Replacing deck on '79 CC

[midnightmagic]

Can someone point me in the right direction on replacing the deck on a '79 SeaCraft center console? Any wisdom that would allow me to do this the correct and best way would be greatly appreciated.

[midnightmagic]

....it's 23'

[Old'sCool]

Post pics and read threads here...lots of them. Decisions are wood or not, new tank or not, raise or not, level bow to stern or not...on and on.

[midnightmagic]

Thanks for starting the conversation Old'sCool. I have read a lot of the threads on this here and they really inspire me to get this done, and done right. I LOVE the look of the 23' SeaCraft CC and can't wait to be fishing in her again. The boat has been in an awesome friend's family since it was new, and I've fished out of her often...but she's been sitting in the brutal sun in my driveway for about 4 years now. When parked the motor ran fine but the deck was soft in several areas. So, this Saturday several friends and I will be cutting the deck off - going by what I've seen in the pics - by sawing along the bottom of the deck/cap, yanking it, replacing the foam if needed, re-decking, etc. Your reply hit exactly every different variable in need of consideration.

"Decisions are wood or not, new tank or not, raise or not, level bow to stern or not...on and on."

Wood or not: What's the best option? Cost aside. I'm guessing marine plywood encapsulated in fiberglass/epoxy? Fairly new tank, will have it cleaned/inspected and replaced if needed. ....the raising of the deck is scupper location related? I like and plan to do the PVC conduit thing and batt relocation to under CC. I'd REALLY like to know how the transom is but can't see a way to visually make that determination. The finish is shot....what can I use myself at my house to refinish it with quality materials? Tools are not a problem. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Pics....i'll post some pics of her back when she looked and ran great, and what she looks like now. I'll also post a pic of my old '26 Wellcraft Scarab Sportster in case anyone knows where I can find an arch almost exactly like that for the SeaCraft. Really liked the performance of it and the shade it produced.

Thanks!!!

[midnightmagic]

Pic2

[midnightmagic]

Pic3

[FishStretcher]

If you want to raise the deck above the water level, one way is to make the deck and boat lighter. Plywood would be the worst option there.

Chaser did a foam core deck and nicely offset the weight of a heavy Honda 135. He might have even raised the boat in the water after adding perhaps 100 lb of outboard.

Decks on early boats have end grain balsa core. I think it is a spiritual cousin to an *engineered* foam core deck.

In my opinion, I would do an engineered foam core deck, followed in preference by balsa, and avoid plywood due to weight and water migration in plywood (balsa on the end grain is somewhat better).

Then I would move the console and batteries forward, (and possibly the tank) and you can maintain the CG and lift the boat out of the water, make it plane better and float better and use less fuel.

If, after all that, you decide you still want to lift the deck, then I would cut the tops of the box stringers, replace the floatation foam, and raise the height and volume of the foam, and install the new deck. And I like the idea of two smaller *ethanol resistant* plastic tanks so you don't have the free surface effect of fuel sloshing fore- aft in a long skinny tank. And you can tune CG on the fly by draining from one tank or the other.

Older Seacrafts are sorely lacking in floatation foam. So they can sink. Quickly. I am a big fan of a bit more foam in the hull.

I have done H80 foam cored fuel hatches and bulkheads for the 25 and they are very stiff, strong and light.

[edit] Here is Chaser's thread: He took a beating early on about a heavy motor, but walked the talk with a foam core deck and heavyish 4 stroke and the combination seems to work well. http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...ad.php?t=26989

[FishStretcher]

I bought a bolt together T-top from fishonsports.com They do a lot of arches. But if you identify a location, I am sure you can get references for local welders. And if you are in FL, then marine liquidators has a lot of tanks.