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Old 08-07-2006, 06:47 PM   #26
numbskull
Oblivious // Grunt, Grunt Master
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: over the hill
Posts: 6,682
I owned a 20' seacraft superfisherman center console, built 1986, bought lightly used. Had it for 6-8 years. I loved it, used it hard, but it was NOT a well built boat by any stretch. It eventually fell apart from rot in the deck and transom (the center console also tore free once running at night to Nantucket). Sank because of the notorious plexiglas access plate in the splashwell. Cracked my hull once hauling it as well. It was powered with an Ocean Pro 150 hp engine and would do 25-27 kts tops, cruised closer to 21 -22 (with the right prop). Not real fuel efficent. Had a 75 gallon fuel tank and I often burned 30+ gallons in a day's fishing (60-75 nautical miles) Needed a low pitch prop to avoid cavitation in rough seas. Hard for me to believe guys run their's with 115's. I suspect many of those are actually old 19 footers which also exist. Mine needed trim tabs big time though I never put them on. It was a decent sea boat, but much less so than the heavier 21 ft Regulator I replaced it with (which is a boxier, uglier but higher freeboard affair). Not real comfortable once it blew more than 15 Kts where I fish (vineyard sound). Wasn't very dry either (although tabs would've helped) Very tippy boat, two people in the same spot roll it way over and two in the stern brought water in the scuppers. I had to move the batteries out of the stern and into the console just so I could stand back there myself. Maybe the older pre 73 boats were better, but most of them must have serious rot issues. There is a lot of info on the net about rebuilding them, but if you go that route I'd look for an old heavier built one. All that said, it was a great one man fishing design and, even though I own a much better boat now, I miss it.

Last edited by numbskull; 08-07-2006 at 06:57 PM..
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