Thinking about buying a 1973 Seafari?

[Seaman]

Newbie here looking at buying my first boat. A guy down the road has a 1973, 20' Seafari O.B.. Have yet to inspect it close up and I have only driven by it and called him about what it needs. I must say it is in beautiful cond. and he claims it needs nothing. The OB has apparently been rebuilt.

As this is my first time shopping for a used boat are there any pointers to what I should look for, tests I can perform, questions to ask, rea$onable price if all check$ out, etc, etc.

All advice would be greatly appreciated. And if I do by the boat, I vow to do a complete write-up with pics.
Thanks, Seaman

[McGillicuddy]

Welcome, you come to the right place. I bought a 72 about a year ago. The common hull issues are the transom being wet, the thru-hull scuppers developing a seal leak and eventually leaking into the bilge and the cap separating from the hull. All of these problems are common, and have well-documented solutions on this forum, so depending on the price, they shouldn't be a deterrent. What's the motor? How's the trailer. When you get a look take a little flashlight remove a spark plug or 2 and look for detonation damage at the top of the pistons. Have a compression check done. Fire it up and give it a listen. Go for a test ride. Walk around the deck to check for soft spots. Stand on the anti-cavitation plate and rock up and down looking for movement in the transom. Some guys use a mallet to pound and detect structural variation by give and sound.

If you go for a ride keep an eye on the bilge pump or better yet ask the guy not to run it until you get back. Then check the bilge for water intrusion. This could be any number of things but like the thru-hull scuppers or other fittings so learn what it has. After the ride you may also want to run your hand along the joint of the hull and the cap inside the cuddy. If its wet you have some water intrusion there, also. Remember these are all relatively simple fixes and this gang offers incredible support and knowledge as a group. You just have to be willing to give it a go.

My boat has been a lot of work and I've done a lot to make it fit my needs, and there's much more I need to do. But I enjoy messing with it and it rides really nice. By all means its a very nice little boat yet very capable by all reports and although its 36 years old I hope to own it for a long time.

Go get some pics and maybe post'em. Chances are someone on the board knows the boat an will give you a first hand opinion... Seafaris are cool!

[Seaman]

Mr. McGillicuddy,
Thanks for the reply. I hope to find the boat dry and tight as a duck's drum. I'm sure there is joy to be had fixing up a boat, but I have too many projects already in need of fixing up. I need a boat to take me far away from said projects.

That being said, the OB motor is 125 hp Marine Force that has a recently rebuilt power block. I have no idea what "rebuilt power block" means. If properly done, is that the next best thing to a new motor?

The trailer is a new single axle.

What is the anti-cavitation plate, or thru-hull scuppers?

How does the mallet help?

I believe the boats be out of water for a long time. How long of a test drive would be needed to rule-out leaks?

Is 1973 a good vintage?

One more question- Other than being really cool looking older boats, what are some of the other reasons people dig owning these boats?

Thanks again, (Newbie)Seaman

[McGillicuddy]

I'm no expert but I really like this boat. Project point taken. That's why I asked of your location. Has a lot to do with Seafari availability. I've only seen 2 Seafaris and 4 total SeaCrafts for sale in CA over the last 3 years. I bought the first Seafari I saw.

People like them cause they're rugged, well-built and boast a unique hull design known as variable dead-rise, designed by one Carl Moesly in the 1960's for the sole purpose of racing stock motors across the gulf stream from Miami to the Bahamas at breakneck speed. Those designs were brought to the recreational boating world in the SeaCraft, and they are recognized the world over for their nice ride in all conditions and superior performance in difficult conditions. Hardcore and commercial fishermen choose them because they like to fish when and where the fish are, not necessarily when its sunny and 75 on a calm day in a cozy bay. Although that's fine, too. Read the brochures in the literature sections and visit www.moeslyseacraft.com

I don't know much about Force motors but I've heard it said here that any motor properly cared for can be a good motor. I don't think you can compare it to any new motor. The tech is just so much more efficient now.

The anti-cavitation plate is the little wing-like ledges that jut out from the lower motor housing just above the propeller. The scuppers are two 1" tubes in the back corners of the deck that allow water to drain out the bottom of the boat as it moves.

The mallet is just to tap on the transom (the back of the boat) to note different sounds (resonance) that might indicate a soft spot - kind of like rapping on a wall to find a stud.

You can just float it for 20 mins and that will likely give you something to go on as far as water entry goes.

Good luck. Read the posts. Do searches on the forum relative to the Seafari. Lot's info available there. Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure someone on this site would argue that the '73 is the best vintage.

[Bushwacker]

Good advice Gillie regarding leaks and rot in the decks and transom! Soft decks and transoms aren't that hard to spot if they're really bad.

The Seafari 20 is an incredibly capable 20' boat, the most versatile of all the 20' models. Compared to a center console, it has more weight forward so it's a little better balanced and therefore rides a little better IMHO. It's also relatively rare - they only made 741 total! 70% of the 20' hulls were center console models. I personally think it has the most beautiful well proportioned lines of any small boat, except maybe for the Seafari 25 and the REALLY classic and legendary SeaCraft 21 that started the whole works! I've had mine since 1975 and have yet to find another boat of that size I like better! Other than having the transom cutout filled in a couple of years ago, it's all original and rock solid. Of course I've been real fussy about sealing any holes in the deck & transom and I keep it covered. I've put a couple thousand miles on it on trips between Fl. and the Abaco's (~170 miles of open water), so it's seen plenty of rough water. Not many other 20' boats I'd want to make that trip in!

Regarding the Force motor, that was originally made by Chrysler. They were very light, simple motors, and I think these boats ride best with light motors. I believe Fr. Frank had one on his Seafari originally. Sounds like it has a rebuilt powerhead or short block which would be good IF it was done right . . some folks take a shortcut and only bore one cylinder if that's all that was damaged. If you do that instead of boring all cylinders and installing all oversize pistons, one cylinder will have more displacement than the others so it'll tend to run a little rough even if all the pistons are the same weight.

Regarding differences in years, from the boat's I've seen it looks like Potter changed from 4 f/g stringers (like those shown in the Boating Magazine article on the Seafari in the Literature section) to two wide stringers starting in 73, but no problems have ever been reported due to that as far as I know. Starting about 74 or 75, they raised the cockpit sole an inch or two , installed a larger fuel tank but the cockpit stepdown aft of cabin door got much smaller, just big enough to open door. (The larger stepdown is a great place to put a 70 qt cooler in rough seas to keep it from sliding around!) They also raised the windshield a couple of inches with a spacer section at base of windshield and moved it forward about a foot, so there's a little more headroom in the cabin and more space for instruments behind the windshield .

Read "The Amazing Mr. Moesly" article in the literature section to better appreciate the clever and sophisticated design and construction of these boats. A close look at the stringer and inner liner design in the Seafari magazine article will reveal why these hulls are so stiff but yet relatively light . . . the hull is built like a big I-beam, much like the wing of an airplane!

Good luck and keep us posted on what you find out! Denny

[htillman]

Seaman: Where are you located? Maybe you are near a member our someone who can help you check out the boat. You cannot go wrong with a Seacraft.
Good luck.

[Fr. Frank]

Seaman, welcome to the CSC gang. Just a short note before I head off to church. I have owned (no kidding) more than 30 different boats over the past 40 years, including just about all the top names, and have raced, sold, and fixed boats, as well as managing marinas and boat dealerships. I have been in the bilge, or closely examined the construction of many, many boats.

There are a great many good, solid boats out there. Nothing, NOTHING compares to a SeaCraft.

I have owned several different SeaCrafts over the years, in 20 and 23 foot iterations. I believe the best all-around boat ever built is the Seafari.

The Force/Chrysler 4 cylinder motor is a good, dependable motor, which requires methodical, simple maintenance. The first motor on my current Seafari was a Chrysler. I'll post my thoughts on it later.

let us know where you are. There are lots of us who would be glad to help you take part in our very sane passion

[Briguy]

I don't know why someone would dump money into rebuilding a force outboard. Force hasn't made ob's in quite a long time and had a pretty bad reputation when it comes to reliability. Don't consider the motor in your offer. The biggest areas to look out for other than those mentioned are electronics, wiring, patches under the hull you cannot see, fuel tanks, poorly engineered repairs and trailer condition.

There are pleanty of bare hulls with recent paint in the 3-5k range. A used 150 would run 2-4k installed. Just figure your maximum money you want to dump into the boat in the next 3 years. Then add 50%. If you can afford that amount, work backwards and make your offer.

DON'T BE IN A RUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!

[cSickNick]

I have owned several different SeaCrafts over the years, in 20 and 23 foot iterations. I believe the best all-around boat ever built is the Seafari.

But why? Please give some examples to help Seaman "Seal the Deal" and for us to "Toot or Horn" !

- Nick