New Member - New Project
 

Hey everyone! I picked up a 1978 23' SeaCraft a few weeks ago that's in need of some work. The hull is in great shape and the stringers look good but the deck and gunwale need some work, not to mention fittings and so forth topside.

Seems like most folks here have really nice looking boats or are working towards that. As much as I like gelcoat and bright white this thing is primarily used for guided duck hunts on open water so flat gray, tan and green is about as fancy as it will get.

I had to get her set up in a hurry about half-way through this past season and took a few shortcuts I'm not happy with - the "console" being a prime example. The previous owners made some curious decisions as far as the deck goes too. Taking serious water over the transom or bow would have been an issue since it would go directly to the bilge. The aft "hatch" has a gap between it and the deck of about two inches, and the forward carpeted decking just lifts up to reveal the bilge.

For now the big ticket items are to fix up the gunwale, strip down the deck, put hatches in, fabricate a center console and figure out whether the internal tank is any good. I've had to run top-side tanks due to fuel contamination I didn't have time to address.

So far all I've had time to do is get my decoys unloaded and start draining the internal tank.

I've been in sponge mode since I found this forum and a few others. Lots of good knowledge to absorb. I intend to put the info on props and glasswork to good use in the near future.

I live in central NC but mostly use the boat on the Pamlico Sound west of Hatteras.


http://i.imgur.com/WY7uGeu.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/9uF7u07.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/MxEFBv5.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/YZkWwQf.jpg?1

Wow- that is a special purpose craft, for sure! Makes me wish I was closer to NC to take advantage of some fine duck hunting. Good Luck with the project.

Wow - never considered a 23 for ducks/geese. Interesting - I like it for bigger water - how does the dog get in? Looks like the PO implemented side drains like the 25; you might want to look at other options if the deck has not been raised. Looks like it is not so heavily (re?)built that it is way out of balance so it could be easy- if you want a console maybe think about a very small skiff style one. Tabs might help for the clients to stay a bit drier on quartering seas.

My dog has been using the swim platform to get in and out while she's working - though getting in takes me grabbing her vest to get her all the way in when she comes back with a duck.

Balance seems pretty good on her own but she does like to lean if weight isn't distributed evenly. I've been shifting customers around as needed on the run to and from wherever we've been hunting at. They all sit forward anyway, so the only one who gets wet is me. It takes pretty rough water for that to happen so I'm not sure if tabs are something I want to get into yet.

The side drains seem a little sketchy to me and I can't tell if the deck has been raised or not, but I don't *think* it has.

As far as the console goes smaller is better since it needs to be out of the way. I haven't been able to find anything that suits my needs so that's the first thing I'll assemble and glass on my own. Initially I was considering plain plywood or perhaps coosa but now I'm leaning towards pre-coated composite of some sort to save on labor and time. Just need enough space for steering, throttle, simple gauges and a GPS.

That rig needs a console with a long seat/bench/decoy box off the front of the console and a scissor rig. Throw some paint on it and roll on!

mr gumpy
u pickups dat ole seacraft from me cuzin. he full of duck sheet don't lik what he did to dat sheer line. piss me off.
id use da duct tape sit under the helm fer cover up da hatch gap. it last more seesons.

see ya sam

Started into teardown today. Transom needs fixing too, one of the bolts on the motor bracket pulled through when re-mounting it a few days ago.

http://i.imgur.com/BKnzaUKl.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/NIZvad4l.jpg?1

always wanted to turn a 20' into a duck boat.....this is better!

Further destruction and teardown today. Nothing under the deck is glassed, just lots of raw wood and machine screws. What is it with machine screws?

Good news is the tank looks OK from the surface but I won't know for sure until it's emptied and pulled.

http://i.imgur.com/RbxSnRnl.jpg

Obviously not the original deck. doh!

At least you probably don't have to wear a respirator and tyveks to get it apart.

More demo today. Starting to rip the rest of the deck off, took the rub rail off and got a better look at what's left of the gunwales. Finally have all of the fuel drained as well.

http://i.imgur.com/B2D8fPIl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Mdqst86l.jpg

yikes!

Did you know that SC 23' also make excellent icebreakers? Neither did I!

https://youtu.be/Oen931zW14k

I've been a total slacker with updates as far as the rebuild goes. I don't have many photos of the process and fewer of the results.

Things done since my last update include:

- Rebuild gunwale port/starboard
- New deck with hatches, many mistakes made to be fixed NEXT summer
- New console
- Poly 52g tank
- New motor (Honda 250 during the middle of the season, DOH!)
- Paint
- Patching, everywhere
- Lenco 9x12 tabs
- New dog ladder/ramp
- Lights, lights, lights

About half way through the season the already temperamental Evinrude FICHT 225 decided to go full-persnickety and failed to start one morning. Oddly enough I had already decided to replace it with a 4 stroke since the motor cutting off all the time while maneuvering a low speed was getting old. Timing is everything though and it didn't last as long we hoped so the new motor hustle had to be done in between bookings. The new anvil on the back makes all the difference.

Since the Honda on the the wet, rotten miserable transom mean she sits a little low aft that's going to have to get fixed. The plan is to fully enclose/rebuild it and install a bracket of some sort. Also a side console turns out to be great room-wise but terrible if you have to run the boat with the blind up. So I'm going back to a more traditional center console as well.

I also learned that my jigsaw approach to rebuilding the deck was flawed and led to some problem spots, so that will be addressed as well. As much as I hate to redo it that's my intent, rip everything out and start from scratch with Nida-core bonded together to form one large deck-plate rather than one piece at a time.

This has definitely been a learning experience for me and thankfully an enjoyable one at that.

Here's some photos plus a couple of bonus dog-shots.

http://i.imgur.com/01d4IwDm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/rNVbhxhm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wKPQZyrm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4aUNn5Pm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uhKGF07m.jpg

First splash after repairs, she didn't sink!
http://i.imgur.com/2IY9CTAm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fT52iqem.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/G5z2TQsm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/6KmU25Am.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/C6PqSBjm.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ynPQNb7m.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TnK74m1m.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/LzqZdWXm.jpg

That has to be the ultimate duck boat :D
Rod