Starcraft islander resto..... where to stop

[Captaincrisp]

Classic cat i have very problems.
i skimed through your build before but it looks like i need to read it page for page. Thx again

 

[Captaincrisp]

My trailer is pretty much game over in 2018 tops. Wondering about plucking down some spending money for this one localy speaking the price is right(canadain pasos). But i wonder are bunks as bad as people say for our boats or with a good bottom coat will it be fine to sit it on this one http://comoxvalley.craigslist.ca/bpo/5811681037.html. any input is welcome. And little unsure of measuring up boat for fitment but im sure i can make it work.

 

[ezmobee]

Bunks are fine. Just gotta submerge it a little deeper to launch/retrieve. That trailer looks decent. Just make sure you add up the cost of the trailer plus EVERYTHING it needs (tires, wheels, lights, winch, etc) to make sure it compares well in your favor to a brand new one. New ones aren't as expensive as you'd think and I personally put WAY more money into an old trailer than I should have compared what it would have cost to just replace it. $800 + any needed parts could be well on your way to a new one.

 

[Captaincrisp]

Thanks ill price them out but i dont think its in the budget this year.

 

[Captaincrisp]

Well finally got a nice day to clean my worst enemy gluvit off the transome. Was nice not laying on my back with a grinder over head this time. Then i needed to pull the boat back a few inches so i could trace the alumium sheet with out the bunks in the way.

 

[Captaincrisp]

 

[Captaincrisp]

 

[Captaincrisp]

Boat slid pretty good allthough it did feel like i was trying to rip it in half

 

[Captaincrisp]

 

[Captaincrisp]

So how far back do you guys think i should cut the alumium sheet on the edges

 

[Captaincrisp]

 

[Captaincrisp]

The black line is the one in question

 

[Watermann]

New transom skin looks super nice. It's difficult to tell from the pics where to cut but I would make sure it's not jutting out any past the seam. or where it cantt be flattened down on the inner skin.

 

[oldhaven]

Your black line should be about right. Just make sure you stay outboard of the 5 through bolt holes at each end with enough metal to seal, and inside the factory seam at the edges enough to not create a hard to seal complex joint. At the bottom think about your plans for transducer and paddle wheel or pitot mounting. At the top, stay just below the transom cap with enough exposure to create a nice fillet of sealant.

Ron

 

[Captaincrisp]

All righty. Ive used a 1 big kit and two small kits of marine text sealing up various pits in hull. Almost done with patch work. Getting close to rivet time still some confusion about what size rivet to use for all situations. But big problem now with all the rain and soon to be snow is window leaks (rear port window has been replaced with some sort of plastic. I wonder if glass is a structual part of the hard top islander.. also i need (want ) to re seal all windows any good posts on doing so. I want to take frames and all our and clean up then start from scratch who has done this???

 

[Watermann]

You're using solid rivets right? I can give you some insight into them if that's what you're using.

If it's poly carbonate that replaced the glass then it'll be stronger than glass or the same thickness but I don't think these boats rely on cabin glass for integrity.

 

[Captaincrisp]

Rivet questions.. im adding a 1/8th sheet to the transom on what ice assumed is 3/16ths or so existing transom. How much rivet head do i need to stick out is there a simple rule of thumb. I want to order all the rivets at once. Over sized ones for ugly holes i might run into regualer replacment ones and ones for the transom just not sure what is what. Also wondering if i cant get away with a hammer or do i need a gun. i did make a chisel bit into a rivet gunn looking end that fit my practice rivets pretty good for my air chisel but not sure if that is the best way to go. Any info or links really aprecated i want to put this thing back in the water next summer and seem to have lots of work ahead of me if i want to do it close to proper.

 

[Watermann]

From what I read you're wanting to get into solid rivets. If so, you have to take the plunge all the way and there's a few things you'll need.

An air hammer which it sounds like you already have so you must also have an air compressor.
A rivet set for the air hammer, 3/16" brazier head. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Bucking bar. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Clecos! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Solid rivets are really easy, 2 pieces of material you need 3/8" length. If you're riveting 3 pieces you need 7/16" length and the most common diameter is 3/16". I prefer to use the 2117T4 alloy for their strength as 1100's are pure AL. http://rivetsonline.com/solid-alumin...2-to-3-16.html

Starcraft AL thickness: transom .100, bottom .090, sides .080. Since you have gone to a non standard thickness of 1/8" (.125) I would say 3/8" length would work fine, transom .100 + .125 plate = .225 and the 3/8" length rivet will be .375 giving you .150 to buck.

You say there's some larger holes that heed filled up, how large and ugly are they and are there enough for you to need a box of 100 solid rivets. Solids are very cheap by the way but the shipping is killer so get all the solid and blind rivets you'll need in one order.

 

[oldhaven]

WM is right on this. Using solids is easy, the tools are not that hard to come by, and hardware store rivets will not last below the waterline and will cause you a lot of frustration in the future. Now is the time to do it right when everything is available to get a bucking bar on the backside. Check google for rivet instruction videos, and some of the WWII era instruction vids give all you need to know about how to rivet, the correct lengths, and what the dimensions of the finished rivet should be.