1973 23ft.seacraft

My Sacrifice · #1 03-04-2002, 11:34 PM

If I decided to go with twin outboards what brand or kind of floatation bracket would you think would be the best?

My Sacrifice · #2 03-04-2002, 11:35 PM

If I decided to go with twin outboards what brand or kind of floatation bracket would you think would be the best?

Trayder · #3 03-04-2002, 11:59 PM

I have spoken with just about all of them. Bill Potter is actually in the business now he makes an all glass one that is much lighter than all the rest. It is a bit expensive but not much more than comparable aluim models. Here is a link to them:

Seamark/Hermco

Other then them here are you other alternatives:

Armstrong
Gill
B-Bracket
seamount
<a href="http://www.dadmarine.com/index00.htm" target="_blank">Dad's
Marine</a>
Stainless Marine

I found Stainless, B-Bracket and Gill, tough to deal with. They did not want to bather with a small guy like me. I may have caught them on a bad day also.

Hermco was fantastic, he is actually a member of this site, seamount was also nice and priced well, I have yet to contact Dads but they seem very well priced and you can get them unfinished so if you are re painting your hull you will be able to get the bracket to match perfectly.

Keep us updated.

My Sacrifice · #4 03-05-2002, 12:07 AM

The other thought on the bracket and outboards is what is a good safe maxium horsepower. I would like to get the most I could but, I do not want to take chances with the structual integrity of the hull.

CaptMin · #5 03-05-2002, 07:19 AM

I'd leave the I/O in the boat. The gain in cockpit room is traded out in fishing space off the stern. The boat is designed and balanced for the I/O, and it's easier to work on if you are on the water and have a problem. It's cleaner and more economical. Motor parts can be purchased anywhere, and cheaper.
I have the original chev. straight 6 in my 1967 Seacraft. For the first 15 years, it hung in a sling at a camp year round, and was used 12 months out of the year. It ran at 2 speeds, wide open and stopped. It still has the same alternater on it. I replaced the head and valves on it once at probably 1/6 the cost of a power head on a large OB, and I recall replaceing a fuel pump while sitting comfortably on the deck next to the motor.
It's been on the trailer for the last bunch of years, but a neighbor changed the points, condenser, plugs, coil, and rigged a can for fresh gas, and it startd (about a year ago). No blue smoke, no black smoke, no nothing, and it ran and idled as good as ever.
There might be a safty factor also. I don't know what kind of water you use the boat in, but if you ever get caught in a bad storm or heavy seas, you might be glad that you didn't do anything to alter the balance, and sea worthiness of the
boat.

JeffS · #6 03-05-2002, 09:52 AM

Forgive me oh great one. I do not have a Seacraft but do have a similar hull I am just about to start to gut and build back up into a center console. It is a 24ft Seabird Hardtop OMC I/O *blown motor and crappy outdrive* which I plan to bracket and put a 225 on. Looking at the bracket links I was unaware of *flotation versus non flotation* Is there a method or formula for deciding which type you will need? And what about the set back length? I have read threads about bracket height and this gets pretty detailed as well. Then there is the issue of 25 or 30" shaft motor...Oh man....This all gets scary at times...*GULP*...The seabird has a deck below waterline and obviously is not self bailing. I plan to change that and raise the deck nearly 8 -10" and make it self bailing tho. I will still have great freeboard and my knees will still be under the gunwale....This site is going to be my little home away from home now.. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ March 05, 2002, 08:54 AM: Message edited by: JeffS ]

Billybob · #7 03-05-2002, 11:06 AM

I already oferred my opinion on the I/O, and Capt Min's point on fishability is well taken, the engine boxes I've seen on Seacrafts are pretty unobtrusive as well.I don't quite understand why some of you want to go with a longer shaft on a bracket.Seems to me that raising a bracket higher to accomodate a longer shaft with the setback that a bracket provides may alter the attitude of the boat,especially at below planing speeds.I can see a longer shaft on a transom, but only to keep waves from coming over.I don't get it as it relates to a performance enhancement on a bracket.Is it common practice to run 30" bracketed o/b's on a 23'.