My First StarCraft; 1975 18' SuperSport

[ctswf]

op2:!!!

 

[classiccat]

op2:!!!

Long-time, no-see ct! IIRC you're running an older 3cyl on your 18' Offshore. is the popcorn there to see if I fry my stator? :lol:

 

[ctswf]

Nope, popcorn just for overall watching. Thats right though, 70hp 1982 on my tin can, still kicking! Been out a few times this year.

Everything on your setup looks spectacular! Mine it looking fairly weathered over the years, paint chipping, fading, but she's still 100% water sealed, solid floor, transom, and rides like it's 1969.

The shine in the side of the hull oh my! Unbelievable job

 

[classiccat]

Nope, popcorn just for overall watching. Thats right though, 70hp 1982 on my tin can, still kicking! Been out a few times this year.

Everything on your setup looks spectacular! Mine it looking fairly weathered over the years, paint chipping, fading, but she's still 100% water sealed, solid floor, transom, and rides like it's 1969.

The shine in the side of the hull oh my! Unbelievable job

Thank you brother and I'm so happy that your build is holding-up to everything you're throwing at her (salt, sun, monster stripers and I'm sure some big water!).

 

[ctswf]

It's true. These light weight boats take a beating in the open bays, but never even a single rivet leak.

 

[classiccat]

Splashwell Doors
I started off wanting to replicate the original with the lincane-pattern sheet but I wasn't a fan of how flimsy they were.

Started off by marking all of the fasteners and creating plugs

filled, sanded and glassed:

I'm not sure how the originals were fabricated so i had the idea of using a bottom PVC slider and retaining it with side-rails.

i then drilled pilot holes in the center of all of the plugs, and transferred the holes to the aluminum rails.

you 1st lift the door with the bottom rail over the PVC, then screw the side rails to the door.

I then have a screw in each end of the PVC:

 

[classiccat]

The beauty side of the doors get primed with Interux Primekote

Then sanded, followed by a 2nd coat...and sanded with 220g until most of the orange peel is gone:

Then 2 coats roll-n-tip with Interlux perfection that I had some leftover from last year(this pic is timing the induction period for the paint):

The rails were polished and sealed with sharkhyde. I also added a top-rail to avoid rubbing that high-dollar paint job! :lol:

The minimalist look that I was going for:

Thanks for stoppin' by and hope y'all had a great 4th of July weekend!! :yo:

 

[GA_Boater]

Sliders look good, CC.

My doors have/had some kind of plastic U shaped stuff for friction and gap filling in the channel. I say had because 54 years of sliding wore most of it away. Your PVC will last at least that long.

 

[Watermann]

Yeah man that's some slick work on those sliding doors :thumb: and with the opening above the trays you don't need to worry about vented doors.

 

[classiccat]

Yeah man that's some slick work on those sliding doors :thumb: and with the opening above the trays you don't need to worry about vented doors.

That was the logic I was going with! :thumb:

The one issue i'm having is I do get a little fuel smell under there if its sitting for awhile in the hot garage...just from permeation. I'll eventually upgrade to a newer tank.

The drive to the launch seems to clear out any vapors.

 

[classiccat]

I gave the cowl a little TLC.

Repaired the busted corner.

1st wet the exposed glass with epoxy, then packed it with thick epoxy/filler.

sanded & repainted the gold section and touched-up the little dings / scratches with the admiral's nail polish :lol:

^^^ the section above the "E" has a little glitter :lol:

I need to find an offwhite that matches...the SuperWhite Toyota touch-up paint stands out like a sore thumb.

 

[classiccat]

Today, the 9th Day of August...the year 2020, this happened!!

Trailer:
I'm extremely happy with the trailer setup. Flipping the axle means I don't have to back-in as far and it pulls really well; had her upto 75mph on the highway.

Launching and retrieving was a breeze even solo. Those skene chocks i added to the bow worked like a charm for centering the boat on the keel rollers; I was able to get it 3/4 of the way on with just a good tug of the rope.

Boat:
I was out for 5 hrs and the bilge was completely dry...i even checked a few of the limber hole ports.

The layout is going to be great...I anchored up for a bit on outgoing tide, had lunch and threw a line out for carp. That was one crashing right 10 yards off of stern:

My next purchase MUST be a bimini... it was steamy! I actually pitched a beach umbrella in one of the seat posts. :lol:

I also need to bite the bullet on a rod holder setup.

..and over the winter I plan to fabricate some cushions for the bow area.

Motor:
Saving the best for last!

I'll start with the bad... I think it still has the miss that the P.O. warned me about. I changed out the cracked coils & put in a new powerpack & rectifier. It's only at low RPM when in gear...so that's a head scratcher. Idles beautifully. The RPMs just fall out almost like i'm losing a cylinder..and it will flat-out stall if you're at the 1st detent position. I may need to throw a thread up in the J/E section.

The good/great! No miss when you put the hammer down and hops right on plane.

I'm hitting 5200RPM give/take with the TNT (17 pitch J/E 3-blade aluminum prop) reaching between 31-33mph (my goal from day 1!)

Thanks for hangin' with me for 7 1/2 years!! :lol: :yo:

 

[GA_Boater]

OMG! CC has a boat! A working boat, too.

On March 25th, 2013, 09:40 AM this journey began! Proof at August 9th, 2020, 05:23 PM!

Glad for ya, CC. Are your cheeks happily sore from the ear to ear grin? :thumb:

 

[Watermann]

Oh yeah splashed and lookin great cutting that fine wake!!! :whoo:
You've done some really super nice work CC buddy! :glee: :clap2:

 

[BWR1953]

Congratulations!! :eagerness: :bowl: :rockon:

 

[GA_Boater]

Hey - Hook up that deadman switch before you hit one of those pipelines at 31.4 MPH! : LOL

 

[classiccat]

OMG! CC has a boat! A working boat, too.

On March 25th, 2013, 09:40 AM this journey began! Proof at August 9th, 2020, 05:23 PM!

Glad for ya, CC. Are your cheeks happily sore from the ear to ear grin? :thumb:

Hey - Hook up that deadman switch before you hit one of those pipelines at 31.4 MPH! : LOL

Thanks GA! Yeah man, you've been working with me on this tub from day-1.

Baah! I told myself that I was going to be a good boyscout boater and always wear my kill-lanyard...starting on the next trip! :facepalm:

Oh yeah splashed and lookin great cutting that fine wake!!! :whoo:
You've done some really super nice work CC buddy! :glee: :clap2:

Thanks Agua! The 350 external patches didn't seem to slow it down too much :lol:

At the ramp...there was a group of guys going out in an early-80's sea nymph (16' SS equivalent). There was definitely a Tin-connection (how I comforted myself in the event that I needed a tow back to port :lol

Congratulations!! :eagerness: :bowl: :rockon:

Thanks BWR! ...my fellow long-hauler! :lol:

 

[Decker83]

I could see by the smile on your face you were thoroughly enjoying the splash. You set the bar very
high for all the rest of us..
I learned a lot from your build.. Thank you for taking your time to share with us.:yo:

 

[GA_Boater]

CC - We all share your pride with all the hard work we watched you do pay off. :smile:

Throw up the worst before and best after pics you have. Then we can appreciate how hard we worked watching you. :ranger:

BTW - Using the Admiral's nail polish for touch-up isn't as bad as the guy using his wife's mixer to stir epoxy. <-- That is a true story buried in the Annals Of iBoats.

 

[DLNorth]

CONGRAT's CC,

It looks great.
Go find some fish.

Dan