Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Guys sorry I have basically been putting everyone off, I sincerely appreciate the kind comments but I haven't stopped working long enough to really take pics I will try to get some up tomorrow. I don't think she is going to make it in time for vacation but that sure isn't stopping me from working like mad to get it there but I have a few setbacks to deal with.

Busted throttle linkage on the motor, and I get to redrop the lower unit as for some reason it isn't pumping water.

The seat vinyl is all basically done and mounted I have to reassemble the seats. I have a couple of really cool goodies hopefully coming this week that should add a few little custom touches to the boat.

I have some Stainless steel windshield mount brackets fabbed up by my uncle on the CNC machine.

A custom Stainless steel switchplate.

And Chris you remember that steering wheel my Uncle built me a custom brushed aluminum bezel to go underneath it.



It is really freaking neat because when he started it was a 5 inch square piece of aluminum turned down to a hollow round steering bezel made from scrap.



Honestly though, I am really up in the air on trying to splash her for vacation as she would only be about 80% (obviously safe to operate) but I would probably only have the back to back seats and bow seats in not the rear jump seats the gauge pod wouldn't be done though I could rig up a tach and have the volt meter at least rigged to work just temporarily mounted. I would probably end up running off my two 6 gallon portable gas tanks not the permenant tank. All of the electrics are in wired and working just not mounted in the switch plate.

My plans in the future are Bimini Top, Depth Finder/GPS, Troling or Kicker motor, and I am just not sure if I should proceed at full speed to try to get her wet or if I should slow down and work until spring to make sure she is 100% complete.

 

[Grandad]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Honestly though, I am really up in the air on trying to splash her for vacation as she would only be about 80% (obviously safe to operate) but I would probably only have the back to back seats and bow seats in not the rear jump seats the gauge pod wouldn't be done though I could rig up a tach and have the volt meter at least rigged to work just temporarily mounted. I would probably end up running off my two 6 gallon portable gas tanks not the permenant tank. All of the electrics are in wired and working just not mounted in the switch plate.

My plans in the future are Bimini Top, Depth Finder/GPS, Troling or Kicker motor, and I am just not sure if I should proceed at full speed to try to get her wet or if I should slow down and work until spring to make sure she is 100% complete.

Don't rush the job. There's nothing wrong with a little test dip, just don't call it a splash. Just checking for leaks. I dipped mine last year. It hasn't seen water yet this year and I don't expect to have it finished sufficiently for another couple of weeks to call it splashed. - Grandad

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

This one is a pic for JB CURT




She is coming right along.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

The shorty seat is just for ME?:faint:

You shouldn't have No really....

:watermelon:

Nice work


BTW: Nice multi-purpose room ya got there, and oak flooring, snazzy.... Day care, food prep, cleanup & service, romper room AND upholstery shop all in one. Excellent.

Ain't it nice when they let us work IN the house instead of ON the house :cold:

Coffee is brewing, having a hard time rigging it in an IV bag for ya though...

Follow Grandad's advice for a soft dip not an official 'S'... Got plenty of time for that.

Besides, SOTY doesn't even 'open' until after Thanksgiving.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

The shorty seat is just for ME?:faint:

You shouldn't have No really....

:watermelon:

Nice work


BTW: Nice multi-purpose room ya got there, and oak flooring, snazzy.... Day care, food prep, cleanup & service, romper room AND upholstery shop all in one. Excellent.

Ain't it nice when they let us work IN the house instead of ON the house :cold:

Coffee is brewing, having a hard time rigging it in an IV bag for ya though...

Follow Grandad's advice for a soft dip not an official 'S'... Got plenty of time for that.

Besides, SOTY doesn't even 'open' until after Thanksgiving.

I am only working in the house at the moment because it is 98 freaking degrees outside, and for me to run the A/C in the shop would cost a small fortune. Believe me the Admiral is NOT happy about the air compressor sitting on the front porch at the moment. For anyone doing their own upholstery buy an air stapler it is worth its weight in gold. I have an electric and it wasn't getting it done. The hand stapler was wearing me out finally went and bought some 5/8" narrow crown staples and it cut my working time by about 80%.

Ohh and remember that upholstery score it gets even better.

The girl sewed my cushions charged me dinner, all of the white vinyl is being reused from the pontoon, and I got a 50% off coupon to Joann fabrics for the grey vinyl. The upholstery work has set me back a whopping grand total of $36.54 including the box of narrow crown staples.


Nah JB I will let you ride in the big boy seat I just posted that pic because you said you wanted to see some vinyl work.


P.s. the admiral is being very generous at this point but only because the floors were extremely damaged when we bought the house. Once I refinish them there will be no work anywhere even remotely close to in the house. They are actually 1x6" Pine floors, the house was built in 2007 by a cabinet maker and contractor, which is the reason for the very large shop. The house was foreclosed on in 2009 after the markets tanked, and basically sat vacant for three years. We scored the house appraised at 235k because we bought it in 2012 after it sat vacant for three years we basically ended up at 165k. There is a LONG story in between but in the end it worked out well.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Sig - Nothing wrong with an extended leak test. Sometimes they don't show until the 8th or 9th dunk.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

I graduated to the big boy seats! Yeah!

Awesome price on the upholstery work. Better score on the house & shop sub $170K!

Keep this pace & it may not be a 'dunk' test... Go Sig GO

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Ohhh and I sincerely appreciate the compliments and such JB but I don't think the Silver Lining could ever hold a candle to the likes of the Naked Lady and some others.

