Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

If that's their exterior grade ply, I used it for my SC transom (not that orange stuff they sell). I found it had quite a few large voids all the way through it, I had to fill 4 voids just in the small transom pieces. But I would expect it would work fine for flooring. I think I paid about $34/sheet

I'm actually talking about the orange stuff with the tongue and groove. It looked good to me in terms of voids (or lack thereof) and it does use waterproof adhesive. I somehow forgot to mention that I'd use it for the transom as well. And yeah, I think it's about $34. Thanks for the info.

Edit: This is not necessarily to be taken as fact, but the Lowes employee told me that "he's seen the test" in which a sheet of both the solid laminate and particle laminate are completely submerged for 30 days. At the end of this period, they are removed from the tank and moisture tested. The test apparently revealed an identical moisture content reading to the pre-submersion reading.

Like I said, this is the guy at Lowes being paraphrased, but it sounds like it could be good stuff for cheapskate boat building.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Searching the Lowes site the only 3/4" plytanium subfloor I could find is DDX grade, and it will have some fairly large voids with that grading:

Shop Plytanium 23/32 x 4 x 8 Plywood Sheathing at Lowes.com

^^^^ Is that the stuff?^^^^

... but if it's going to be free (gift card) you can afford the epoxy resin and SM Fairing compound to fill any edge voids and seal it real nice too.

I wouldn't use tongue and groove in a boat, but if the material was free I would cut the tongue and groove off and use it... but that might just be me.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Searching the Lowes site the only 3/4" plytanium subfloor I could find is DDX grade, and it will have some fairly large voids with that grading:

Shop Plytanium 23/32 x 4 x 8 Plywood Sheathing at Lowes.com

^^^^ Is that the stuff?^^^^

... but if it's going to be free (gift card) you can afford the epoxy resin and SM Fairing compound to fill any edge voids and seal it real nice too.

I wouldn't use tongue and groove in a boat, but if the material was free I would cut the tongue and groove off and use it... but that might just be me.

The stuff at my local store is definitely "BC" grade, which, while not great, is better than that DD, and the "B" face is relatively level and filled. I'll likely end up getting this stuff, and then I'll see if I need more than just spar varnish and SM to make it work. And yes, I'll cut the tongue and groove off prior to working with it.

I've never used fairing compound. So let's say that there are splits and voids in that stuff...can you skim coat with it and then sand?

I'm a little disappointed in my local Lowes, as this is the only X grade stuff they have, other than sheathing. But, like you said, it's essentially free.

Thanks.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

if I need more than just spar varnish and SM to make it work. I've never used fairing compound. So let's say that there are splits and voids in that stuff...can you skim coat with it and then sand?

Not Spar varnish or urethane, epoxy resin and SM Fairing compound.

Yes, skimming is a breeze with SM fairing compound. It's great for filling voids, crack/splits, and leveling/smoothing... and sands easily.

It's pretty cheap and real easy to work with. It's the third product down on the left side:
Fillers

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

This is the stuff...it's all packaged under the GP plytanium brand, but this particular product is called DryPly. I'm going to try to find out what it's treated with before I buy it. It's just a coating and the wood seems dry. Sorry, it's a PDF, but here's more info: http://www.menards.com/main/store/20090519001/items/media/BuildingMaterials/BM_GeorgiaPacific/Prod_Tech_Spec/DryPlyFlyer512353.pdf

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Not Spar varnish or urethane, epoxy resin and SM Fairing compound.

Yes, skimming is a breeze with SM fairing compound. It's great for filling voids, crack/splits, and leveling/smoothing... and sands easily.

It's pretty cheap and real easy to work with. It's the third product down on the left side:
Fillers

Great, thank you. I may have to scrap that plywood idea, too. I think it's wax coated.

...and I'll go with epoxy, too.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I know USComposites is the place to get it, but does anyone have any idea as to how much epoxy resin I'll need for this project? I have no idea. Transom, deck, side panels, two helm/battery boxes, and cabin bulkheads. I was just guessing maybe a 1 1/2 gallon kit? Is that a crazy low estimate? And while I'm at it, I guess I'll ask for a ballpark figure on marine vinyl for decks, helm boxes and side panels only. I'm trying to put my major costs together. Thanks once again.

...and I guess I'll need to factor in some resin for the fairing compound.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

For that size boat and all of that wood you might want to go with the 2 gal epoxy kit and the 5 quart bucket of SM Fairing compound... and if you have some leftover it's fun stuff to play around with on the house too.

Probably go with 16 linear yards of vinyl, I'm sure you'll find a use for all of it and may want to get more.

All of that together would've been just about how much you'd have paid for resin only on that ol 'glasser.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

For that size boat and all of that wood you might want to go with the 2 gal epoxy kit and the 5 quart bucket of SM Fairing compound... and if you have some leftover it's fun stuff to play around with on the house too.

Probably go with 16 linear yards of vinyl, I'm sure you'll find a use for all of it and may want to get more.

All of that together would've been just about how much you'd have paid for resin only on that ol 'glasser.

