Who's Ready for the Open Water Season?

[mudchuck]

Thanks all, I'm looking forward to getting out there.
I bought this boat/motor/trailer pretty cheap knowing it was a project, but glad I did it, especially since I grew tire of paddling a 14' 2-man canoe around by myself to fish from...even though that was mostly enjoyable, it was wearing me out and I'm tired of fighting the wind most trips.

I still have a ways to go, as I need to JB weld all the holes in the top edges where past owners have mounted various items, and then prime/paint them, this is in addition to all the rest of the previously mentioned work I'm hoping to get done this weekend. Drove me crazy all winter waiting for temps to get good enough to prime & paint, now I feel like I'm playing catch up, but I know I'm in a good position to get things close to the end now.

I had it out last summer, but just a few times as the carb was giving me fits and the time spent out there was good to get a feel for things. And the water level was so low, that I tow it with my Subaru Impreza wagon that I had to submerge the rear of the car a few times just to unload/load it...car is near the end too, so a truck is in my future I hope, hence the project boat.
With a 40HP motor, she really scoots, and I had it dialed in to 2.3MPH at surface speed with my phone navionics while dragging a bucket behind me. Took me a little tinkering to get the carb figured out, and I learned a hard lesson never to go to the official dealer of the motor, who totally ripped me off with a $300 bill for less than an hours work to just put the main jet back in that had worked loose.

[crayfish2]

Looking good, Mudchuck!!  Can't wait to see you on the water with it.  That is a complete rebuild right there ... lots of work but also lots of satisfaction, I'm sure, knowing you did it all yourself.

 PB and I noticed a few more rivets this past weekend that need a rebuck job, but other than that we haven't had any issues with our '67 Starcraft this year.  Hope that trend continues!

[lowaccord66]

Mudchuck one thing to consider is some pressure treated plywood can actually react with the aluminum and cause corrosion. I don't think it happens often and might be brand dependant but I wanted to let you know.  Restore looks good so far best of luck!

"In 2004 the EPA made the treated plywood companies take out the arsenic and they put more copper in the wood. Well...copper and aluminum are dissimilar metals on the galvanic scale and once you add water it creates an electrical current, like like if your carpet and deck stays wet or a period of time, the copper will interact with the aluminum and eat holes in your hull and completely trash your boat."

[mudchuck]

not PT plywood, I've done the research

[mudchuck]

not PT plywood, I've done the research

I also work for a mechanical contractor and have been in the trade 30 years, so I'm well aware of dielectric metal and galvanic reactions, but thanks for the input.

[lowaccord66]

I also work for a mechanical contractor and have been in the trade 30 years, so I'm well aware of dielectric metal and galvanic reactions, but thanks for the input.

Wouldnt have suggested had I know that...best of luck with the restore.

[mudchuck]

foam is in. sorry, didn't get a pic of the complete installation of all the foam, this is just the 1st layer.


floor is down, anchored with stainless screws this weekend, prime wood tonight, finish tomorrow with anti-slip porch/deck paint.


side rails jb weld all old holes, ready to sand and prime the rails.

[dickbaker]

   OK! mudchuck?   Opening day of walleye season I want Perchbait to get a picture of your new boat?
Dick

[mudchuck]

I'm struggling to make it for this Saturday!

A little background: my 85 y/o father-in-law, who has a really bad congestive heart condition (quad bypass and pacemaker), severe mobility issues with gout and arthritis and dementia/alzheimer's has been living with us for going on 6 years now due to him & my mother-in-law being in an auto accident that killed her, so we moved him up with us because no one nearby to care for him daily without putting him in a assisted living care facility that specializes in memory and mobility issues, so my wife stays home and is the primary caregiver.
She is out of the home 2-4 evenings a week with errands and other activities, so I'm the caregiver those evenings after I get home from work.

I've been trying hard to get things done on the boat all winter and last night I was supposed to prime the new floor to prep for the anti-skid coating, but wound up sitting with him for most of the night because he has gone into hyper-active brain mode and was babbling on for over 3 hours yet was very lucid some moments, and was very restless to the point I could not leave his side because he was attempting to wander and get into things. Needless to say, I'm behind schedule!

His dementia is bad in the evenings sometimes, with what's call "sundowner syndrome". I'm a little frustrated that some of my evenings are tied up not doing what I need to get done, but I know caring for him is the priority. We do have visiting nurse come in, but the scheduling sucks for my timeline to get the boat done and out of the garage into the water...

I did manage to get the 1st prime layer on the floor late last night, and the flex-a-seal I ran in the joints, even though says its paintable after curing (I let it cure 48 hours as directed), the stuff didn't take the primer paint at all, so I need to get another coat of primer on it tonight.

Goal was to get the anti-skid paint coating on tomorrow night, mount the seat pedestals and steering console. Sand the gunnel rails, prime then paint, apply the registration numbers and get it back onto the trailer by Friday night, then mount the motor and connect the steering cables, mount the light fixtures and rewire...and scramble to get the fishing gear all packed up.
So getting down to the wire here and not sure I'll be out Saturday, but gonna give it my best!

I also wanted to replace the motor mounting board because the old one is thin & looks bad, not matching the paint scheme (it's 3/8" thick old plywood, green and the boat is grey/blue and I want to put in 3/4" thick because I've got plenty leftover from the flooring job), but this means unbolting thru transom and a little more woodwork/prime/paint which takes cure time too,

Even if I do get all this done, I still would be hitting the water without a shakedown run to make sure no Murphy's Law conditions exist.
That said, if you don't see me it doesn't mean I'm not out there in spirit, it just means I'm behind schedule and the walleye will still be around the follow weekend (I hope!!!)

[lowaccord66]

Good man Mudchuck, nothing else to say really.  Good luck with the boat.  Im enjoying the thread.

[dickbaker]

mudchuck!   Hoping for family that will be as caring as you in the future years?    I'm hoping the boat will go well and you will keep up this thread with pictures of boat on the water.   
Dick

[mudchuck]

Thanks everyone!

Last night was better than expected, I was able to get more stuff done. I read up on Flex-A-Seal, and thought it would be good to use on the joints between the plywood deck. The product says it can be painted after it cures, so I made sure to allow the full 48 hours to cure before applying the primer coat to it. I'm disappointed that the Flex-A-Seal wouldn't take the primer, even after several attempts it just rolled right off. finally last night I laid on a thicker coat of the primer over those joints and it looks like it took.


The old motor mount board looks terrible, so I decided to pull it last night and will cut a new one tonight and spar varnish it.


The PO's must've had stock in silicone caulk, and the motors they've mounted over the years all had different bolt patterns, what I discovered behind the old board were more holes than I expected, and now I'm debating on JB welding them before I replace the motor mount board.


Also managed to sand the old holes I filled in on the gunnel rails and did prime paint them last night, but no pic.
Still have a ways to go, but with the lousy weather forecast for this weekend, I'm not rushing to get out on the water.

[crayfish2]

Coming along great, Mudchuck!  Can't wait to see you on the water in it.  You are right ... this weekend is not going to be very good for walleye fishing with the high / muddy water and more rain coming.  The fish will still be there when you get your boat back together.

Sorry to hear about your FIL's condition.  Hoping for the best for him, you and your wife.

[mudchuck]

Some pics of the old flooring & a close up of the old foam. Hard to believe a PO had used PT plywood, lumber & steel screws!!!

[mudchuck]

Need opinion: Why would the motor be bolted off centerline?
in this pic, I've circles the thru bolt holes the PO had mounted the motor to the transom and mounting board. The lines are the true locations for the mounting holes based on the motor support flanges, so I'm trying to understand a reason for the motor being mounted so far offset.
Thoughts???


I got the 1st coat of anti-skid down last night, I'm liking this. Putting 2nd coat on tonight.