1972 SeaCraft 20sf (re) build.

[Caymanboy]

Ok, I must admit, I am getting a little excited.
I sold the Coral Reefer, nice family bought her.
So, that lit a fire under me to git goin on the latest project. "Red SeaCraft 20". I found this little gem, someone, for whatever reason decided to teak this baby, teak floor, teak all over the console, and then, the strangest thing. The fuel tank was integral, fiberglass, it took weeks to get out.
Anyway, we stripped the boat, took the liner out, took the cap off, we cored and faired the hull, raised the deck, cored the cap. Custom "konk" well, full transom, bracket by non other than THE Mr. Don Herman of HermCo.
She will be powered by an F200XB, have all sorts of neat little gismo's and gadgets, mostly a fuel tank, B.A-- stereo and not much else.

[Caymanboy]

Stripping a boat is usually the easy part.
I have never seen a fuel tank like this in a SeaCraft, it literally took weeks to get this thing out.
P.I.T.A.
Long story short, got the hull cleaned out, transom cut out, hullsides cored.
Materials for this job are Vinylester, Divinycell for the hull, Coosaboard for the deck and transom.
I ended up packing up the console, couldn't deal with getting all the teak off of it. I found another console and redid that, probably was not the cheapest way to go but I wanted to have original SeaCraft parts in the boat or at least they started out as original.

[Caymanboy]

For those of you who don't know me, here is a little history.
About 5 years ago, I started a little repair/refit business down here in Lauderdale, started by myself. Redid some boats, mostly mine and close friends.
Anyway, worked by myself, and I mean I did everything, elec, paint, mech, office, purchasing, paid the bills when I had some money, which wasn't very often.
I was looking for a boat to tow with me to the islands on my summer pilgrimage, started out looking at Alburys, always liked them and they fit my scene, (slow trawler, island lifestyle). When I found that they where pretty proud of them Alburys I realized that was not going to happen, so I looked at SeaCrafts, low and behold I found Coral Reefer up in Melborne and a new business was born.
I purchased her in Oct of 08 and restored her from then till Feb 09, mostly between 0200 and 0800, and on the weekends, then I went and tried to make some money.
I did all the work, had a guy part time who helped with the sanding.
One day, ran into an old customer and friend in West Marine, wanted an old Aquasport to redo, I just that week had brought one to the shop that had sunk, the guy stopped buy to look, took one look at the SeaCraft and said, "I want that boat", well quite honestly, he could afford any number I came up with, and at that point I had never really driven the thing, and it had a ton of my sweat, tears and dollars in it. I said, can't sell it, but will be happy to build you one. The next day he dropped off a deposit and my little SeaCraft restoration business was under way.
I said I had built Coral Reefer for myself, when in fact I did not. I was dating and living with this sweet young thing at the time, so C/R became her boat, we had many a good time and trips to the Islands, both on her own bottom and being towed by the trawler.
Didn't take long for me to realize that I was never going to drive this boat, I needed my own boat.
Things at the shop started to get busier, I started with a helper part time, then full time, then added another, and another, then office help part time, etc.
Moved the shop, twice.
Somewhere in there I became a Yamaha package dealer, it gave me the opportunity to be a Yamaha dealer, meaning I could sell Yamaha parts, get Yamaha training and sell motors along with whatever boats I was a dealer for. That happened to be a little Downeast style CC made up in New Hampshire.
Did some shows, too many, never sold a boat. But the Yamaha thing did well, boat restorations was doing well and we were doing large yacht tender service. By now, there are 6-7 people in the shop, my office personnel and myself.
I had found the "Red SeaCraft 20" in a yard somewhere, brought it to the shop and it sat.
Either we were to busy to work on it or it was too slow and we didn't have any money to work on it.
Fast forward, some time.
We are now a Yamaha Full Line Dealer, what that means is, I can sell you an engine out of a box. We stock engines from 15-300 hp, an GE Capitol owns my life. :-)
Anyway, I am very happy to be here.
Ohhh, back to C/R and the sweet young thing. The S.Y.T left for about a year, (tried something/someone else) then came back, I had thought she had it figured out. Anyway, she stayed around for about a year, then left again, this time for good.
I had had about enough of C/R and the memories, and the "Red SeaCraft 20" was waiting to be done. So, I put C/R up for sale. She was gone in a week. Well, not really gone, she stayed local and we do service work on her.
To be continued---------.

[Capt Chuck]

Cool story OP!
Did you ever sell that sweet 20' you redid that you were marketing for some guy at the WPB Boat Show?

Keep those re-build pictures coming

[Caymanboy]

Chuck,
That boat was never for sale. the gentleman let me use it for that show. We just sent it up to Massachusetts.
Pictures are coming forthwith, the project is way ahead of the pictures and thread. :-)

[Islandtrader]

Originally Posted by Caymanboy

I was looking for a boat to tow with me to the islands on my summer pilgrimage, started out looking at Alburys, always liked them and they fit my scene, (slow trawler, island lifestyle). When I found that they where pretty proud of them Alburys I realized that was not going to happen, so I looked at SeaCrafts,

Thanks for sharing your story!

CB...funny how some things in life are a parallel. The above quote mirrors my search almost down to the tee.

With me I just sold a 30' Alura, and was looking for a nice "Classic". I really liked the Albury and was even set to fly to the Bahama's to go find one!

Next I saw a great article in Wooden Boat on a guy up in Maine that was building them. I even ordered a set a plans and was going to give it a go myself...but this was way above my skill level and I wanted a boat before I went to the big pond in the sky . Last I tried to buy just the hull from the Maine builder but reality set in and Seacraft came on my radar.

With all the neat friends that I have met from the Seacraft site, I am glad that the Albury did not work out (however they are a neat boat).

[Caymanboy]

Originally Posted by Islandtrader

Thanks for sharing your story!

CB...funny how some things in life are a parallel. The above quote mirrors my search almost down to the tee.

With me I just sold a 30' Alura, and was looking for a nice "Classic". I really liked the Albury and was even set to fly to the Bahama's to go find one!

Next I saw a great article in Wooden Boat on a guy up in Maine that was building them. I even ordered a set a plans and was going to give it a go myself...but this was way above my skill level and I wanted a boat before I went to the big pond in the sky . Last I tried to buy just the hull from the Maine builder but reality set in and Seacraft came on my radar.

With all the neat friends that I have met from the Seacraft site, I am glad that the Albury did not work out (however they are a neat boat).

That is some funny stuff. I had been in the Islands for two summers looking for a beat up Albury, could not find one, even over there they are gold.
Since I have had my SeaCraft, I have met some wonderful people. I have also been on an Albury 20, little too tippy for my taste.
So, there will always be a SeaCraft 20 in the arsenal, plus some others. :-)

[Caymanboy]

Ok, so where was I?
Got the boat stripped down. Cored the hullsides with Divinycell.
Made a custom one off "konkwell".
Raised the stringers 4". Glassed them over and tied them into the transom.

[Caymanboy]

Completely redid the forward compartment area.
Removed the cap and forward step area cap, removed all the wood, re-cored and put back down. You will notice that the liner did not go back in.
We faired and painted hull sides.

[Caymanboy]

Just words.