I have serious love and respect for your strick. I just don’t think your 25 had enough power. I was dead set on outboards until I realized the balance would be ruined and the amount of hp needed. I’d be mutilating Mosley’s intended performance for the hull.

From what I read on the catalogue and price lists here. You could get a 25 from the factory with twin 255mercs. Those are Ford 351 Windsor’s making 255hp ea or 510hp (ok maybe 400-450). Your 5.7 Volvo made 320 max from factory…realistically 260hp. Stroking that 5.7 from a 350cc to a 383cc would have given you a big bump. You had half the max hp. To get the right Hp to balance I had to go I/O. I’m afraid I won’t have enough HP myself but I’m dancing the hp/tq curve vs reversion. I’ll report when I get her done. If I don’t like it, I’ll cam swap it, upgrade the intake, supercharge, or go even bigger…a stroked 6.0 or ls9. I really hope not.

Yes you were right it was under powered. There are some images that I have saved of 25s with twins that basically take up the whole back end of the boat with the cover on the motors. I knew that going into it but I always went the cheap route after my first restore where I put a new motor on that....all the other ones I restored I bought used engines. It’s a good boat you just need to have a big trim tabs....did not mean to belittle it... the diagrams posted that Big Fluke made tell the story. No lateral stability...it rolls on the outward chines... I spoke with him once on the phone. Very good conversation...he took a great hull for his area and tweaked it...a lot to make it more stable.

Strick

Not upset at all. I consider you to be far more knowledgeable about that boat at this point than me. I just wanted to point out the speed comment. As to handling, as you pointed out, everyone is entitled to his/her own viewpoint. If you didn’t like it that should not bother anyone else. It’s something I intend to keep my eye on when I launch this thing.

I just wanted to point out the hp considerations as to why you had that speed issue. I totally understand not wanting 2 engines, outdrives etc to install and maintain. I went through mental gymnastics getting as far as I have to avoid that very issue.

GFS-I completely agree. I love my 23 Sceptre, but the 21 hull design is the original magic carpet ride.

Fr. Frank-I hope my 27 is everything you’ve experienced! I concur about the 18SF. It is a great ride. Bushwhacker took a ride with me through the Palm Beach inlet when we were there for the CSC Peanut Island gathering, he was very impressed with the 18 SF. I will say that the pre-tracker mid 80’s 18SF does not get airborne nearly as much because of the sheer weight difference. It is a tank.

My 18' SF has a rigged weight with full tanks of 2808 lbs. It was a towed weight of 3374 on the scales, and my trailer weighs 566 lbs.
With a 357 lb motor, 336 lbs of fuel and roughly 260 lbs of batteries and trolling motor, that puts the remaining hull weight at 1905 lbs including rigging, fishing tackle and gear. That's a heavy 18' boat.

I have an 18 that is titled as an '87, but when I pulled the fuel tank out to replace it, the gel-coat under the tank had "CSY 05-20-86" written on it in what looked to be magic marker. The HIN on the back of my boat has been re-gelcoated, and the newer gel coat is flaking off, with the remains of what was a previous HIN underneath. I had a friend of mine who is a Sheriff's detective look at it, but not enough remains of the old HIN to determine what is was. We can tell, however, that the first two letters were "TX" and the last character was the number "6".

We both think that the old HIN may mean that it was a left-over incomplete hull when Tracker bought out SeaCraft. I know the boat was originally sold with Tracker decals on the hull sides, and a "Tracker" Mariner 140 hp inline 6 motor. The current HIN begins with SIC.

One more oddity, the capacity plate says the max hp is 200 and the manufacturer was SeaCraft Industries. I figure the PO must have changed that out, because when I calculated the formula for figuring USCG max HP rating, I came up with a max legal hp of 187. So when I re-powered I stuck a 90 Etec on it.

According to those USCG calculations what would be the max HP for a 23' SeaCraft?

Spec sheet says 500 for sceptre 23’, If I have the right model on here:
http://www.classicseacraft.com/Sceptre23.htm

In absence of a manufacturer spec this is to be used:
(Length x transom width x 2)-90= uscg hp rounded up to nearest multiple of 5
Even if I gave it the full 8’ beam which I’m sure it’s not. You have
(23’x8’x2)=368-90=278 rounded to 280

https://newboatbuilders.com/pages/hp.html

As others have stated the deep v takes lots of hp. This calculation doesn’t seem to work on Seacrafts. I back into it through our spec sheets, catalogues, and engine price lists.

Fr. Frank-

You have the heavy 18SF! You also have the best weight and power on there for the right CG. Great boat and cool story on yours....

Dirtwheels and I would like to hear more on your feedback on the 27. :D Offshore experiences, ect.. Thanks in advance.

My `89 Slacker 20 has an original CG plate.
Max HP- 235

The 27 was Carl`s favorite design.
Heck, he even bought a SeaMaster with a bracket and twin Yammi`s
at the tender age of 90. That is love my friends.

I remember seeing Frank Brown, my dealer and Carl’s former race mechanic, anchored near Peanut Island in a 27’ Seamaster as well