should be done tomorrow or Friday. Can’t wait to get this back so I can get the motor in. Found a sweet deal on a 1996 OMC 15hp kicker this week. Came with the kicker mount and ez steer for $1000. Has super low hours, runs awesome, and the thing practically looks brand new inside and out. Going to have it hard lined in to the main fuel tank when they put the main motor back in.

For the decking and cuddy floor/walls I’m going to epoxy marine plywood. Going to river where I can but use stainless screws with finishing washers mostly to keep things modular. Does anyone have recommendations on epoxy for the coating the boards before laying vinyl? Also looking for recommendations on pour foam if you got em’?

I used West System on all the wood in my boat. It is a little pricy though.

 

[rwjaco19]

Alright, got the west system epoxy like FIGMO suggested. Found marine plywood in stock at my local lumber yard. Going with 3/4 inch to beef the floor up a bit. Transom is done and boy does it look awesome, especially with it being glassed over to keep future potential rot/moisture away! It goes back to marine shop next week to have motor dropped back in, tuned up, compression & timing checked, new bilge pump, and new blower motor.

I’d do the bilge and blower but I’m traveling a lot for work right now so just don’t have the time and I want to keep the project moving. And… they gave me a super low price to do the work when they found out I’m retired from the military. I love the support for my brothers and sisters in my town. It is absolutely amazing!

Anyway, I’m looking to replace the shrinking rubber seals/weather stripping on the windshield and cuddy windows. Does anyone have a suggestion on where to go for the rubber stripping?

Here’s some more photos of the progress and the kicker motor I got. I’m thinking I’ll mount the kicker myself and going to keep the gas for it separate from the main, just in case I want to use that little 15 hp on a little fishing boat (just an idea, haven’t made up my mind yet). She’s coming along nicely.

 

[WalleyeSniper]

Alright, got the west system epoxy like FIGMO suggested. Found marine plywood in stock at my local lumber yard. Going with 3/4 inch to beef the floor up a bit. Transom is done and boy does it look awesome, especially with it being glassed over to keep future potential rot/moisture away! It goes back to marine shop next week to have motor dropped back in, tuned up, compression & timing checked, new bilge pump, and new blower motor.

I’d do the bilge and blower but I’m traveling a lot for work right now so just don’t have the time and I want to keep the project moving. And… they gave me a super low price to do the work when they found out I’m retired from the military. I love the support for my brothers and sisters in my town. It is absolutely amazing!

Anyway, I’m looking to replace the shrinking rubber seals/weather stripping on the windshield and cuddy windows. Does anyone have a suggestion on where to go for the rubber stripping?

Here’s some more photos of the progress and the kicker motor I got. I’m thinking I’ll mount the kicker myself and going to keep the gas for it separate from the main, just in case I want to use that little 15 hp on a little fishing boat (just an idea, haven’t made up my mind yet). She’s coming along nicely.

Looking good man. Moving right along on that rebuild. I wish my resto was an aluminum hull like the Islanders! That'd take a whole load off my plate, lol.

 

[rwjaco19]

Finally getting back to working on the boat. Thinking about ordering the float foam from Total Boat in a 2 lb density that meets USCG requirements. Anyone ever used this stuff before? It's way more cost effective that the stuff I can get through my marina/boat store.

 

[rwjaco19]

Also decided on a depth/fish Finder and sonar. Got a Garmin on an extremely good deal at my local Cabelas store. Can’t wait to finally make some progress this year. May not have back in the water until spring but thats ok with the cost of fuel right now .

 

[havoc_squad]

Make 100% sure those through hull openings on the transom wood are sealed with epoxy if they are bare wood, even if 4200/5200 is used in the hole.

This a big source of where transom rot begins.

Wish there were more old aluminum cuddy boats around here, don't see them much in the US mid south region.

Those that are around for sale the owners think they're made of solid gold in pricing but rarely sell.

 

[rwjaco19]

Been a while. Had a few things pop up last summer and early this summer which required my attention. However, I’ve finally been able to get back to working on the boat. Got new bulkhead boards and aft battery compartment board cut and stained. Sanded, patched, and primed all the old electronics transducer holes in the stern/transom area as well as addressing any areas where paint had come off and aluminum exposed. Wire brushed the hull to get a good surface for foam and sealant to adhere to. Got a few spots left on the hull I need to address with a little patching/brazing, but decided to flex seal/gluvit the seams while they’re exposed. Almost to the point of riveting stringers back into place, foaming, and reconstructing the insides. It’s a labor of love…lol. Posted a few pics. Enjoy!