New Sea Craft

[FELLOW-SHIP]

I was at Outdoor World yesterday mostly because I was a little board and didn’t want to sit around watching TV all afternoon. At the Outdoor World here in Dania Florida they always have a good supply of SeaCrafts in stock SOOO since I wasn’t doing anything anyway I looked at the NEW 23 CC and the 25 CC and came to a conclusion “If I was in the market for a NEW boat 23’ long I think I would buy a NEW one”, for a few reasons. Now you guys all know I re did my 1976 and am totally happy with that. But not everyone has the ability, time, patience, and beer to re do a boat. Most guys want to buy new because they cant or would never consider a project boat. So I looked at the SeaCrafts from that point of view and concluded that the 23’ CC if still a great choice. Both in design and in COST the one I looked at was something like $48,000 or so and that’s not bad for a 23’ boat with a 225 merc on the back with a Very Good T-Top and Leaning Post Seat. As for the 25’ at $70,000 with twin 200 merc. No Way not enough boat and too much great competition out there on 27’ CC in that price range with a bigger foot print and such. As for quality control I thing we all have a big ??? regarding that part “Time Will Surely Tell” and for me I wouldn’t want to make any final decision while the jury is out. Unfortunately it’s a up hill battle for SeaCraft to convince the public that there a boat company that can be trusted again. If I were them I would do what Evenrude did to help win over the public again by truly building a better product and by giving a warranty that gave people the sense of confidence needed for they to put their name on the dotted line. I think we all remember and will not forget “I have a Little Problem” and the reluctance of SeaCraft to go one step beyond to prove their commitment to excellence for THEIR NAME SAKE no matter if it fell into the exactness of the warranty or not. People look for someone or something they can TRUST. SeaCraft needs to be more that fare and a company ALL can trust. Sometimes loosing a battle can help win a war.
Anyway I still like the 23 CC and for the 25 they should stretch it out to 27 to 28’ with the same power and cost and that one would be a winner as well. As for the 32’ personally I think that a un bracketed boat with a above the deck large live well is required feature to compete with the rest of the bigger CC boat builders out there.
FellowShip [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[SeaMaster]

This Post Is Worthless Without Pictures! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Just kidding! Congrats on the knew boat! But we need some pictures now!

[kwluis]

SeaMaster...come up to Big Coppitt [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[ScottM]

Well said Fellow-Ship.

[SeaMaster]

SeaMaster...come up to Big Coppitt [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Actually we live on Big Coppitt. Right across from Circle K! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[kwluis]

I have the boat at a friend's house in Tamarac Park. I will be moving it in a couple of weeks and keeping either on Emerald or Tamarind...my friend has houses on both of those streets. I live in Big Pine, but the only way I can keep it in the water is to leave it down your way.

[Briguy]

2k Ron,

What exactly do you bring to this board? The membership here is a friendly group always wishing to add a helping hand. We also call 'em like we see them. I have been to Travis boating center in Sarasota many times in the last 6 months looking at the 32 SeaCraft and if you look at my previous thread the boat was an abortion. Friday I stopped buy Travis to look at a shiny blue 23 with a 250 Verado. I must admit, the boat had curb appeal. What I didn't like was the corner pitch wells in the stern and the deck livewell. I encourage you to come out of your ivory tower, drop your holyer than though attitude and go look at one of your boats coming off the assembly line. Please tell me that I am wrong with my comments. The underside of the live well had an unsealed 1/4 inch gap between the cap and the top of the well. This is is a receipe for disaster. I am sure it would take one of your employees all of 5 minutes to seal up the gap with a gun of 5200. The upper 2 mounting bolts for the Verado were already rusted. The hull upon closer inspection had gel coat scratches. The silicone bead between the rubrail and hull was done ok but could be better.

I guess the main problem is this. Your attitude: Finster asked you a simple question which you chose to answer:
Re: New Sea Craft [Re: Finster]
#27723 - 05/20/05 05:57 PM Edit Reply Quote



Finster,

I would hope that you are aware that most of the new things that are coming to both lines of our boats, I am not at liberty to say. There are going to be several positive changes coming, but that is about as far as I can go into it.

My reply to you is why all the hush hush? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] You can't comment of the fact that you are addressing design, material, labor or quality issues? Unless you are coming out with an "top secret atomic variable deadrise hovercraft SeaCraft 23" I think you can address not only Finsters but all of our concerns. A little advice: In order to fix a problem, first you have to admit it. Admit the glass work in the anchor area is subpar at best, admit you have livewell design/sealing issues, admit you have been living off the SeaCraft name for years with shaky quality.

Trust me, I have the $$$ to purchase any one of your boats but you have nothing to offer that's why I've owned my '78 for 8 years now. Fix your quality issues, design a 27-29 ft boat that runs as dry as my 23(I've heard the 32 is wet!), stand behind your product and you guys will be rolling in cash and have a following that makes Contender jealous. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[pair of jacks]

Ron- my experience with the problems being taken care of were very good but only because of the dealer I bought from. When I attempted to call SeaCraft myself, I had someone who barely spoke or understood English answer the phone, and then hang up on me ! I kept calling back my dealer who linked me up with Dennis Johannsen from SeaCraft who was excellent and got all my issues resolved. I have not had any contact with SeaCraft since they moved to NC. But as you can see, there are some design flaws in the boat which could easily be resolved if SeaCraft ever listened to the people who have bought the boats. Overall I love the boat but it could be improved without too much trouble- why wouldn't you want totally satisified customers ? There is no better advertising than that.

[strick]

What exactly do you bring to this board? I encourage you to come out of your ivory tower, drop your holyer than though attitude and go look at one of your boats coming off the assembly line. I guess the main problem is this. Your attitude: I think you can address not only Finsters but all of our concerns.

Thats just what I was thinking... maybe they have a secret method of sealing the live well that they dont want the other boat builders to find out about. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] One suggestion for SeaCraft.... fix the boats they are building now so they are flawless before they try and come out with a new models that are lacking of the same quality.

Strick

[SeaMaster]

O that's cool. Tell me when you get it over to Emrald or Tamrind so i can take a ride over in the boat to see it! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]