Bringing an 87 Saltare back to life

[mkdsmith]

Hey guys,

I'm new to the site but have been using it for research for a while. A couple of weeks ago I found the boat I have been looking for, just not in very good shape! I will roll it ugly this season to work out all the mechanical issues and see how long before I have to do stringers. So far I have rebuilt the tranny, replaced the tranny mounts, (old ones were rusted in almost half), and just received a new shaft and coupler. The hull buffed out pretty well and all the teak is there minus the teak on the bow.
Anyone that has parts (switches, vents, original dash pad, the small stuff) let me know as I will probabley need quite a few to bring her back to her previous beauty! I would really like to get my hands on the original cup holders (4) since the previous owner threw them away because they were "loose"!

I'm sure I will have many questions along the way!

[wotan2525]

Pfew! Good luck.... I think you've got stringers in your future. Make sure that engine is mounted solid -- I tried to make mine work with iffy stringers and ended up sinking my boat.

Original parts can be really, really hard to find. It took me about 5 years to find cupholders (but now I'm not letting them go Sybrmike!) It's usually much easier to upgrade to newer things that will work the same as the old stuff. Plenty of advice on here about recovering your dash, rebuilding the tranny. West Marine carries some vents that a very close to OEM. Switches are pretty much impossible but you can replace/upgrade with newer ones.

[sybrmike]

Congrats on the new & condolences :) on the old boat. It can be a real labor of love/hate depending on your goals and ambitions. I've got some misc old parts (anchor light & receptical, bow light, side vents, etc.) that I either skipped reinstalling or replaced with newer as Wotan suggested. All are pretty worn, but might be better than nothing if you're missing them completely. I'll try to get an inventory list together, but it'll be after my big push to finish this long weekend.

Good luck & post up some pics...

[DAFF]

Thanks for saving another big one from certain death. Just remeber the more you love em the more they love you back....

[mkdsmith]

Well guys, after about 20 hours in two days she lives again! FINALLY got the tranny and shaft lined up, after finding out the strut was bent. We straightened that out and things fell into place a little easier. So after rebuilding EVERYTHING from the bell housing back I fired her up Sunday afternoon, waterpump was out so had a donor from another motor I bought for the Stars and Stripes I'm rebuilding also, and the alternator. All in all she did real well and I was quite impressed. One question though, has anyone heard of having to prime the raw water pump on first crank of the day? I could not get water up until I poured water in the hose to create vacuum, I'm thinking maybe old intake hose and sucking air??

Overall.......Great weekend!! Kids loved it!

[Salty87]

she lives! did i miss the pics/video? lol

have you changed the impeller? hose pressure can mask a shot impeller.

[mkdsmith]

100011000210003
Well guys,
I put the boat in a neighbors slip and received a call at 6 am yesterday that a pulley broke and this was the result. I guess I'm now in the fiberglass business as well. Hope the pics uploaded. I will post pics of before when I get to the house hopefully. Any advice would be great. I refuse to let this boat die!! Needless to say I drank alot yesterday after I took off work for a day of mourning......

[wotan2525]

Ouch! What ran into it or fell on it??

[mkdsmith]

The side where the cap is broke is from the cable of the lift, the other side is from slamming into the dock. All damage is to the cap, No damage on hull. Talk about your stomache turning over.....I walked onto the dock and almost puked!

[Salty87]

she's a little over the weight limit, eh? that really stinks.

they're big boats to begin with but the reality is you probably have wet foam too. that damage is somewhat minor in the scheme of things. at least she stayed on top of the water.

[DAFF]

I would be very leary on repairing this damage. Sure its only the top cap but on both sides causing a serious structural issue, there is a definite posibility of the boat folding in half transom to bow.....

RIP : Lots of them out there looking for drive lines... A big block Sunsport would be killer:)

[wotan2525]

I would be very leary on repairing this damage. Sure its only the top cap but on both sides causing a serious structural issue, there is a definite posibility of the boat folding in half transom to bow.....


I don't think this would bother me at all. The sides are not what keep these boats stiff front-to-back.

I do agree that you were probably over the weight limit. These Saltares (especially with wet foam and half-rotten stringers) are heavy as FUDGE!

[firstdogriver]

Did I miss something. You said you got a call that a pulley broke. Who was putting the boat in? The Marina? Your freind? Any insurance?

[mkdsmith]

I put the boat in a friends lift down the street from me. It's an old lift and I should have known better than to hang it there. Anyway, one of the pulleys on the cable split and swung the boat over into the dock, the split cap is from the cable when it caught and the whole is from banging the hell out of the dock. Either way, I will have her patched up, rolling ugly and back on the water next weekend.

[mkdsmith]

I've checked the foam, not soaked. Stringers are older but still 80% I would say. After looking and studying the damage, with the help of a good friend who knows structural engineering, I will have the boat "patched" next weekend and back on the water. The correct fix and gel coat will have to wait until winter while the boat is not being used. I would rather roll ugly this summer than not roll at all! Besides, after taking the kids out on the Supra they don't want to have anything to do with the I/O and the Stars and Stripes is on hold.

[haugy]

Ouch, that sucks. Man this poor girl is living the rough life. I Hope you can bring it back to life.

[mkdsmith]

Sybrmike,
If you still have parts I am interested, need side vents for sure. What else do you have laying around that might help me make her new again this winter??

[sybrmike]

I'm wrapping up my project & started cleaning up some in the garage last night, but don't think I threw anything useful away. I'll see what I have & report back in a few days.

[mkdsmith]

Very appreciated sir

[Salty87]

shoot mr.jrc a pm. he might have some stuff left from parting out a saltare...

https://forum.supraboats.com/showthread.php?10040-supra-saltare-parts-side-vent-windows-for-sale-25-ea

i bought his doghouse door.

[mkdsmith]

Ok guys,

Saltare is back in the water and runnin great! Fiberglass repair is winter project, after riveting the cap back on and covering the hole with tape of all things no one knows until right up on it! Redneck fix right there, but very effective. Back on the the 81 power slot stars and stripes now, a couple of weeks away from having her on the water. I know this is a Supra site but everyone apreciates the old inboards. I am still interested in any parts for the saltare that are available as this will be my primary boat for several years to come. Gonna go ahead and rebuild completely this summer. Salty, any extra pics you have of your stringer job would be great! Email them to me, [email protected]. Thanks!!

[mkdsmith]

Been running the boat to see how well everything works before winter to see if she is worth fully restoring. So far most of the kinks have been worked out mechanically. I have a pretty good bit of water coming in around the prop shaft, not at the stuffing box but around the glass area, is this common or do you guys have any ideas since I'm sure someone has already gone through this. Thanks.

[mkdsmith]

Saltare is DEAD! I tried to save this boat but she just wouldn't be saved. Rolled a main bearing last time she went out so I'm done with her, will rebuild motor and sell as is or part out. Finished my Mastercraft Stars and Stripes project and bought a 96 sunsport to replace Saltare. Thanks for all of you guys help and input while I was trying to save her. Now, if anyone knows where I can get the passenger side curved glass for the sunsport that would be awesome. And if you are interested in parts off the salty let me know and if I part it out we can deal. Rebuilt tranny, new shaft and coupler and all hull parts minus interior as it was already rough.

[Jetlink]

Do not do anything to the salty hull, does the salt come with a trailer or would someone have to source one for it?

[jasun]

possible Dibs on the shaft and coupler.

and glove box cover if you have it!