Hull Changes
 

Hi
My name is sam, I just found this web page and i own
a big seacraft my grandpop gave me in the 1970s that I
use for claming crabbing in the bays. The problem is its to big and i need to make it smaller for low water use.
Mabe I can make it 16 or 17 ft ore so my brother uses
fiberglas repairs and can help me out.
Have anybody changed the boats to make them small again?
Please help if you cood

sam

Re: Hull Changes
 

sam,

what is the size of your current boat? you would be better off selling your current boat and buying a bay boat instead. there would be a lot of glass and structural work to cut the length and make it a shallow draft boat. unless you need to have a project boat. other more experience board members would probably provide some suggestions

Re: Hull Changes
 

Yeah, thats a bit of a frightening prospect your talking about. Maybe selling the boat and buying a Garvy might be a better option for you.

Re: Hull Changes
 

Sam - Cutting down the length of a boat will not significantly reduce the draft. It might actually have the reverse effect depending on how much weight is added from the new materials.

Sell the boat especially if it's a "big seacraft" (23 ft) and use the cash to buy a sweet economical crab'in / flats boat with a hydraulic jack plate.

Re: Hull Changes
 

hi Mr Shrimpin
I mesured the boat today its about 23 plus 4 inches feet and
its to big. I dont want to sell it because it was
grandpops and he was teaching me to catch crabs
when is was young. I thought I could add stirofoam
under the boat like we put on the duck blins so it
will float better. I hope more people say things
to help me.

sam

Re: Hull Changes
 

Sam,

Be sure to post pictures once you get the styrofoam installed. This may be the first Styro-SeaCraft in the making, and I doubt that I'm the only one dying to see photos of what you come up with.

Re: Hull Changes
 

I can not wait to see this. We have been asked many things but shortening a boat is a new and interesting one.

Please post pictures

Re: Hull Changes
 

Sam - 23ft seacraft's are very expensive these days. Take the $3,000 (cost for materials) and spend it on a used 16ft carolina skiff with a 9.9hp.

You'll save yourself about 2000 man hours and retain the full value of that 23ft seacraft.

approx value of a 23ft hull in working condition => 10K - 25k depending on the condition.

The minute you cut it up and make it a 17ft . . . the resale value will drop by 90% (at least).

Re: Hull Changes
 

Either sam needs some real help or we have our first troll in a long time.

Re: Hull Changes
 

Nah, second or third....

Re: Hull Changes
 

Bigshrimpin, some of us really want to see a duck-blind Styro-Craft!

Yes, he will need the all important Seamark bracket and HDS sticker too!

Re: Hull Changes
 

Yo Sam


Come on man, Keep the SeaCraft in the shed and build your own crabber!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ck/ownboat.jpg

Re: Hull Changes
 

Who would have thunk when I woke up today to do my taxes that I would have this much fun?! Thank You ClassicSeaCraft.com!

Re: Hull Changes
 

Sam, Please send us some pics of your project!! We will have to show them to Mr Potter!
I would really look for a flat bottom boat before you cut up
a Seacraft. I would hate to see you kill a great boat. It was never ment to be a shallow water hull.

Rodney

Re: Hull Changes
 

The more you cut from the rear, the greater the transom deadrise becomes. So you probably won't get more draft and you'll have a boat that rocks easily. I suspect Grandpa will be turning in his grave if you try this.

To get a few more inches of draft consider replacing the probably waterlogged floor, transom and stringer foam. Then get the smallest lightest two stroke that will push that thing.

Re: Hull Changes
 

One of our members, Finster, is an expert at adding flotation to 23' SeaCrafts. You may consider contacting him for advice.

Re: Hull Changes
 

Another member, LT DAN, is reputedly pretty good with a chain saw...

Re: Hull Changes
 

http://www.animatedgif.net/animals/w...s/fishb_e0.gif

Re: Hull Changes
 

Mark - good one. He'll have it cut down in no time. And don't worry about the fuel tank. He'll cut that in half to reduce the weight. I think you could probably make 2 cuts and remove about 6' from the middle and glass her back together. As long as you maintain that classic SeaCraft arched transom...

Re: Hull Changes
 

That's a good suggestion Otto: sort of a cut-n-paste approach to SeaCraft reduction. Then, any member that had a 20' and wanted a 23' could purchase the now-removed section and paste it into his/her boat to acheive the 23'. Wow, talk about solving two peoples goals with one chain-saw!

This site is just chock full of great information!

Re: Hull Changes
 

Hey, Otto why don't you tell Sam how you fix boats with a hole saw, bacon grease, and a hot glue gun....

Re: Hull Changes
 

Hi
thanks for the help posts Mr Shrimpin I dont want to sell
my boat i had it many years and meens alot.
I wnt to put stirofom under my flore not under boat but
does it need to tuodch water to float better? whats
stringer foam? is it orange?my brother wants to no
if fibrglass cloth or woving rover is best for glewing
stirofome down under floor in my boat

thankyou sam

Re: Hull Changes
 

Finster - you very funny guy. I am only an amateur. I defer to your expertise. Sam needs the help of real professional...

Re: Hull Changes
 

Doing that will NOT make the boat float any higher or lower in the water.
The hull displaces X- amount of water for it's weight. The foam has nothing to do with that until the boat fill's with water. Then and only then does the flotation foam come into effect. Styrfoam is not the product of choice. It will crumble and can absorb water. This will defeate it's ability to float the boat when swamped.

This remind's me of threads I've read on other forum's where the owner is getting water in their motor bracket and they want to fill it with foam, unstead of fixing the leak. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

I'm not saying Styfoam will not work, but it need's to be encapulated in fiberglass and epoxy resign. If you use Polyester resign on Styfoam it will Melt it.

Still I would not use it.

Re: Hull Changes
 

I really want to see pics of this whole rebuild. very intresting IMHO.