Hi all,
I have been lurking here a good while and been soaking it in. I have a 20’ Seafari I am planning on starting a full teardown on soon (this was Otto’s 1970 i/o). My goal for the boat is a fishboat for Long Island Sound, not the biggest water, but sloppy water. I would like to have a closed transom and a fair bit of power (a light 140-150 hp). Low planing speed is important.
I understand how flotation brackets fit into the picture on these boats and the pros and cons. The question I have is what would the downsides be of extending the stringers and using the existing stringer system for support of a “bracket-like” extension rather than adding a bracket to a finished transom? If I have to “do” the transom and floor already it seems like the approach of extending the stringers and hull would be less weight in the end. I understand the time/effort/expense in all these approaches vs. adding a bracket. I’m looking for a project.
I can see three ways to go…
The first you could stretch the hull 2’ (or 2.5’) using the structure there and the original full transom would stay to become a false transom. I haven’t seen much talk of stretched 20’s, I know these hulls are long and narrow already. Thoughts?
In the second, you could extend just the hull center 2’ (or 2.5’) using all 4 stringers and hang the motor on the extension (see drawings). The extension could comprise the center and leave room for tabs outside. This would offer less flotation than stretching but more than a bracket since it would be deeper and displace more water (but would not offer the clean water/raised motor benefits of a bracket). Thoughts?
In the third case you could add an extension that duplicates a bracket by extending the stringers, but has a step in the hull as with a bracket (see drawings). This would exactly duplicate a bracket, but would probably weigh less without having the structure of a full transom with a bracket bolted on to it.
Original hull in blue, additions in red.
These may not be original thoughts, but I haven’t seen them discussed. I can see some concerned with the aesthetics of modifying the structure and I appreciate that feeling, but I don’t see a whole lot of difference from bolting and 5200ing a bracket on. I’d also rather see an old girl used and abused than idle.
Thoughts? I’d love to hear them.
Tod