Some help please on older seacraft models

[tomfl]

Need some help on older "potter" era hulls.

Are all the 20' hulls really 19' and change in length or did they make one slightly over 20'? Sometimes I see them listed as a 20.5' hull and am confused by this.

Also, how does the seavette hull compare to the 20' CC hull and what are the specs? LOA, deadrise, draft, weight, etc??

I'm looking to start a resto based on an older model and would like something slightly over 20' in length. It would wind up as a CC if I chose either model.

The later model 21 is more like a true offshore CC than what I'm looking to do as it's heavier, too much freeboard, draft, etc.

Thanks for the help

[ScottM]

The Moesley and Potter 20's are 19' and change whereas the post-Potter 20's were stretched to 20' 4" or so. The current 21' is actually 20' 5" and is more or less a 23' with a foot and a half chopped off the back. It's a more substantial boat than the 20'. The Seavette uses the 23' hull shared with the CC, Sceptre and Savage models. Perhaps you are referring to the Seafari which uses the same hull as the 20' CC.

Confused yet?

[BigLew]

Confused yet?

I don't know about the original question asker, but I AM!

Just kidding. (You can't tell your players without a score card!)

[tomfl]

Heck I was confused long before I posted! But the good news is that things are clearer now!!

What I definately DON'T want is the 21 footer that is basically a 23' with a foot and a half shaved off. I've had two 23' footers in the past and loved them, but for my intent with this boat I'll need to be very close to the 20' model in design as it will be an inshore and coastal boat for the most part.

So, if I really like the spec's on the 20' seacraft hull, but want something similar in design, weight, draft, gunnel height, deadrise, etc., BUT with another ~foot of LOA, I should be looking at the post-Potter era hulls? What years specifically should I be looking for? And are these well-constructed hulls?

Thanks for the help guys

-T

[Fr. Frank]

Tom, the Potter/Moesly hulls for the post-1968 20' are actually 19'8". The Moesly 1966-69 19' hulls are 19'6". Later hulls are 20'4". Moesly/Potter hulls are generally a bit heavier, with 4 layers of hand-laid woven roving fiberglass.

As a SeaCraft dealer in '87, we were told that in order to lighten the hull by 200lbs, Tracker had decided to go with an outer layer of 8 oz. cloth, 2 layers of 6 oz. mat (aka "chop"), and 1 hand-laid layer of woven roving. I don't know first-hand if that's what they actually did, just the briefing for changes coming for the 1988 model year. I don't see why that wouldn't still be as strong as you'd ever need a hull to be, it's just different.

I remember as well both the Potter 20'SF and the Tracker 20' had exactly the same fore and aft CG [measured from the stern], despite the length difference and the fact that most of the Trackers had a 25" transom. (20" was optional)

[tomfl]

Frank, that was a huge help, thank you for posting.

So if I'm looking specifically for one of those 20' 4" hulls, would it be safe to say I should be looking for model years of post '69 until '87 for the "original" fiberglass layup, and post '87 for the revised fiberglass layup?

-T

[1970]

No, the 20'4" started in the early 80's, maybe 82? It will be the hull with the raised boxes in aft corners

[Mikem8560]

Mt 82 is 20'4"

[Fr. Frank]

Frank, that was a huge help, thank you for posting.

So if I'm looking specifically for one of those 20' 4" hulls, would it be safe to say I should be looking for model years of post '69 until '87 for the "original" fiberglass layup, and post '87 for the revised fiberglass layup?

-T

No, because the 20' was still 19'8" until 1980 or '81. You're looking for an '81 to '86 if you just gotta have the 20'4" hull and the 4 layers of woven roving.

I suggest forgetting about the 8" difference, and just find a good SC hull from '69 to '86, and truthfully, I have never heard of a post-'86 Tracker SeaCraft 20' hull failure either.

[tomfl]

Thanks guys, that's the info I was looking for.

Will post once I get a hull and start tinkering..

-T