78 Seavette
 

I've found a 78 seavette that I have fell in love with. It has the I/O with a 454. Does anyone know how many of these were produced with the I/O. I read that there were about 20 with the outboards. I'm trying to convince the wife to get it, however I'll have to get rid of my Sceptre. From the looks of the pictures, it doesn't have much room between the engine box and the seats. What do you guys think? I don't fish that much, maybe twice a year, however it looks like I could still fish out of the vette if I wanted to. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

There were only 11 I/O seavettes made in 1978 and oly 17 I/O versions ever built

Re: 78 Seavette
 

I saw that boat on Yachtworld this morning...she is a PEACH

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Nice looking boat. If memory serves me, this boat was for sale a couple years ago. Not sure if it ever sold or not, but I do remember seeing it on Boat Trader or Yacht World before.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Thanks guys, I wish that I knew someone in that area that could go look at the boat for me. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] I guess that is a fair price that they are asking. I made him a low offer as I can always go up on my offer. I would have to buy a trailer, that painted steel trailer wouldn't last long down here on the MS. gulf coast. The boat has supposedly been painted with Emron, and the transom redone with Kevlar, for what it's worth. I don't put much thought into what most boat brokers tell me. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Is this boat located in Va. Beach, if so it runs great last time I saw it and is real nice, I know when the work was done on it nothing was left undone, money was no object for the guy, he just wanted it pretty and fast.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Gary, Yes the boat is in va beach. Thanks

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Belongs to John Oates, he bought it a couple years ago, and I haven't seen it this year but it looked real nice then.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Schwing - that's a nice boat.... Good luck.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Cool, the broker did say that the guy that owns it also has a custom motorcycle shop. Maybe I can call information and get this guys phone#. I would rather talk to him directly. The broker doesn't seem to know jack about the boat.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Chix custom cycles on shore drive in va. beach

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Wow you guys are awesome! Thanks. I wish that the admiral would go for it; I would partake in the four-boat theory. I do have two jet skis that might count as a partial boat. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

i did see it recently sitting in front of chix but only for a few days and that has been it this summer. nice bikes too

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Is it the one down at Marina Shores?
Blue?

Re: 78 Seavette
 

must be, it is blue

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Well as it looks I’m going to be the proud owner of a 78 seavette. I made an offer and he accepted. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I have a contract on the boat. I plan on leaving out early Friday morning to go pick it up. Now I just need to find a good home for my Sceptre. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I actually haven't talked to the owner yet, what kind of performance #'s would you guys estimate?

Re: 78 Seavette
 

congrats steve !!!!! i have no idea about the numbers though. if you have any problems or need anything when you get here or just need a chance to chill for a while you can call me at 757-373-3587. I am real local (grew up a mile down the street) so dont be afraid to call. craig

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Assuming it's the 330 hp 454 I would assume a top speed in the low - mid 50's. Nice thing is, that engine can easily be made to produce over 400 hp.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Thanks Craig. I wouldn't mind meeting another CSC'er .
I just got off of the phone with the owner. He said that he has paper work for it to be built as a 420HP 454, and they put the engine on a dino and it dinoed out at 500HP [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I just hope that the engine doesn't require premium fuel (which it probably does). [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

holy smokes

Re: 78 Seavette
 

You can bet your a$$ it need's preminum fuel. Anything with a compression ratio of 10 1/2 to 1 will need it.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

500 ponies!! [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] I bet that thing runs low 60s easily. The specs say max "outboard" hp is 500, but no mention of an I/O rating. Hopefully you don't run into any insurance issues.

Your Sceptre looks like a great boat so you shouldn't have trouble selling it. Good luck and let us know how the Vette runs. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Finny, now you're REALLY going to need twins on your Vette. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Yea I know if it had around 9:1 compression I could get away with low octane fuel as long as the camshaft had a lot of valve overlap therefore reducing cylinder press. It would be hard to get 500HP out of a normally aspirated 9:1 454.
I don't imagine that insurance would be any problem. As far as they know it is still a 330HP 454. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] That boat might not have a maximum HP rating plate on it. From what I understand the coast guard only require for boats that are less than 20ft to have a max HP rating.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Steve,
Not sure of the CG requirements, but here are the specs in case you're interested. I believe this is for the '78 model year.

Seavette Specs

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Thanks!

