Finally got the boat from my Dad. Tank is already out and new tank should be going in next week. Need all the wiring redone, black max is still in good shape, but would like to repower. Get those tracker stickers off and buff the piss out of her. Hull & transom is still in great shape. Eventually would like to close the transom and put a bracket on when we repower. Now I just need to find money. Getting married next june so Im trying to justify the rebuild to the chick but she just doesnt get it. You guys have any advice on how to save soem money!

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You guys have any advice on how to save soem money!
Don't get married. :smash: :rotf2:

ClassicSeacraft.com ;)

John ive been combing that site for years. best advice ive gotten from guys is buy one already restored. This boat has alot of sentimental value though. Grew up fishing on this boat.

John thought i read you had a seacraft? You still have it?

Don't get married. :smash: :rotf2:

We have a winner!!!!


John thought i read you had a seacraft? You still have it?

:rotf2:

Don't get married. :smash: :rotf2:

That's good advise.. but marriage is an institution everyone should enjoy ( suffer through) at least once...

That said .. if you want to save money dont get involved with a boat... but if you must... take your time with the restoration,there are alot of good books on all the workings of a boat, including restoring them.. I find that buying books allow you to return to them... that's just me.. I still do things old school... when it comes to re wire... gut it and start new... make yourself a blue print so you know exactly what you need to do... buy a book of brady markers and label every wire at both ends.. note these in the blue print.. latter you can laminate a copy and keep it on board to aid in repairs if you ever need to make some... this goes for the entire project.. make blue prints just like you would as if your were submitting a plan to a building inspector for your house.. get prices from various sorces so you can budget your money..... dont sacrafice quality products to save money.. because in the end, it will only cost you more.. if you cannot afford a certain item , wait until you do have the money...finnish one project before you start another... jumping from one repair to another only takes more time and will make you loose focus....restoring an old boat, especialy a clasic like that seacraft is a fun and rewarding project.. it's not cheap but the results can be rewarding...I've done several, including my own 1978 Jon dory 18' center console.. I do have an advantage as i was marine mechanic for 20 years...but anyone with a mechanical skill set and a little common sense can accomplish the job... good luck..

You guys have any advice on how to save soem money!

Burn the boat now and don't get married.

You're welcome.

Rockfish great advice thanks. The boats at mac marine now. Going to let them finish the tank then ill bring it back to newport to dig into it myself.

Likwid, I will need some of the fiances money to finish the boat.

yeah
Love the smell of Fiberglass resin in the morning

good luck with her

she's the wife

Burn the boat now and don't get married.

You're welcome.

beat me to it!



I'm stray from the bracket idea. I'd never put a bracket on anything under 23'

to save time and money don't make it a showboat, fix the floor after the tanks installed, run the wires, get the motor running then go fishing. I've caught fish on ugly boats, and the fish don't seem to mind, it's the suffocating that bugs em the most.

that said, if you do take the time to do it right, it'll be a very purty boat, but it takes much time / $$ for that.

Get married... Buy 3 hobie revolutions, sell the seacraft and live happily ever after in pure bliss
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beat me to it!



I'm stray from the bracket idea. I'd never put a bracket on anything under 23'

Not worth it.

Drill holes in the transom, bet its squishy being a tracker seacraft. :hihi:

Drill holes in the transom, bet its squishy being a tracker seacraft. :hihi:


Go easy

Get married... Buy 3 hobie revolutions, sell the seacraft and live happily ever after in pure bliss
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Eben If I buy the Hobies will you put on the paint job??

Eben If I buy the Hobies will you put on the paint job??

The shark mouth?? sure thing..

Can't offer any advice, just pass along experience, as I've walked this path;

Got married back in '04 and the same year decided to fix a few "soft spots" in the deck of my '82 aquasport which I grew up on. The deeper I dug the worse it got. Until 7 year later, with more time & treasure spent than I care to think about; she is still rotten to the core.

Plus the damn boat ain't fixed either. But the appeal period on the divorce expired yesterday so fixing to head out on the town tonight and then plan pick some epoxy and cloth tomorrow. Back in saddle.:uhuh:

Keep the pix coming and Gods speed brother; you'll need it.

Once upon a time a guy asked a girl to marry him.
The girl said, "NO."
And the guy lived happily ever after and went fishing and hunting, played golf a lot, watched sports on TV, drove a Corvette, drank lots of beer, left the toilet seat up, and farted whenever he wanted.

Don't say I did'nt tell ya

Burn the boat now and don't get married.

You're welcome.

Hysterical and true :grins:

Don't get married. :smash: :rotf2:

ditto find another tuna
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good luck with the boat, Jay

the two happiest days of a boat owner life get her / Sell her :fishin:
by gold.:rotf2:

Not worth it.

Drill holes in the transom, bet its squishy being a tracker seacraft. :hihi:

Yup. I had an 1986 20' seacraft that turned to punk. Wasn't pretty.

If you plan to keep the boat and repower it you ought to consider replacing the deck, stringers, and transom (or at least check them carefully by drilling test holes as Likwid suggests).

Also, be careful repowering an old center console. You have to be sure you will be keeping the boat (or engine) for the life of the engine. As soon as you hang it on the boat the engine will lose more than 1/2 of its value, and keep dropping fast from there.

For the price of a new engine and a rebuild you likely could get a lightly used newer boat from Fla, ship it up, and end up better off. Consider getting this one running, sell it, and go from there.

