Float Test - 23' Sceptre
 

I am nearing the final stages of my rebuild after 5 long years. The plan is to put a 300 Suzuki on her in June and start testing props and motor heights soon thereafter. I am going to be keeping her in a boathouse and need to order a lift so I needed an estimated weight for the boat. I also wanted to see how the boat sits in the water now that I’ve added the hard top and upper station.

Total weight of the boat is going to be around 5,000 pounds once I add the motor and fuel. That doesn’t account for a bunch of fat guys fishing, beer, ice, etc. Gonna be heavy for a 23’ boat but I think that 300 will push her just fine.

Here are some pics with drums of water to simulate the weight of fuel and motor. The actual fuel will sit further aft and the drum I am using to simulate the weight of the motor is lighter than a 300 Suzuki actually weighs (440 v. 640 pounds).
http://i.imgur.com/qspqQYI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/IBbk4kF.jpg

After removing all the weight, the boat actually sits at rest with a more forward attitude but this really doesn’t mean much given that there is no motor weight or anything else for that matter.
http://i.imgur.com/l1Hs21N.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/TDfUD6Y.jpg

I’m very interested to see how she does with a motor and we have some performance data. I will have the Suzuki prop and I also have a second prop I can use which will give me some options (thanks KMoose!).

I don't know how to make my images smaller :(

While the boat was in the water, I took the opportunity to weigh the boat/trailer and then only the trailer.

https://i.imgur.com/OBToXGM.jpg

Interesting - the original SeaCraft specs show dry weight of a Sceptre to be 2,800 lbs. How much do you figure the tower and top weigh?

The Sceptres built by CSY in the early '80s were around 3,100# dry. He might have one of those.

The boat is a 1976 so it was around 2,700 lbs. new. It's 42 years old though so it is most likely heavier now. I enclosed the transom, added the motor bracket, and 2x seat boxes. Those mods alone would have added 200 - 400 pounds which would leave around 500 pounds to account for the top which seems about right.

As we commonly say in the oil field........there's no replacement for displacement!!!

450lbs of ice/cooler/drinks is a LOT of Beer. I usually carry 125lbs of ice on commercial trips and that's usually plenty for a day.
450lbs may include 4 batteries?

The boat looks great! what's your clearance on the trailer?

You are right, that is too much. I was being conservative and I forgot the batteries so I suppose overall weight should be about right.

I am not sure on the exact clearance, but it is somewhere just under 12 feet. I have a barn with 12 foot doors and it just does clear it with the top hinged down into the cradle.

I'd make sure it didn't exceed 11'-6".