1969 SF20 Restoration "Sandy Paws"

[TMala]

Hello all!

I want to make a post here documenting some of the restoration I did to my 1969 SF20. I am not a professional boat restorer, every project is a learning curve so hopefully someone tackling something similar to me in the future can learn a bit from what I did. I have used the site many times during this project and hopefully this will help someone else.

It all began after purchasing the boat spring of 2019 my fiance and I decided to use the boat in our wedding. The wedding was originally set for May 2020. The idea was to use the Seacraft as our vehicle for our entrance. The yacht club has a little bay beach, we would pull up jump off and start the party. In the end the wedding was postponed until August but the thought of using the boat in the wedding snowballed into trying to get as much done to her before May 2020, so here we are! The restoration started December of 2019 after the fishing season was done here in NJ.

This is the third boat I have owned from the 1960’s, somehow they keep finding me! My first Seacraft. I have always heard the great reputation and been on a 23 fishing so had no hesitations buying one. After finding one on Cape Cod a road trip was on order to trailer her back.



Here is the boat as she stood after I bought it. I used it like this for the first season, basically deciding from trial and error what I wanted to keep and what I wanted to change. Boat could hit 50+ mph with that engine any day of the week, but the transom needed to go and I was going to raise it at the same time. That engine was perfect for the boat, 387lbs and pushing out probably close to 175hp. I sold the engine and the guy that came to pick it up was going to put it on a 1974 SF20! Must be Fate!

Here is the list of things to do. I decided not to raise the floor, although I would have liked to, the deck was in perfect condition as you will see from some of the photos. Raising the floor is not out of the question for the future along with a new gas tank, we will see.

To do List:
- Replace/raise transom
- Thinner console
- Put gas tank under floor
- Batteries under console
- Remove part or all of casting platform
- New electrical and paint

The main materials used in the restoration: polyester resin, 1708, 1.5oz cloth, Penske board, and Alexseal.

The main reason for these materials is my local fiberglass supply up the block that I have been dealing with for the past 10+ years stocks these at great prices and they are excellent to work with. The owner and the whole staff have been restoring boats since before I was born so I basically just do what they say.

First step was to take out old transom. It was worse than I thought when I started to dig in.





After that I built a structure using the support framing from a party tent and shrink wrapped over that as the weather was too cold to glass. I purchased a propane heater from home depot. It could heat the place up in minutes no problem. I brought a fire extinguishing and CO2 alarm inside just to play it safe





A few issues that arose. I should have cut from the inside of the transom. It would have made everything so much easier in the end. I didn’t leave enough lip, and the core material 1.5in thick would not fit back in to the available space left if I beefed up the inner skin. As the boat was, the inner skin was paper thin, scary thin in some spots. It appeared the transom was redone before. So I decided to cut the lip away and wrap the fiberglass onto the hull sides and beef up the inner skin with a few layers of 1708. This would also enable me to build the transom as thick as I wanted.

Penske board going in, two pieces of 3/4in laminated together with 1.5oz mat and resin, two more layers of 1.5oz on the inside between the skin and the core.



After that voids were filled and further sanding/grinding up on hull sides and bottom. If you can avoid this, avoid this. It was very time consuming wrapping and sanding onto the chines and trying to get everything even in the end. A layer of 1.5 oz was added then I think a total of 5 layers of 1708 then some 6 oz cloth to form the outside skin. The total outside skin thickness landed between 1/4in and 3/8in. The transom was built 26.75 inches above keep and 27” width. With the johnzuki I can get the engine pretty high off the keel, if I could do it again I might have went to 28 or even 29 inches although that might limit different engine/prop configurations. I go back and forth about that.





From there I decided to give the transom a break and starting ripping into the forward compartment. I measured the previous center of the old gas tank in respect to where it was in the hull, and mounted the new tank’s center 3 inches forward of that to help compensate for increased engine weight but trying to keep the same COG. The console was also mounted in a similar position. I also eliminated the forward fish box but kept the most forward box as a compromise to increase foot space.



As you can see FRESH WOOD! Incredible, I felt bad ripping into the deck at this point.

