Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Ok,
Well I got it in the garage Friday night, I'm cautiously proceeding... First time I could get a real good close up/inspection checking out the rivits. Glad I did, it appears theres a number of rivets that are not leaking but they are busted loose, meaning still sealed tight but have corroded and seperated between the area they are supposed to be joining! several are on the bottom and I can't replace them yet B/C i need to be able to wrench down on the riveter! I also found about a 3-4inch hair line crack in the knee brace, on both sides. looks like Ima have to get some angle AL and make a repair. Will get some before & after close up pics.
With that said, I'm gonna hold off on the gluvit, so i can check & replace all the rivets needed & repair the transom. Additionally, I'm thinking I'm gonna go ahead & strip it down to the bare AL, then smooth the underside B/C there's a lil more scuffs & scrapes than I had initially thought.

 

[dozerII]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Hey Shade, sounds like a good plan, you want all the rivets checked, rebucked or replaced before you get to the gluvit. You have mentioned a lot of rivet heads just popping off? I have never seen this, has anyone else run into this? It will definatly take some time to check all of them.

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

DII, yes I was just laying under it just looking around & saw 2 heads on the floor??? I didnt drill, after just trying to find them I located 1, it was on the rear under hull. Haven't figured out the pic upload from my iPhone but will post pics later, also i found 1 & got a pic that will maybe explain better. It seems that the rivets are corroding from the middle of where they join the 2 parts??? SOOOO, I'm going to get a couple things done in garage & put it on the trailer upside down the wkend & start the tedious task of checking ump-teen thousand rivets!!!
TRUE LABOR OF LOVE I TELL YOU! & it's my 1st one!!!!! LOL

 

[InMotion]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

...start the tedious task of checking ump-teen thousand rivets!!!
TRUE LABOR OF LOVE I TELL YOU! & it's my 1st one!!!!! LOL

STF --- no worries man... think of it as "membership dues"! ~~~ once you are through that... it'll be smooth sailing from there!! Oops forgot there's the hull stripping... sanding... All good stuff though!!

The good news is that you will KNOW that all the rivets are good to go!

IM

 

[bob johnson]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Hey Shade, sounds like a good plan, you want all the rivets checked, rebucked or replaced before you get to the gluvit. You have mentioned a lot of rivet heads just popping off? I have never seen this, has anyone else run into this? It will definatly take some time to check all of them.

i have...I have a few pop off while bucking another close by...made me think, that some were just waiting to pop...

i went rivet to rivet giving a tap...I found a dozen more that flaked off with a little tap....

really worth the extra time to find those rivets just waiting for you to put a ton of work over top off, only to suprise you later on.

bob

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

STF --- no worries man... think of it as "membership dues"! ~~~ once you are through that... it'll be smooth sailing from there!! Oops forgot there's the hull stripping... sanding... All good stuff though!!

The good news is that you will KNOW that all the rivets are good to go!

IM

IM, yeah, membership dues...
"Smooth sailing" bam got me twice!!! And I thought the rivets were just an initiation to tinneys! Ok I got it, all the good help here DOES come with a price, RIBBING!!! LOL, JK. I do have pic & will upload later tonite, I'm still in the field wrking.

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

i have...I have a few pop off while bucking another close by...made me think, that some were just waiting to pop...

i went rivet to rivet giving a tap...I found a dozen more that flaked off with a little tap....

really worth the extra time to find those rivets just waiting for you to put a ton of work over top off, only to suprise you later on.

bob

Bob,
Yes, as stated earlier, I'm changing my to do list & gonna concentrate totally on the rivets. Sure would suck to get it all dressed out & ready, only to have leaks!
I'll keep you guys updated as it doesn't sound like to many guys have this problem, however this boat is 33 yrs old... So I guess its wear??? But prolly more on how each person cares/maintains his craft.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

The rivets could be from any number of things from some salt water use to your SC was built on rookie training day at the SC factory. And maybe the PO/s just used the heck out of her. You're on the right track because you know you'll be kicking yourself down the street if rivets are leaking after the floor gets all buttoned up.

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

The rivets could be from any number of things from some salt water use to your SC was built on rookie training day at the SC factory. And maybe the PO/s just used the heck out of her. You're on the right track because you know you'll be kicking yourself down the street if rivets are leaking after the floor gets all buttoned up.

Thanks GA_

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

OK Guys here ya go, what you think?



2 more in next post.
BTW, go ahaed & laugh, I use Picture painter with a laptop !!!

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

The transom wood is out, right STF? What some have done with the knee braces is use some heavy aluminum angle stock and sister the angle on both sides if the brace. Use the existing through transom bolt holes/bolts and add two or three bolts to the vertical side of the brace. A lot easier to do with the wood out of the way and the angles doubles up over the cracks. This seems to happen when the transom wood turns to mulch. I don't remember what your wood was like. Check the bends on the splashwell too. As the transom wood goes south all the forces are concentrated on the knee braces and splashwell, sometimes causing both to crack. Just another thing to look for.

