1971 Seacraft 20 Complete Restoration

lonesurfer87 · #1 10-28-2009, 07:19 PM

I started working on my new project which is a 1971 seacraft 20 that somebody else had stopped in the middle of the restoration. I bought the project which previous owner had done a great job but just stopped because he bought a new boat. The whole transom was cut out and replaced with Marine Plywood and lots of Glass. The whole floor was ripped out up to the front casting deck. All foam was removed so its just stringers under the new floor with no foam. The whole boat was done using epoxy resin so I will continue using epoxy to complete project. The floor was raised 3 inches and new floor is Marine plywood with glass on both sides and all edges were coated with epoxy so there is no water intrusion or rot. The floor is solid right now but I am going to put some more braces on top of two center stringers up to the bottom of the deck. The guy did a great job. The bilge was coated with an epoxy paint including the fuel tank coffin box. I am going to try and work on this as much as I can as I am out of work right now. I just bought a Suzuki 140 four stroke with 0 hours on it so the power is ready to go. Transome was raised to 25 inches as well. There were custom livewell and storage boxes in the back that I cut out with a sawzaw today as I wanted to be able to walk all the way to the transom and open up some more space. I will be glassing the holes up tomorrow hopefully. Enjoy!

luna1089 · #2 10-29-2009, 10:19 PM

Hi lonesurfer87
nice project you got artthere. i also just got my hands on a 1969 20'
ill be cutting her up soon hopefully just started sanding her down. looking forward to seeing some new pics
good luck

lonesurfer87 · #3 11-07-2009, 03:05 PM

Here are some more updated pictures as the project progresses. I have done alot of work to the console. Just got done putting more fiberglass down on the reverse flange to hold the console down. The rear storage boxes were cut out and I closed them in with solid fiberglass pieces and am now in the stage of fairing and sanding. I removed the fuel tank to get that ready for install I went up to SP fuel tanks and got the rubber strips to attach to the tank where it will sit as it is the best method to allow and moisture to escape allowing the tank to have a very long life unlike foaming tanks in which absorbs water and causes the tanks to corrode and rust out.

reverse flange (I got the idea from Billythekids restore)

pl99 · #4 11-08-2009, 09:00 PM

Clean Job, Keep posting

lonesurfer87 · #5 11-10-2009, 09:07 PM

I stumbled across the previous owner who did all of the hard work for me his name is 71kidcasper on this site classicseacraft.com It is great to have all of the pictures of the deck ripped out and I found out that he used U.S. Composites epoxy resin which I am using as well. My father swears by it over west as it is better quality than west and a way better price. He claims no blush with U.S. composites. The link to the restore of my boat before I got it is below

http://www.classicseacraft.com/forum...=&fpart=1&vc=1

Gota love the world wide web you can find almost anything even your own boat before you bought it. I have to say he did a great job and saved me alot of the rough work.

lonesurfer87 · #6 11-21-2009, 09:15 PM

I got the fuel tank in and mounted in the boat. The tank has neoprine strips supplied by SP Tanks in South Jersey applied to all sides of tank to secure it in place. The tank is held down by neoprine strips on top of tank with coosa board strips and mahogany stringers run across to hold the tank down. All coosa board and mahigany was coated with epoxy to seal it from any water intrusion shold water ever get under the deck. There is NO FOAM HOLDING THE TANK DOWN OR AROUND THE TANK! Foam can trap water causing the tank to leak down the line. I have seen this done even on so called top tier boats and myself not a "professional" boat builder believe this is the best possible way to install a tank. SP TANKS does not allow foam to be put around the tanks and requires the neoprine stripping to secure tank. There is air all around the tank to allow it to get air and dry should water ever get around the tank. There is drain holes on the front and aft board holding the fuel tank to allow water to drain. These holes were also coated with epoxy. I ran wiring up to the bow for navigation lights and also wires to the port and starboard rod lockers to mound led lights under the gunnel. The lid for the fuel tank coffin is made out of 1/2 inch coosaboard and glassed a layer of 1708 Glass with Epoxy Resin before putting down tomorrow. The Coosa lid will be glassed down to the floor so the floor will be all level with no screws. I took all measurements of the tanks location as well as all hose and wire locations which will go in my manual for the boat that I am making should the tank ever need replacing or servicing which should never happen. I also put the deck drain holes in. I drilled the holes first then epoxy coated the transom where I drilled. I then installed 1" OD PVC pipe for the drains and epoxyed them in. The drains came out real good and I like these alot better than the brass ones that have a chance of water intrusion. I also have been fairing and sanding the console alot kind of boring work. I am doing everything right as this is going to be my boat so I am putting alot of pride and hard work into this one.

Here's some pics enjoy!

Hatch

My dad goes by (Bligh) on THT working on the tank install

Bilge area

Me working on my console

seacraft76 · #7 11-23-2009, 10:30 AM

Lonesurfer
I like the way you took out the storage boxes in the back.Can you tell me the dimensions on those new boxes ,as i also want to do something like that to my 1976 20 sf,right now i have the control cables coming out the floor with your method they will come out the side and it will add some support for the transom thanks

lonesurfer87 · #8 11-26-2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Lonesurfer
I like the way you took out the storage boxes in the back.Can you tell me the dimensions on those new boxes ,as i also want to do something like that to my 1976 20 sf,right now i have the control cables coming out the floor with your method they will come out the side and it will add some support for the transom thanks

The boxes are 8 1/2" in the back and 9 1/2" in the front.

lonesurfer87 · #9 11-26-2009, 03:16 PM

I removed the front hatches and removed all balsa coring and recored with divinycel and galss onel layer between the divinyceland one layer on other side of divinycel. Hatch is very strong. I also have been laying down some fairing putty on whole boat as well as the console. The fuel tank hatch is glassed down. That was made out of penske board (same as coosa) with a layer of 1708 glass on either side. The hatch was unbelievably light and strong.

fuel hatch glassed down with epoxy resin and 1708 glass.

Hatches with all balsa coring removed.

Divinycel coring being applied to hatch.

lonesurfer87 · #10 01-12-2010, 09:34 PM

I am posting some updated pictures as I havent posted in awhile. She's on the home stretch snowwhite awlgrip topside has been sprayed probably 4 coats all said and done after I shot the whole boat in Awlgrip highbuild. I bought my awlgrip through GCM distributors in Florida best deal I could find.
Gallon og snow white, gallon of aquamist (he gave same price as snow white) 2 gallons of converter, 1 gallon of reducer plus a small bottle of accelerator $640 to my door It was like $580 before shipping. Thought that was good. If you need paint they were really easy to deal with.