Re: Magnumdeke's 1969 Starcraft Islander Restoration
I don't really know much about the right way to fix this issue, but I have an idea that may work. Please keep in mind I am not an aluminum welder or fabricator, and I'm just trying to put an idea on the table.
As far as the crack it's self, I would do what you have to do to get it welded back up so no cracks exist. I would then put an aluminum patch with some type of waterproof, rock hard epoxy gobbed over the weld just to be extra sure it won't want to flex.
I think the cracks in the chine were a fault of design with nothing there to support the flexing at that joint. I can't back any of this up with fact, but I think this is exactly the reason my '76 hull has an extra brace there. I know it wasn't because of scoring the floor with the carpet because my floor is well above this area. (I had a raised floor, and I really don't know how they would fasten it any lower due to this brace? It seems all the newer islanders I have peeked in have this higher floor, and I assume it is to accommodate the brace.)
The pictures don't show it so well, but I think it's enough to get the idea. The brace in my hull is under the ends of the ribs on the bottom, and riveted about 8" high on the side. The bracket the floor sits on is riveted right on the top edge of this brace. Maybe you could fabricate a brace similar to this for your hull, notched out for each of the ribs in the bottom? I would imagine this would take a lot of the flex and stress out of the corner and might be the ticket. Once again, I am no pro by any means, I'm just trying to think outside the box a little! Let me know if any other pictures would help you.
Foster
