Looking at an 18' Sea Craft, ... need some help...

[VirginIslander]

Greetings from the sunny caribbean.

I'm here in the US Virgin Islands, and there's not a lot of decent small boats to be found..... Especially for what by stateside standards would be reasonable cost.

I've been looking at what seems like a well cared for 18' Sea Craft SF. The motor is a '98 or '99 Evinrude Ocean Pro 150, (the eagle series 60 degree V6 blocks) but the boat is older. I'm trying to do my homework on it before I buy it.

The hull ID number, as best as I can make it out (several coats of awlgrip covering it) is SECF80321078. I'm thinking that it's Potter era vintage, but not sure. I was hoping you guys might be able to tell the year from the hull number. The aluminum capacity plate on the starboard side of the console is completely illegible, so that's no help.

Hoping you all might be able to sleuth out the year, and give me an idea of what kind of performance to expect.


Many Thanks in advance,

Darlene


PS;
It has a bimini top, low bow rail, and that transom closure in front of the motor well. These seemed like standard fare for this boat?

[CHANCE1234]

Here is the manufacturer by year list that I lifted from a Capt Chuck posting.


SEC = SeaCraft Inc (Potter 1969 thru 5/80)
csy = Carribbean Sailing Yachts (1980-1982 23'& 27' SeaCrafts only)
SIC = SeaCraft Industries Corp (1980 thru 1987 other SeaCraft Models) (Potter on Board of Directors approx 1 year after sale)
TXY = Sarasota Marine Corp ('86-'88 csy Parent Co)
SIC = Tracker SeaCraft of Fla (1987 thru 1990) all models
SXC = Stern Craft Corp (1994 Silver King Parent then Tracker Parent Co in 1995)
MIC = Silver King Boats (1994-2002 Mako Marine Parent Co)
MRK = Mako Marine (2002 Parent Co SeaCraft from Tracker

hope this helps

[NoBones]

Welcome to CSC Darlene,
SECF80321078
Born on 10/1978
It is a Potter.
Good luck, Ken

[VirginIslander]

Welcome to CSC Darlene,
SECF80321078
Born on 10/1978
It is a Potter.
Good luck, Ken

Wow, You guys are super.

If all the paper work is in order (sometimes an "iffy" thing down here) I'll be a CSC owner in the next week or so. Which means I'll have to get a "Potter Built" decal ..... Hope you don't mind a few questions here and there.

The trailer needs some attention, but this whole island is only 21 miles long, you can limp home from almost anywhere.



Darlene

[nestorpr]

Welcome to CSC Darlene. I travel to your neck of the woods at least once a year on business. Where in St. Croix will you boat?

[VirginIslander]

Welcome to CSC Darlene. I travel to your neck of the woods at least once a year on business. Where in St. Croix will you boat?

I'm primarily a diver, not a fisherperson, so most trips will be close to shore to search for some cool dive sites that the regular dive operators don't go to, or to go to sites that they do, but keep you on a recreational level time frame which doesn't work for me. When the weather is nice, it's a 40 mile run to St Thomas / St John and there's some nice wrecks over there I'd like to dive.

The plan is to keep it on the trailer at the house here, and be able to launch at whatever ramp is closest to where I plan to explore.

I was over looking at it again this afternoon, and put a battery charger on the batteries (it's been sitting for maybe 4 to 6 months) and checked out the motor. It started right up and sounded very smooth with a nice clean idle. You could feel the temp change in the water coming out the pisser as the thermostats function. It needs a little work on the console instruments wiring, but that's no problem.

The boat itself felt a tad soft underfoot in a few areas of the floor. Maybe in a year or two, if we don't go to something bigger, I'll redo the floor. Trying to flex the transom by hanging on the tilted up motor revealed it to be very solid.

Probably do a sea trial next weekend and make a final decision then, based on how it goes, and how much negotiation skill I have.


Darlene

[nestorpr]

I think the boat will run really nice in your area and you'll be pretty happy with it. Good luck in the negotiations!

[Ikan Besar]

I used to have a '76 18' and often wish I'd kept it...

[VirginIslander]

Thought I'd post an update.

I'm now the proud owner of a Classic SeaCraft.

I towed it home Monday, and spent hundreds of dollars picking up all the obvious things it was going to need.

The first order of business was to have the Bimini top restitched so I could work in the shade, I picked it up yesterday afternoon and put it on this morning. Yesterday was spent doing a thorough cleaning (a lot easier with the top off), after making a dumpster run with all the old, moldy/rotten/mildewed stuff that has been setting in it for the last 6 months and spending yet more hundreds of dollars on new stuff.

Today was electrical system refurb day. Put new batteries, cables and battery boxes in, cleaned up the battery selector switch, and added a terminal block for the negative connections. ... Also ran a new pair of #10 power feed lines up to the fuse block.

With everything looking good there, it was bilge pump R&R time calling my name. ... What A Pain

You goatta do everything thru a stinkin' inspection cover, and everything was a slimy mess. .. Turns out it had a Rule 2000 gph pump which cleaned up and tested fine, but the float switch needed replacing (another $48). I also ended up fabricating a new mounting assembly for the pump and switch which attaches to the transom up higher, where it's easy to reach, but keeps the pump placed properly. (the pump was just sort of hanging on a big cable tie screwed to the transom .... such is "local engineering") There's a pvc pipe tunnel (actually, a half moon shaped piece of 3" pvc)that runs along the keel and ends about 3" short of the transom. The pump just fits into that little space. ... I'm guessing this is a normal part of the contruction?

Anyway, I still need to pull in the new bilge pump wiring and some new coax for the VHF, so I'll probably have it seaworthy by Tuesday or so (weather dependant) . ... The timing came out perfect, as I'm on vacation this week coming so I can take the time to get it all together nicely.

I'll try to get some pics up soon.


Darlene

[eggsuckindog]

I had one as well great boats, you'll love it