!8' SeaCraft Modifications;Make it Better!!

[Fr. Frank]

I've only been fishing on two 18' SeaCrafts. First one back in the mid 80's, had a 115 Mercury I-6 on it, with little Bennett tabs, and I think it rode in 3'-5' seas better than the 25' Mako w/twin 200 Mercs I had at the time. The Mako ran beautifully in 2'-3' at 25 mph, but above that in seas or speed it would jar your eyeteeth coming off the swell and landing. The 18' SeaCraft at the same speed in the same seas would get nearly airborne, but then with the bow tucked down it would land pretty softly in the trough.

The second time was recently taking a couple of trips on an 18' with a 175 hp Merc XRi. It would run almost 60 mph in the river, but without tabs and that bigger motor, it just didn't seem to trim the bow down far enough to cut into the swell out in the Gulf. So it pounded more than the one with the 115.

My vote for a great mod for the 18' is trim tabs.