Congrat's....enjoy your boat...they're the best.

I just did some rebuild/refurb an older romarine bayboat for fishing the bay and occasional days use out front.

I had an excellent guy do the work on all the electrical, and rigging, glass etc. Thats Tj known here Fishoholic, he helped me out a ton and was a complete lifesaver. That being said..

Plan on everything taking more than twice as long as you anticipate. Plan on going through your:

Trailer: bearings, axles, rims, tires, wiring, tongue jack, chains, a good lock and a good hitch for youre truck..

Boat:
bilge pump (2) 1 hardwired on a auto float, 2nd manual
1 or two batteries, if you go with two you'll want and ACR and a switch.
Then battery cables they add up 15$+ ea. I needed 8 :wall:
Wire, and any below deck rigging you need to set up.

If youre going to re-do the stringers and deck, dont forget the below deck rigging. and if youre going to tear off your deck for a re:do might as well re:do the transom. Factor the cost of materials and whatever time you think its going to take... double it. Factor your cost of materials and pad that with 6-700$

If you have a place to work thats awesome. If your parked at a friends or using a friends shop, it will test your friendship. :uhuh:

bow light, anchor light,

switch panel
fuses
negative bus
more wire... A cigarette lighter so you can plug in a spot light or charge cell phones, awesome if you have a portable livewell you use in your truck :vamp:
gps unit and transducer
vhf
vhf antenna, gps if your unit calls for one..

us composites has good prices on epoxy vinylester etc..

Then your outboard: I didnt repower I'm rocking the oldie..
plugs, wires, thermostat, impeller & housing, then gear oil, and lower unit oil, and I had to install a new trim pump itself not the whole unit. Theres a place in pawtucket that does rebuilds and his cost for a new unit, was about 1/3 of the cost from mercury. if youve got small stuff that may need a rebuilt see if youve got anyone local that can do the rebuild, or see what their cost is..

** note if it says Marine it costs much more.**

Example of the above, I mounted my leaning post with ss toggle bolts. It was overkill but thats what you need with a structural item. Dont want a hefty friend leaning into it when we're trying to get out of snot, only to have a weaker setup fail, post busts loose and now you got a m.o.b situation.. so anyways the example marine grade ss togglebolts: 16.99 for (2) 39.99 for (6) roughly..
homedepot: zinc plated togglebolts, same size quantitiy (10) 7$ theyre in no way to be used for marine grade applications... but its a comparison, I suppose in some way...

Dont forget to factor in your ramp fees, or slip fees, fluids, fluid replacement, fuel and water seperators, fuel lines, if youre going with below deck gas I cant speak to that, I just run a 12 gallon & 6 gallon, mostly just ground fish.

Congrats on the pendign nuptuals :buds: My honest to goodness suggestion: Do the wedding first, with the understanding (withthe mrs)that once that is wrapped you're getting a boat, no matter what the cost may be. Whether youre going for the rebuild, and I can understand the sentimental side of it or going with something newer out of florida as suggested previously. For the sentimental I would say that a more practical option would be to keep the memory by naming the newer boat something that hold or held special meaning for yourself and your father at that time or still today. If you go with the rebuild/refurb remember its going to cost. Its going to take time and the value of the boat is not really going to climb or increase. I believe the seacrafts that are most desireable for rebuild/refurb are the potter built hulls. Sorry for the rant and super long post in the end I wish you the best whichever way you decide to go. Going back and given the chance I would have gone new, NEW or as was stated and fairly recent Florida boat delivered. Once I crush this one.. thats the plan.:devil2: shh dont tell the wife..

Delay is preferable to error. - Thomas Jefferson

:soon: :rotf2: :buds:

Burn the boat now and don't get married.

Say that, and no more. If you follow likwid's advise you'll be a millionaire at retirement.

And here is the phrase I have come to live by in my marriage where boats and fishing are concerned, "I'd rather beg for forgiveness, than ask for permission"

Could be a change of plans fellas. Looking at a restored 73'. Work already done and probably the same price it would cost me to restore this one.

The shark mouth?? sure thing..

Thats the one. Thing looks sick.

Could be a change of plans fellas. Looking at a restored 73'. Work already done and probably the same price it would cost me to restore this one.

Smart man.
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yeah the more I dig into it the more i realize I dont have the time for a project this size.

"I'd rather beg for forgiveness, than ask for permission"[/QUOTE]

I live by that rule and 2 key phrases.

"Yes dear" and "I'm sorry".

yeah the more I dig into it the more i realize I dont have the time for a project this size.

Smart move... there's always "drive it till the wheels fall #^&#^&#^&#^& or in your case transom

I think we discussed my thoughts on this Friday night. At some point between The Landing and Diego's.

Although I vote already restored if you need a boat. Otherwise you'll have no time for Diego's and The Landing.

Smart man.
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that Potter will be the balls.

I think we discussed my thoughts on this Friday night. At some point between The Landing and Diego's.

Although I vote already restored if you need a boat. Otherwise you'll have no time for Diego's and The Landing.


Pete, I dont even remember going to Deigos. ha. But Im going to sea trial a 73' today after work. Ill let you know how I make out.

Pete, I dont even remember going to Deigos. ha. But Im going to sea trial a 73' today after work. Ill let you know how I make out.

I can be ballast....I'm in Newport most weeks, I'm not in DogPatch