23' Seacraft Weight questions.

[Squacha]

Does anybody know if the 1976 23' CC Seacraft is a heavier boat that other years? I've moved batts forward, cut out the livewell and the wall around the livewell and redone the aft floor with a foam core deck to reduce more weight but the boat still sits low in the back. Currently have 2 old Merc 150XR4's and will be repowering to twin Suzuki 140A's. I've heard of people glassing in concrete into the front to get the weight fwd but I'm not liking that idea. Looking for some more ideas - Thanks.

[McGillicuddy]

I don't believe they were any heavier as they were still Potters design, and build. If anything they may have gone slightly lighter as the Arab oil embargo sent the cost of resins up.

Presumably you've replaced the transom, or at the very least assured its stout, and bone dry. Saturated, rotting ply is heavy. The zukes will add nearly 100 lbs back there.

A single Merc 200 was around 340 lbs in '78 and 40 lbs lighter, than each of your late 80s 150 models. They sat real nice with 350-400 lbs back there. Twins, doubles that. To really find good balance I think your best bet would be to move the console forward and the fuel tank, too. Lot of work, but if your gonna add 20k in motors may as well get it right the first time. Just something to think about.

I'm sure some guys have done these mods so I'm sure someone will chime in.

Good luck with your project, and welcome aboard.

[Bushwacker]

At some point Potter may have switched from balsa core to plywood in the deck, which would have added weight, but probably not on a mid-70's boat. He was becoming progressively more pinched for cash towards the late 70's, going bankrupt in '79 or '80, so I suspect he was looking to cut costs by then. I know the later Sceptres built by SeaCraft Industries had plywood in the decks and front bunks which made them a bit bow heavy. I agree moving the gas tank and console fwd would improve balance with the modern heavy motors.

[aldo]

Just for reference, my 1976 inboard originally had a plywood cored floor.

[Squacha]

Thanks for the info, that's one thing I hadn't thought about. I had checked the transom quite a while ago and it was fairly solid but come to think about it, a check again now wouldn't hurt and that is a lot of weight aft if it has soaked up water. Might not be a bad idea to just have it redone before the Suzuks are hung. I'm hoping that the engine weights are close. My Merc 150XR4's (20" shafts) are 410lbs each. Suzuki specs the weight out of the 140A 20" at 396 lbs - but I'll bet that's with no prop, engine oil or steering cylinders.

About moving the console fwd: I might be able to move it about 3" forward but I'm not sure yet how much that will help. With 4 strokes a smaller tank is the best way to get weight fwd - that I'll probably do.

My deck is plywood as I've already re done the section over the tank, a section on the strb side and in front of the fwd storage campartment. The rest is still pretty solid. I think the transom might be holding some water.

Thanks again. I'll let you all know what I find...if you're interested. Hope to post some Pics later this spring with the new Suzuki's.

[McGillicuddy]

While your motor weights are fairly close, you might want to consider to consider raising the transom and getting 25" shafts, especially since you've cut down the splash-well wall. Definitely keep posting your progress. we're all project junkies and it keeps us all inspired. Or distracted.

[Fr. Frank]

I re-powered a '76 23 SF for the Town of Palm Beach in 1985, removing the twin Evinrude 150's to install twin 225 Mercury Black Max motors (donated by Mercury), and removing the original 100 gallon fuel tank to install a 70 gallon tank, and also installed an 18 gallon freshwater tank.

We weighed the hull with the Birdsall T-top, but minus the fuel tank at Spencer Boat yard, and the hull with T-top, Samson-post and tow-guard weighed 3003 lbs. I remember the number because it's a numerical palindrome.

[Bigshrimpin]

xr4's are listed at 378lbs, so the zukes will be similar in weight. XR4's are essentially vertical reed 2.4L steel sleeve 175's with the 4.25" lowers with with the 200 exhaust tuner. Good motors . . .




http://www.nadaguides.com/Boats/1988...utboard-Motors

[Squacha]

Those old Mercs served me well and pushed my boat around 42-45kts W.O.T. on a 1/4 tank of gas in a light cop. They have the slim lower units running 20" S.S. props and the lighter weight flywheels. They've been ridden hard and I'll miss them.
As for the raising of the transom I've been back and forth on that for years. I would like to keep running shorter shaft engines but I hate watching the water splash up over the transom when fishing in bigger seas. I had thought about putting dual jack plates on just to get the engines out of the splash well, have the ability to lift them up in the shallows and maybe get a little more top end speed - but that's more weight aft.
Thanks for all the input - good stuff.