my 1974 23

[OTTERLY COOL]

I can't believe this forum exists and that there are actually Seacraft lovers out there. I owned an original 18 then I bought a 1988 20 (not the same)an dnow I found a 1974 23 and I'm in love. BUT she needs work. And I need help.

First - it's an I/O. The transom has been redone because the outdrive is a Bravo Two and that would not have fit into the original hole. I've noticed, however that the wood in the transom is damp. I've been trying to dry it out and progress is being made but I don't know if a transom replacement is needed. There isnt any soft feeling anywhere in the transom - in fact it seems solid as a rock. But with that dampness I'm just not sure. Do I need to replace or can I just dry it out and inject epoxy?

Second - two spots in the floor are soft. One is near the engine cover and one is near the console. What is the best method of repairing them?

Third - I want to replace the fuel tank - I don't think it needs it but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Any suggestions on method?

Finally, I don't plan on relaunching OTTERLY COOL until she is as near to showroom condition as possible. I don't care if it takes 2 or 3 years. But do any of you know where original parts can be obtained, for example, the louvre vent covers, side decals, marinium hardware?

I hope to hear from some of you soon.

[Sceptre]

Hardware restoration...here's a trick I used on my 1974 23. If your boat still has the original marinium hardware then have the pieces (cleats, bow running light, fuel filler, hawes pipes)polished to a mirror finish and then re-anodized (use satin finish). This will remove all scratches and put a new protective finnish on. Works great and they look brand new. You can still find the cleats in speciality marine hardawere stores. The bow light is no longer made according to Wilcox Crittendon the manufacturers/distributor of the marinium product.

[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA OTTERLY COOL
WELCOME TO THE SITE. THERE ARE A FEW GUYS IN THE N.J. AND N.Y. AREA THERE THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR MATERIALS. I AM SURE THEY WILL JUMP IN ON SOME COMMENTS FOR YOU. AS FOR THE TRANSOM I HAD TO REPLACE MINE AND I MADE THAT DECISION BY REMOVING ALL THE SCREWS AND THROUGH HULL FITTINGS (THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ANYWAY) AND THEN CHECK OUT THE HOLES FOR ME MINE DIDN’T LOOK GOOD SO I DECIDED TO DRILL SOME ¼” HOLES IN THE TRANSOM IN SUSPICIOUS PLACES TO SEE WHAT I WOULD FIND THEN I MADE MY DECISION. I ALSO DID THE ENTIRE DECK AND ALSO REPLACED THE GAS TANK. IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THE ENTIRE DECK YOU CAN DO ONE OF TWO METHODS DEPENDING ON HOW BAD YOUR DECK IS. THE EASY WAY IS TO DRILL HOLES IN THE BAD AREA (JUST THROUGH THE TOP LAYER OF THE FIBERGLASS DECK) AND INJECT A THICKENED (FARING MATERIAL MIXED WITH EPOXY) SOLUTION INTO THOSE HOLES. IF THE AREA ISN’T DO BAD THAT WILL WORK. IF THE AREA IS REAL BAD THEY YOU NEED TO REMOVE THE FIRST LAYER OF FIBERGLASS AND THEN REMOVE THE CORK LAMINATION REPLACE THE CORK LAMINATION WITH EITHER MARINE PLYWOOD OR ONE OF THE NEW DECK LAMINATION MATERIALS AGAIN USING EPOXY THEN REPLACING THE TOP FIBERGLASS PIECE. YOU CAN GET A BOOKLET FORM WEST EPOXY SYSTEMS OR PULL IT UP ON THE INTERNET. AS FOR THE GAS TANK YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED TO REMOVE THE CENTER CONSOL TO GET TO THE HATCH AND REMOVE IT TO GET TO THE GAS TANK. THE TANK IS FOAMED IN AND IT RESTS ON A ½” SHEET OF PLYWOOD. IF YOU DO THE TANK REPLACE THAT SHEET OF PLYWOOD IT WAS ONLY LAMINATED ON ONE SIDE SO IT PROBABLY IS SHOT. MY TANK WAS 100 GAL I REPLACED IT WITH ONE 120 GAL I ALSO MOVED IT FORWARD 18” FROM THE STERN AND 32” TOWARDS THE BOW. MY BOAT IS SETUP FOR A OUTBOARD MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE KNOWS MORE ABOUT THE INBOARD TANK THAT I DO. GOOD LUCK
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[Briguy]

FELLOWSHIP, When you moved your fuel tank 18" forward, what difference did it make in the weight in the transom? Any decrease in the water line?

