boat sunk...why? should i sell?

[Diablo]

Bitsamonkey,

Would you say all the 20 SeaCrafts are equally as likely to sink because of the design of the selfbailing cockpit or are some models worse than others?

I'm looking at the 20' Seafari and was wondering how they compare to the center consoles? How does a Seafari I/O compare to the outboard model?

[Fr. Frank]

Bitsamonkey,

Would you say all the 20 SeaCrafts are equally as likely to sink because of the design of the selfbailing cockpit or are some models worse than others?

I'm looking at the 20' Seafari and was wondering how they compare to the center consoles? How does a Seafari I/O compare to the outboard model?

My Seafari has three (3) bilge pumps. One 800 gph mounted right at the transom as low as possible. One 1500 gph mounted three inches higher nearby, and one 1500 gph mounted forward beneath the cabin sole. All automatic, all also seperately manually switched and wired. And when I keep it in the water for a few days, I still get up in the night and check on it.

[bitsamonkey]

I think Fr. Frank's post says it all. I used to keep my 20' center console docked in a well protected small river and anytime it rained hard I would go check on it. I used that boat a lot and never had run-down batteries, but that's what'll kill you. You can have all the bilge pumps in the world, but sooner or later you'll run out of juice.

[Diablo]

Fr. Frank is the I/O version of the Seafari any less at risk of sinking from taking on water? I assume the closed transom reduces risk of water rushing in if the boat sits too low from rain water collecting in the bildge. Any opinions on how the I/O Seafari's ability to self bail compares to the outboard Seafari and center console?

[FELLOW-SHIP]

This type of thread about sinking comes up approx 1 a year. I think SeaCrafts have got much more then their share of bad press. ALL boats can and do sink as I stated early in this thread. I personally have never got over ½ a gallon of water in my bilge at any one time now owned her for over 9 years. My bilge pump has never kicked on in 9 years either, not even when I go down to the keys and keep her in the water for a week at a time.
So what’s the problem?? I think one of the problems is to much weight in the transom and Scuppers at or below the water line. Another is the original vertical design of the Scuppers. Another problem is hatches that permit water to go into the bilge. Another is transoms set up for shorter shaft motors. Plus all the other things that Insurance clam reports state why boats sink as stated above. Keeping Small boats in the water all the time is very convent for the owner But risky 90% of all boats sink at the dock. I would never keep my boat in the water all the time, I would keep her on davits or in dry storage that way you have all the convince and non of the risk. I’m to cheep to spend the $$ so my boat is on her personal mobile crib better known as a Trailer.


FellowShip

………………………….
Just for the Grins

Official 23’ SF Antique Classic SeaCraft Owner

[gofastsandman]

Why is he always soo right?

Make fun of my slacker, but I have all of the above from their slactory. Low transoms and heavy motahs.

Cheers,
GFS

[strick]

You need to find out WHY YOUR BOAT SANK. The picture below is an original 1969 20sf, You can see the water line. It sat in a slip for 2 years neglected without a bilge pump installed. The slip backed up to a main entry to the harbor with boat traffic busting wakes on it's transom every day.

The inherent forces applied by mother nature are to sink a boat. All boats that float on water are collectively fighting these forces ALL THE TIME. In other words your boat is always sinking and we are constantly trying to keep our boats a float. For your boat to sink something had to fail and you need to find out what it was. The engineering and design of the seacraft was years ahead of it's time and provided your boat was in good working order (thru proper maintenance)it may not have been the boats fault.



strick

[Fr. Frank]

Fr. Frank is the I/O version of the Seafari any less at risk of sinking from taking on water?

Not that I know. I consider the risk equal.
Consider these potential risks:

• The low transom of the outboard,
• the bellows of the sterndrive,
• the leaking of the deck scuppers,
• leaking of the mounting bolts of either the outboard or the transom group,
• the leaking of below-the waterline fittings,
• the unseen crack in the hull caused by hitting a board or coconut underway,
• the unseen crack in the hull caused by loading improperly onto the trailer
• the leaking grounding-plate bolts, etcetera, etcetera...

If the deck drains on a center console do not leak between the deck and hull, the above list is uncompromised, and the hatches close and drain properly onto the deck and the deck scuppers are open to drain, without some other outside agency the 20/23 center console will not sink. Period. Even without a bilge pump, as there is no way to get water into the bilge except the above list (assuming i've not overlooked something).

THAT IS NOT TRUE OF THE SEAFARI MODELS!!! The cockpit sole of the Seafari drains directly into the bilge. This puts it at a higher risk of sinking. This is why I have three bilge pumps, two batteries, and a $30 solar battery maintainer on battery #2.

[Bushwacker]

. . . My Seafari has three (3) bilge pumps. One 800 gph mounted right at the transom as low as possible. One 1500 gph mounted three inches higher nearby, and one 1500 gph mounted forward beneath the cabin sole. All automatic, all also seperately manually switched and wired. And when I keep it in the water for a few days, I still get up in the night and check on it.

Fr. Frank,

I've been thinking about adding a forward bilge pump also. Where did you run the discharge hose for it?

I was thinking I might tee it into the drain for the sink in the galley seat. That thru-hull is only about 8" above the waterline however, so I was thinking it might be good to put an anti-siphon loop in it, raised up near the gunnel under the deck? Denny

[Fr. Frank]

Fr. Frank,

I've been thinking about adding a forward bilge pump also. Where did you run the discharge hose for it?

I was thinking I might tee it into the drain for the sink in the galley seat. That thru-hull is only about 8" above the waterline however, so I was thinking it might be good to put an anti-siphon loop in it, raised up near the gunnel under the deck? Denny

I don't have a galley seat, it was gone when I got the boat, so I just use that hull opening for my discharge fitting.