New here also

[tommy54]

Thanks for the encouragement, being in the boat rental business in Wisconsin is tough. Such a short season and so much work, haven't had a day off since the first of April. It's also great fuel for daydreaming about running around in the gulf this winter. I took a 16' flat bottom skiff to Bokeelia two years ago, got hooked on the Pine Island sound/Cayo Costa boating, and promptly bought the first Seacraft that popped up for sale in Wisconsin. I trailered it 1400 miles to Port Charlotte(had an offer of a cheap place to stay for a couple weeks) last winter and blew up the engine within an hour. I had it rebuilt even though its only a 20" shaft and I would really like to raise the transom 5". I have a pregnant wife and a 6 year old, so the word safety is now in my vocabulary. I need to break in the motor, so I'll try to get some pictures of the boat up. Thanks for the warm welcome, education, and entertainment.

[Terry England]

Originally Posted by tommy54

Thanks for the encouragement, being in the boat rental business in Wisconsin is tough.......I took a 16' flat bottom skiff to Bokeelia two years ago, got hooked on the Pine Island sound/Cayo Costa boating, and promptly bought the first Seacraft that popped up for sale in Wisconsin.....

Arrrrr, Tommy me boy, thairs a lot of Vikings up yur way, but the're a "tight bunch" - you got to pry 'em up off of their wallets - and you need a big crowbar!!

Speakin' of La Costa Island. Me an Jose Gaspar used to lay low there for a spell when the Spanards or the Federallies were lookin' for us. Back in 2014 we had a Seacraft Pirates Gathering there at Cabbage Key and Cayo Costa. If you go to this SeaCraft Site Log Book and look under the Gathering Tab you can find it about #14 or #15 down from the top. Lot's of pictures there.

The main reason I had to "open the hatches up" on the Marshtackie is I need a good boat to take all the provisions I need to build the Pirates Lair out on Cayo Caosta. Me carpenters and blacksmiths need compressors, generators, nail guns, various kinds of saws, cords, hoses, drills, screw guns, plus 20,000# of building materials - all pressure treated plywood, pilings and lumber!!!!. So she's an excellent hull for hauling freight with minimum power and the old Bowrider refuses to plow no matter how much hundredweight you stack on the foredeck. I think 'Ol Carl put a little bigger forefoot on the Bowriders and she runs high and proud regardless of the load.
This is a picture near the end of the work with 5 or 6 sheets of Masonite, tools and a healthy ration of Grog for the crew! (I had me painter air brush some rust streaks so no Scallawags would steal her from the moorings at night, - they'er very authentic!!!!)