23 Ft SF Open Fish

[vcs]

I am trying to get an idea what a late 70's 23 ft open fisherman would be worth? I am looking to purchase one, there have been many of these that are for sale but pricing has varied. Are the older carbureted engins worth anything? I know the fuel injected engines get so much better gas milage. I have looked at a couple of 1980's which I know are not Potter built hulls and both have had bad floors that would have to be replaced. I guess that is where they had better control over the production when potter built them. Any thoughts would be great.
Tony

[peterb]

Here is what I have learned over the years.

I have owned two Potter era boats and love them. However, we also have many owners of 1980's vintage SeaCrafts here and they love their boats as well. I would think that anything through 1986 would be fine.

Boats that are 20 to 35 years old are going to get soft decks and tansoms. That's just father time. Both can be fixed.

The deck to my 1972 23' SeaCraft was repalced several years ago. I am thinking that the transom may have to be done within the next several years.

Fuel efficent 2 strokes or 4 strokes are the way to go. However, if you can get a very good deal on an older carb engine you can opt to buy it and run it into the ground. It is a simple case of mathamatics.

Good luck.

Peter

[FELLOW-SHIP]

Ha vcsjupiter

The other day I was watching TV and looking at a Houdini Auction. Those people were buying stuff that I considered junk for 20 to 50 thousand dollars. I thought they were nuts. But when I come across a totally trashed 23’ Seacraft hull that I could buy for just $4,000 and eventually spent $38,000 to finish her I thought I have the find of a century. You see those nuts were obsessed and infected with some sort of weird Houdini Bug where as I was making a very sensible and logical decision. Hope that helps you, if not I bet some of the guys from this web sight will assist you that live in Jupiter. I promises you they will not let you make any misstates like those crazy Houdini Auction guys did.



FellowShip
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Just for the Grins

[Snookerd]

Tony-Being on CSC a few days a year and afflicted with Fellowships referenced disease. IMHO, the Potter era (I have a 23SF)was better quality controlled, post Potter was quality with extra weight/materials(dad's 18 is a tank). After 1987, the boats were lightened up(I had one), but I think were built well with poor quality hardware. As for a Potter 23SF value-$4-$8K for a boat in need of a transom and/or deck with an older motor but may run well. $8K-$12K is either a steal or someones headache. A single motor 23SF above $12K should be solid. Decent 23SF's with a twin set-up starts at $15K-18K. Anything above 18K will have newer power and records of the work done which as you have seen goes in to the $40K area. That is how I have seen it since 2002........