22' Islander rebuild

[sidingguy]

Picked up a project for this winter. 1986 Starcraft Islander with typical bad floors and loose rivets.Why don't people at least buy a tarp to protect these boats? This will be my second Islander and my 4th starcraft to redo. Boat is i/o 120 OMC with Cobra drive.Starts and runs great ,goes into gear easily.
I have the old floor and foam pulled.I marked all loose and leaking rivets.As soon as my fishing buddy shoots his deer ,we will install new rivets and rebuck all the loose ones.Comment was made some time ago about unfinished Islander projects.This one will be finished before spring fishing season on Saginaw Bay!

 

[SHSU]

Welcome aboard!!!!

Sounds like a fun project. Looks like there was plenty of growth in her before you got to clean her out.

How is the motor? Does it run?

SHSU

 

[classiccat]

Welcome!

That's an aggressive plan on getting this water-ready by spring! I assume you have a garage...preferably heated?

You might be the 1st to come on here saying they have a Starcraft with a working OMC (most critical wear parts are NLA). It would be cool if you can squeeze a few more seasons out of her. You said that it goes in/out of gear OK. Has it actually had a sea trial?

Yeah man, alot of these old boats are put out to pasture...literally!

 

[sidingguy]

Welcome!

That's an aggressive plan on getting this water-ready by spring! I assume you have a garage...preferably heated?

You might be the 1st to come on here saying they have a Starcraft with a working OMC (most critical wear parts are NLA). It would be cool if you can squeeze a few more seasons out of her. You said that it goes in/out of gear OK. Has it actually had a sea trial?

Yeah man, alot of these old boats are put out to pasture...literally!

 

[sidingguy]

lots of OMC donors up here in the Great Lakes State. Yes I have a 30x40 polebarn with 12' ceiling. Its insulated with a wood fired furnace,nice and toasty in Michigan winters.No I haven't sea trialed it. I live about8 miles from what used to be Sanford Lake before the dam failures at Sanford and Edenville.No more lakes,only riverbed.

 

[SHSU]

Man, I completely missed that when I read your opening (Motor working)

I envy ya'll that have room for the big barns/workshops. I can only dream about it...., but give up some things for others.

SHSU

 

[Watermann]

Nice to see an Islander thread where a guy isn't wanting to tear the boat apart to have some open tub with a tiller.

 

[sidingguy]

Hmmmm now you got me thinking!LOL, not gonna happen.Will still be an Islander when I'm done.Picked up the plywood today for the floor and will get it cut and painted so it will be ready after we get the rivet issues taken care of.

 

[sidingguy]

Got most of the plywood cut yesterday and today.After fitting the bulkhead,I laminated FRP panel to 5/8" plywood both sides.The white really lightens up the cabin!Still waiting for help to buck rivets.
I will post some pics of my last project,Sylvan 17' Pro Fisherman.This was supposed to be my winter project,but the virus kept me home with nothing to do.No I did not have covid,Just couldn't work.

 

[SHSU]

Moving right along. How you going to seal the deck and secure it to the stringers?

Like the Sylvan pics! You sell her for this project?

SHSU

 

[sidingguy]

I will paint all plywood with oil based paint and then pop rivet the floor . The Sylvan is going to stay .It will make a good small lake and river fishing boat. Still trying to find an electric trolling motor, they are in short supply right now.Maybe Santa will drop one off!

 

[sidingguy]

There is a Black friday sale going on this week.Monday's special was a Humminbird Helix 7 with side imaging for 499. Was in their parking lot at 5:50 am for their 6:00 opening and scored a new fishfinder for the Sylvan!Look out walleyes !

 

[SHSU]

I have a Garmin CV. Wondered if a side imaging unit would have been worth it. Would be interested to hear what you think about it once you get a chance to play around with it.

Additional info, I do anchor and fish. No trolling for me. Plus I got the Garmin when Gander Mountain went out of business. So a deal that I couldn't pass up.

SHSU

 

[sidingguy]

I removed all the plywood from the Islander and gave it 3 coats of oil based paint this weekend. Grandson is coming over next week to help with rivets in the hull.Looking around the yard I have come to the conclussion I need to sell a couple. THe 18' Mariner needs to go, being replaced by the Sylvan 17'.The 19' Islander with the seadrive omc outboard will stay unless the 22' Islander works out.Hmmm, decisions decisions.

 

[SHSU]

Gift one of the projects to the grandson!!!

Never had the issue to figure out what toy stays and what goes (don't have the room for more then then one), but don't envy having to make that decision either.

SHSU

 

[sidingguy]

Well I bit the bullet and bought a Minkota Terrova instead of the less exspensive but unavailable Powerdrive model .Now when the walleye surge starts on the Saginaw river I will be ready to fish ! New fishfinder, new trolling motor we are ready to go.Still waiting for help with rivets on the Islander.

 

[sidingguy]

Still recovering from a cold ,so I haven't asked grandson for help with rivets.
I found some marine vinyl on C list today,headed for Grand Rapids in the am.
Previous rebuilds I have used carpet or nonskid paint on floors.Good deal on vinyl so not much more than carpet!No hook snags on vinyl. I did get the new trolling motor installed on the Sylvan.Now on to the fishfinder.

 

[classiccat]

Congrats on the Terrova! the walleye won't stand a chance.

Most of us tinheads lean towards vinyl flooring over carpet.

 

[SHSU]

Your neighbors are going to love you!!!

Rivet Gun in action

SHSU

 

[Watermann]

I have nothing but good to say about my Terrova, well they could cost less