Shoestring Starcraft SS160 Resto-mod - let the long slow road begin

[Watermann]

That's a no from me on the side seams and ribs with blinds. Nothing structural like ribs should ever have blinds, sooner or later the blind heads will weaken and pop off.

Yeah corrosion is always a concern that many of us have dealt with. My Chief transom...

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Bummer. I just got back from town. JB WaterWeld is bad in the tube, outer component hard like chalk, won’t mix.

Im not eager to try this product again. Is Marine Tex like bondo? I’d rather have something more thin that can be applied by putty knife anyway.

Any my other products to fill pitting and pinholes?

 

[ShoestringMariner]

I got another package of JB Water-weld. This one is pliable.

 

[Watermann]

If you want the JB WW to be more easily spread, mix it with tiny amount of xylene after you knead it. It will become easier to work with and the xylene gasses out leaving it to cure normally.Xylene is good to have around, it's an adhesive reduced/remover, cleans paint guns and brushes great too.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

If you want the JB WW to be more easily spread, mix it with tiny amount of xylene after you knead it. It will become easier to work with and the xylene gasses out leaving it to cure normally.Xylene is good to have around, it's an adhesive reduced/remover, cleans paint guns and brushes great too.

Excellent tip, thanks for that.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Transom ready to go.

in regards to floors. I *might* do the floors or at least partially while the SW is out. I’m using three-quarter inch construction ply. Did I read somewhere that spar varnish was not good to use as a sealer as marine carpet adhesive would not stick?

i’m willing to spend a bit of money on doing the floors right. I believe the floors will take the most wear and tear and be the most rot prone item on the boat If not done right

 

[Watermann]

The carpet glue stuck tight on my bunks that were sealed with spar. I've heard guys worry about it but not heard of there being an issue. I remember telling them that carpet glue sticks to aluminum pretty darn good so it should adhere to just about anything.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Today’s update. Slow progress this week. Transom well varnished and ready to go in. Work and weather have hindered anything else. ( Plus a little bit of fishing with my brother in his boat. Ended up being a great evening. We both did very well. Both got some nice fish landed and released)

Still searching for rivets and setting tool. Jay-Cee seems like a great site/outfit but it appears they ship UPS. ( which, if you live north of the border, you will know that UPS stands for “Ultimate Postage Scam”. $38 USD for postage and brokerage fees ON TOP are going to make this $30 order into a $130 CDN order) if I can’t find another outfit that ships, USPS, I will contact them to see if they’ll make an exception.

It looks like forecast for today is rain again this afternoon.
i’m going to try and see if I can’t get the plywood installed at least. When the rain comes, I’ll focus on getting the clamp adaptor built for the CMC, and have the units transom mounting height figured out. I understand the motor has to sit higher for every inch it sits back away from the transom to keep the prop in the wash. The last thing I want to do here is drill incorrect holes through a brand new transom not to mention the outer skin.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

EDIT; I missed an email from Jay-Cee Sales...they DO have a USPS option! I’m going to order from them

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Here's a manual for anyone else who might be installing a used CMC PTT

http://www.cook-mfg.com/pt-130 owners.pdf

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Happy Father’s Day to you guys with kids..

todays project; install transom and start mounting the CMC PTT unit.

Got two 3/8” dia holes that need to be filled. Marine Tex? I’d like a flat patch, otherwise I’d use just use bolts. I could drill through the CMC and use bolts but I think that’s just an extra leak potential.

One other thing I don’t like is that the bottom if the CMC frame will be sitting on a row of 4 rivet heads, keeping it from sitting truly flat against the transom skin. I’m back to thinking 1/8” neoprene pad between hull and frame.

What do you guys think?

 

[Watermann]

On the rivets, I'd use AL plates the same thickness as the rivet heads and drill holes in them for the rivet heads to fit inside of so you have a solid surface to bolt to. If the heads stick up a bit sand them flush.

You have a couple unwanted 3/8" holes in the transom skin only or are they through the transom wood too? Just the skin with the transom in, it becomes just a plug without much grip but if under that CMC mount it should be fine to use MT or even some 5200 in the holes.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

On the rivets, I'd use AL plates the same thickness as the rivet heads and drill holes in them for the rivet heads to fit inside of so you have a solid surface to bolt to. If the heads stick up a bit sand them flush.

You have a couple unwanted 3/8" holes in the transom skin only or are they through the transom wood too? Just the skin with the transom in, it becomes just a plug without much grip but if under that CMC mount it should be fine to use MT or even some 5200 in the holes.

