cockpit scuppers 20 SF20

[ScottM]

Look out Ron Popeil!!!

[ocuyler]

My 23 is a trailer boat. Although it cost 3 or 4 dollars, and is an arguable solution, Salty Dog and I chose to fill in the transom scuppers entirely our my 23 and drain the cockpit directly to the bilge.

Stainless steel screens blocks debris. An all new triple Rule bilge pump setup backed up by a washdown pump with diversion valve for the bilge will keep her dry. A dedicated group 27 battery will manage that load.

It might be a long way to go to do this, but we've reduced the number of through hull fittings, a major sourse of potential water incursion.

The addition of the mooring cover will keep rain water to a minimum.

We'll see how it works out.

[EBEACH]

Regarding the floatation bracket (Seamark). The single engine bracket gives you 420 lbs of buoyancy to the bottom of the swim platform, and the twin engine unit 890 lbs.

Question: when installed, what is the relation of the bottom of the swim platform to the height of the deck? If not installed at or below the height of the deck, won't this negate the "useful" buoyancy?

[Robert Fowler]

Well folks, as a brand new member, I had no idea what I started when I posted my question about my 1974 SF20 scuppers. At this point I have made my decision and have instructed the mechanics to raise the deck 1" (it was in need of replacement), raise the level scupper wells and install brass scupper ball drain fittings at the deck level and then exit the scupper drains thru the transom as high up as practical. I am also having the deck slightly pitched from the center to both port and starboard sides to insure water will flow from the deck to the scupper drains in as much as the original gutter behind the bait well will no longer be there.

In addition to raising the deck and modifying the scuppers, I am raising the transom 5 inches and going to a 25" shaft on my new Merc 200 EFI. You see, this boat has "gone down" four times over the years. In fact, I'm having her "AwlGriped" "Fighting Lady Yellow" in honor of the old song, "We all live in a Yellow SUBMARINE".

Of interest, I am the original owner of this SeaCraft (1974)and I do not remember this backflow water problem existing in the boat's earlier years. Back then my power was a 135 hp. Today its a 200 hp - a substantial weight difference. My wife says that's not the real problem. She reminds me that back then, I was the 180 pound skipper that today is the 220 pound model. Maybe a diet is part of the solution.

Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions. I'll post the results after she's finished.

R. Fowler

[ScottM]

Originally posted by Robert Fowler:
You see, this boat has "gone down" four times over the years. In fact, I'm having her "AwlGriped" "Fighting Lady Yellow" in honor of the old song, "We all live in a Yellow SUBMARINE".

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You're the original owner of a boat that has sunk 4 times? [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] You are perhaps the most dedicated of all classic SeaCraft owners!

[onthefly]

Greetings! Talk about kismet! I posted a question about my squishy Topsiders on the FL Sportsman Boating Forum and boom! zowie!, a reply directed me to this site. What a pleasant surprise. (I feel a little like Dorothy waking up back in Kansas.)

Little did I know I was landing in a hot (wet) topic. I look forward to hearing more about the "Vortex Solution".

Great to find you all...

Cheers,
RB

[JohnB]

Rick,
Glad you found your way over here. As I said on the FS site, when these boats where designed in the late 60's/early 70's, there was alot less motor on the transom, and they sat alot higher in the back. Also, a wet transom can add alot of weight to the rear end of the boat.
The final solution for alot of people is a floatation bracket. Rabuds certainly are a stopgap solution though.

[Miles Offshore]

Robert,4 times, damn, now I know why tommy tuna calls his a "sinkcraft". Can you tell us how it sank??All at the pier(I hope) and the one I think about most, did she sink "all the way".I have to agree with Scott, You are definietly the "most dedicated"

[Robert Fowler]

I have been asked to explain how my SF 20 sank 4 times over the years.

Sinking 1. While lifting on davits, the relatively new rear cable broke and the stern went completely in submerging the engine. Remedy - I changed to stainless steel cables.

Sinking 2. Sabotage. I am a developer and I kept the boat at a dock one evening at one of my condominium projects. Someone pulled the plug and the boat completely submerged. The owners' complaint was that I did not provide enough dockspace for the condominium. Remedy - I didn't add any dockspace; however, I never left the boat there again.

Sinnking 3 - While fishing in the Gulf and backing down on a fish in a moderate sea, three of the "crew" decided to quickly run to the stern to get a better look at the fish at which time the transom went below the water and a sea entered and instead of the scuppers acting as a "self bailing" feature, they became a "self sinking" feature. There just was no tolerance for this weight in the stern of the SeaCraft. It all happened amazingly quick. Even though all body weight was transfered forward immediately, there was so much water taken on that the bilge pump was of no value, salt water immediately got into the carbs of the engine, and we sank. Floatation made it sink SLOWLY though. Remedy - I am now a flats fisherman and own an HPX Maverick Mirage (draws 5 inched - can't sink in 5 inches of water).

Sinking 4 - Recently I was on Safari in Botswanna. I invited my guide to the States. Amongst many adventures, I wanted to take him out to our barrier islands (Captiva and Cayo Costa). We used the SeaCraft. The day was windy and the seas at about 2 to 3 feet. Plan was to anchor just off the beach and swim in. The guide, who I looked up to as my "Crocodile Dundee" type friend, could do about anything inthe wild but, as I learned, could not swim (understandabel living in Botswanna). Therefore, after anchoring off the bow, I reversed the engine to get the stern closer to the beach and to enable me to take a 100 foot line and tie the stern off to a tree way up on the beach. This allowed for easier access from the boat to beach. About an hour later, we took a walk up the desolated beach and during that time the wind shifted creating a different wave angle to the boat. Upon our return trip up the beach, I saw the flotsom (cushions, towels, etc) floating in the sea and they looked familiar. Sure enough, by the time we got to the boat, she was completely down and in the surf. Once again, water came over the transom. Boat US and Sea Tow were called. They declared the vessel "salvage", got a pump aboard, and towed it to sea. $ 3,200 later, they had her to a boat ramp where we hauled her and took her back to the ranch. Remedy - I let her sit on that trailer for two years as punishment (actually, I deserved some of the punishment for my stupidity for I know how dangerous the transom design design is).

After all that I went out to by a new SeaCraft. Couldn't do it. Guess my old SF20 has been too much a part of me for 30 years - been too many places together, she helped me raise my kid, just too many good times in the past. So now she is being completely reconstructed as I have mentioned before. However, she now will have a 5 INCH HIGHER TRANSOM WITH A SPLASH WELL AND A NEW SCUPPER DESIGN.

By the way, her name is "SPIRIT OF AMERICA" and like her name, she is strong and enduring. She's worth taking care of.

[ocuyler]

Robert,

It takes a real guy to reveal all that. I repect the fact that, one, you're out there "doing it". And, two, you're headed back out for more.

It goes to show you, SeaCraft, despite some design "issues" just keep hanging in there and coming back for more.

Good for you, man...