Monmouth's 1979 Starcraft Kingfisher Rebuild

[Monmouth00]

Yep, looks good to me. If I were going to enclose the stern of my KF, that's very close to the way I'd go. And you can always add a couple of those vents if you want "to just be sure" that you have sufficient airflow in that space. eaceful:

Did you have the boxes in the back of your KF? I haven't seen a picture of one yet that had those back boxes like mine.

They looked original. Starcraft was pretty sure they were, and hinted that they could have been filled with foam.

I debated removing them completely, but they're going to help with structure for the back deck. I'm not overly concerned with the boat sinking (it's all freshwater lake fishing I do), but filling what's left of them with some flotation can't hurt.

Thanks, all!

This weekend I'm hoping to fill the bottom with foam and get her out of my garage. Then I'm moving the floor in to get sealed and vinyled.

Fingers crossed!

 

[BWR1953]

Did you have the boxes in the back of your KF? I haven't seen a picture of one yet that had those back boxes like mine.

They looked original. Starcraft was pretty sure they were, and hinted that they could have been filled with foam.

I debated removing them completely, but they're going to help with structure for the back deck. I'm not overly concerned with the boat sinking (it's all freshwater lake fishing I do), but filling what's left of them with some flotation can't hurt.

Thanks, all!

This weekend I'm hoping to fill the bottom with foam and get her out of my garage. Then I'm moving the floor in to get sealed and vinyled.

Fingers crossed!

Nope, my KF didn't have a splashwell or the side boxes. Apparently the KF's were available in different configurations over the years. As I said in an earlier post, I rarely fish in water deeper than a few feet, so even if it sank completely it could be retrieved easily. Of course, with my foam job, it won't sink completely.

If you're going to be using the boat in deeper water, making sure that it doesn't sink all the way to the bottom becomes more important. If it's on the bottom in 30 feet of water, retrieval becomes problematic. And expensive! Plus, you're responsible to get it out because if it moves, it becomes a hazard to navigation. Ya know whut ah mean, Vern? :lol:

 

[Monmouth00]

Nope, my KF didn't have a splashwell or the side boxes. Apparently the KF's were available in different configurations over the years. As I said in an earlier post, I rarely fish in water deeper than a few feet, so even if it sank completely it could be retrieved easily. Of course, with my foam job, it won't sink completely.

If you're going to be using the boat in deeper water, making sure that it doesn't sink all the way to the bottom becomes more important. If it's on the bottom in 30 feet of water, retrieval becomes problematic. And expensive! Plus, you're responsible to get it out because if it moves, it becomes a hazard to navigation. Ya know whut ah mean, Vern? :lol:

Well, the lake I most frequently fish is 180' at its deepest, so if it sinks, it's staying there!

I just can't imagine a scenario that the boat would take on enough water to sink. There are no waves, it's sealed up tight, I have a bilge pump, there are always people around who can offer a tow. If something catastrophic happens, the boat won't be salvageable anyway.

I know it sounds like hubris. I know something totally unexpected could happen. But I'm putting as much foam in it that I can fit, and we're carrying more personal flotation than what's required. The boat can sink, I just want my kid to float.

 

[BWR1953]

Well, the lake I most frequently fish is 180' at its deepest, so if it sinks, it's staying there!

I just can't imagine a scenario that the boat would take on enough water to sink. There are no waves, it's sealed up tight, I have a bilge pump, there are always people around who can offer a tow. If something catastrophic happens, the boat won't be salvageable anyway.

I know it sounds like hubris. I know something totally unexpected could happen. But I'm putting as much foam in it that I can fit, and we're carrying more personal flotation than what's required. The boat can sink, I just want my kid to float.

Copy that.

Definitely got to protect the kiddos.

 

[Watermann]

For flotation you can only do what you can do and I'm willing to bet it'll be more than what the factory did.

Your thoughts on compartment ventilation needs to shift some, fuel vapor is heavier than air so merely having a hole or gap in the top will not ventilate the vapor, it'll continue too collect until full. There has to be some air movement in from the bottom where the vapor is to mix and then a way for it to be expelled. That is passive, most IO configs use active with a blower that has it's intake hose at the lowest point in the bilge to expel the vapor and vents on top to pull in the fresh air.

 

[Monmouth00]

For flotation you can only do what you can do and I'm willing to bet it'll be more than what the factory did.

Your thoughts on compartment ventilation needs to shift some, fuel vapor is heavier than air so merely having a hole or gap in the top will not ventilate the vapor, it'll continue too collect until full. There has to be some air movement in from the bottom where the vapor is to mix and then a way for it to be expelled. That is passive, most IO configs use active with a blower that has it's intake hose at the lowest point in the bilge to expel the vapor and vents on top to pull in the fresh air.

