23 Self-bailing deck history ?

[ScottM]

Recently found out from the original owner that my 71 Seafari was a "sinker".

John,
Was the original owner with you Sunday morning in the Back River? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] That was me in my father's SC, wearing the blue shirt, waving to you and your dad as we left the fuel dock.

[sokinwet]

Scott - Just saw your post; been out fishing or pulling my pots every night for the past week. Hey, someones got to do it. My dad wasn't the original owner, he stole it many yrs. ago from a guy who had to get rid of it to pay the Dr. bills when he had his 1st kid. I found out about the "Sinkcraft" because the guy and his kid are my auto mechanics! I think there has been a little payback $$$ going on when I bring the old GMC in for repairs! The "71" was "rode hard and put away wet" for many yrs. by my dad who felt that duct tape was the ultimate repair tool. I have progressed beyond that stage and have added 5200 to my preferred repair methods. P.S. Before some of you "purists" get down on my maintainance methods keep in mind that my "71" is all original, has been fished harder than most and is still floating! (as of this AM!)Hey I might even break down and replace the 85 Evinrude in a few years!

[SeaMaster]

my 1979 23 foot SC is self bailing through the scuppers. it is not a bilge bailing boat.

[red20]

You know what else lets water in that combined with a failing bilge float switch will sink you? Thoes darn bilge vents. On all of the 20's I have owned the first thing I do is fill them in. When I was 10 yrs old<1980> I was out on my dad's friends 1977 20' on a rough day trolling off of Miami. The vents let in more water than air and we ended up -- upside down 5 mile offshore.