Quote:
Originally Posted by crsavage1
. . . I have read most, if not all, of the sticky posts for things like brackets etc. My original thought was to, when ready, add an armstrong bracket for a little more room in the back. I have built a new console I modeled out of foam and glassed it (I do things backwards, I wanted to understand how the process works) and figured it would give us a little more working space and perhaps some better seating. The bracket discussion gave some fair guidance about putting a bracket on a 20'. I assume some folks are running updated power on the 20's with and without brackets? Are the newer 4 strokes too heavy for a 20' or did I misunderstand?....
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I'll try to address a couple of items . . . Terry did give you very good advice. He's been messin' around with boats for a long time and has a great perspective on your dilemma!
First of all, just because a SeaCraft is mostly original, that doesn't necessarily mean it has lot of problems. My own 44 year old boat is almost all original, except for the filled-in (but still original) transom! New SeaCrafts back in the 60's & 70's were premium well-built boats, so were not normally bought by first timers due to price. Most original owners were experienced boaters that knew what they were doing and generally took good care of them. The age of the boat is much less important than how well it was cared for by subsequent owners! I'm the second owner of my boat but I had previously owned 2 other boats for 8 years before I bought it, so I knew enough to not go drilling holes in cored decks and transom without proper sealing, etc.
As to how much of a "project" you should take on, only you can answer that since we don't know your skill level or experience, shop facilities, how much time you have available, etc. It's hard to put a price on the satisfaction you'll get from a good restoration you did yourself, but anyone that has done a restoration will be quick tell that you'll never come close to getting your investment back when you sell it! You have to balance that vs. the depreciation of a new boat and the satisfaction that DIY work provides and the knowledge that a well balanced and maintained 70's vintage SeaCraft will ride and perform better and probably outlast most similar new boats on the market!
Although you seem to be focused on a center console model, as most new boaters are, maybe for ease of handling anchor & dock lines, you say you're looking for a family boat, so don't overlook a model like the Seafari or Sceptre. Not only do they offer much more versatility with more deck space, dry storage, opening windshields, an enclosed head, and more protection from the sun and weather, because they're in less demand, they can often be bought for less than a CC model in equivalent condition!
Regarding power, any of the 20' models are relatively light, and because Moesly's slender variable deadrise hull is so much more efficient than fat modern deep-V hulls, they don't NEED a lot of power. When new they were typically sold with 85-135 hp motors, which was more than adequate for normal use. They were designed for motors of 300 lbs or less! I ran mine for 34 years with a 115 hp/300 lb motor, and I can tell you from years of experience with that combo that if you hang much more weight on the transom, you will NOT get the renowned ride and performance these boats were known for back in the day! 400 lbs is about the upper limit on motor weight. With more than that on the transom, you have to start moving weight around to keep the CG right, and that eliminates 4-strokes over about 115 hp. The 140 Zuke at about 420 lbs is the absolute heaviest I'd recommend. And if you add a bracket, not only will you have to move the console and trailer axle forward, you'll absolutely need to add other bandaids like AV plate fins, 4B props, and trim tabs! And regarding brackets, I'd consider the fiberglass Hermco bracket, which has much more flotation at rest, eliminating corrosion issues and maybe the need to raise deck, etc.