My 1968 Starcraft Project...

[Ramblin'_Man]

I have never owned a boat in my life... That changed last Friday when I purchased this 1968 Starcraft for $150.00(trailer included).

The boat has no tags of any kind indicating what it is. I was able to get the make and year from the BMV using the registration number on the side of the boat. The boat length is 14' 10" from transom to bow tip. The guy who sold it to me threw in the trailer and a 50HP Force motor that needs work. I already checked the compression using the finger test and it passed. So I bought a repair manual for the motor on this site and hopefully I can get it going.

The inside of the boat was cluttered, dirty and rotting so the first thing I did was gut all the wood flooring and carpet from the inside of the hull and sweep it out real good.

The hull looks to be in really good condition but I'm going to sand, seal and repaint the outside anyway. I want this boat to look sweet by the time I get done with it. My idea for the inside is to paint the hull with rubberized bed liner to give it a durable, easy to clean surface. I will paint over the bed liner with white. For the floor, I really want to go all wood and stain it a deep reddish brown. I need ideas on how to treat the wood so that it doesn't rot or deteriorate. I think that with the white interior and wood floor, the boat will look great! Any ideas you all have will be greatly appreciated. This is my first boat restoration and I want it to turn out great.

One question I have is about the capacity plate that my boat doesn't have. Does anyone have a similar boat to mine and if you do, could you relay the capacity information to me? My e-mail is EDIT
Thanks! I'll keep the pictures updated as I make headway on this project.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Mike welcome to iboats and the Starcraft club . Looks like a great starter project . I notice it looks like your stringers are missing . You can look at my thread in my sig to see what I am talking about they are the 2 pieces of aluminum that run from back to front in the center of the hull inside . The good news is they will be easy to remake as they are quite basic.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Mike,
Welcome aboard..I like the title of your post..lol

Couple comments..
You may want to rethink the bedliner route...If you ever need to rebuck a rivet, that stuff will be a problem..

I would coat the bottom seams with Gluv-it (do a search, it is even sold here at iboats marine store)

After the Gluv-it, I would paint the bottom with good old restoleum for a fresh clean look.

You can also search the resto threads (the search button is right under the Welcome Mike area on the top of the page) on sealing decks..basically you can use a good grade of exterior plywood, resin and glass to seal it up and then paint it your red..Will last for many many years..

Great deal for 150.00 bucks, you are way ahead $$$$ wise already!

 

[robbankston]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Looks to be in pretty good shape esp for the price. Congrats and have fun.

 

[Ramblin'_Man]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Thanks for the tips guys.

I'm really excited about getting started on this... I was in Bass Pro tonight and had to run away from the boating section before I made a big mistake with my credit card. Ha ha...

I agree about the bedliner Kevin. I hadn't thought about the possibility of having to redo the rivets at some time and I bet that bedliner would make it really tough. There is a lot of glue left on the inside of the hull from the carpet that I'll have to sand off before painting. Then the paint should be just fine. What kind of paint do you all think would be best on the inside of the hull?

I read about Gluv-it in another post and was planning on using that to seal up the outside of the hull. Rustoleum goes over the Gluv-it then?

Rick, the stringers you are talking about are the 2 regtangular shaped pieces running from front to back on the inside of the hull? What are they used for and how are they held in place?

Thanks again guys!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

No Problem on the tip..Just standing on the shoulders of those that went before, as you will soon do!

Gluv-it can be applied inside the bottom of the hull...Rustoleum would paint right over it. In fact I painted my SC (my avatar) with Rustoleum and it came out pretty good for a 1st timer (if I do say so myself)

The "stringers" are in fact rails that do run bow (just before) to stern.
The pic below shows what my 18 footer looked gutted. They are held to the ribs with rivets. The stringers provide support to your deck.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Yep Kev pretty much covered the stringers . I am also painting mine with rustoleum and using gluvit on the inside of the hull on the rivets and seams before putting my deck back down. The stringers should be pretty easy to make or have made and I can get you dimensions if you need while my deck is still out . I figure at the rate I am going I will be without deck for at least a few more weeks as I am trying to get the outside of the hull done before moving inside.


Rick

 

[ddrieck]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

That glue left over from the old carpet can be removed with MEK paint thinner and is avaialble at most paint stores and places like Home Depot.

Just be sure to get a pair of chemical gloves the will stand up to the thinner...its nasty stuff. Also, wear a respirator and use good ventilation ( do it outside). Just pour some on to a rag and start wiping it over the glue. It will soften the glue and it comes off easily.

