Looking at an 18' Sea Craft, ... need some help...

[VirginIslander]

Thought I'd post an update.

I'm now the proud owner of a Classic SeaCraft.

I towed it home Monday, and spent hundreds of dollars picking up all the obvious things it was going to need.

The first order of business was to have the Bimini top restitched so I could work in the shade, I picked it up yesterday afternoon and put it on this morning. Yesterday was spent doing a thorough cleaning (a lot easier with the top off), after making a dumpster run with all the old, moldy/rotten/mildewed stuff that has been setting in it for the last 6 months and spending yet more hundreds of dollars on new stuff.

Today was electrical system refurb day. Put new batteries, cables and battery boxes in, cleaned up the battery selector switch, and added a terminal block for the negative connections. ... Also ran a new pair of #10 power feed lines up to the fuse block.

With everything looking good there, it was bilge pump R&R time calling my name. ... What A Pain

You goatta do everything thru a stinkin' inspection cover, and everything was a slimy mess. .. Turns out it had a Rule 2000 gph pump which cleaned up and tested fine, but the float switch needed replacing (another $48). I also ended up fabricating a new mounting assembly for the pump and switch which attaches to the transom up higher, where it's easy to reach, but keeps the pump placed properly. (the pump was just sort of hanging on a big cable tie screwed to the transom .... such is "local engineering") There's a pvc pipe tunnel (actually, a half moon shaped piece of 3" pvc)that runs along the keel and ends about 3" short of the transom. The pump just fits into that little space. ... I'm guessing this is a normal part of the contruction?

Anyway, I still need to pull in the new bilge pump wiring and some new coax for the VHF, so I'll probably have it seaworthy by Tuesday or so (weather dependant) . ... The timing came out perfect, as I'm on vacation this week coming so I can take the time to get it all together nicely.

I'll try to get some pics up soon.


Darlene