New coffin built with Penske

[TMala]

I went with a 35 gallon poly tank. It was the closest thing I could get to fit without going custom. I would need to raise the deck in one spot to compensate for the fill, not a big deal the fill will be under the console. The old tank was 40 gallons and the new to me engine would have half the fuel consumption. Not once last year did I use more than 20 gallons on a trip even with the 2-stroke and I didn’t want to lug around hundreds of pounds of extra fuel so I decided I was alright with the 35 gallon tank, we will see I can always replace it. The tank dimensions from Moeller were 69.5in length, 16 width and 8 height.

Everything glassed back in place



You will see in subsequent pictures under the console I raised the deck and added an oversized hatch to observe the tank and make space for the fill. Tank was secured using moellers neoprene chafe guards under the tank and and securing hardware, no foam. I decided to place the fill in the console. Original idea was to place fill on gunnel but I couldn’t see ripping up more deck and drilling 2” holes through the stringers, I just couldn’t get myself to do it. The console will be open to ventilation at all times.

At this point, it was a fairing party for days, weeks…

I got a used console that was swiss cheese and fiberglassed it back to a blank slate.





In the above image you can see the console, and under the console the oversized raised box to observe the tank and for the fill, and some Penske I tabbed to the deck exact dimensions of the console. Console will be thru bolted to Penske board. I’m trying to limit any holes in deck where I can.

From there on out it was a lot of fairing and sanding







I was able to get two coats of Alexseal primer #442 on by rolling
First coats of primer sanding the final coat before the topcoat



Then topcoat went on in Alexseal Matterhorn White roll and tip. This boat will not look showroom new. I keep it in a slip and fish it hard. The alexseal has a few advantages. I have used awlgrip before and it is an excellent product, the two are matched in price. I never learned to spray so I’m a roll and tip applicator. Alexseal can be brushed and repaired, awlgrip is tough to repair. The way I see it Alexseal is like a good compromise between awlcraft and awlgrip and it was easy to work with although I did get some usual runs and the finish didn’t come out like a mirror due to applicator error, not product error. Alexseal can be buffed out, waxed, and if needed new paint applied to a clean surface so I’m really happy with the product. The primer was really good as well. I went with the soft sand particles for the non skid, my first time dealing with that product, we will see!

Getting some topcoat on





Lets get to rigging!

[TMala]

I used the console and leaning post and engine off a donor boat. The engine a johnzuki 140 has unknown hours, runs well, but hoping to get a season or two out of it. Buying a new engine was out of the question until wedding expenses die down a bit. Now after using the 140 for a bit, I love the engine, will probably get another one when the time comes although at the boat show this year I was looking hard at the ETEC. Can’t really go wrong with either

[TMala]

Starting to look like something now! Tent came off which was a huge plus to work in the open air without needing a respirator! Neighbors can also stop busting my balls, they called it a “murder tent” haha! I think they were all mostly pretty curious as to what I was doing in there all the time. The tent came down just in time, yesterday we had 50+mph winds I think the tent would have been in the stratosphere.










Boat performed ok on the second mounting hole which put the cavitation plate 1.5 in above keel. I am now on the 4th hole and can probably go even higher but will keep it like that for a few more trips to see how it performs.

This is the current height above keel


I couldn’t be happier with the boat! Future projects will include a livewell, forward seating in front of console, splash guard for the transom, replace the windshield, new set of rod holders for the leaning post, maybe a jackplate for the engine. I could raise the deck, new gas tank and get the fill on the gunnel which would be really nice. She needs a new VHf and antenna, maybe build a wedge to get the antenna straight-> Always a work in progress!



For now I’m gonna fish it like crazy

Cheers

-Tom

[hillcharl]

Great job!

[Capt Terry]

Tmala
Agree it looks great! Just noticed your white engine. If you put black electrical tape on the top of the AV plate you can more easily discern where the AV plate is relative to the water surface for judging engine beight.

[TMala]

Thats a good idea, will give that a try on the next trip!

[AlabamaRick]

Interesting compromise on the forward casting deck.I like what you did there. I keep going back and forth on whether to leave mine or going with a completely flat deck when that time comes. I'll now have to consider your approach.

[Thepistonhead]

Well done!!!!!

[TMala]

Alabama I was thinking the same thing. I didn't end up raising the deck so wasn't really sure how much foot space I was gonna gain and how things would look if I went all the way to the bow with a flat deck. Just cutting out that one box added a lot of extra space up there which is great though. I even kept the old well that I cut out and contemplated fiberglassing it between the stringers as an in deck compartment somewhere, I may still do that in the future, so many ways of going about it and lots of fun!