But..... you should just give up on this boat...park it out front of your house and I will come by and haul it off for you. For the money you spent it was a steal, even if the old Force is junk. The boat and trailer are worth at least 4 bennies out here in Wyoming.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Narrow boat ...only one stringer that is right down the middle.....

That boat has been previously re-done...... based on the paint....

A starcraft!

That force ob will do that boat fine..... depending on how it runs. I would not invest a bunch of money in the force.

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Mike, a few tips if your using gluvit...


make sure the hull is CLEAN.

when you apply it its going to run. its okay to an extent, its still going to coat what you need to coat. make sure to get the seams all the way down, and the keel in the bow too.

after you apply it, LEAVE IT ALONE. Leave the boat alone. I decided to take my transom out an hour after applying it, and now have little bits of wood embedded in the gluvit. Give it 2 or 3 days to fully cure.



BTW, I think starcrafts are officially taking over the resto section. there are what, 10 starcraft projects right now???

 

[Ramblin'_Man]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Mike,
Welcome aboard..I like the title of your post..lol

I just noticed that i almost stole the title of your post...

The stringers should be pretty easy to make or have made and I can get you dimensions if you need while my deck is still out

I am thinking that I will just go with one stringer down the middle. There were actually 1x4's under the floor that I guess took the place of the aluminum stringer before I tore everything out. Dimensions would be great Rick. I assume that the stringer will be taller as it goes toward the bow? I haven't looked very hard at this yet so I might be wrong. As far as finishing the inside, it sounds like Gluvit on the seams and rustoleum to finish. I have abandoned the bed liner for sure.

That boat has been previously re-done...... based on the paint....

I figured this out when I couldn't find any information on a "toad tracker." << The name on the side of the boat. I had to call the BMV to find out what it was.
As far as the Force motor goes, I know for sure that it needs a throttle linkage and a good going through. I hope not to spend too much time on it as I would like to put more effort into the boat itself.

And lastly, thanks for the tips on the Gluvit application. Some of this information is going to save me major headaches in the next few months.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Mike you can figure out how many stringers and where they were by looking at the ribs inside the boat there will be holes where the rivets were holding the stringer/s originally . Mine are the same size front to back and really pretty simple basically just a Z so to speak in shape only the upright portion of the Z is well more upright . I will get you dimensions off of mine this afternoon yours should be pretty similar as our boats are close in size. One way to figure out how tall they were will take a few helpers . Get a couple helpers to hold a stringline on the outer edges of the ribs ( where they flatten out ) and measure from the string down to the rib where the original rivets held the stringer or stringers in.


Rick

 

[Ramblin'_Man]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

That makes perfect sense, almost... Just so I understand, the stringer looks sort of like a Z if you look at it from the front? I couldn't quite picture what you were describing...

 

[North Beach]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Mike here's a halfway decent shot of mine to give you an idea.

The flat peice running side to side is used at all the plywood joints and is riveted to the ends of your stringers and to the long z stringer.

I think all this stuff ties everything together and gives the deck stability.

 

[JimbC]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Nice find and what a steal for sure. Not trying to take anything away from any of these guy's that have already started and finished a restoration, but check out this place for your flooring and possible transom if need be replaced. I have talked with them about this product and it comes in sheets and boards as wood does, but they also are the manufacturer and can make to just about any size you like. It's not wood never rot and well not that expensive for the life of it. Also they have a product that is already wrapped in fiberglass. They quoted me a sheet 1/2"x4'x12' for $148.00(did I mention I was told they can make just about any size you want).I had it posted in my resto thread. Anyway here is the link http://www.nyloboard.com/ Also you might want to try here for your stringers they have Z channel, but I would call and see if they can make it the size you need. hope this helps.
http://www.brunnerent.com/default.asp?reset=1

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Mike Northbeaches picture shows the stringers real well and also if you look close you can see the rivets olding them to the ribs in the bottom of the hull . Soooo what you will be looking for is holes in your ribs where the rivets would have been and this will tell you 1 how many stringers you haad and 2 where they went originally .


Rick

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

judging by this pic, there was only 1 right up the middle. it looks like you can see the line of dirt (or lack there of compared to the area around it). bob vt's nassau only had one...

 

[North Beach]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

I believe Bob and Andy are right. Doesn't look like there's room for any higher up the side. That boat's not a deep or concave V.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

Narrow boat ...only one stringer that is right down the middle.....
That boat has been previously re-done...... based on the paint....

A starcraft!

That force ob will do that boat fine..... depending on how it runs. I would not invest a bunch of money in the force.

Just wanted to point out what Bob said..cough cough ahem...

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: My 1968 Starcraft Project...

bob just repeated what i said, but he has ESP so he knew i was going to say it before i actually did.