Got my eye on something

[matthewfrancke]

There is a 72' 23cc with a 2002 I/O motor (of unknown make until I speak with the owner) for $9000... the photos of it look great, but before flying down to see it, does anyone have a list of questions I should be asking about this boat? It seems cheap to me, and i am wondering why??? Is the I/O motor a custom thing, I don't recall seeing others? Any help for a rookie buyer would be great...

[JohnB]

A lot of this is subjective, but here is my take on i/o's and inboards.

There where not a lot of I/O CC's made. Most people are looking for a 23 CC with an outboard, then inboard, then I/O. Performance in a I/O or inboard is not as good as an outboard. Milage is better than the older carb and some efi's outboards, but probably not as good as some of the newer 4 stroke outboards. If it is configured with the gas tanks in the back, 2 saddle tanks like the inboard, they were stern heavy. They are a tank, but will run through a 2-3' chop like a tank, and are VERY stable at rest. They are like fishing off a dock.

[Sigma1]

I'm in boston and own a 1979 Tsunami/Potter built and looking to sell around 15K. It is an I/O 5.7L bravo all in excellent condition. Picture are on the web site under the photo section MITCHELL 79 tsunami somewhere around Page 5. Take a look.

[matthewfrancke]

Nice boat Mitchell! Did you originally purchase that in NE area? Everytime is see one in this area it is gone before i can get to the phone.... Personally i am a Center Console person and it looks like i am going to start looking for plane tickets if i am going to get a CC seacraft..... You should have no problem getting rid of yours....

[Sigma1]

I did find it in NE. Before you travel to far, talk with Millway marine in Barnbstable and Metan Marine in Rockland, they both seem to always have a few Seacrafts for sale. Also the I/O in my view is the best looking and is more stable, comfortable, and easier to land a fish on either a drift or a troll.

[matthewfrancke]

Mitchell, good feed back... thank you! answer me this; i have seen a lot of expertise on this website, i have always loved seacraft, as a boat lover, a hull design lover, i am not someone who can spend a lot of time off the boat doing maintenance and weekend long problem solving. I am looking for a boat i can take care of with normal but strict diligence, Launch in the spring and take it out in the fall.... Am i in the wrong market for this, looking for a "classic" hull design? Am i going to drive home a $9,000 boat that is 30-40K by the time i bring it to par? Put it this way, what does a 197? potter built 23 foot CC Sf Seacraft cost if it is RRRRRRRRReady to kick #@$ ?

[BigLew]

You need to ask yourself, How RRRRReady and HOW kick A$$?!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah, there is one rule that can't be broken in this game. "Every dollar spent can be followed by ten more, and everything costs 2 times more at marine supply stores."

A little known fact in this "hobby" of ours is that Wal-Mart is this country's largest retailer of marine supplies and most of that product is lessor grade quality!!

[JohnB]

If you bought a 197? car, parked it near the ocean till now, what would it look like? It seems that 20-25 years is the life of the the transom, rigging wiring, and most everything else. You are probably 1/2 way through the life of the second motor by then. If it sits it storage 1/2 the year, bad things happen, if it is used every day, bad things happen, that is boats.

I just spent 6 months replacing almost EVERYTHING on my boat. I will still have nickle and dime stuff go from wear and tear. If you can work on it yourself, it will make you crazy, if you pay someone else, you will go broke. Why go through it? there is still nothing in the 23' size that has a better ride, and better performing hull, it is a classic.

[reelclassic]

Have you seen the 1978 23 cc with twin 175 outboards in the for sale section. It is a very nice turn key boat you can get for around 15 to 16 k!

[Solafide]

You Can checkout Craigslist,ebay and the "forsale" section of this site to see my 1973 23'CC for sale.The latest pictures of it are on ebay.I am located close to you in Plymouth ma.It is water ready and has many goodies