3/8 holes are just skin only. I’m thinking 5200 is fine, especially if I make an aluminum shim plate to deal with the rivet heads. Actually, I like the aluminum shim plate idea better than neoprene. This also allows the CMC frame to sit up flush with the formed aluminum transom cap instead of pinching down on it when tightening the bolts.

Couldnt install transom today. Waiting for rivet order to come in. Can’t reach with the buck while the plywood installed. Photo of all pcs dry fit.

Decided to remove floors up to the front of the sliding door track. This wood was toast. Gas tank punched through when I hit some nasty potholes last year. I’m just going to coat this with spar for this year. I’ll do a T&G seam and do marine vinyl flooring over it when I do the rest of the floors this fall/winter. Figured easier while SW is out.

Going with a blue carpet look which will look great with the new white sleeper seats I picked up last year. These seats by the way will be fastened in by hidden clips and fasteners so I can pull them out easily. Beneath them will be swivel seat sockets in the floors for serious fishing weekends

Hope to make serious headway by the end of this week.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Do the newer SS160’s have side stiffener plates for the full length of the boat? Mines a ‘75 and none are visible under the SW section. I haven’t removed any more of the floors and won’t be until this winter.

Wondering if I should add stiffeners in this area before I close it up.

 

[bchaney]

I think all the later boats had the stiffeners at the end of the ribs. My understanding is that if your floor and gunwales are structurally sound you shouldn't have issues with cracks at the end of the ribs.

Transom looks nice and I'm interested in seeing what you plan to use for your seat "hidden clips and fasteners". I'm looking for something similar. Any details on those?

 

[ShoestringMariner]

I think all the later boats had the stiffeners at the end of the ribs. My understanding is that if your floor and gunwales are structurally sound you shouldn't have issues with cracks at the end of the ribs.

Transom looks nice and I'm interested in seeing what you plan to use for your seat "hidden clips and fasteners". I'm looking for something similar. Any details on those?

Thanks for that. I don’t see any cracks from the outside. I’ll have another look up close on a creeper.

For the hidden clips; I was debating on using the front Springfield type floor socket and a modified post stub on the front side and a set of thumb wheels at the back that bolt through the floor into some threaded stainless T nuts in the underside of the floor. All would be hidden inside the sleeper seat bases.

If the Springfield stub idea is too complicated or costly, I will use the thumb wheels at the back but make a stainless l bracket attached to the front of the base, and screw a low profile z clip to the floor. If that makes any sense. In essence, the seat base will slide forward until the stainless angle bracket engages into the Z clip, Then the thumb wheels hold the back of the seat down. When the sleeper seat and bases are out, the Z clip will be just hovering above the floor by say quarter inch overall height. 1/8 inch gap between the floor and the underside of the opening to take an 11 gauge or 1/8” stainless steel angle bracket .

I’ll upload pics when I get to it. Or PM me if you want a sketch.

It might be a lot of work but I really want to keep this boat a dual purpose family and fishing boat. My wife loves the classic look and enjoys sitting upfront and on the sleeper seats. My Brother prefers the sleeper seats too. Facing back, fishing - trolling with feet up.

But I want full swivels for hardcore fishing weekends

 

[ShoestringMariner]

After perusing the marine dealer today, I’m really considering altering my splashwell. Do they really have to be so deep and wide? I am planning some Great Lakes outings but only good days.

Im also thinking I will rework the front seating To be a smaller open floor V so there’s more cargo space. this means stepping up on the v platform to drop the trolley or anchor. What do you guys think? Do you like more open floor, or more cargo/seating/casting area?

 

[Watermann]

Unless used with rotten decking, transom and such your 16'r being an OB should no issues with the rib end cracks even though it wasn't equipped with the braces. Everything being solid with new decking and side panels there should be no issues in the future either.

A number of guys here have altered the size of their splashwells to reduce the footprint. You just have to add some additional structure to tie in the sides is all. Most have done that by adding a casting deck which gives you storage too.

You're only limed by your imagination and of course money when restoring these old boats.

 

[bchaney]

I understand exactly what you mean by your description of the hidden hardware, no sketch necessary. It sounds like a great idea if you can find or make the Z brackets - I was looking for something similar to use for fuel tank hold downs but didn't have any luck.

 

[ShoestringMariner]

Wondering how much gap to leave between pull out or hinged panels. I’m planning on using that vinyl marine flooring that looks like carpet. Has a nonslip texture. I’d like to fold it down over the edges and wrap it underneath by half an inch or so
i’m going to doubt that a jigsaw cut is enough. Eighth of an inch perhaps?

if I had the flooring I wouldn’t ask. For right now I’m only going to varnish these pieces for this season. Carpet will happen over the winter or next spring