Bottoms Up 23 Build
 

I have been lurking for a few years now and watching the bulls here getting inspired. I should know better have a good friend finish a bay boat build in 5 year while friends laughed. Including me. I just like building stuff. It makes me happy.
I have been trolling Craigslist looking for years a a deal popped up on a 1968 23'. The build plan is not to kill myself in the summer heat. Florida can be brutal through October. I picked up the hull in May and have a good start. Doing a little when I get a chance. I have trouble letting a project sit without finishing it. I will pick up the pace next month.

Plan is to gut all the wood. Replace the floor and transom with Cossa board. Replace tank with two 64 gallon Moeller poly tanks. Hang an Armstrong bracket. Fix the t top and powder coat. Cleanup the original console. Simple right?

Great find! Welcome to the never fully ending project world of a SeaCraft owner!! Enjoy!!!

I have the stringers cleaned out. My plan is to overfill the stringers and raise the deck 1.5". The transom is now ready for the Cossa board. I have it cut to shape and is ready to be bonded in. I want to hold off installing because it's a pita to climb over repeatedly.

Here are the pics

Here are the tanks I plan on ordering this weekend after one last dimension check for deck clearance. $270 each off amazon

Looks like you are making good progress and planning with the right materials. My only concern would be with a plastic tank. With new and varied fuel additives in todays market I would have concerns with how they could impact longevity of the tank. I you plan on having a removable hatch for access I could see it but if you're decking over it solid I would spend the coin on a good aluminum tank that will last for decades if built and installed properly.

Thanks for the advise. I just had to throw away a newer tank that was installed with foam. I did a lot of reasearch on this and know the risks of plastic tanks. My bay boat is 12 years old and has May problems with water in the fuel. I don't use ethanol free gas because of the price and convenience. The biggest change I've made is to use a 2 micron separator. The maintains that has protected my system. It's the same filter the fuel polisher guy used. I've had good luck with that plastic tank.

My biggest risk I properly installing. I have 1/2" on each side and will need to line the stringers with neoprene. The bottom will also need to be fully supported. This will take some work as the bottom changes pitch along its length. I'm planning on shaving foam blocks down to fill the gap then glassing them in. They will also get a layer of neoprene. I don't have plans for a removable hatch but I have an idea that I may try. What about a indention delineating a cut line? That's what my bay boat has with it's plastic tank.

1968 23' SeaCraft ? What is your hull I'D ?

I can't type into a iPhone. It's a 1986 23'