'67 Holiday 18' - Make it Usable

[Berdink]

I’m starting a thread about my new Starcraft. Not so much a build thread - but more of a ‘Keep it Usable’ thread.
I’ve wanted my own Aluminum StarCraft for a few years now. Bought this 1967 18 foot StarCraft Holiday with a 1984 Suzuki 75hp last weekend.

I have a 65 Chevy truck that I’ve done mechanical upgrades to - Power Steering, Power Disc Brakes, etc. But I didn’t make it pretty. I like it safe and usable, but I don’t have to worry about using it as a truck.

That’s my goal here. I’m not so interested in doing an authentic classic StarCraft restore, but rather get it safe and keep it usable.

1st is the Transom repair.
2nd is get the Suzuki going.
3rd is make sure the boat is water tight.

Nothing exciting will probably happen here in this thread - I’m hoping to use it more for tracking my progress.

 

[Berdink]

Some previous owner put some stainless steel over the rear to possibly cover a bunch of old holes, but by my reading up I found out about mixing other metals with aluminum can cause galvanic corrosion:

"Corrosion develops when two dissimilar materials are combined in a corrosive electrolyte. This can occur when certain materials (such as aluminum) are in contact with stainless steel."

Sure enough, it doesn't look pretty.
.
I'm currently reading up on what to use to clean it up and/or treat it before painting it - hopefully it's still structurally sound.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Plastic bristle discs on a drill works well for stripping clean. You could paint or reclad with 5052 aluminum. I used aluminum instead of plywood between my motor and the transom skin. (Now it’s a cmc tilt)

Pinholes or heavy pitting can be filled with marinetex.

 

[Berdink]

Plastic bristle discs on a drill works well for stripping clean. You could paint or reclad with 5052 aluminum. I used aluminum instead of plywood between my motor and the transom skin. (Now it’s a cmc tilt)

Pinholes or heavy pitting can be filled with marinetex.

Thanks. I put marinetex in the search tool here and found this good thread:

Islander hull corrosion help!!

Well, after grinding and cleaning the bottom of my hull I found some bad pitting. It looks like it goes DEEP! The worst is under where the gas line was and I am sure the wet foam and treated floors that were in There when I got it did not help. What do u guys think I should do? Fill with JB or...

forums.iboats.com

 

[Berdink]

I spent the greater part of last night reading up on whether I should use something in addition to a plastic abrasion to clean/neutralize the corrosion. One member posted to not use a metal wire brush because of dissimilar metals.
.
For neutralizing the corrosion, some say white vinegar, and some say phosphoric acid.
.
Also, I read here in these forums that once the aluminum is clean, I don't have to use Alodine, but I can go straight to etching primer and then paint.

Thoughts?

 

[racerone]

It appears ( by paint colors / markings ) that the axle is not original to the trailer.-----You might want to look into a bigger axle/ wheels / tires.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

I spent the greater part of last night reading up on whether I should use something in addition to a plastic abrasion to clean/neutralize the corrosion. One member posted to not use a metal wire brush because of dissimilar metals.
.
For neutralizing the corrosion, some say white vinegar, and some say phosphoric acid.
.
Also, I read here in these forums that once the aluminum is clean, I don't have to use Alodine, but I can go straight to etching primer and then paint.

Thoughts?

I’ve heard the same thing. Interlux claims that if you use their 2000 E primer you don’t need to do anything other than sand with 80grit. I’m speaking of bare aluminum.

I have just painted the bottom of my boat with it. I cannot vouch for its adhesion. I hope it’s good

 

[Berdink]

Thanks, I'll follow your prep suggestions, and then etch primer and paint. I don't see it as that big a deal if I have to strip it and prep it differently next season again.
.
Also,
I've been reading up a lot on Transom replacement, and I'm pretty sure I'm going with something other than wood. 3/4 ACX is up to almost $100 per sheet and many of the liquid transom products aren't that much more expensive.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Thanks, I'll follow your prep suggestions, and then etch primer and paint. I don't see it as that big a deal if I have to strip it and prep it differently next season again.
.
Also,
I've been reading up a lot on Transom replacement, and I'm pretty sure I'm going with something other than wood. 3/4 ACX is up to almost $100 per sheet and many of the liquid transom products aren't that much more expensive.

You don’t really need ACX. Building grade three-quarter inch ply doubled laminated together that’s fine. I don’t think they even sealed it at the factory. Probably just painted what was exposed above the splashwell. They had good quality plywood back then but it wasn’t considered marine quality as far as I know. Maybe somebody else can chip in about that. But regular plywood sealed well I’m sure would be fine for quite a long time if it’s protected from the weather.

Look up OTF formula stands for old-timer formula. It’s a homemade preservative

 

[Berdink]

I found this thread by Title Searching using the word Vinegar:
Thread 'How long after applying vinegar on aluminum hull can I wait before applying SE primer?' https://forums.iboats.com/threads/h...-can-i-wait-before-applying-se-primer.753360/

.
Since reading that thread, I'm going to start cleaning the transom skin with white vinegar and see how it goes. If I'm happy with the results, I'll rinse, let dry, and then spray with Self Etching primer.
Following up with paint.
.

