Smitten again
 

Howdy folks, new here, been a boat weirdo for many years and owned many awesome classics and while piling through craiglist boats as I do every day I ran across this little beauty...she is a bit small for my taste really and I am not an I/O fan at all...but I have heard the 140 was economical and hard to kill, SO like I need another hole in my head or project..this will be sitting next to the Schuster in the shop for some lovin!
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps59209ed7.png
Not pretty now but soon! To be continued....

Congrats on the new project, I'm sure you'll spiff her right up! I have a '79 Seafari awaiting some love my little collection as well. There seems to be quite a few available, they seem to best the most unloved of all the Seacrafts. I just looked at one on Long Island yesterday that needs a stern for really cheap.:)

Wasn't the one at goldsmith's, was it?

Congratulations and welcome aboard! As Bushwacker will tell you, the Seafari 20 is an incredibly versatile model. I love my little boat but the economy of that I/O package would double my range and economy.

Post up some more pics when you can. Looks like a really nice score.:cool:

No I looked at the one at Goldsmiths last year. This one is in Amityville sitting alongside a Seavette that that's also available. He's talking about cutting up the Seafari if nobody takes it. My wife said go look but don't bring anything home she's getting wise to me after 31 years:(

Have a good time restoring that one, and welcome to CSC.

If you want to go diving, camping, have a do it all kind of boat, the 20 seafari is better than anything in its size class. I camped and dived hard out of mine, year round, way offshore. It is one heck of a design, and very very well built.


Connor

Welcome aboard, and where are you located BTW? Yes, that 140 I/O is a 5 mpg rig and a great riding model to boot, since most of the engine weight is forward of transom. It's actually better balanced with more weight forward than the outboard models, so it planes easily at 12 mph w/o tabs! As Gillie said, you'll be amazed at what you can do with a Seafari. Here's a few examples of trips I've made with mine: http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...avigation+trip
http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...hns+river+trip
Although it and the Sceptre are probably the least popular 20' models, I think it's better for diving and trolling than the CC models because of the big cockpit, with WAY more dry storage in the cabin, which has bigger bunks than the 23 Sceptre/Tsunami! Plus it's a lot drier and more comfortable than a CC for overnight trips or when the weather doesn't cooperate! Does yours still have the galley seat? I think they were standard on the I/O's, and that overboard drain on port side indicates it had one, at least at one time.

As for size, don't let that fool you. Most folks that see it at the dock or on a trailer think it's much bigger than it is. Yes, it's easily towed with a small pickup, but it rides better than many 23-24 footers! Ran mine 165 miles (1 way) to the Abaco's a half dozen times in the late 70's/early 80's with a 115 hp outboard on it. I wasn't fast with all the gear I carried, cruising at about 20 kts, but I used to hope that the wind would kick up a bit so the guys with bigger boats and motors would have to slow down so I could keep up with them! I've yet to find another 20' boat that rides as well, burns less gas, or has a full opening windshield or has as much combined cabin/cockpit room, with a full galley, head and shower!

If you want more info on the SeaCraft history, check out this great website: http://www.moeslyseacraft.com/proud-...0-seafari.html If you send me a PM with an email address, I can send you some PDF files of original brochures, including a more legible copy of the Boating magazine test of the Seafari that's in the Literature section. Denny

Thanks Bushwacker, thats way cool...I did the trip between Florida and Corpus in my 27 foot chris...and as small as it was...smaller would have been better, there are alot of places one can anchor with a shallow draft boat...I think with a few mods and an enclosed top this old girl will fit the bill nicely and save me alot of fuel money! and shes just plain pretty for lookin!

Can't let her get cut up!

I went over and got to see it up close finally and I think its gonna work just fine...it is rough but she'll be a dandy when I finish Im gonna add a freshwater tank and I had thought about building a hardtop for it but maybe just the full size bimini like this one.
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...psc552737d.jpg
Ill have to build a dive platform for the stern also.

That's actually a navy top in the picture which attaches to top of windshield. Since top of windshield is about shoulder height when standing, you can't stand up under a navy top unless you have the original version that had a zippered hatch above the helm! A bimini top works much better, but you'll need a clear section between top and windshield to be able to run in the rain and stay dry! If you have the early style top mounts just above the gunnel like the one in your picture, you can brace the top off the windshield which will make it very rigid. A typical bimini that mounts on top of side windshield like they used on later models is very wobbly in the sideways direction!

If you have the galley seat, a 6 gallon jug will fit under it if you have a hatch in the back of it. Thought about building in a permanent tank, but a portable jug is more practical . . . easy to empty so critters don't grow in it, and easy to fill at a dock when there's no hose around!

Regarding the dive platform, I built one out of stainless tubing, teak planks and some SS bimini top fittings that folded up out of water, which allowed me to mount it right at the waterline. They're so easy to get on when mounted that low you don't really need a ladder, although I later added one for the gals to use. It was very light, worked very well for diving and was easily removable for fishing.

I am, Ryan.

