Info on purchasing 75 23' Sceptre

[GMac7]

Hi Guys,

Im going to look at a 1975 Sceptre sometime this week. Owner claims solid floors and transom. Has a 1992 Yamaha 225 outboard, with somewhere between 400-600 hours that was in fresh water until last year. Im more familiar with the CC, so what are things/areas of concern to look for on the Sceptre model? He is the third owner, and apparently knew the first two. He also claims that it has been rewired twice since 75 and believes the tank was replaced 6 years ago.

What do you believe to be a fair price if everything checks out ok? Trailer included. Any additional information from you Sceptre guys would be greatly appreciated.

[floorboy]

As long as the motor transom and floor is ok I'm not sure what else to tell you.

I paid $9k for my i/o two years ago. It came with a kicker,two autopilots, full top with front and side curtains. Hull is original and immaculate Aside from one scratch

[77SceptreOB]

Sceptres are great boats, I highly recommend. As you mentioned, transom and Motor are the big concerns. The hulls are bullet proof. Alot dryer than the CCs.

Value= Hull 2500 + Motor 2500 + trailer 1000 = 6,000 IMHO.

[ScottM]

What the other guys said. Regarding the engine, my dad had a '97 on his Sceptre and it was a great match for the boat. He put 1400 hours on a rebuild and never had a problem. Those Yammies have lots of midrange which provides for great performance regardless of load. His boat would cruise 23-24 knots at 4300 and WOT 35 knots at 5600 whether he was by himself or had 4 other guys with him.

Where in Vegas are you?

[Capt Chuck]

Where in Vegas are you?

I hope he is following most SeaCrafters !

[bigeasy1]

I have a 1974 23 Tsunami(aka sceptre),and would have to agree with most others on the price,but who knows,you can be surprised by the seller.
He may just want to pass it along and let it go for a low price,or think it's worth more than it is.I know this is a very broad range and not much help,but depending on it's condition prices in the 5-10 g range can be realistic.
It's a buyers market for sure so unless it's really in mint condition with a beautiful trailer i don't see it going for the high end of the range.
My 74 was shot,all the cores were rotted,all the wiring was shot and it was a total mess.the trailer was in great shape,other than tires.I paid 1,000 for it and sunk somewhere in the viciniy of 15-16 g's to totally restore it with mostly all new equipment except for the engine(I/0).
As for what to look for,it's the same as in the center console models.The transom should be give an extremely close inspection,as should the hatches,and blocks & tubes where the scuppers exit the deck.
Also the bow deck,If you have a bow rail on it check the deck for soft spots,as the screw holes can allow water to infiltrate the core,making it soft.All the typical other stuff like wiring,wet foam, etc.Altough mostly cosmetic,the long side window in them were mostly made with lexan which usually ends up spider cracking and yellowing.

Call me a Cynic,but I have this hard time thinking that boats of that vintage that are original don't have some rotted core.Make sure you check it out extremely thorough.
Let us know how you made out.

[abl1111]

I have a '75 Tsunami that was a mess when I bought it; twin, shot i/o's, shot transom, a few of the below. I bought in Fla with POS shit trailer for $2000. Had a pair of good 'ole boys deliver up to NY.

Unless some form of resto was done or there was a VERY meticulous owner - there is rot somewhere. They just don't know it.

I would check the following areas:

- Transom near where the (2) ice boxes drain thru the transom ( if an OB has these ). Big culprit for transom rot over a few decades.

- Overall transom where ANY thru transom fitting, is i.e. swim platform mounts, engine bolts

- The forward deck where the anchor hawse hole is - all balsa ( put your head in the anchor locker with a light ).

- All the SS railing mounts bolt thru balsa - they leak and rot ! Those SS rail mounts should be rock solid.

- Is it original fuel tank - they were set in less than ideal and often have galv corrosion on bottom where foam straps are ...

- Hatches - all the screws go thru wood. If not sealed right they get wet and over time ... mush. ( Turn a few screw heads to see )

All these things are fixable but should affect price.

[GMac7]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, this is exactly what I'm looking for. Current owner is asking $6500. I will print this out and go over each point when I go to look at it. Im almost hoping some of these issues pop up so I can use them to bring down the price.


Scott M - I currently live in Boston, but my parents still live in Marshfield. One on Webster St, the other on on Old Mt Skirgo. What about you?

[GMac7]

Originally Posted by 77SceptreOB

Sceptres are great boats, I highly recommend. As you mentioned, transom and Motor are the big concerns. The hulls are bullet proof. Alot dryer than the CCs.

Value= Hull 2500 + Motor 2500 + trailer 1000 = 6,000 IMHO.

The motor in your sig looks identical to the one hanging off the back of the boat Im going to look at. What year Yamaha is that?

[ScottM]

Originally Posted by GMac7

Scott M - I currently live in Boston, but my parents still live in Marshfield. One on Webster St, the other on on Old Mt Skirgo. What about you?

Churchill Heights/Holly Hill