 

[Berdink]

You don’t really need ACX. Building grade three-quarter inch ply doubled laminated together that’s fine. I don’t think they even sealed it at the factory. Probably just painted what was exposed above the splashwell. They had good quality plywood back then but it wasn’t considered marine quality as far as I know. Maybe somebody else can chip in about that. But regular plywood sealed well I’m sure would be fine for quite a long time if it’s protected from the weather.

Look up OTF formula stands for old-timer formula. It’s a homemade preservative

Okay, thanks. My searching these forums I think ACX was recommended because it uses a glue similar to Marine grade.
I'll do some more reading up on it.

 

[matt167]

The plywood you use better be exterior rated and at least Exposure 1. You can get away with CDX, but BCX or ACX will be a little nicer..

liquid transom solutions won't work on a tinny. not well at least.. I'd be looking at Coosa

 

[jbcurt00]

If you can find it, Heinz cleaning vinegar is stronger then cooking vinegar.

I preferred using MDO plywood, but it's more $ then ACX, but cheaper then Marine.

1088 stamped Marine ply is even more.

 

[Berdink]

If you can find it, Heinz cleaning vinegar is stronger then cooking vinegar.

I preferred using MDO plywood, but it's more $ then ACX, but cheaper then Marine.

1088 stamped Marine ply is even more.

Yeah, my wife is wondering where I'm going with her vinegar.
I have some phosphoric acid left over from my 65 Chevy, but I'm concerned it might be too strong for aluminum.
I'll post back my results.

 

[renns]

Plywood, and lumber in general, has spiked back up to those highs from last year. Crazy times, for sure. I used exterior grade plywood for my deck and transom replacements. ACX or better quality plywood may have had a nicer finish, but what came out of my boat looked to be the same exterior grade ply I'm putting back in.

I also used the OTF mix to treat the plywood, and then top-coated with oil-based paint. It was a good way to use up leftover liquids in my workshop!

I've heard a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar is a good product for neutralizing corrosion. I kept a spray bottle at hand, and squirted and scrubbed suspect areas with a brass bristle brush. It seemed to work well at eliminating the white powder, leaving the shiny aluminum behind. I stripped the interior, and sloshed a 50/50 mix inside the hull as well, to hopefully neutralize any corrosion spots that might have been hidden from view.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Plywood, and lumber in general, has spiked back up to those highs from last year. Crazy times, for sure. I used exterior grade plywood for my deck and transom replacements. ACX or better quality plywood may have had a nicer finish, but what came out of my boat looked to be the same exterior grade ply I'm putting back in.

I also used the OTF mix to treat the plywood, and then top-coated with oil-based paint. It was a good way to use up leftover liquids in my workshop!

I've heard a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar is a good product for neutralizing corrosion. I kept a spray bottle at hand, and squirted and scrubbed suspect areas with a brass bristle brush. It seemed to work well at eliminating the white powder, leaving the shiny aluminum behind. I stripped the interior, and sloshed a 50/50 mix inside the hull as well, to hopefully neutralize any corrosion spots that might have been hidden from view.

That’s it.
Everyone should heed the rag warning. I burned mine in the fire pit. (Not enviro friendly but my garage and house burning down would be much worse)

 

[Berdink]

Not bad.
I read another place that it's okay to leave it overnight before rinsing.
"For heavy deposits, leave the solution sit overnight."
I'll probably hit it one more time with a brush and then rinse. Gotta do the inside also.

 

[Berdink]

Now I'm reading up on protecting the floor. The floor is solid, but I want to put something over it to protect it even further.
I found this thread that has some great suggestions:

Alternative to carpet for floor covering???

Any ideas for a floor covering other that carpet? I am looking for something that will dry relatively quickly. I should say something that won?t hold water, and is cool in the heat of summer. One of my 1st thoughts was Truck bed liner in a light color, i.e. white or speckled... This was...

forums.iboats.com

 

[Moserkr]

Welcome! Good looking old holiday. Nautolex vinyl is probably the most widely used floor covering around here. I chose hydroturf, a closed cell foam that adds cushion, doesnt absorb water so dries instantly, and is cool to the touch in summer. Theres 2 options vs carpet which would be my last choice. Should still seal the floors with spar, otf, or epoxy under the covering.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

I second the Nautolex opinion. I light coloured bedliner might work nicely also if your wood is in good condition. There’s also peel and stick EVA foam that you can buy that resembles teak floors (and other colours and patterns). The custom bass boat guys use that stuff all the time.

No matter what your choice is, I would make good and sure your floor is 100% solid in all areas or it is an even more expensive proposition if you have to replace the floor and your upgrades only a few years later.