My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

[bob johnson]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

BF, you might want to consider going one larger on the replaces rivets so you can ream both parts in one pass for a nice fit....I can let you borrow some reamers... I ground the bucked ends off with a grinder , then took a punch and popped the rivets outwards..., then I drilled maube .230" dia and them I reamed .251 and installed 1/4" dia rivets.....


worst comes to worse for you, you might want to come look at my 180SS....i already replaced about 100 rivets....its in the same spot in a restore as yours is now.....i have three SC hulls now......


bob

 

[jasoutside]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Man, what a bummer on that corrosion! Sounds like you got it covered though:thumb:

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

BF, you might want to consider going one larger on the replaces rivets so you can ream both parts in one pass for a nice fit....I can let you borrow some reamers... I ground the bucked ends off with a grinder , then took a punch and popped the rivets outwards..., then I drilled maube .230" dia and them I reamed .251 and installed 1/4" dia rivets.....


worst comes to worse for you, you might want to come look at my 180SS....i already replaced about 100 rivets....its in the same spot in a restore as yours is now.....i have three SC hulls now......


bob

Thanks for the tips Bob! That's a great idea! I never used reamers before...thought they were used more for machining. I start work again next week...I work for the "Big" tech company over there; perhaps I can swing by if our schedules allow.

And thanks for the offer on the safety-net Hull! If the leak test reveals anything terminal in this old girl, I may be taking you up on that!

Man, what a bummer on that corrosion! Sounds like you got it covered though:thumb:

Yeah Jas, I knew that I had alot however I didn't realize that it was so deep into the hull skin...and in so many places. Alot of it reminds me of little worm trails that you see in wood...seemingly harmless until I hit them with the wire wheel.

 

[dozerII]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

That really such BF, a lot of corrosion to deal with. Good thing you have the patience to deal with it.

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

I struggled finding a way to remove the gross oxidation while retaining aluminum. The SS wire wheel that I've been using is way too aggressive. Yesterday I found a better product for removing oxidation while preserving the aluminum...Nyalox. Another guy mentioned it in his resto thread as well.

Here are some of the results...Very, very Pleased!
Before (Port Forward):


After (Port Forward):


Before (SB Forward):


After (SB Forward):


And some of the deep pitting that I've been finding:

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Starboard Before:


Starboard Complete:



Port Before:


Port Complete:


Hull Before:


Hull After:

 

[BillaVista]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Hull After:

Amazing work Bluefin! That's some amazing cleanup. Good for you for sticking with her

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Amazing work Bluefin! That's some amazing cleanup. Good for you for sticking with her

Thanks BV!

That was probably 6 Nayalox wheelin' hours ...I'll probably have to change the brushes in my drill when I'm done the bottom

 

[dozerII]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Great prep work there BF, looks like a whole lot of work.

 

[laurentide]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Looks really great! Sorry about all the problems you're finding with this hull. Seems like you're determined to make it work, though. I hope it's all at least a little bit of fun.

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

That looks like alot of work no doubt! Was that all done with a single Nayalox brush?

 

[bob johnson]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

BF there was a guy in the local craigslist that had an ad for soda blasting boats.....Ill be taking my 22 footer to him... I think it was about $2-300......the whole boat inside and out..... I even think he was portable...........6 hours!! I remember all the sanding I did for the outside of two boats so far...and all the different wheels and tools I used....... I think the price sounds like a good deal...when considering several week ends and a $100 in various sanding -paint removing devices....bob

 

[barato2]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

plus the fact that unless you're running "real" body shop tools like an air D/A, you're likely to need more than just brushes for the drill, jitterbug, whatever by time you're done stripping hull in n out.....i've tosted several tools. so yeah, i'd say the blasting is a good plan.

hull is looking great! you are truly the Last Great Hope for that poor thing. i think even my cheepskate arse might have scrapped that one

 

[classiccat]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Great prep work there BF, looks like a whole lot of work.

Thanks Glen! Still some work ahead before I can start putting this old gal back together but it def feels like I've turned the corner.

Looks really great! Sorry about all the problems you're finding with this hull. Seems like you're determined to make it work, though. I hope it's all at least a little bit of fun.

Ha, I still get great enjoyment out of it! My buddy has family on Champlain and is already planning trips up next year (he's more optimistic than I am.) We'll have to touch base if/when that does happen :lol:

That looks like alot of work no doubt! Was that all done with a single Nayalox brush?

Yep, The orange cupped one. It started to get a little dicey near the end...the drill gets possessed once the bristles get too short :lol: I thought that it would be ground to a pulp after 2 or 3 ribs & the double-rivet seams.

BF there was a guy in the local craigslist that had an ad for soda blasting boats.....Ill be taking my 22 footer to him... I think it was about $2-300......the whole boat inside and out..... I even think he was portable...........6 hours!! I remember all the sanding I did for the outside of two boats so far...and all the different wheels and tools I used....... I think the price sounds like a good deal...when considering several week ends and a $100 in various sanding -paint removing devices....bob

Sounds like an awesome deal! When they do soda blasting, does it remove any metal? Do you think that it would be safe with this much corrosion? :noidea:

plus the fact that unless you're running "real" body shop tools like an air D/A, you're likely to need more than just brushes for the drill, jitterbug, whatever by time you're done stripping hull in n out.....i've tosted several tools. so yeah, i'd say the blasting is a good plan.

hull is looking great! you are truly the Last Great Hope for that poor thing. i think even my cheepskate arse might have scrapped that one

Thanks Bruce! I'm thinking when this job is done, I'll be sending my trusty Milwaukee for servicing.

If there was an iboats award for "Most ate-up Hull", I think I'd be a shoe-in! :facepalm:

 

[barato2]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

yeah, you definitely would be a top contender for Best Save. when the tinheads HERE would consider scrapping a hull..............

 

[Pmccraney]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Yeah, this boat had 1 foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Good on you for saving her...

I think MarineTex and/or JB weld can curb and shore-up those corrosion areas...

I have been really happy with the way MarineTex has performed on some spot repairs I did prior to primer and paint...

That hull clean-up looks amazing BTW.

 

[laurentide]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Ha, I still get great enjoyment out of it! My buddy has family on Champlain and is already planning trips up next year (he's more optimistic than I am.) We'll have to touch base if/when that does happen :lol:

Please do...at the very least I can point you toward the good ramps, but I'd love to do some fishing with a fellow tinhead! The Champlain fishery is getting better every year. Very good management from the VT and NY wildlife and fisheries folks. Worth the trip, IMHO.

 

[Yeonik]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Bluefin, the idea behind sodablasting is that the soda is sharp, so it cuts into anything in it's way that's soft - i.e. paint, corrosion, etc. but it's also soft so it breaks on anything hard - metals, glass, etc. It's not supposed to damage the aluminum. With it corrodded like that... iono, I'm not a soda blaster ;p

At work, I run corn cob in my sandblaster - it isn't as efficient, but sand will peen steel, where the cob won't. Haven't tried it on an 'ol tinnie (yet ).

 

[barato2]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

you can also get walnut shell blasting media, which is what the Navy used to use to strip aircraft fuselages

 

[InMotion]

Re: My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

Ok... I prolly should chime in here as Jupiter I ended up at the scrap heap! BF --- I would suggest that you pick at those areas with a sharp pointed object or screw driver... make sure they are not about to be through holes. Corrosion kinda swiss cheeses the alum... I wouldn't want to see you go all the way though the rebuild only to find the hull cracks at the corroded spots. Just worth the extra check man!

Great progress though... keep it rollin'!!!!

Jim