Info on sea crafts

[1977chris]

I'm looking to purchase a 1989 seacraft 20. Don't much about these boats. Ran across one and love the way it looks. How do these boats ride. The one I am looking at has an Armstrong bracket on the back. What are some of the thinks I should be looking for be for I purchase. Does this year boat have wood stringers? Thanks Chris

[Bushwacker]

They're one of the best riding 20' boats ever made, until someone screws up the CG by hanging a heavy 4-stroke motor 30" further aft on a bracket! That can be corrected by moving console, batteries and gas tank forward. If it tends to porpoise a lot, it's still stern heavy!

All SeaCrafts except the original Moesly 21 have fiberglass stringers. Go here to learn all about SeaCraft boats!

[Terry England]

1977Chris,
A.) I think Denny's SeaFari was made two years before you were (1975)!
B.) Sometimes at that age they have loose screws, like their owners!

[1977chris]

Thanks for the info. Porpoising would be a problem. Make for a rough ride. I haven't taking it for a ride yet. It only has a Yamaha 115 on it. I was going to switch it out with a 150. If you set the motor a little lower on the bracket would that help with the porpoising?

[TomParis]

a 150 4 stroke would be pretty heavy, or did you mean a 150 2 stroke?

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by 1977chris

Thanks for the info. Porpoising would be a problem. Make for a rough ride. I haven't taking it for a ride yet. It only has a Yamaha 115 on it. I was going to switch it out with a 150. If you set the motor a little lower on the bracket would that help with the porpoising?

No, motor height will not affect porpoising very much. Need to correct CG to fix that, although more stern lift will help. (trim tabs, 4B prop and an AV plate fin) The Armstrong bracket also doesn't have as much flotation as a Hermco, so check to see if it'll self bail at the dock with scupper plugs out.

I think the 115 is a bit lighter than a 150 so that helps some but I suspect it would be better balanced with an even lighter 2-stroke.

[McGillicuddy]

20' seacraft is a great little boat. Smooth ride is perhaps its greatest attribute. '89 was a Tracker boat. gofastsandman might be able to offer insight on that era. typical concerns are the scupper tubes/ supports leaking, the gap between the cap and gunwales leaking, and the floors or transom getting soft due to water intrusion.

115 yamaha 2 stroke is good. yammie 4 stroke is a little heavy but workable.
When you employ a bracket you will usually end up raising the motor. rule of thumb is an inch per foot of setback.

If the bracket is not a flotation version I would probably shy away from the 150...

Check out bushwackers bracket treatise here:

http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...ad.php?t=19779

Good luck! and welcome aboard.

[1977chris]

I was thinking 4stroke. But I could go with a 2 stroke. I haven't test drove it. I was thinking that 115 would be to small for that boat

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by 1977chris

. . . I was thinking that 115 would be to small for that boat

That's a very common misconception, because modern wide beam hulls designed to handle the weight of 4-strokes are so inefficient compared to Moesly's patented Variable Deadrise Hull! That's why you see lots of new 8' beam 20' hulls with 200 hp on them! The VDH hull was tested extensively at Mercury's Lake X in the mid-60's and found to be 10% faster than conventional deep-V hulls with the same weight and horsepower! The 19/20' hull was designed in about 1964 for the largest outboards of the time, which were the 260-300 lb I-6 Merc and V-4 OMC's, of about 100 hp (rated at powerhead, so about 10% less at the prop!), so it actually rides and handles best with the small (by today's standards) and less thirsty light weight motors. Many were sold new with 85 hp 2-strokes on them! The Tracker models are actually a bit longer and heavier and have 25" transoms, so'll they'll handle a heavier motor a little better, but all of the 20's are relatively light. They ride well with their relatively slender 7'6" beam, but they will start to go airborne in seas of about 3' at speeds over 20 kts due to the light weight, so if you plan to run offshore very much, less is more! In those conditions, you won't be able to use much more power than it's already got!

[1977chris]