20' Seafari: The Resurrection

[Capt Terry]

Dogbomb-
Congrats on jumping into your project. The port hull looks real nice. First of all there is lots of good advice on this sight & not always in agreement (i.e. outboard brackets versus not). Here are a few of my comments based on 40 years with my '76 Seafari. See the photos of my instrument panel and teak bolsters.
1- As to the bow rail removal making it easier when you beach the boat. Beaching it is not recommended (as seen in other CSC posts). It will be hard to get on & off, not good for the keel, and if the tide goes out maybe impossible to push off. And the biggest reason it's easier to swamp if waves hit your stern. Better to add a swim platform to the transom, anchor bow out, back into the beach trimming up as you go, then plant a stern anchor up on the beach. Just step out of the stern jump seat onto the platform into knee deep water. Got any little kids with you, it's easier for them to go back and forth to the boat. I find the bow rail helpful for its intended purpose, keeping me on the bow deck when anchoring!

2- If interested I'll send some photos of my platform (I may have some on my phone, but not on the laptop). Together years ago Bushwacker & I built platforms with teak slats across a stainless u-shaped, hinged tube. (Bushwacker's went to 65Bowrider when he added the outboard bracket). Then a few years ago I added a fold down ladder, but devised a way to support it from under the platform. The platform serves another good purpose, if it's a coed trip and someone wants to go #1 without using the portapotty or it's too cold to get fully immersed, just sit down on it! Also a way to get into the boat if it's too difficult from your trailer.

3- I redid my instrument panel with Starboard to replace the faded brown, wood looking original. I basically kept all the switches & accompanying fuse holders in the original location. I have no fuse block in the bilge.

4- After my coaming bolsters were shot, I replaced the plywood backing with 3/8" thick teak. It stays under cover now, but 11 year old Siskins Cetol finish still looks great as you can see in the photo.

Best wishes

http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...pictureid=2213
http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...pictureid=2101

[Dogbomb]

Originally Posted by Capt Terry

Dogbomb-

1- As to the bow rail removal making it easier when you beach the boat. Beaching it is not recommended (as seen in other CSC posts). It will be hard to get on & off, not good for the keel, and if the tide goes out maybe impossible to push off. And the biggest reason it's easier to swamp if waves hit your stern. Better to add a swim platform to the transom, anchor bow out, back into the beach trimming up as you go, then plant a stern anchor up on the beach. Just step out of the stern jump seat onto the platform into knee deep water. Got any little kids with you, it's easier for them to go back and forth to the boat. I find the bow rail helpful for its intended purpose, keeping me on the bow deck when anchoring!

3- I redid my instrument panel with Starboard to replace the faded brown, wood looking original. I basically kept all the switches & accompanying fuse holders in the original location. I have no fuse block in the bilge.

4- After my coaming bolsters were shot, I replaced the plywood backing with 3/8" thick teak. It stays under cover now, but 11 year old Siskins Cetol finish still looks great as you can see in the photo.

Thank you for the kind words and the great advice!
I fully agree with your take on beaching the boat.
There are exceptions, and I do quite a bit of my boating at Lake Havasu
on the Colorado river. The beaches there are sugar sand, so no danger to
the keel. Also, the coves are very secluded, so no danger from other
boat wakes flooding the motor well. But I do agree with your advice
on anchoring and backing onto the shore in certain circumstances.
I have a teak swim platform that I'll be installing for just that reason!

Your boat is beautiful, and I covet that motor well splash shield.
Wish those were easily available, but I'll have to cob something
together in the mean time.

Cheers, and thank you so much for taking the time to respond!

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by Dogbomb

. . . Your boat is beautiful, and I covet that motor well splash shield. Wish those were easily available, but I'll have to cob something together in the mean time. . .

Vezo or RickG should have Don Herman's mold for that splash shield, so they should be able to get one made somewhere!

[Capt Terry]

Dogbomb-
Wow coves off the Colorado. Good for Watersports? My bucket list includes wakeboarding & slalom on places like Lake Powell.
Thanks for your compliment. My Seafari needs some buffing out, otherwise been pretty well maintained. As I told 65bowrider & Skippertee when they recently joined us on a lake outing, there are some absolutely gorgeous boats & restores on CSC. Neat-Sea is a bit like the 68 Vette I had 30 years. It was not show car quality, but was well maintained & used. Retirement has provided some catch up on my boat projects list.

[Dogbomb]

Originally Posted by Capt Terry

Dogbomb-
Wow coves off the Colorado. Good for Watersports? My bucket list includes wakeboarding & slalom on places like Lake Powell.

Oh yes, the Colorado is water ski heaven. Warm, flat water all day.


We go boat camping on Powell once a year. It's a fantastic piece of water,
and I look forward to spending a week on the SeaCraft next year!

[Dogbomb]

Originally Posted by Bushwacker

Vezo or RickG should have Don Herman's mold for that splash shield, so they should be able to get one made somewhere!

I'll have to look into that! Would be cool to have a professionally made
unit instead of my own questionable design.

[Capt Terry]

Originally Posted by Dogbomb

I'll have to look into that! Would be cool to have a professionally made
unit instead of my own questionable design.

I think this explains the Herman connection on the full splashwell that you saw in my recent photo. My Seafari was delivered in June 1976. It must have been after 1980 when Potter was no longer with SeaCraft that he had a company, SeaMark, making after-market parts. I ordered my splashwell from Potter at SeaMark. I believe it was Don Herman that was working for or making the splashwell for Potter and apparently continued to do that occasionally thereafter. There was a recent post that Don was getting ready to trash the mold. One of the CSC'ers got a hold of it when Vezo was interested (can't remember who), before it went to the dump.

[bigeasy1]

Tony,I have some new window rubber seal left over from my tsunami project.I got it from American marine.I believe they made the original windshields for seacraft.
I pretty sure the profile of the seal is the same on the seafari.I'm up in NY on Lake Ontario until the end of the month,but when I return I'll measure what I have left if you're interested

[Dogbomb]

Originally Posted by bigeasy1

Tony,I have some new window rubber seal left over from my tsunami project.I got it from American marine.I believe they made the original windshields for seacraft.
I pretty sure the profile of the seal is the same on the seafari.I'm up in NY on Lake Ontario until the end of the month,but when I return I'll measure what I have left if you're interested

Hey, thank you, John! That would be terrific.
I hope your trip is fantastic and that the fish are biting.
Your Seafari likes it here in California!

[Dogbomb]

Originally Posted by Capt Terry

There was a recent post that Don was getting ready to trash the mold. One of the CSC'ers got a hold of it when Vezo was interested (can't remember who), before it went to the dump.

Good information, thank you!
Maybe I can track down the current owner of that mold.