[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA BRIGUY
YA I AM REALLY GLAD I MOVED BOTH THE GAS TANK AND THE LIVE WELL FORWARD. WHAT I DID WAS I REMOVED THE LIVE WELL FROM THE TRANSOM WHEN I RE DID THE TRANSOM AND I REMOVED THE GAS TANK AND REBUILT THE DECK UNDER IT. I HAD A NEW TANK MADE THAT IS 7 FOOT LONG (120 GAL) AND I MOVED IT FORWARD WHICH FILLED IN THE ENTIRE AREA UNDER THE CENTER CONSOL. WHEN I BOUGHT THE BOAT IT HAD A STEP DOWN INTO THE CENTER CONSOL NOW IT IS A FLAT DECK WITH A GAS TANK UNDER IT. THE TANK GOES TO THE BACK OF THE REMOVABLE DECK PLATE. THEN I MADE A LIVE WELL AND PUT IT WHERE YOU SEE THE LIVE WELLS IN THE NEWER SEACRAFTS. I SHIFTED THE CENTER LINE OF THE BOAT FORWARD ABOUT (MY GUESS 2 + FEET) I ALSO PUT A 15 GAL FRESH WATER TANK UNDER THE CENTER CONSOL PLUS THE OIL TANK AND TWO BATTERIES UNDER THE CENTER CONSOL. NOW THE BOAT HARDLY NEEDS ANY TRIM TAPS EXCEPT FOR PORT AND STARBOARD EXCEPT IN RUFF SEAS. I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM IN THE STERN OF THE BOAT WITH THE SCUPPERS THE ONLY EXCEPTION WOULD BE IF EVERYONE IS IN THE BACK OF THE BOAT ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER AND THEN I WILL GET A LITTLE WATER TO COME UP INTO THE WATER CHANNEL BUT NOT ENOUGH TO GET ONTO THE DECK. I WENT WITH A 30 “ SHAFT ON MY 225 AND I DON’T GET WATER OVER THE STERN EITHER. THIS WAS A MAJOR PRIORITY ON MY BOAT PROJECT I WANTED TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD AND WANTED TO GO WITH ONE MOTOR NOT TWO ALL FOR ALL THE SAME REASON.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Miles Offshore]

Hi Otterly, welcome to the board!!! I was thinking that with an outdrive on your boat minor wetness/moisture in your transom is not really a problem. All the stress is in the outgrive to bellhousing to motor connections leaving very little on the transom. I have an inboard and have approximately 1/16" of wetness down low and fairly high(bout a foot or so vertical in my transom and it doesn't concern me a bit. Whenever I repower it again I will reevaluate it but its not like having a pair of Honda's hanging off of it. There is a 74 i/o 23 at my pier also.

[Scott]

Hey Otterly ….. Welcome

Questionable transom???....me too...ultimately I will replace it (peace of mind) and then most likely get a Bracket from Hermco (many on this site have "bracketed" their boats with what seems to be fantastic results….and ….. gained a whole lotta cockpit)

Soft floor....I have a small patch on the casting deck/platform that is soft due to a fighting chair deck plate mount "pinching" the deck. I'll repair like Fellow-ship writes, cutting just the fiberglass deck skin and cleaning out the bad core material and replacing with plywood and glass.

Fuel tank....yep me too....personally I would replace it… especially if its original...regardless of it external condition you would be hard pressed to know how thing are inside (again a peace of mind issue) Me ... After I got the foam out from around it I found lots of wet corroded aluminum ....so my decision was made for me.....Not to mention its alot easier to do the replacement work now. I personally would not want to remove the console and T-top (if you got one) after the boat is all restored. Oh yeah if you need some names of tank fabricators let me know......but they are all in central NJ....Monmouth/Ocean counties

As far as the other stuff and finding “originals”….that I don’t know about …the louvered vents on mine will most likely go away but only immediately prior to the hull being painted or gel coated……Hardware….I was going with all SS from Bosuns (they are on the internet .... I believe in Long Island)

Here is a place in Florida that might be able to help you in your search for original SeaCraft stuff ... at least off of newer ones ... but I don’t know if they would have stuff for an original 74 hull

Marine Connection Liquidators-
561-465-6460

Sceptre…….

If you don’t mind me asking what did the restoration of the original hardware run you and where was it done????

And do you have any pictures of the work????? I have all the original hardware but it good and weathered and was going to give up on it……..You’ve stirred my interest !!!! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ July 25, 2002, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: Scott ]