Unfortunately I am waiting on engine parts and the steam has been slowed down a little as the new tow vehicle has to go back to the dealer tomorrow for an A/C issue. That will unfortunately slow me down quite a bit.

 

[lokonn]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Nice job on the seats. I think I might want to try my hand at sewing but that machine intimidates the heck outta me. I like the idea of the extended leak test, that way no harm no foul on whatever happens. Expectations are not as high and you may be able to enjoy yourself.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Nice job on the seats. I think I might want to try my hand at sewing but that machine intimidates the heck outta me. I like the idea of the extended leak test, that way no harm no foul on whatever happens. Expectations are not as high and you may be able to enjoy yourself.

Thanks Lokonn, I didn't do my seats myself, a good friend of mine did them with her machine. She did a great job, and I owe her seriously big for it.

One thing I did find though is that shop some upholstery shops I found that if I cut all of the patterns and dropped them off I could get them sewn for around $100.00

I buy marine grade vinyl at Joann Fabrics you can print coupons online for 50% off and get good quality marine grade vinyl for around $8.50 per yard which is awesome.


This is what I did.

Use a GOOD seam ripper to rip the old cushions keep the pieces for templates. You only need to rip one bottom and one back on the back to back seats, then one of the jump seats as it is all symetrical.

Take the old vinyl and use it to make a template, after you cut a piece take the new vinyl piece square it up and use it to make a better template with new unweathered vinyl.

Then cut all your new pieces at once.

Since I had all of the patterns cut it only took about 90 minutes to actually do the sewing.

Just make sure you stretch it evenly all the way around, and don't over stretch so that you are smashing the foam in on it.

You can usually tell the quality of the upholstery job by the number of staples it takes to hold everything evenly. An excess of staples usually equals a crappy job.

 

[classiccat]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

dang sig...i can't believe that bezel was made from an aluminum block! very nice work!

sweet deal on the seats/upholstery! :thumb:

I feel your pain on automotive issues...just got in from the driveway...the admiral's '09 'yota needs a new water pump; I may need GaB's carp fairies to finish-up the 'Rude for me afterall :facepalm: :lol:

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

I wish I could claim that was my work but it wasn't that was my uncle. Yeah somedays I just feel stretched a little to thin. I would like to say all of this has been me doing the work but it hasn't. Without the help of the Admiral and My Uncle, and my sewing friend, and the Starmada and Iboats she wouldn't be even remotely close to where she is now.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Hey Chris,

Do you have any tips on how to slide the water tube back in place during lower unit reinstallation that is my problem I thought I had it all lined up but I thought wrong when installing it the tube just keeps moving sideways on me its almost like it is two short.

 

[classiccat]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Hey Chris,

Do you have any tips on how to slide the water tube back in place during lower unit reinstallation that is my problem I thought I had it all lined up but I thought wrong when installing it the tube just keeps moving sideways on me its almost like it is two short.

Oh boy Sig...I think its broken. I'll tell ya what, you can send it to me and I'll "dispose" of that 115 for you :yo: (V4 tailor made for an 18' SS IMO).

disproportionately long, skinny fingers help with water tubes :lol:

The water pump on my '83 35Hp is a bugger since it pulls out of the upper grommet (on the powerhead/exhaust adapter). I recall inserting it lightly into the upper grommet then just as the driveshaft starts engaging the powerhead, I feed "my precious" watertube into the waterpump with my smeagol-fingers! :lol:

My '75 70Hp is a piece of cake since the end-flare keeps it locked into the adapter so you only have to worry about lining it up on the waterpump.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

I used to be able to do the 65hp basically one handed but this water tube it just won't freaking stay put. Even worse than that is that the dagumed thing is extremely (comparitively speaking) I almost called on the services of my uncle again to see if he could fab up some kind of guide. I sure wish I had another to compare with, as I am seriously almost wondering if it isn't broken

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Well everyone here is what has to happen for a test dip in 36 hrs. i have to mount electrical, mount the steering mount the engine fully assemble and mount the seats. i finally used some redneck ingenuity to fab up a tool to line the water tube up. the lower unit is remounted to the engine again.

And even if i do manage to pull all of that off i have to hope and pray that i have a tow vehicle to pull it with as after the dealer "REPAIRED" the ac on the expedition it blew up and i do mean that quite literally so its in the shop again

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Hate to hear the AC is still not resolved. Headed into a trip that's a bummer. Esp if you can pull a herculean effort for the next 36hrs...

Know when to say when. Stressing, trying to finish, could be a tad trying on the rest of the crew.

Particularly on the 2nd able-bodied driver :watermelon:

All in it's time.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

I swear a car with busted AC is hotter than a car that never had AC.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

nah I am not trying to finish and we aren't really going anywhere just about 45 minutes away to spend 5 nights at the camper on the lake. But the Ex is the only tow vehicle I have, so if its in the shop there will be no towing of anything including the toon if I wanted to take it.


Ohh and here is the ingenious tool I rigged up to hold the water tube straight.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: Time to get started on the starcraft resto.

Well its been a few days the boat did not get wet it wasnt ready and honestly on vacation i didnt want to push myself that hard. Thatt being said I cant say that i was lazy either. The motor runs and pumps water well now. The electric is run and clamped the motor is permenantly mounted the steering is hooked up one seat is fully assembled. The bow light is mounted the horn is mounted and functioning. The stern cleats are mounted as well.