20' CC ideas/questions
 

I picked up this boat several months ago, and have enjoyed taking it out almost every weekend down here in Clearwater since I purchased it. I have attached some photos so you guys can give me some feedback on some of the issues I have with the boat. I'm torn at this moment between, keeping the boat and restoring it, or selling it and getting something a little bigger and more of a Bay Boat.
The boat rides very well in my opinion except when it first gets up on plane. She jumps right up on plane with a 2005 200hp Mercury on the back of her. After it gets up on plane, the boat wants to ride sideways until I use the trim tabs to level her off. Other than that, and being a tank in the water, its probably one of the smoother boats I have been on for its size.

I installed a trolling motor on it a few months back(many said I was a fool that the boat was too heavy and wouldn't move well and doesn't draft shallow enough). However, I have gotten alot of use out of the trolling motor and haven't found myself wishing the boat would draft what a flats boat will because I would lose the smooth ride I have from it.

Now for my issues with the boat. Its a 1969, and it looks older and not modern. The outside looks great in pictures, but she definitely needs to be sanded down and repainted. But at the moment the boat doesn't really NEED anything to be seaworthy as I have used it every weekend for months... The boat seems so small with my big butt on it and seems like there isn't very much room to walk around the boat or fish and throw nets from it. It also seems very very narrow to me compared to other boats and rocks and leans a lot easier than other boats. There is a recirculating livewell on the boat, but its ghetto rigged and takes up an entire corner of the back of the boat and you lose even more fishability . I love the big center console as well.

Now for my ideas, I've considered putting in a Smaller Center console and moving it slightly forward and putting in a Leaning Post that has a livewell in it. Currently it has a leaning post, but you cant add a livewell behind it because theres a small hatch in the floor(I've considered turning this into a livewell, but it may only hold 8-12 gallons). And you also cannot center a livewell in the back of the boat because it will cover the bilge hatch. In the front of the console is a livewell that I use for a cooler because theres no room to hold a cooler on the boat and this livewell has no plumbing. It is a decent size though.

Now for your ideas and suggestions, should I keep the boat and restore and make it a custom boat the way I want over time, or is this maybe not the boat to satisfy me? It seems small, would changing the center console and leaning post open the boat up for me? Should I close in the transom and add a livewell there and push the motor back on a bracket? Any ideas or suggestions is greatly appreciated!

http://i46.tinypic.com/1jxjf7.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/28b3ztz.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/9knlg1.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/2v15bac.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/24zhnqq.jpg

Just my .02 -

You can certainly turn the boat into whatever you want it to be, IF you have the time, money, and desire.

My opinion - if you want a bay boat, get yourself a bay boat. Unless you dive in with both feet, you'll always be knit picking things with the Seacraft that you don't like or want to change. The only way to solve that would be to tear it completely down and build it back the way you want it or to just get the boat you really want from the start.

I've always thought the consoles were too big in the 20's. Others don't think so. I put a taller, narrower console in mine without the front seat and it certainly gives more room. Likewise, i have the smallest leaning post possible to allow 2 people to sit comfortably to open the rear of the boat up some, and it certainly helps. I have no T-Top on mine and it's a delight to fish 2-3 guys.

With a 7'6" beam, it certainly feels narrow compared to some of todays standards. Some 20 - 21 foot boats have an 8'6" beam. However, alot of thought goes into the design of boat and the length to beam ratio has a part in the way the boat rides. Plain and simple, the 20 Seacraft is a small 20 no matter how you spin it.

As far as getting shallow, you can consider a jack plate but again i wouldn't go throwing money at something if deep down i wanted something else.

What thrust rating are you using for trolling motor?Also,that looks like the longest shaft length they make.I am going to put one on mine for the spot lock and auto tracking.Thanks

62'' shaft 82 or 84lb thrust 24v.

"Now for your ideas and suggestions, should I keep the boat and restore and make it a custom boat the way I want over time, or is this maybe not the boat to satisfy me? It seems small, would changing the center console and leaning post open the boat up for me? Should I close in the transom and add a livewell there and push the motor back on a bracket? Any ideas or suggestions is greatly appreciated!"

My humble suggestion.......bring it down to Apollo Beach and give it to me, I can find something to do with it!! After I recover from the wife kicking my butt because I got another boat!

Seriously, if you want a bay fishing boat and fishing is your thing, over most of the other family/fun things, this boat with the big console, t-top and no casting deck in the rear is not going to work. If I was you, I'd be looking at a 22' - 24' Pathfinder and sell this one to me cheap, real cheap! :) :) Good luck!

Your thinking is about the same as mine. Though I don't mind the wide console myself without a top. Now the consoles from the later 70's and 80's boats, they're not my cup o tea and are huge for these little boats imho. Though the MA's pull off the taller console well because of the cap. Personally I'm not really a fan of the tall narrow consoles on a 20 either especially when the floor's raised. Theres no gunnel height in these boats which is part of what is so pretty along with the bow and sheer but to my eye the tall consoles especially when narrow let alone with certain t-tops can downplay some of the eyeball these boats have. That said that's strictly what's pleasing to my eye ideally and I am willing to give up a little function to form. I also have never seen an SC that wasn't pretty except maybe the 27cc. For the most part I've just seen some that were prettier than others to me. Some of you guys on here have found a really nice balance with form and function too.

Bucsfanatic, did someone cut the gunnels out of your liner and bring the deck out to the hull and brace the hullsides? Looks like you have a fairly narrow console and only the front legs of the t-top go to the floor? If that's the case you are ahead of the curve on interior room compared to most guys that have a top on a 20' SC and if the boat still feels small to you then all you could really do is bracket it to get back some the room behind the leaning post. For me personally I expect 18-20' boats to do a lot of things well and be versatile and imho I don't think you can find a more versatile 20ish but fishing in truly short water isnt its strong suit. Keep in mind, certain boats are kinda like Jeeps once ya get rid of it a point may come later where you regret it. How about 2 boats, lol.

Welcome to Classicseacraft. If I may, a few observations:

The boat is not original. The console has been replaced, the inner liner and deck have been modified at a minimum and probably replaced, and probably the transom, too. The hatches on either side of the engine well, and the engine well itself have been redone at least.

So if it's a tank, it's probably a result of the rework. Not all restorations are created equal. Some DIYers don't have the same eye for strong, light structures as Mr. Moesly and Mr. Potter. An original Seacraft 20 SF is light and nimble. With a 200 Merc, it should be a 50+ mph boat.

If the lean you're having to correct is to starboard, I hope it's because of a full live well located off center. If it's leaning to port, again, it's probably due to the quality of the rework. I'm not knocking your boat, just noting that some of your issues aren't common to a stock Seacraft 20.

The original '69 consoles were smaller than yours, but located about as far back. The later boats had more room behind the console. Your casting deck looks larger than original and that's going to limit how far forward you can move the console unless you swap for a smaller one.

Whatever you decide, good luck. FWIW, I think the 20 Seacraft is one of the most versatile boats of it's size. I've comfortably taken mine 40 miles offshore trolling for dolphin off the keys or taken it into the back country to fish for trout and snapper. I've pulled skiers with it, and just done pleasure cruising on the river. I think it's a better bay boat than a lot of the boats that are marketed as such.
Dave

Thanks for all the input, think I'm gonna sell her and go for a larger boat!

And I still haven't decided a couple of months later. She just rides so darn smooth when I go out, and it makes me think of restoring her over time.

What's the word on your listing problem? Are you riding sideways with the bait tank full only or empty also?