If your gel coat is just faded/oxidized without a lot of craze cracking, I'd consider using Poly-Glo on it. Much easier than the wet sand/compound/wax buff routine plus it will last MUCH longer! (Like 1 year in the severe UV of S. Fl!) I've been using it for about 5 years on my boat's original gel coat and am quite pleased with the looks and durability of it. The HD cleaner that comes in the kit will make it very dull looking, but it's important to get the surface clean because whatever is on there will be there for at least a year once you put the coating on it! The coating appears to be some sort of urethane emulsion and leaves a very high gloss, like the surface is wet. The first couple of coats may show some streaks, but they'll disappear after about 5-6 coats.

Regarding the I/O, you'll find that the boat is better balanced with it. Although it's heavier than most outboards, the extra weight is forward of the transom, so the I/O models tend to ride better and plane at low speed, like around 12 mph! If you're used to working on them, it'll probably be cheaper and easier to maintain than an outboard!

Good to know, BW. I have heard of that product but never have tried it. I appreciate your experienced comments on the stern drive too, I didn't really think about the balance aspect. I like I/O's but for salt use they have their cons, can't tilt them all the way out, corrosion aspect and the engine box takes up interior room, as you know. I won't leave the boat in the water for extended periods and I will flush everything real well. I will try it for awhile, run it till I am forced to make a decision to keep that power or change it, and go from there.

SeaCraft Island
 

Toteboat, You are ruined. From this point forward, nothing else will do.
I cut 6 trapezoid 6" X 6" inspection ports in my '67 floor because I was sure after 49 years even though the deck felt solid - it couldn't possibly be. They had really good fir plywood back then and Carl must have saturated it, because not only were the decks perfect in all but one spot about 12" X 12", but the box stringers and lamination to the hull were still in excellent condition. I epoxied the inspection plates back in, ground off the excess, laid two layers of 3/4 oz. matt over the whole floor and gel coated some no-skid sand strips back in. That was in '06. Done a lot of "Cross-tie walkin" in that shallow water off of Bayport for 25 miles coming and go'in since then. I got friends with 23 Mako's and 223 Formulas/stretched Contenders that burn 3 times the fuel and need an F-350 or 2500 Suburban to drag their stuff around. They can't afford to run with me and when they do they they can't keep up.
Run the 140 Mercruiser unit until it dies or the gimbal bearings make you crazy or the alternator falls off and then think about a 90 or 115 outboard on a hydraulic jack plate with a little notch, up high so you can tilt the motor in the "up" position. If you hang a 200 30" back it's liable to start "Hobby Horse'in" on 'ya.
Lots of good data on this site and the same exact number of opinions as members so get in your Tyvek suit, put on your safety glasses, Kevlar gloves, steel toed boots and hard hat and stand by for instructions!
And remember, you don't have any "potter putty" in your Moesly SeaCraft because Carl fit everything together properly with structural integrity, so vote for the tee shirts with the Sea Craft in Script Font because every vote counts except in Broward County where they count a couple of times if you got a "D" on your voting registration.

"We'll said" especially the last part..

Cool then I've got a few votes to cast. Where Is that t-shirt thread?

Hi Terry,
Our minds work alike. I have been concerned about what could be lurking below. I'm trying to resist cutting a hole in anything and I will. I told my son if he sees me reaching for a drill or jigsaw to tackle me. I would like to keep this boat as unmolested as possible, at least until I have more experience with what would be right vs wrong. The deck has NO apparent soft spots and I weigh 250. That is really hard to believe but I am going with it.

"Lots of good data on this site and the same exact number of opinions as members so get in your Tyvek suit, put on your safety glasses, Kevlar gloves, steel toed boots and hard hat and stand by for instructions! "

Haha, as it should be, that means this group is energized, and I have noticed everyone is pretty respectful of each other.

"And remember, you don't have any "potter putty" in your Moesly SeaCraft because Carl fit everything together properly with structural integrity, so vote for the tee shirts with the Sea Craft in Script Font because every vote counts except in Broward County where they count a couple of times if you got a "D" on your voting registration."

Since I am a SeaCraft rookie I will stay out of the fray, lol, but I fully agree on the D thing. The script font is more sexy lookin though.

My '72 is all original and also has no soft spots in either the deck or cockpit sole. Balsa is stronger and accepts resin better than most foams, so it makes an excellent core material provided you properly seal any holes drilled in it! With a solid deck and all glass stringers, there really isn't much to go wrong with these hulls, no matter how old they are!

Moesly for sure. Congrats nice score!

Thanks guys! I launched her yesterday evening! Very excited, but didn't forget the plug:).Immediately had wet feet from the scuppers, wife got weirded out, I had to show her the bilge was dry by lifting the engine cover up, :D. She didn't understand but now she does. What's better to fix it, Raybuds or crossing the hoses or both? I don't want to raise the deck at this point. Engine ran well, 4600, the Merc/Chev 4 is a little thrashy but I knew that, no surprise there. Temp shot up hot, but I think it's just a bad sender because I checked it with an infrared temp gun and she wasn't hot at all, 140-180 depending on where I put the red dot. More fun today! I want to hear the whoosh coming off a big wave, :eek: