SeaCraft 20 Question Need Help!
 

Hi all,

I have SeaCrafts in my blood, I just can't seem to get away from looking at the lines and hull on these boats. I have had a 1973 23 Sceptre and grew up with my fathers 23 cc.

I have been looking for a boat but think the 23 will be a lot for me to afford and also launch and pull at the ramp because I don't want to leave the boat in a slip. I really like the lines on the 20 Sceptre, its almost like a bow rider with a lot of room to fish. The Safari is nice also, and the cabin would allow for overnight trips with my wife and 2 kids 6 and 8 (maybe).

Here is my problem, the 20 seems so small for a twenty footer. I had a 1985 19 Grady White bow rider and I think that might have been a little bigger?

what do you guy's think about the 20? Is it a huge difference from the 23? I seem to be finding a lot of I/O's, does anyone have performance on 3.0 130 HP Mercruiser VS the 5.0 V8?

Plan on inshore fishing bays and a couple of miles offshore, also Long Island Sound. Kids love beaching the boat and exploring the beach.

What do you all think?

Even Michael Jackson could not get away with sleeping with a wife two kids and a dog in the
cabin.

Michael Jackson slept with dogs? :eek: :D

There's a 20' Seafari at Goldsmith's in Southold if your up for a project. I took a quick look at it and seems complete.
Rod

Huge difference between the 23 and the 20 in space...

Seafari 20 may be the most capable/versatile 20' ever. Biggest cuddy you find on a 20 and very trailerable even on supect ramps. Nimble, yet very capable in snotty conditions while keeping things dry; and just cute as Flipper (the bottle nose dolphin).

The 3.0L Merc probably avg. 4 mpg vs. 2.5 mpg on the 5.0 L. Top end probably 35 vs 43mph.

I/O Seafari is a great option for a young /small family.

The 20' Seafari is one of the most capable and versatile 20' boats ever made! I've had mine for 38 years and done just about everything with it . . . fishing, diving, 200 mile Bahama trips in 4-6' seas, a 700 mile S. Fla. circumnavigation trip, long distance trailering, lived on the boat for up to 6 days, etc.

Check out it's performance in this article on the Seafari 20: http://www.classicseacraft.com/broch...cle/index.html It got better than 5 mpg with a 140 MerCruiser! The CG is further forward on the I/O model, so it will ride better than the OB model, and it will plane at 12 mph W/O trim tabs. This is very important in a relatively light boat that wants to go airborne at about 20 kts when seas get over about 3'! Yes, it's a LOT smaller boat than the 23 and won't ride like a 23, but it sounds like it's about what you're looking for!

You can do 2 adults/2 kids in a 20 Seafari, but you have to figure out how to convert part of the deck to lay down a couple of good quality self inflating mattresses(Thermorest is best) and produce a great berth for two, kids should be no problem, adults in the cabin.'

I had a 20 seafari for years, mostly diving and camping. Outstanding boat. Agree with the above, its unbelievably sea kindly for its size. Layout is perfect for what you want to do, much better than the Septre for camping.

Denny,

You are definitely the expert, but are you sure about the CG being farther forward on the
I/0? I/0 is heavier and the engine is farther forward, but not much of either. The outboard is way back there, even when it is mounted on the transom.

Thanks everyone, any 20 Scepter comments out there?

I asked Carl Moesly himself about the CG difference between the I/O and the outboard models, and he said it was further forward on the I/O model. He designed both, so he ought to know! However his OB design was for the I-6 Merc, which weighs less than 300 lbs! With today's 400-500 lb outboards, the CG difference between the I/O and outboard models would be even more pronounced! Denny

You are right. I did some quick numbers on wieghts and leverage and the I/0 has a better cg, even a 4 cylinder 1/0 vs a 6 outboard.

Makes a huge difference where the batteries are, especially AGMs!

20 Sceptre
 

I am kind of leaning towards the Sceptre. I got a lot of feedback on the Safari but think the Sceptre will have more room to fish and a day boat is fine too as a run about.

Thanks Jim

It took me about two seconds to decide to sell the 20' Sceptre that I owned when a found a Seafari.The Sceptre was nice but the Seafari offers so much more.

Jim,

A good friend of mine was also planning to buy a Sceptre 20 back in 1976. Then he went to the Miami Boat Show saw both the Sceptre and Seafari 20 side-by-side with the transoms up against an elevated walkway. Distance from bulkhead to transom is 10' on the Seafari and 10'6" on the Sceptre, so he was surprised to see how little difference there was in cockpit space. He ended up ordering a new Seafari! Although it was a little more expensive, he said the additional dry storage on the Seafari with nearly the same cockpit space made it a much better family boat, so the decision was a no-brainer for him. His planned use was the same as yours, just fishing and a day boat. I don't think he ever did any cruising or camping that it's also well suited for.

The one advantage of the Sceptre is easier bow access, which might be a big deal if this is your first boat, but it's not a show stopper in my mind. The key is to simply have permanently mounted bow lines running back to the cockpit, so they're readily available when you come into a dock. It also helps to have an anchor chocked on deck with a deck pipe leading to the anchor locker so you can get an anchor down quickly. A bimini top that's braced off the windshield so it makes a rigid handhold is a big help if you want to walk around the cabin to get on front deck, which is quicker than going through the cabin and front hatch. It also helps to have some breast cleats mounted amidships adjacent to the helm, so you can secure a dock line by just reaching over the side windshield to the cleat.

Although both models were only built by Potter and Moesly and are relatively rare compared to the thousands of CC's that were also built by SeaCraft Industries and Tracker, the production numbers show that they only made 263 Sceptres and 741 Seafari 20's, so your odds of finding a Seafari are about twice as high as finding a Sceptre! Most folks seem to want a CC model however, so either one is typically cheaper in the used boat market than a CC model. Good luck with your search. Either one makes for a very versatile family boat! Denny

If you are looking for a naked 20' Sceptre that is in good shape and on a trailer with no motor I know where one is hiding...:D

How much and where? I/O or outboard? Thanks

Scepter or Safari?
 

Which model 20 do you think rides better, and why? I have a suspicion that it is the Safari because of the weight up forward of the cabin.

Thanks,

Jim

The Seafari should have a slight edge in ride quality due to more forward CG. It will also feel a little more solid because of the added torsional stiffness provided by the cap and bulkhead. I've had guys with CC's say my boat feels more solid than theirs punching through waves.

Jim,

Having owned both the 20' Sceptre and the 20' Seafari...I would say go for the Seafari, especially with family.
The 20' Sceptre was great for myself and a buddy and the bow access was nice for anchoring but I missed the cabin to escape from the sun or rain....especially the rain!
The Seafari was a great solid ride..I was also more confident in the Seafari due to the higher windshield and that cabin up front....but I do like those sleek lines of the mini sceptres though....
Good luck with your decision...

One more thing....don't forget about the nice 20' Overnighter (sleek lines and a cabin) as well !!!

-Fred

Ok so if I went to look for a Seafari, What am I looking for besides the usual deck over the fuel tank and transom? I/O model?

Thanks

Jim,

Just saw your other post where you're now thinking of a 23 Sceptre instead? That's fine, but understand it's a MUCH bigger boat, so a fair amount more expensive to operate, and more of a handful to tow, launch, and haul out, especially if it's your first boat. I'd suggest that you at least look at a Seafari before you write it off as a potential candidate. It's cabin is bigger, brighter, and better ventilated than a 23 Sceptre, and of course it also has a head or room for one. As far as what to look for in the way of potential problems, pretty much the same as any other 30+ year old boat . . . soft decks and hatches, (both easily fixed) and soggy transoms, but that's mostly a function of how well it's been taken care of. My boat is all original and has none of those problems. The bottom of the cabin bulkhead can develop rot from washdown water or windshield leaks, and sometimes the cabin door and/or the forward hatch supports are missing; the overhead carpeting in the cabin can also be missing or dirty/mildewed, etc.; a 23 Sceptre wouild have the same issues, plus it also has a folding hatch over the door which may be broken or missing.

A Seafari can use a single axle trailer and be towed with a compact pickup truck, with total rig weight of 3500-4000 lbs and can use a 115-150 hp motor, getting somewhere between 2 & 5 mpg. A Sceptre rig will weigh somewhere around 6000 lbs, require a tandem trailer with 2X more tires/hubs/springs to maintain, and will require a full size pickup to tow, possibly with 4WD depending on what the ramps are like in your area. Power would need to be at least a 175 but better if 225-250, with mpg somewhere around 1.5-2 mpg unless you run a modern DI 2-stroke or a 4-stroke, which may get 3-4 mpg.

As far as I/O vs. OB power, the I/O is ok if it'll be kept on a trailer and you can do most of your own maintenance and tune-ups, etc., on your vehicle, since I/O's, except for the outdrive, use simple automotive technology. If you're not a hands-on guy and pay other folks to do all your automotive work, you'd probably be better off with a newer OB that's more advanced technology but probably requires less maintenance. Denny

Question, a guy has this listed as an 18' boat out here. Isn't this a 20' Safari?

Yeah, it is. It's the Seafari 20 I/O. That looks like the one in OC. Have you seen it?
Mine was also advertised as an 18. I found it up in Santa Clarita Valley between Santa Clarita and Filmore.

That's the one. I haven't seen it, couldn't fit two boats at my house and too far to have a look since I'm not interested in buying. If it was where you got yours, I might take a look. I work in Valencia. :)

You must be talking about my boat?

It's my boat but it's neither hiding nor for sale any longer. I've decided to tweak it out for speed.