Maybe I can run some open-ended PVC pipe through the bench on either lower corner. I'll cap them off with two of the round soffit vents. It wouldn't take up much of the storage inside the bench, I guess. I'm just trying not to over-engineer this project.

Add it to the list of things I need to figure out how to accomplish.

 

[Watermann]

A couple stainless vents in the front of the casting deck at or near the base deck level should do it. Or get a tank with an external vent and filler.

 

[BWR1953]

Yup, a couple of these should work well.

 

[Monmouth00]

A couple stainless vents in the front of the casting deck at or near the base deck level should do it. Or get a tank with an external vent and filler.

The problem being is s that there's a closed bench in front of the casting deck, so any ventilation would have to pass through that. Hence my PVC pipe idea.

 

[Candutch]

These should work nicely with your idea with the pvc pipe.

 

[Monmouth00]

So I just got home and went to look at the boat. I don't how what you guys went through during your rebuilds, but I spend a lot of time staring at the boat with my hands on my hips.
i think I might scrap the side flotation boxes. If weren't an option on all the Kingfisher models, they obviously aren't totally necessary, right?
​​​​Also, omitting them leaves more room for the battery boxes and fuel tank.
As i said, I'm not really planning on fishing from the back of the boat. The big point of the casting deck was to keep a clean look, and to have something to stand on while I raise and lower the motor.
Instead, I'm thinking about a narrow plank that extends from the back of the bench to the transom knee. It will separate the fuel from the batteries, and the open concept will allow for proper ventilation.
I just hope when it's done i don't regret it.
If I decide to run downriggers, I can point them out perpendicular to the boat, right? They wouldn't have to point straight back, right?
Thanks!

 

[Watermann]

Heck sometimes I would get inside and lay down and roll side to side with my mind just spinning with thoughts of things to do. :lol:

I too would make the boat a blank slate and go from there with a rough plan and refine it as each portion of the rebuild presents itself.

 

[Candutch]

I spent a lot of time sitting and staring at my boat as well. Then I would have an idea, take a bunch of measurements and then sit and stare again only to never implement that idea. I think there were some days where I spent twice as long staring then working.
You should have no problem with downriggers of the side of the boat, that's where mine are and they work just fine. They were the same way on my last boat to.

 

[Monmouth00]

I think I'm done with paint. A few touch-ups to do here and there.
I've begun putting the foam in, and will have some pictures soon.
I can't wait to get this thing back on the trailer and out of the garage. The floor will get moved in this weekend for sealing and vinyl, hopefully.

 

[Watermann]

Hey you been sand bagging us while dressing the ole gal up in her new dress. :lol:

Looks great, nice work :thumb:

 

[Monmouth00]

Many thanks!

Well, the sandbagging wasn't intentional. I just had too much time on my hands to think when waiting for the paint to dry!

 

[Monmouth00]

Hooray! The boat came out of my tiny little garage!

The foam went in! Not as pretty as some people's work, but it's better than what was in there before - which was nothing.

The cut plywood took the boat's place in my garage. I'm sealing it with some really magic stuff a buddy of mine provided. He's in the chemicals and coatings industry and gave me a free 5 gallon bucket of something called Suprasec 9611. I cut it with some MEK, and it sucked right into the wood. It supposedly bonds with the glues they use to bind the wood. It's originally designed for concrete, so it's a moisture cure. He swears it's going to work great, and after just one coat I believe him. I had to wait for a warmer, rainy day to apply it. It's raining in NJ today, so I warmed the garage with my indoor propane heater and set to work.

After it cures, I'll hit the wood with a few coats of exterior latex pant. Then on goes the vinyl.

I'm feeling like I turned a corner!

 

[jbcurt00]

Hope ya wore a respirator for the isocynates in that stuff....

else nice progress...

 

[Monmouth00]

Hope ya wore a respirator for the isocynates in that stuff....

else nice progress...

Um, not a respirator, but a mask from Home Depot. Does that count?

I wasn't exposed for long. It only took about 20 minutes to do each coat, then I got out of the garage.

We'll see if I did any damage in about 10 years.

 

[jbcurt00]

No, it doesnt count.

As long as its still off gassing (curing) and/or you can smell it, isocynates is NOT to be taken lightly, for any period of time, IMO.

There is probably an acceptable exposure limit, maybe not, and I dont kmow what it might be.

Could be time, ppm or total lifetime exposure...