Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

Hilarious...
I grew up sailing in Midwest - learned the ropes on Intl. Optimist and then a wood Sabot. When I started sailing a Hobie 16, I thought that was it. But my taste for classics led me to racing Thistle class. Love the Thistle.

I was actually looking for and considered a beautiful Cape Dory Typhoon, and then a well used Montgomery 17 prior to finding my 20' SeaCraft.

After recently finding my 21', I told my wife no more boats. But next one will be a Montgomery 17. ;)

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

I grew up in the 60's with both powerboats and sailboats. My grandfather owned a 45' Rybovich sportfisherman and a yawl-rigged 41' Morgan.
My father owned a 1923 40' Matthews (only 9' beam) and a 19' Aristo, and a great-uncle owned a brand-new '69 SeaCraft Seafari with a 105hp Chrysler, which later became my grandfather's boat. That's when I first fell in love with SeaCraft. I used that boat like it was mine (I even called it "my boat").

My first boat came in early '68 at the age of 8, when my brother and I bought an 8' wooden center-board sailing punt. (We later bought a 9.9hp Chrysler for that boat.)

The first SeaCraft I actually purchased was a 23' SF with twin 115 Mercury inline 6 motors. I picked that up in '83 while I was working at a Seacraft dealership. Later that same year I bought my grandfather's old Seafari from my cousin, who had rigged it with an inline 150hp Mercury.

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

We share our sailing center. Our boat yard must have about 50 Sabots for use in the youth program, though only the one in the front used as a flower planter is wood. It seems like all the locals learned to sail on Sabots as kids at our sailing center.

When I took charge of CSULB's program I worked hard at getting us donated a small fleet of Hobie 18s. There is no doubt that the adrenaline junkies in the group LOVE those boats. The 18 was Hobie Alter's premier design for wave jumping - all catamarans can jump a wave, but the 18 is one of the few that will LAND afterwards - without a pitchpole, that is.

I remember hauling along on one of our 18s in a wind advisory, half out of control, just barely holding it together - and passing up all these fishermen in small powerboats struggling in the chop we were just flying over. Like this:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...er/Hobie18.jpg

No doubt catamarans are a thrill ride, but you might as well go swimming, because that is how wet you are going to get!

Sailboats are pretty regional. I don't think I've ever seen a Thistle in real life, though I know what they are. Our bay is full of Lidos, which look similar to a Thistle but smaller. I teach my beginners on the Catalina Capri 14.2, which you probably never see outside of the West Coast.

Typhoons are a wonderful classic. I like my boats to be a little sleeker than the Montgomery, but there is no doubt that boat has a lot of room below for a pocket cruiser.

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

Not as fast as my Seacraft, but I keep trying.
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...rIMG_2521a.jpg

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

Ooh, a Lightning! Yep, those are hot rods.

To bring this thread back on topic... our 20's console is all painted, shiny and ready for me to take it to get a new windshield fabricated. This boat was given to us sans windshield, so I don't have an old one for a template.

I stole this pic from somewhere on this site to use as an example, since this looks exactly like our console, even down to the darker acrylic shade strip/splash guard thingy behind the windshield and the strip of aluminum across the front of the console (purpose unknown to us).

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...0059_large.jpg

My questions:
How tall are these "original" type windshields, measuring top to bottom across the front? How thick is the acrylic? (our fabricator says 1/4" will be good, seems kinda thin to me - if it makes any difference, we will be adding a stainless grabrail/protector around it like in the pic) Do you guys prefer clear acrylic, slightly smoked, or very dark? (I've seen all types here)

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

1/4" is good, I have a tinted one and it is impossible to see out of with dark glasses on while sitting - forget in the dark. I think there are 3, clear, smoke and a darker tint, mine is probably the darkest

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

Here you go.
http://www.updplastics.com/seacraft%...indshields.htm
The aluminum 'thingy' is the retainer for the backrest cushion. The cushion would have come with a barrell-shaped piece of plastic stitched into the top edge and it just slides in to hold the cushion in place. ;)

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

Thanks Uncle Boo. That looks like a great place to get a windshield, but I can't find where it lists the schematics and measurements, though the home page says they are there somewhere. Guess I'll have to email them unless someone here can give me the height measurement.

That makes sense. We don't have anything as posh as cushions on our sailboats - the Shields only have a teak slat bench. But we might have to get some cushions for this Seacraft if that is how they were stock. All that was long gone on ours by the time we got her.

Oh, Gilly, I thought of you today as I was watching a group of Thistles practice for the upcoming Midwinter's Regatta. My mistake, I was thinking of Bulls Eyes for some reason when you said you liked Thistles, probably because Bulls Eyes are another of those very classic sailboats like the Shields. We do have many Thistles here in So Cal, just no Bull Eyes that I've ever seen.

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

Update on "Evil's" refurbishing. Topsides and deck finished and painted (in the school colors) and it is time to start fairing the bottom. This boat had one of the worst bottoms I've ever seen, so that is why it is looking a bit chewed up after removing the old zillion layers of bottom paint. Since we'll have bottom paint on it anyway, we aren't going to bother getting it as nice as some of those beautifully faired bottoms I see on some SeaCrafts here.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1.../Seacraft2.jpg

Had a little trouble figuring what the heck to do with the boot stripe on a SeaCraft that will be stored in the water. I much prefer the look of the boot strip following the chine all the way to the stern, but I don't think we did too bad here.

Re: Outboard Options for Classic 20
 

Evil is looking very good. Though I think you should change the name to "Elvis". You can use the same letters.:D What kind of paint did you use?

Dave