Restoring my dad's 1968 StarChief

[m33rwand3r]

I'm finally getting started on restoring my dad's 1968 StarChief! It's been sitting since the pandemic, and I'm mostly concerned about the hull's integrity. I was worried about chine cracking, but it still looks solid. I do need to beat a portion of the spray rail back into shape, but that's a small task. The biggest problem is the leak he complained about, which he "fixed" by dumping a tube of silicone on the transom seams. I'm thinking of using Gluvit to seal it all up. I figure I'd also add some extra aluminum angle to the spots most likely to crack. I'm going with closed-end pop rivets since I'm doing all this myself, aluminum for new locations and stainless steel if I have to replace any existing rivets. The plan is to shorten the splash well, add some jump seats, and open up the bow to make it more of a modern fishing rig. It looks like the old 75hp Suzuki still runs strong, but I'm hoping to play with prop selection and trim to get a little more speed out of it once the hull is stiffened up.

I'm interested to get feedback about my plan. Is it doable? Too ambitious? I'm also open to other ideas to experience this almost like brand new again. Looking forward to getting your insights!

 

[Starships]

@m33rwand3r That sounds like a great plan!!! I wish you good luck So nice... but skip the stainless rivets because they can react badly with aluminum over time. Gluvit is perfect for sealing those seams, just make sure the surface is prepped clean before laying it on.

 

[Featherthethrottle]

I would say that your plan is ambitious but not impossible. @Starships gave you some nice pointers and for the engine, if it's still strong, why bother replacing it? Good luck and I hope you manage to get it to the shape you want it to be.