Haha, yeah, that puts things into perspective for sure. Many thanks...you've been a huge help and I haven't really even started yet!

 

[anjill1972]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I have a 1977 Chieftan and need some parts for the cuddy cabin top ...wipers, side glass,...misc stuff if you are getting rid of it could you please let me know...

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I have a 1977 Chieftan and need some parts for the cuddy cabin top ...wipers, side glass,...misc stuff if you are getting rid of it could you please let me know...

Sorry, but I'm keeping all that stuff intact, despite my initial stated plan.

Good luck finding your parts.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I have a 1977 Chieftan and need some parts for the cuddy cabin top ...wipers, side glass,...misc stuff if you are getting rid of it could you please let me know...

Welcome to iboats. You should start a thread on your Chieftain. And saying that, it's kinda cheeky to ask a guy for parts off his boat, don't ya think. Read the entire thread and you'll see chemicalwire changed his mind about the cabin. Some of those parts are hard to find and that's the norm when working on older boats. Like I said start a thread and we'll help where we can.

EDIT - Ya beat me, chem.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

In lieu of actually doing some real work, I messed around with this little kicker for a while today. I managed to get it un-seized thanks to the Marvel Mystery Oil trick, and it's got decent compression. I bought a new tank-side fuel connector locally, but it won't attach to the male engine fitting. I ordered a new one online...if that one doesn't work I can just go all OMC type fittings on this. Bummer...I was hoping to fire it up today.

We got a pretty good dump here over the weekend.

Here's the dastardly little Tohatsu/Nissan fuel fitting that doesn't want to accept the other connector...bad blurry shot, sorry:

Oh, if anybody in Vermont, NH, or upstate NY is looking for a dirt cheap tinny with an Elgin on the back, check this out: Boat Motor Trailer

I'd grab it if I wasn't about to dump a bunch of money into this project.

Hope y'all had a good weekend. Cheers.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I glad you aren't going after that tinny. From the looks it is or has been a bath tub. $400 for scrap, yeah sure.

I think you did OK for $40 on the kicker. Hope she fires after the fuel lines are sorted.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

I glad you aren't going after that tinny. From the looks it is or has been a bath tub. $400 for scrap, yeah sure.

I think you did OK for $40 on the kicker. Hope she fires after the fuel lines are sorted.

Yeah, you're probably right about that derelict boat...and it would seem that people who post these ads haven't actually been to a scrap yard post WWII.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

My dad got an alumacraft with 5HP Merc and a newish trailer for $600 a couple years ago. That dude's smoking something wanting $400. Those fittings on your kicker look like the old Chrysler/Force fittings.

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

My dad got an alumacraft with 5HP Merc and a newish trailer for $600 a couple years ago. That dude's smoking something wanting $400. Those fittings on your kicker look like the old Chrysler/Force fittings.

Could be, maybe a mod to accommodate a different tank. That would explain my troubles at least.

It probably won't happen this year, but some day I will grab a little tin tiller boat for shallow water...glad I'll have you guys to steer me clear of wrecks like that one.

My wife left for Sydney today, and she'll be gone for about three weeks. I'll also have some milder weather this week, so I can at least get started on this thing (after I clean/organize my shed). She took the one digital camera that we have--my phone is really old and junky--but I may see if I can grab a super cheap jobby to document some stuff. It's obviously way easier to ask questions with photos. Cheers.

 

[mark1961]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Sheesh!! Whats all that white stuff?

The admiral is in for real treat.....the scenery while on approach to land at Sydney airport is hard to top......lets just say its easy to tell who the first time visitors are onboard everytime i fly back from NZ.

 

[Jimmy H.]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Really nice find on that boat. I missed this thread until now so I'd like to follow along. I would love one of these or an Islander for my next project. Cant wait to see how this one turns out!
Jimmy

 

[laurentide]

Re: Rough and ready '74 Starcraft Chieftan 18' rebuild

Sheesh!! Whats all that white stuff?

The admiral is in for real treat.....the scenery while on approach to land at Sydney airport is hard to top......lets just say its easy to tell who the first time visitors are onboard everytime i fly back from NZ.

She's really psyched, man. Surfing lessons, beach time, travel. It's amazing to me that she left the east coast of the US yesterday at 2pm and she's still over the Pacific right now.

Really nice find on that boat. I missed this thread until now so I'd like to follow along. I would love one of these or an Islander for my next project. Cant wait to see how this one turns out!
Jimmy

Thanks! I'm really excited about this boat, too. I think I've got my plan pretty much together, and I'm hoping to get started this week.


A question for the resto experts: I'd like to leave the cabin bulkheads as stained varnished wood, and my plan is to use a water-based stain, 3 coats of epoxy, one layer of 4oz cloth epoxied in, and then a few layers of spar varnish with sanding between the glass and each varnish coat. Does that sound about right? Thanks.

EDIT: I was also planning on using some nice cabinet grade plywood for the bulkheads, which I'm assuming should be fine if it's glassed in, is this thinking correct?