Is an sf20 the right boat for me?
 

I have researched this boat as extensively as I feel I can. Now I am seeking opinions from knowledgeable seacraft folks. The boat is a 1975 sf20 with a 165 straight 6 mercruiser in it. My question is, is it the right boat for me? I will need to mount a trolling motor on it for the type of fishing I do, can that be done? I will be fishing in the pamlico sound region, I want to be able to get up in the creeks (2-3ft of water), fish the sound, which I have heard can get bad quickly, and also fish some of the offshore reefs. I have no doubt of its deep water capabilities. I am jus worried that the creeks will be to shallow and that I can't mount a trolling motor.... Your opinions and knowledge are greatly appreciated!!!

Personally, I would prefer an outboard. If/when my 23' goes away I will have a 20'.

Full restore with the lightest materials and a short backeded Etec on a jackplate. While a SeaCraft isn't the best inshore platform for skinny water I think it would do OK if kept light and balanced.

in shore small draft not its strong point but still doable. Would definitely go outboard to increase deck space. Handles the offshore chop pretty damn good too. its been my only boat and I'm on number two.

I would prefer an outboard as well, but I am getting an excellent deal on this boat...

Old, moose, and yea, you all three mention refitting it for an outboard. Any idea of the ballpark cost?

Depends on how pretty you want it. The old drive and motor are worth next to nothing so you would be starting from scratch. I would say a minimum of 2k to do the transom and notch it if you do it yourself. If you go with a bracket you will be into it for a considerable amount more. Now if that doesn't send you back to mama crying.... go price a new motor to go with it.

Bringing these old rigs back to glory ain't for the faint of spending the cheddar. Are they worth it... hell yeah they are!

Will it take a trolling motor? Or is the bow too high?

An I/O SF20 is a pretty nice hull - it can be pretty economical. Notching a full transom for a 30" shaft would make for a great package, but lots of $ and work... Given your interest in shallow creeks with a trolling motor, you might want to look at an 18. An 18 is a surprisingly capable hull; I used to fish with a guy out of Dauphin Isle AL and we went everywhere in his including to oil rigs a long way out. It worked well in skinny water too and I think a trolling motor would work on one.

An old 20' Seacraft is a nice place to be late in the day in a 2-3 foot chop and wanting to get back home. I've got around $1000 in materials alone in my totally redone full transom plus time, lots of time. Ask me how I know :D. I also have at least the same amount of time and money in my bracket build and platform. There are plenty of guy's who have trolling motors on their 20's.
If you pay someone to do the work it will be more, probably tripled.

Jump in the water's fine, Welcome to the club, Glad to have you :cool:

Bill, I think it's time for you to wrap that project up so we can start looking at a corporate clan to represent at the gathering this fall.

I'm getting the feeling that I CAN put a trolling motor on it (the bow is not to high)...... Which is good.

Also, I'm getting the impression that the boat will be OK in shallow water (2-3'), but would probably perform better with an outboard.

I would still like to hear opinions, so feel free.

Thanks' Ken, I just got off the mower. I did blow it off when I got done though.

I live near the Pamlico sound area a fish there a lot and the 20 sc if a perfect boat to do it in. I run up the Pamlico river a bunch and the Neuse as well. I will hit all the little feeder creeks for trout in the back waters and never had a problem. I fished a 22' flats boat before the seacrafts and can get all the same places with the 20 sf as I did before with out issue. The sound out near Hobucken or the Neuse river mouth can get nasty real quick and that is were the seacraft shines. The flats boats and skiffs I have had would get beat to death and I even split the hull in the flatsmaster mitchcraft I had out there once. The 20 handles it much better and I wouldn't want to be caught out there in no less of a boat now.

Thanks to all those that offered advice.

Sincerely,
Soon to be seacraft owner