[abl1111]

Well, after a very long restoration of my boat I am glad to say that it is 95% complete. A few odds and ends here and there and she will be just what I dreamed of - and what I worked so hard to own.

I am not going to get into the details of the project here, although most of you who have been active on the site for the last 12-14 months know what I did and what stage I was at by the questions I was asking.

I will provide some overall performance review though. I removed (2) 4 cylinder, 140 HP I/O "Iron Dukes" w/ pre-alpha drives and replaced w/ (1) NEW Mercruiser, 8 cylinder, 5.7L, 300 HP, F.I., Fresh water cooled engine and a Bravo III drive w/ 22 pitch props.

She boogies. With a full tank of fuel ( 70 gallons ) and at full throttle - 50 mph @ 4500-4600 rpm. Obviously, I do not stay at that speed, but it was important to know that the right props were on - the initial choice of 24 pitch props did not allow the RPM's to get up enough.

Favorite sweet spots ---> At 3000 rpm's, she cruises at 29 mph, at 3200 rpm's she is at 30-32 mph. She purrs at these speeds.

The Bravo III drive is a machine. It pulls her out of the water w/ great torque and has no prop steer at all. There is no negative to this set up other than I will monitor the crap out of the alum 'zincs' and electrolysis. I put a Southbay strainer on the motor so she is not cooled through the drive.

The 12x12 Bennett trim tabs are an absolute necessity. It is the first boat I have had trim tabs on and it makes boating in the short, 2-3' chop I always seem to have here - a dream !!! You can really adjust the symetry of the hull's entry when in a quartering sea. Makes for a great, dry ride.

I am almost speechless about the way the hull cuts thru the aforementioned sea conditions. I had a 20' Grady White overnighter prior to the SeaCraft and the difference in ride is the difference between night and day. The entry on the SeaCraft cuts thru everything. She is a very forgiving, smooth ride. She does lean a bit into a quartering sea, but the trim tabs adjust for that ( It's my opinion that trim tabs are not an option here but a necessity ).

The quirks so far:

Those scuppers in the floor - pain in the ass - but I'll deal. I have yet to make the world-reknowned VORTEX - but I will. For now scupper plugs. She is very well balanced and unless two people are on the same side, aft - it is not a problem. Underway, no water enters thru the scuppers.

The &*$%^& hatch to get into the cuddy. It leaks at the front edge into the cuddy. It is an all around pain in the neck to open, close and stow. But again, something that must be dealt with - unless I can figure out a conversion of some sort.

Other than that. I love it. She has all the power I will ever need. She handles and manoeuvres like a race car - really cuts and turns on the dime. She looks like a classic boat from another time --- and handles like the best, most thought out boat available.

Any questions, I'd be happy to answer 'em.

-alan