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Talk of a Seavette and not one peep out of Finny ??

Lost ...congrats on the boat. Looks like she was well taken care of. Wait till you take her for a ride ... [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Dudes, I've been away. I'll catch up with you guys in a few days.
I know of another 78 Seavette with twin two-thirsty-fives. And the boat sat stored inside for 25 years. Hopefully he'll chime in and tell you guys about the it. It's a very cool story.

BTW, I plan on eventually putting twins on it. I may need to setp it up bridgeports or 2.5 liters now.... [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Great looking boat! Looks like they did some customizing in the berth. I never really liked the original configuration anyway. Mine had a solid bulkhead and split door inbetween the two berths, I guess to give you privicy while on the pooper. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

I got the vette. I arrived Sunday with it and boy do I have a story to tell. I'll tell you all what went on when I get some time. Right now I just got off of graveyard shift and I'm getting ready to go to bed.
What years did they make the seavette?

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Well the story is I arrived at Bay Island Yacht sales at 8:45 on Sat. 8/6/05, which was just before the broker got there. I looked at the outside of the boat and it looked pretty good. I looked at the inside and that was a whole different story. Some one had glassed over the original floor in places. They covered up the original pretty deck and left raw UN smoothed fiberglass mat, which they had just painted over. On top of that I tapped on the deck with a screwdriver and could hear hollow places. [img]/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img] I then moved on to the top deck. Up there I found a very spongy spot and several holly places as well. Needless to say I was pissed, especially after driving 960 miles to the place. I was assured of no soft spots anywhere. Well I told the broker that I was not interested in the boat and he apologized several times. He said that he did not realize that those things were wrong with it. So then I called miles offshore. He recommended that I do some sight seeing while I was there and go across the Chesapeake Bay bridge/tunnel. So upon doing so I called the broker back and told him that I was still interested in the boat but only if I could get it cheap enough to have all of the work done by a professional fiberglass guy and still be into the boat for the same amount as the original selling price. At that point I made the broker an offer that was less than half of what we had agreed on. He then had to get in touch with the owner, which was out of town. After about 30 min, he called me back and said that I have a boat and to come pick it up. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] The hull # on this boat is #011 which would be the eleventh boat of the 11 made with the I/O.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Good deal! You played it well, congrats!

Mine which is SECV hull #4, OB for '78, took me over a year to pull off the deal. When I originally found the boat, the only thing I knew was, it was going to be mine....

Wait til you take it for a ride. Not only does the boat have great lines, and looks of a bad-ass MF'er. It rides like your riding on a cloud.

Congrats again. Get some pic's up!

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Congrats on the rare seavette. I was thinking that since you got the boat for so cheap that now you can keep the sceptre and have two seacrafts? get those pics up [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

strick

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Way to go Steve

Now you'll be changing your display name to "Lost2aSeaVette" [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Re: 78 Seavette
 

I have already taken it out. When I got home late Sunday afternoon I splashed her. I have a few mechanical bugs to work out but for the most part it is runable. Boy it sits arse heavy. One of the owners had done away with the self-bailing deck. Now I see why, it would self bail right down to the bottom. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I'm going to look into moving the batteries up front. I would like to keep both boats, however I would need to take the money that I get for the Sceptre and have the vette repaired.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Steve,
Your gonna have to Awl Grip the Vette Fighting Lady Yellow.
No doubt it will look GOOD!!
Good Luck, Ken

Re: 78 Seavette
 

glad you ended up getting a good deal steve- enjoyed talking to you also, sorry we couldnt hook up for a while ! craig

Re: 78 Seavette
 

Just an update, I think that I have most of the small mechanical bugs worked out of the Seavette. I ran it all weekend with the GPS. I'm getting 2.2 MPG and she tops out around 54-55 MPH. The engine seems to be a stock 420 HP Mercruiser. I think that the guy was full of bull saying that it had been dynoed at 500 HP, but that's ok. I would have figured that it would have been a little faster. However the engine and TRS outdrive is extremely heavy, also the deck is waterlogged. I'll try to post some pics later if I get a chance.

Re: 78 Seavette
 

so what are you looking to sell your Sceptre for? 82 is that still a Potter hull?

Re: 78 Seavette
 

jcm1, $17,000
The 82 was built by Seacraft Industries, after Potter but before Tracker took over. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
Thanks.