I can do a transom, but I've passed on several SeaCrafts in the past couple of years that needed a deck. (I even passed up a '69 20' with a running 235 Johnson and trailer that was free but needed a new transom, console, and deck work.)
My fiberglass skills are abysmal, but I can pour ceramic into a transom with the best!

Im actually leaning more toward a hard top as I would like to put controls up top....amazing what you can see from up there...and just do side and rear curtains.

CSC member CsickNick has a nice hardtop on his Seafari, complete with a liferaft and radar, for his legendary Tuna safari's! http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...ad.php?t=21866 Nick doesn't post much, but might be worth sending him a PM to get details on his top.

CSC member NoBones has a small tower on his CC hardtop to use for spotting Cobia, but he doesn't have any controls up there. Don't know if he can run fast with someone up there or what the stability situation is. Although an I/O configuration would give you the lowest CG and best stability, the relatively narrow 7'6" beam of the 20' might make it a little tipsy for a very large person up on a tower! I've seen Patti up on Ken's tower, but she's a lightweight! I'd send NoBones a PM and ask him if his tower will handle "Little" Kenny! If so you'd probably be OK!

Yea the top of it will be minimal...likttle more than a place to stand and controls...Im thinking wireless sure be handy going though tight places.... locks and such.

Well after a good bit of barter work I got the old girl home today....really the first time Ive really had time to really look at her....deck is solid...controls are ok...kinda..lol lots of mold...the guy showed me a receipt from the local thief who did compression and winterizing last year...just hope he actually did it...it does seem like it s free and the invoice says 100 in all 4...for this fall Im going to replace the bellows etc and go ridin..here are some pics of a dirty dirty boat...but Ill update as I go...got the plumbing for both sink and crapper...tis a good thing!
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2953f16b.jpg
looks like alot of the oxidation will come off
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3fabfdcf.jpg
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps69fd6661.jpg
ye old power plant
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps32eed698.jpg
looks like your typical 40 year old boat!
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1df53b39.jpg
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...psfe375950.jpg
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...psd395a6c7.jpg
uuuuugly
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps828c59e3.jpg
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7871efa4.jpg
it came with four new seats
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...psbfdc11ef.jpg
and inside here is a new cover for it
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7700b665.jpg
moldy but pretty
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps23c14471.jpg

Wow that looks like the original trailer form that era, very classic!

Love the sweet custom single control mount -- is that PT deck board? The galvanized deck screws screwed through the blue astro turf are very Gucci!

Can't wait to see her cleaned up and updated to take on the next 40 years!

PS just noticed the coil springs on the trailer -- never seen that before!

Yea it has had some shade tree riggin done...but not too bad...several places where somebody used other than stainless hardware and screws...jeez!
The guy I bought it from drove from Belle Vista Ar. to Indianapolis to buy this boat two years ago and gave over three for it....it was less moldy Im sure! But he wanted it pretty bad to go that far....and this is the trailer it has been on for years I guess...pulls really good actually....I kinda like the coil springs....and there is a pretty god sized chunk of that awesome turf left I might let go to auction a little later...lol

The Keystone Light can explains a lot.

Great boat have fun with the rebuild

cool boat, and the hull looks to be in good shape :)

The guy I got the boat from gave me new seats a porta potty and three stickers...the boat needs only two so I figured what the heck and put one on the daily driver...looks pretty good!.
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0ff936b5.jpg

Well I get her cleaned up...well got the dang moss off from it leaving the original old faded blue gel coat...I figure on repairing the nicks and scratches this winter then paining it...but till then does anybody know a product that will remove the oxidation for now?

I've used Polyglo for about 7 years with excellent results. The Poly Prep included the kit is a very strong cleaner that does a pretty fair job on oxidation, although their Poly Ox product appears to be specifically made for removing oxidation, so it may be better. Even the Poly Prep will leave the surface very dull looking, and the Polyglo may show some streaks after the first couple of coats, but after about 5-6 coats, it will have a very high gloss! And unlike wax, it will last at least a year, even in the high UV we have in South Florida! I've used Meguires HD Oxidation remover and Collinite Paste wax which works ok but only lasts about 3 months, so I'll never use that stuff again!

My 42 year old boat was only 3 years old when I bought it and had been kept in an in/out storage building, so gel coat was in good shape. I never waxed the cabin top for over 30 years because I didn't want kids slipping and falling off the slick surface, so the gel coat in that area is fairly thin. Since I haven't had kids up there for a long time, I finally tried the Polyglo on the cabin top about 5 years ago. I was amazed that it looked almost as good as the hull, which has had much less UV exposure!

I went back and checked it out after it dried...and it is really not that bad....makes me want to try and bring it all the way back....and leave it.

If the gel coat is intact without a lot of craze cracks and isn't worn down to the mat, it will look like new with the Polyglo on it, and will be much cheaper than paint!

It has some places that need repaired but for the most part in really good shape...since we are getting into repair mode I will start a thread in the other section.

Here's a link to Pressure Drop's old Seafari, He had an interesting hard-top set-up. Might help with ideas...
http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...t=Seafari+sale

Thanks! that is exactly what I had in mind...always wanted a spotting tower!