'72 Mirrocraft 14 footer rebuild

[Watch4Ice]

Hey everyone,

I got an old Mirrocraft 14 foot Deep Fisherman for a good price, but it needs some love. The wood and foam in the seats are trashed, the transom is a rotted 2x8, needs a bit of welding, ya know the normal stuff for a 50 year old boat.

New seats and transom and a coat of paint are in order, at least. I've never done this before and this site has been so helpful thus far, I figured why not make a thread!

Here are some pics from the day I brought it home, when I pulled the seats, and some of the new seats in progress. Plus a spot where I tested some citristrip.

I've got a source for scrap cuts of badass plywood from a high end cabinet shop. It's 13-ply birch with no voids and waterproof glue. I can get walnut or oak veneer, but sadly I didn't have enough walnut to do all the seats so I went oak. I'm planning to reuse the aluminum seat tops and slide them over the wood so I left exposed hardware, but I'm regretting it a bit now that the wood has turned out looking so nice lol.

Just got it back from the welder today, so I'm looking at the prep/paint work list. It looks like there's still a lot of primer adhering to the outside, with the turquoise having faded/rubbed away, and a similar story on the interior. I tested some citristrip and it came right off after an hour. The 3 bright spots are where the emblem rivet holes were filled and ground off, but the rest is kinda gold in color. Is that factory zinc chromate? If there's that much paint still on it, can I scuff it up and paint over it?

 

[Watch4Ice]

So Citristrip is pretty good stuff, but is there a way to use it without burning through every single rag? Getting the pressure washer back from Dad tomorrow so I can give that a try this weekend.

 

[Axhammer]

That gold colored bare skin looks like alodine, which is a surface treatment to aid paint adhesionn while inhibiting corrosion. It is commonly used when painting aluminum aircraft. Nice boat!

 

[Watch4Ice]

That gold colored bare skin looks like alodine, which is a surface treatment to aid paint adhesionn while inhibiting corrosion. It is commonly used when painting aluminum aircraft. Nice boat!

Thanks for the info! It seems to be unaffected by the stripper, should I try to keep it intact? I'm planning to etch via acid or sanding then applying epoxy primer, will the old surface treatment help or hinder me in any way?

 

[Axhammer]

I would leave it. Lightly scuff & clean it, and then prime/paint over it.

 

[airshot]

If the old paint is secure and not comming off....leave it! Why go thru the time and trouble, just a light sanding, prime where needed and finnish coat...keep it simple, your boat won't care...
That Mirro will make a great platform, I owned a 1964 and was an awesome boat, we even skied with it with an 18 hp Evinrude...

 

[farmer4life]

Wow that is some great looking plywood!! Skip the aluminum tops and just leave it as the wood. Who cares about the exposed fasteners. It looks great!!

Are you planning to put foam back in, or are those bench cubbies for other storage? Would highly recommend some foam just in case, hate for your investment to become a “sunk” cost…

 

[Watch4Ice]

Wow that is some great looking plywood!! Skip the aluminum tops and just leave it as the wood. Who cares about the exposed fasteners. It looks great!!

Are you planning to put foam back in, or are those bench cubbies for other storage? Would highly recommend some foam just in case, hate for your investment to become a “sunk” cost…

I'm living dangerously, not replacing the foam. I didn't know small boats were even supposed to have it when I got my last one, so I guess that's what I've been doing for years! We just fish small, flat lakes anyway, and PFDs all around.

You're not the only one trying to convince me to show off that wood, maybe I'll put a little more care into the last coats of poly and see how it looks once the paint's on.

 

[Watch4Ice]

Upon closer inspection of the paint after getting it clean, I decided to strip it after all. Got the interior citristripped today, tomorrow the grinder and sander come out! Also pulled some old screw in snaps out of the gunwales, and removed the bow plate. I'd like to have words with whoever put regular steel hardware on this thing!

 

[farmer4life]

Upon closer inspection of the paint after getting it clean, I decided to strip it after all. Got the interior citristripped today, tomorrow the grinder and sander come out! Also pulled some old screw in snaps out of the gunwales, and removed the bow plate. I'd like to have words with whoever put regular steel hardware on this thing!

I found lots of plain steel hardware on mine too… ugh… most of the bolts ended up shearing rather than unscrewing. Full set of new stainless bolts will be going in.

Your interior looks bright and shiny! Can’t wait to see the new paint!

 

[airshot]

Check your new screws with a magnet, real SS screws wont grab a magnet !!

 

[Watch4Ice]

The interior is paint free! A second light application of citristrip around all the rivets followed by the pressure washer was badass. Got the exterior sides done too, but the bottom will have to wait: going camping next weekend, then it's archery elk season!

What's the best thing to use for an etching wash? Jamestown sells one under the Total Boat brand, but it's out of stock. Are all the acid based "aluminum washes" the same thing? I've heard of using vinegar, how about that? Just seems like there's gotta be a cheaper alternative, and you guys would know about it.

 

[sonny1]

I plan on using white vinegar myself. Followed with a good soap and pressure spray.

 

[Watch4Ice]

Back at it! All the camping/hunting/son's birthday excitement is done. Didn't get an elk, but we got close a couple times and it was a fantastic time in the woods.

Anyway, got the hull prepped and primed inside and out over the last week, including rebucking some rivets and a little Gluvit on the one tiny leak. Man that was a TON of work! Got started with the first coat of Total Boat Total Tread for the interior, very happy with it so far.

 

[Makaw]

Nice work so far!

 

[farmer4life]

That grey is the primer? I think that colour looks really sharp. Keep up the good work.

 

[Watch4Ice]

That grey is the primer? I think that colour looks really sharp. Keep up the good work.

Yep. I wound up liking it enough to start reconsidering my choice for interior color, but the beige won out.
For the exterior, taking it straight back to 1972 with seafoam! It's fairly close to the boat's original color, and I just can't help but love how loud it is.
I've got freaking COVID, so I wound up with some time off work.... Guess I'll be in the garage! Hopefully the paint is dry enough to start installing seats/transom later this week.

 

[farmer4life]

Yep. I wound up liking it enough to start reconsidering my choice for interior color, but the beige won out.
For the exterior, taking it straight back to 1972 with seafoam! It's fairly close to the boat's original color, and I just can't help but love how loud it is.
I've got freaking COVID, so I wound up with some time off work.... Guess I'll be in the garage! Hopefully the paint is dry enough to start installing seats/transom later this week.

I wish mine were still the original turquoise… but since it’s not… I don’t know if I have the interest in making it that loud. I’m leaning towards a deep forest green but this is AT LEAST a year away…

 

[LaqueRatt]

Check your new screws with a magnet, real SS screws wont grab a magnet !!

Are you sure about that?

 

[airshot]

Are you sure about that?

Yes....there are different grades of SS screws, the cheap import ones have very little nickle in them so they will rust. The more nickle, the more rust resistance, the more nickle...the less attraction to a magnet !! Same for kitchen sinks, if a magnet grabs the sink, it will rust...most cheap SS screws will attract a magnet, gotta get the good ones, but beware, real good quality SS screws can be soft and easier to break. While nickle makes steel not rust, it does not add toughness or strength. For boating purposes, high syrength bolts are not needed so real stainless steel can be used. When real SS screws are used, there is no need to worry about non similiar metal corrosion, but when cheap, low nickle SS is used you can get dissimiliar metal corrosion. Retired toolmaker here, worked with SS for more years than I can remember, carry a small magnet in your pocket whenever shopping for SS anything, don't listen to the salesman !!