1998 23 SEACRAFT BUILT BY SILVER KING

[specproj]

I've been told that Silver King, a FL builder of flats boats, built a few Seacrafts. Mine is a 1998.

Can anyone confirm?

The composite construction is the nicest I have ever seen on a SeaCraft, far better than on my Potter built 20 and 23, and the many other models/sizes I have looked at.
Appears to be vacuum bagged foam core - no balsa - nicely executed with fully filled kerfs and tapered edge strips around all core perimeters. All hinges on solid glass, no core. Foam cored console and transom.

I suppose I will learn about the solid fiberglass bottom's quality when I punch the big hole for the new transducer.

seacraft20@cox.net

[noffy48]

Hi,

I am assuming your boat is the red 1998 23 purchased from mass (my boat). You have yourself a great boat that is very solid. Just curious what are you going to power her with? Let me know if you have any questions about the hull as I never got to meet or talk to you in person.

[specproj]

Thanks for getting in touch.

FYI- the plate and copy of the MA Reg shipped to you FEDEX second day yesterday.

I have a long relationship with the local OMC/BRP dealer, and a 150 E-Tec on my SC 20, but I have heard too many bad reviews of the bigger E-Tec engines to buy one. A 2011 Yamaha lightweight 250 HP V-8 four stroke is now on the transom - only about 15# more than the E-Tec.

Boat went into the shop for a bottom strip/barrier coat/ 5 coats & 2 colors of ablative AFP, then to the shop for the new motor. Now at the canvas shop for weather curtains and covers,then back to the motor shop for prop trials and shrinkwrap, then to my front yard for wiring/plumbing and general cleanup before a planned early May launch. It will have Simrad GPS, broadband radar/fishfinder, 12" display for my old eyes.

Did the two livewell/washdown pumps port/aft work last year, and did they get winterized? I have yet to put power to them...

Thanks,
BP

[thedog]

I have a 98 also, the only problem I see is a small crack in the gelcoat on top of the combing. hasn't grown any in three years so I think it is done.
rest of the boat is still very solid, no soft spots and construction looks good
I was always told that 98 and 99 were years of quality built hulls, after that things start to get shaky

[noffy48]

Hi,

That should be an awesome hull/motor combination! The boat had a 225 optimax on it before and had good speed/efficiency, the 250 will be better. I was definitely going to add curtains this year if I kept it even though it is definitely dry when you keep the bow up. Those pumps did not work last year(everything was winterized though, the in floor live well could pump water out but not in--one thing I would recommend for the in floor livewell is to add some sort of rubber seal or something because rainwater or anywater on the deck goes into the livewell though that hatch so it does fill up. Definitely ask any more questions, and be sure to post some pics of it when you complete everything, I want to see the improvements!

[loginname]

what have you heard about the e-tec 's because i'm looking to power with a 300 or 250. the more info the better before i commit.

[KenB]

what have you heard about the e-tec 's because i'm looking to power with a 300 or 250. the more info the better before i commit.

Both the big block etech and yammy hpdi are super sensitive to fuel line restrictions. If starved for fuel, they fail with catastrophic consequences.

Not really a big deal if you are selling new boat and can rig the hulls the same every time.

Sort of a big deal, if like me, you will rig one hull, one time. I think the suzi 250 or new yammy v6 are the way to go.