Sceptres to Center Consoles - new molds
 

It seems like someone should produce a mold for the cap and the inner liner for a custom center console design. Then sell forms for people who are interested in converting old Sceptres to new Center Consoles. You can buy 23 Sceptres for dirt cheap and convert them to CCs. Just rip the floor/inner liner out and take the cap off and throw both away at the land fill.

Then use the bare outer hull and drop in the newly purchased custom inner liner in and Potter putty it down. Then drop the newly bought cap on. Then Rig it however your like. Basically a new custom SeaCraft at a fraction of the price of a Yellow Fin, Contender, Regulator, etc.

This would definitely make my life easier right now haha.

Would you pay $1800 for the inner liner and $1000 for a new cap? Curious...

True - the center console sell for more but where do you find Sceptre's " dirt cheap " ?

I guess.......the one's with tree's growing out of them.....and the " partly done projects."

I've had fun looking at a few " rock solid" Sceptre's that should have been named " Sponge Bob"

I would pay triple that for a drop in liner and cap. It would be impossible to cover you costs with the prices you have above. Material costs alone would exceed $1000 for a cap and $1800 for a new liner. If someone were to do it, there are a lot more 20 seacrafts out there vs. 23's, either way your market is very small and you are dealing with a bunch of frugal boaters ;). Poor Don couldn't even sell the molds of the hermco brackets and that was a GREAT product!!

Yeah $1800 + $1000 would be a no brainier for me, doubt those numbers would justify a mold though.

Interesting topic. As Big mentioned $2800 does not get you very far these days. But as he also mentioned 8.4K might be more like what to expect. I keep looking at this 23 sceptre in my yard. My buddy Bill and I got it for 800 bucks several years ago. A California boat rock solid. (thanks big for the lead) Been thinking about making a CC out of it. When you compare to a new boat yea it's cheaper but still a 30K plus project when you consider buying a new motor. That and I have not been out on the water once in over a year and a half suggest having ones head examined.

strick

I talked to a guy once that was planning on popping molds off of the original liner and cap if he could find one in good enough condition. I don't know if he ever perused that or not. It would be very costly to make a true good mold that was reusable many times that was supported well. The parts coming out of them wouldn't be cheep either. Some one like Metan doing their version of the seacraft hulls may have something like this modified for their restos, not sure if they sale parts or not.

They definitely pop up for really good prices WAY more often than the CCs.

One example, west coast, $300 with a damn trailer.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/b...713233520.html

https://imgur.com/TnNez7y.jpg

Here's one in Raleigh that has A LOT of work already done, includes a trailer, Armstrong bracket, tabs, etc for $7500.

https://raleigh.craigslist.org/boa/d...708335733.html

https://imgur.com/2A7YOQx.jpg

You would NEVER see those deals for a CC.

Somebody better buy that blue one with the trailer.... That is a bargain.

I would have to say that the Scepter/Tsunami format is becoming way more popular for those that are tired of the exposure and lack of deck space the CC are subject to. There are a billion CC boats out there to choose from but very few express/cuddy style hulls available for those that want them.

For me, there is no way I would ever consider going back to a CC with the way I fish and cruise.

I think "someone" would be better off making a bolt on parker like cabin enclosure for the sceptre.

The ride up front is not too desirable as it is. I can’t imagine being up front that far on a 23. Parkers were real popular in the big bend area on the gulf for a while because they seemed comfortable. That all changes in a 2’ headsea when the only way to survive the beating was to back them way down. Many a day I’d fly by them off the Hatch on my way out as they plowed along.

They do have one of those down in Morehead City, Dr Hand up here had one built and has the closed cabin on both of his sceptres. Boy dose it look sweet too...

Must be a Northeastern thing. Down here you would need an AC unit up top to stay alive in a full cabin... even if the door was open.

Absolutely a Northeastern thing. HEAT!!! If fall weather holds, you can be catching BIG Stripers as late as almost Christmas! Well, maybe pushing it. Enclosures around a T-Top, you’ll end up huddling. Haha.

This is a pic from the days of the Old Site. Posted I’d be in Va. Beach, visiting an old girlfriend and was hoping to fish. Craig Miles (member Miles Offshore) said Come On. Had to borrow all the layers of clothing I’m wearing from Craig! Met his close buddy and headed offshore in a 23 SF inboard. Had a blast, he put me on some late season fish, and I never froze my azz off with his help! It was Cold behind those curtains! Thanks Craig!

Vezo, Part II

I would not suggest changing the helm location on the sceptre. You'd just replace the windshield with a bolt down 3 sided cabin (similar to the picture below). You can make all 3 windows open forward, the side windows open too and have a totally open back (or add canvas if you are from the NE). It's actually not that hot in this configuration. Anyhoo . . . that's what I would do with a 23 sceptre and it would ride 10000 times better than a parker.

https://www.maritimeboats.com/images/img0088.png
http://www.bomon.com/images/gallery/...windows/01.jpg
https://www.mjmyachts.com/images/blo...windshield.png

You could also add two of these in the roof :)

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...zrUCStmh_Eus1y

I have a similar setup with the seamark pilot console. Even with the 85 degree humid calm days like the one in the you tube video . . . It's not hot.

https://youtu.be/YPY1wMsSc2o

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/.../fish_2013.jpg

About the same up here, I would be nice winter months but you would only want it enclosed 1/4 of the year.


If I remember correctly the one I spoke of was modified to have a hard back or a soft roll up back to help with this^

Here is the link to the ones I was talking about, believe he said that the mold was made by Carolina Yachts in Beaufort NC


He has had two of them built and installed on two different hulls. Both look great. Love the way the rear is removable.


http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...t=23185&page=2

Three sided enclosure with full up windows are ok here if not in the dead of summer but Parkers are 4 sided with a door.

Just for the record, I am open on all sides and at rest we ran fans June and July on calm days. Before I would come back on the boat from a dive Mel would spray them down with the washdown to cool them off until I could get my Crocs on.

This is what I would do :) minus the tower and a few outboards.

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...75346267_n.jpg

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...g_MaxW_600.jpg

The blue Sceptre in SeaPlusPlus’ post is mine now. Yep converting it to a CC.

Didn’t I see someone post that someone in Fla, I think in Stuart, hade a mold for a CC cap?