Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-10-2018, 04:12 PM   #1
Scraping Paint
 
City: nowhere
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 934
Question Lone Star dinghy?!?

Y’all may remember Willy the dinghy. He was a 9’ Caribe inflatable RIB that I purchased two or three weeks ago and had a 5hp Nissan on him. He barely planed with one person and was way too slow and way to uncomfortable, so I sold him after 4 days.

So I remembered my father had my grandfathers 12’ aluminum Lone Star boat out at the farm. I plan to bring it back, clean it up and use it for a get around boat. Getting around the lake etc in our home marina. We aren’t cruising so lifting it on davits etc isn’t a problem.

My three questions are:

1. What would you do to refinish this to a shiny aluminum? Wire wheel? Sandblasting? Paint stripper?

2. It will be used in brackish/salt water how do I protect it?

3. Should I go 10hp or 15hp outboard? I don’t want major speed but I’d like to be able to nicely plane and get there with two grown men aboard.

Stats from old Lone Star literature are 11’9”, 98lbs.
Attached Thumbnails
C30D4925-8945-418B-8C92-122348103C45.jpg   0D33C9BF-A01B-41E1-9E15-B87E5514AB21.jpg   C4D6BF9C-D82D-4290-AF5A-56966DBDE1D8.jpg   2966CB76-0F5B-43DC-95BC-49C2011CB5ED.jpg   CB3C3A08-59E1-490F-AD91-E1AF2EB1A7A5.jpg  

toocoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 04:27 PM   #2
Guru
 
Dougcole's Avatar
 
City: Carrabelle, FL
Vessel Name: Morgan
Vessel Model: '05 Mainship 40T
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,162
I'd sand it with about 100 grit on a random orbital sander where the paint is heaviest, then go up in grit for the rest. I'd spray paint it white after that. I've done that with jon boats for duck hunting a few times, works well. I kind of doubt that you will be able to get it super shiny, but I've never tried to do that as it would spook ducks.


If it's rated for it, I'd put a 15 hp two stroke on it if I could find one. A 10 might work too, but a 15 would be better. Always better to have more HP than you need and not use it too often than not have enough when you need it.
Dougcole is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 06:04 PM   #3
Scraping Paint
 
City: nowhere
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 934
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dougcole View Post
I'd sand it with about 100 grit on a random orbital sander where the paint is heaviest, then go up in grit for the rest. I'd spray paint it white after that. I've done that with jon boats for duck hunting a few times, works well. I kind of doubt that you will be able to get it super shiny, but I've never tried to do that as it would spook ducks.


If it's rated for it, I'd put a 15 hp two stroke on it if I could find one. A 10 might work too, but a 15 would be better. Always better to have more HP than you need and not use it too often than not have enough when you need it.

I would love to have it be a shiny aircraft aluminum, but painting is probably more rational.

The old literature says its rated for 7.5... but if you do the modern calculations for boat to motor ratios 15hp is the recommendation.
toocoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 07:43 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Westiculo's Avatar
 
City: Boston
Vessel Name: Rose Mary
Vessel Model: 42 Grand Banks Motoryacht - 1985
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 271
I know from working on bikes that it's damn near impossible to keep it as shiny aluminum - I'm afraid you'll have to paint. Easiest would be to let it gray. It might look cool gray if you added just a stripe of paint or something along the gunnel
Westiculo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 07:45 PM   #5
Guru
 
O C Diver's Avatar
 
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,834
I wouldn't sand the paint off. If you want to scuff the existing paint and paint over it, then lightly sand it. If you want to take it down to bear aluminum, lacquer thinner and a scrub pad will probably be pretty quick without taking away any aluminum.

Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
O C Diver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 08:06 PM   #6
Scraping Paint
 
City: nowhere
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 934
I'll probably end up painting it off white with a turquoise stripe in the traditional fashion of Lone Star's.
Attached Thumbnails
36430387_1999316106747479_8275256288275857408_o.jpg  
toocoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 08:17 PM   #7
Guru
 
Dougcole's Avatar
 
City: Carrabelle, FL
Vessel Name: Morgan
Vessel Model: '05 Mainship 40T
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,162
I like that.
Dougcole is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 09:37 PM   #8
TF Site Team
 
koliver's Avatar
 
City: Saltspring Island
Vessel Name: Retreat
Vessel Model: C&L 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,663
LOL
I pick up a boat like that one a few years ago for my beach boat. It lives just above high water on the beach in front of my house. I drag it over the rocks to go get crabs. Yours is in better condition than mine. When I got it, I tried for weeks to get it to stop leaking. I used a couple of tubes of Lexel, but didn't succeed the first year. Late in the fall a storm turned it sideways to the surf and battered the stem quite badly. Then it REALLY leaked, so another whole tube of Lexel went into it along the riveted stem. Hasn't leaked a drop since! Now I will haul it up to the house if a big storm is threatened.
It weighs so little that a 9.9 should get two men up on a plane.
__________________
Keith
koliver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 10:33 PM   #9
Scraping Paint
 
City: nowhere
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 934
Quote:
Originally Posted by koliver View Post
LOL
I pick up a boat like that one a few years ago for my beach boat.

This one was used on a duck hunting lease way down south in the marshes of Louisiana. My grandfather was a duck hunting guide for decades. When he died my father brought it out to the family farm to use in the fish pond. It doesn't leak at all.

There are a few cracks in the chines that I am going to patch with alumiweld rods, and I have to figure out some kind of fitting for the plug in the transom. Have to figure out that whole different metal corrosion thing and how to prevent it. Other than that it floats and is completely usable.

I'd like to maybe build a small deck over the bow out of wood, and maybe put a remote steering console on it (a-la boston whaler style).
Attached Thumbnails
218914_10150276267738852_4951660_o_10150276267738852.jpg  
toocoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 10:41 PM   #10
Scraping Paint
 
City: nowhere
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 934
Quote:
Originally Posted by koliver View Post
It weighs so little that a 9.9 should get two men up on a plane.

The literature says that it only weighs 98lbs, but that's really old advertisement literature.

I just need it to get on plane and GO. That inflatable RIB that I had got up on plane but barely stayed there. I want it to feel securely on plane.
toocoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 10:55 PM   #11
Guru
 
BruceK's Avatar
 
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,329
Quote:
Originally Posted by toocoys View Post
...I just need it to get on plane and GO. That inflatable RIB that I had got up on plane but barely stayed there. I want it to feel securely on plane.
You speedster! Where`s Art`s speedboat icon when you need it.
Would you bother painting the bottom? It`s just going to get sanded regularly,like every time you beach it.
__________________
BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
BruceK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 11:19 PM   #12
Scraping Paint
 
City: nowhere
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 934
Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceK View Post
You speedster! Where`s Art`s speedboat icon when you need it.
Would you bother painting the bottom? It`s just going to get sanded regularly,like every time you beach it.

Yes, I'm going to put a bottom job on it. It's going to be stored floating and tied up to my big boat.

We don't have beaches in our immediate area. We're inland on Galveston bay.
toocoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 11:24 PM   #13
Guru
 
BruceK's Avatar
 
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,329
Quote:
Originally Posted by toocoys View Post
Yes, I'm going to put a bottom job on it. It's going to be stored floating....
I think you`ll need an aluminum specific a/f paint, ie no copper in it.
__________________
BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
BruceK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2018, 11:37 PM   #14
Scraping Paint
 
City: nowhere
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 934
Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceK View Post
I think you`ll need an aluminum specific a/f paint, ie no copper in it.
See, this is the kind of information I need. LOL
toocoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2018, 02:07 AM   #15
Scraping Paint
 
City: nowhere
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 934
I think I've secured a 1984 Johnson 9.9 for about $450 including shipping to me.

The fun part is that the 9.9 is the exact same engine as the 15 except for the carburetor. So a carb swap should give me more hp if I end up needing it.

I think it looks like a very clean engine.
Attached Thumbnails
Motor1.jpg   Motor2.jpg   Motor3.jpg   Motor4.jpg   Motor5.jpg  

Motor7.jpg   Motor8.jpg   Motor9.jpg  
toocoys is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2018, 06:53 AM   #16
Guru
 
O C Diver's Avatar
 
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,834
I have a 6 HP mercury from the 1980s. I believe there were 3 HP ranges for that motor (6, 8 and 9.9). The difference between the motors I'm told, is the decal on the cover and for the smaller engines there is a restrictor plate (limits air flow) between the carburetor and the motor. I'm told that removing the plate or drilling it out, changes the HP. Maybe you will get that lucky. Mine is still a 6 HP.....but you never know.

Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
O C Diver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2018, 07:04 AM   #17
Guru
 
Dougcole's Avatar
 
City: Carrabelle, FL
Vessel Name: Morgan
Vessel Model: '05 Mainship 40T
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,162
Perfect engine for that boat. Is that block the same as the 6hp and 8hp or the same as the 15hp? I can't remember, and Ted may be right, it might not be able to be souped up to 15hp. If it can, it seems like a no brainer.


Funny, my buddy had a very similar boat that he got from his grandfather. We used it to hunt in Louisiana, in Delta Wildlife refuge, south of Venice. I think it had a 6hp on it, it would barely plane with two of us in it, but not with a bunch of decoys, two guys, a dog, guns etc. We shot a pile of ducks out of it.
Dougcole is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2018, 10:15 AM   #18
Guru
 
Nomad Willy's Avatar
 
City: Concrete Washington State
Vessel Name: Willy
Vessel Model: Willard Nomad 30'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 18,743
Old 6-8hp 2 stroke is best for these aluminum skiffs IMO.
Very good boats. The most popular boat in Alaska.

toocoys,
May already been mentioned but Interlux has a how to section on their website and however brand specific it’s excellent advice/guidance.
I followed their guide and put AF on a 16’ Crestliner. Turned ot great but was a lot of coats and work. But one can see howmany coats of what kind of primer and what is best for topcoating ect.
__________________
Eric

North Western Washington State USA
Nomad Willy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2018, 12:07 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Wood's Avatar
 
City: Portsmouth, NH
Vessel Name: Irony
Vessel Model: Bayliner 4588
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 121
Truck trailer aluminum cleaner. Zep. Phosphoric & sulfuric acid - so take appropriate precautions. This will also get into any crevasse corrosion and arrest that process. If you have any enclosed flotation foam and flood the hull to clean it out you should also neutralise with ammonia until slightly basic ~ pH 9 is good. Periodic bilge treatment with baking soda will prevent future acidification.
__________________
Irony
Bayliner 4588
Portsmouth, NH
Wood is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2018, 02:39 PM   #20
Veteran Member
 
City: Plantation, Fl.
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 96
Quote:
Originally Posted by toocoys View Post
Y’all may remember Willy the din okghy. He was a 9’ Caribe inflatable RIB that I purchased two or three weeks ago and had a 5hp Nissan on him. He barely planed with one person and was way too slow and way to uncomfortable, so I sold him after 4 days.

So I remembered my father had my grandfathers 12’ aluminum Lone Star boat out at the farm. I plan to bring it back, clean it up and use it for a get around boat. Getting around the lake etc in our home marina. We aren’t cruising so lifting it on davits etc isn’t a problem.

My three questions are:

1. What would you do to refinish this to a shiny aluminum? Wire wheel? Sandblasting? Paint stripper?

2. It will be used in brackish/salt water how do I protect it?

3. Should I go 10hp or 15hp outboard? I don’t want major speed but I’d like to be able to nicely plane and get there with two grown men aboard.

Stats from old Lone Star literature are 11’9”, 98lbs.

Years ago I used to fly and maintain seaplanes in salt water! After you sand all the paint off get some aluminum brightener and wash the hull with that. When dry..wipe it down with a clean rag and lawyer thinner! Prime the bare aluminum with zinc xhromste primer. It's a funky yellow/green color. Give it a pretty healthy coat! When dry, give it a very light sanding with 220 paper... Wipe again with a dclesn cloth dampened in laquer thinner...don't sort the rag as it will remove the primer. Then paint the color of your choice. I recently used Rust-Oleum Top Side Paint that I purchased at Hone Depot. On an old Boston Whalers. I rolled and tipped it. It came out with a mirror finish. Two weeks later, when it completely hardened, I rubbed it out using s fine rubbing compound..
dennismenace111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:09 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012