23 Restoration

htillman · #1 12-15-2007, 09:24 PM

Here are a couple of pic from restoration:
Part of engine well removed in pieces -

Copy of the top cap upside down, most plywood was replaced -

Bait well glassed back together, the baitwell - engine well was cut into three pieces in order to be removed. Initially I was not going to reinstall the baitwell but a friend said it was structurally important - it will drain into the bilge and be used for storage -

Here the hull with the lower deck in place -

The transom was replaced with Coosa board. The bilge is almost ready for painting and the full tank support installed. Then all will be prepped for painting.

1bayouboy · #2 12-16-2007, 06:34 AM

Thanks for the shots of a Sceptre cap off......

stoney · #3 12-16-2007, 02:00 PM

Nice work. Keep it up! Keep the pictures coming.
Does anyone else see a safety problem with the baitwell draining into the hull? I admit to being paranoid about the seacraft sinking issue. That is the main reason I got rid of the baitwell because it could fill and make the boat sit lower in the water allowing water in where you don't want it.

JohnB · #4 12-16-2007, 02:40 PM

I moved my livewell to inside the transom, and it gravity drains out the side so it won't fill up. I converted my infloor livewell to a fishbox, put a lip around it, a gasket, and a latch that holds it tight so if water runs across the deck, it won't go in there. It also has a maceator pump that will pump it out over the side. I am toying with the idea of putting a float switch in there on the pump, in case it ever filled with water, it would kick on the pump and drain it.

I attribute some of the SinkCraft bad rap to be on boats that have larger engines than it was designed for, sitting it lower. Also, a wet transom will hold the back down too. All of the livewells I have seen are plumbed out the back, but if the floor of the boat is below the water level, it doesn't take but one bad storm, or a malfunction pump switch to sink one. Also, many of the livewells I have seen are not water tight where they seal into the bottom of the deck, and if water comes up to the top, it runs into the bilge.

On almost all SeaCrafts, the RayBud style scullper covers are a must. They traded off gunnel height on the floor for deck height near the waterline, especially in the back of these boats. Once you add a heavier motor, a top, wet coring in a few places, the deck height above waterline margin disappears fast.

IMHO, no boat should have the floor/deck below the waterline at rest, it's just a bad idea.

htillman · #5 12-16-2007, 03:09 PM

I agree with both the above. My only reasoning to let it drain into the bilge is that unless I add a bilge pump to the livewell, the only way to drain is to run the boat and pull the plug or drain it while on the trailer. I think most people have added some type of pump to the well. My thoughts are to seal the hatch nearest the transom and gasketthe smaller forward hatch and add a locking latch.

stoney · #6 12-17-2007, 09:51 AM

You do not need the livewell for structural reasons. Look at the following pictures from the galleries. Both boats took out the livewell under the motor and stiffened the transom with knees. The guys on this site have intimate knowledge of rebuilding seacrafts. http://www.classicseacraft.com/captc...edium/0036.jpg
or
http://www.classicseacraft.com/fello...dium/0018.jpg.
I admit to copying thier ideas, except I put in three knees. You should have plenty of the 4 x 8 coosa board left and it doesn't weigh much. I installed the three knees and took out the useless livewell 2 years ago and there is not a structural issue. Then you can install these
http://www.classicseacraft.com/diego...edium/0020.jpg
a pair of bilge pumps independently wired to each battery with thier own fuse.