One of the guys (jigngrub, I think) has has a link to a YouTube video about using a hand rivet tool on closed head rivets. Or search YouTube for setting rivets.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

The pic you marked "clearly busted", is that the keel? I'll let some of the guys in the know comment about the rivets but it looks like you might be able to re-buck some of them.

 

[dozerII]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

I think the first picture is you transom knee brace, if so that is a common place for them to crack. I cut what was left of the ears off on the 18 and just used two pieces if 1/4"aluminum angle, PL Premium and rivets to make new ones. Some of those rivets in the other pics do look suspect. The pic of the keel strip looks like it might not be draining properly and froze to seperate it, that is if the boat has lived part of it's life outside your area.

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

The transom wood is out, right STF? What some have done with the knee braces is use some heavy aluminum angle stock and sister the angle on both sides if the brace. Use the existing through transom bolt holes/bolts and add two or three bolts to the vertical side of the brace. A lot easier to do with the wood out of the way and the angles doubles up over the cracks. This seems to happen when the transom wood turns to mulch. I don't remember what your wood was like. Check the bends on the splashwell too. As the transom wood goes south all the forces are concentrated on the knee braces and splashwell, sometimes causing both to crack. Just another thing to look for.

One of the guys (jigngrub, I think) has has a link to a YouTube video about using a hand rivet tool on closed head rivets. Or search YouTube for setting rivets.

GA, The angle alum. stock is exactly the route i'm going, and yes the wood is out, it was mulch, what was there anyway... YES, that is the keel, the rear most point. That is rust around it also??? I'm going to clean very well that area & pack some 5200 in there before I install a new rivet.

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

I think the first picture is you transom knee brace, if so that is a common place for them to crack. I cut what was left of the ears off on the 18 and just used two pieces if 1/4"aluminum angle, PL Premium and rivets to make new ones. Some of those rivets in the other pics do look suspect. The pic of the keel strip looks like it might not be draining properly and froze to seperate it, that is if the boat has lived part of it's life outside your area.

Dozer,

Yes thats the knee brace, I saw in the 18's thread how you did that & thats where I got the idea to repair it! Yes the boat was purchased up north(washington) and did see minnisota for a lil bit, that said you conclusion makes since. I never thought of that either, but I will power wash that area & stick a 0degree nozel inside the drain holes in the keel to hopefully clean it out, then rivet it up!!!

Gonna try & work on it this afternoon, will post pics with explanation, as I move along.

 

[shadetree_fish]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

OK, I got it back on the trailer, backed it up to the front yard, dumped it on the lawn, then flipped it over!!
I then proceeded the task of pounding each & every rivet in the hull & I MEAN ALL 10 THOUSAND of them... LOL JK, It really wasnt bad at all. I found 7 to be bad, I used a 3/16 punch & hammer & popped each 1 sideways, just as GA suggested, the 1st one that flaked, did just that. After 100 or so then poof!!! kinda startled me. There was 1 on the outer most strake, 1 at the rear of the keel & 5 at the rear most of the other strake. Drilled them, dabbed them with 5200 & popped'em in! flipped it back over, loaded back on trailer, put it back in garage on boat stand, trailer in back yard. BY myself, WHEEEEEWWW.... HEY, I actually started a install instead of tearing something out, kinda... LOL

The blue txt is more for guys like me that just wanna know exactly what was used, hopefully it helps other novice DIY guys such as myself.
I used a 1/8 center punch to get a starting point for the 1/8 drill bit then drilled the pilot hole, then a 11/64 drill bit to ream it more. Then I used 5/32 punch to kinda clean out the hole & look for debris. Then used a 3/16 bit to drill the final hole. The 3/16 was more for straightening up the hole for the new rivet. Rivet part# PR66ASPH from JAY-CEE's & 3M 5200 to seal it up!

Now for some pics!
Bet I get a letter from the HOA, shoulda seen all the folks driving by!!!

I marked all the suspect rivets, then went to popping, FYI, guys like me, don't do this just pick a spot & start!

Just in case anyone wanted to see both sides & a close up of the rivets replaced that were all in a group

I bet this is a different perspective yall dont see often!!!

 

[dozerII]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Good job Shade, good to see it going back together EH.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

Only 10,000 itty-bitty, stinkin' reevits, did ya miss any? LOL I bet you're glad that's over., STF.

Going back to the earlier pic of the rusty looking keel. you might want to think about drilling a drain hole in the rear of the keel, ala Jason. There is a hole up near the front and a matching rear drain hole will let water out instead of collecting. I've noticed that after rain when I lower the jack to hook-up water pours out of the front hole. I think what's happening is rain runs down the hull to the lowest spot (keel) and runs inside the keel stamping. The keel stamping isn't sealed to the hull so rain oozes inside and just lays there. Just a thought.

Good work, keep putting her together.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Finally found my 1st Starcraft! 1979 SS 180 w/ 115 merc O/B

I bet this is a different perspective yall dont see often!!!

Yah, that's a pretty cool shot there

She looks so clean too!