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#1
08-08-2016, 10:04 AM
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20' Seafari: The Resurrection
When you buy a boat that's been hibernating for several years,
you know you're in for an adventure. The question becomes, how much of an adventure do you want? I'm still trying to figure out the level of resto I want to do. Paint and replace everything, or, do all the basics, shine her up and have a stout, bullet proof vessel that I'm not afraid to use? Time will tell! I believe that I've overcome the biggest hurdle in beginning the restoration, and one that I didn't expect: spiders! Every time I'd crawl into the boat, I was met by a gaggle of pissed off black spiders. Apparently, they missed the east coast... I treated the entire boat with commercial Fipronil, paying careful attention to the bilge, hatches, and hidden spaces. The next day, I was met by 450,000 dead arachnids. Hello shop vac. Although I do love spiders, I couldn't handle an army. Now I feel less terrified when setting foot in the cabin. So yesterday I got started in earnest: the first thing to go was the mangled bow rail. I will be beaching the boat a lot, and it's a drag to clamber over a shin high rail, so I was glad to have it off. Also, I think she looks good with that hardware but a memory. Sleek! I wet sanded and waxed the port hull and started on the deck. The old gel coat comes up glossy and I may not have to do much painting after all. Ripped out all the old wiring and all that was left of the rabbit's fur. Removed all the rusty fasteners. Started getting the trailer sorted out. It was a good day! The outboard is still frozen. Probably always will be, despite my best efforts. I have my eye on a 150 Optimax at a local boat yard, and I see a re-power in the near future. Ordered a ton of stuff from eBay: LED nav lights. A compass. VHF. Steering cable. Trailer rollers. Drink holders. Important stuff. Polk audio marine speakers and a Kenwood stereo because you have to have tunes while you work... This is going to take me months, and that's OK. It's good to have a project! Now only a few mysteries remain: What does the plaque behind the steering wheel mean? Can I tell the year of manufacture from those numbers? What kind of windshield molding do I need to replace the old, gooey stuff hanging on so bravely? What do those little plastic eyes at the bottom of the window glass do? Why did someone think it was OK to wire the boat with lamp cord and place the fuse box deep in the bilge? Anyway, I've grown quite attached to this SeaCraft in the week that I've had her, and more so now that the spider army has been vanquished! 
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#3
08-08-2016, 11:53 AM
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Dogbomb-
Congrats on jumping into your project. The port hull looks real nice. First of all there is lots of good advice on this sight & not always in agreement (i.e. outboard brackets versus not). Here are a few of my comments based on 40 years with my '76 Seafari. See the photos of my instrument panel and teak bolsters. 1- As to the bow rail removal making it easier when you beach the boat. Beaching it is not recommended (as seen in other CSC posts). It will be hard to get on & off, not good for the keel, and if the tide goes out maybe impossible to push off. And the biggest reason it's easier to swamp if waves hit your stern. Better to add a swim platform to the transom, anchor bow out, back into the beach trimming up as you go, then plant a stern anchor up on the beach. Just step out of the stern jump seat onto the platform into knee deep water. Got any little kids with you, it's easier for them to go back and forth to the boat. I find the bow rail helpful for its intended purpose, keeping me on the bow deck when anchoring! 2- If interested I'll send some photos of my platform (I may have some on my phone, but not on the laptop). Together years ago Bushwacker & I built platforms with teak slats across a stainless u-shaped, hinged tube. (Bushwacker's went to 65Bowrider when he added the outboard bracket). Then a few years ago I added a fold down ladder, but devised a way to support it from under the platform. The platform serves another good purpose, if it's a coed trip and someone wants to go #1 without using the portapotty or it's too cold to get fully immersed, just sit down on it! Also a way to get into the boat if it's too difficult from your trailer. 3- I redid my instrument panel with Starboard to replace the faded brown, wood looking original. I basically kept all the switches & accompanying fuse holders in the original location. I have no fuse block in the bilge. 4- After my coaming bolsters were shot, I replaced the plywood backing with 3/8" thick teak. It stays under cover now, but 11 year old Siskins Cetol finish still looks great as you can see in the photo. Best wishes http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...pictureid=2213 http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...pictureid=2101
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#5
08-09-2016, 09:47 AM
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Quote:
I fully agree with your take on beaching the boat. There are exceptions, and I do quite a bit of my boating at Lake Havasu on the Colorado river. The beaches there are sugar sand, so no danger to the keel. Also, the coves are very secluded, so no danger from other boat wakes flooding the motor well. But I do agree with your advice on anchoring and backing onto the shore in certain circumstances. I have a teak swim platform that I'll be installing for just that reason! Your boat is beautiful, and I covet that motor well splash shield. Wish those were easily available, but I'll have to cob something together in the mean time. Cheers, and thank you so much for taking the time to respond!
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#7
08-09-2016, 11:35 AM
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Quote:
__________________
'72 SeaFari/150E-Tec/Hermco Bracket, owned since 1975. http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z...Part2019-1.jpg
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#8
08-09-2016, 12:09 PM
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Cove on Colorado
Dogbomb-
Wow coves off the Colorado. Good for Watersports? My bucket list includes wakeboarding & slalom on places like Lake Powell. Thanks for your compliment. My Seafari needs some buffing out, otherwise been pretty well maintained. As I told 65bowrider & Skippertee when they recently joined us on a lake outing, there are some absolutely gorgeous boats & restores on CSC. Neat-Sea is a bit like the 68 Vette I had 30 years. It was not show car quality, but was well maintained & used. Retirement has provided some catch up on my boat projects list.
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#10
08-10-2016, 09:39 AM
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Quote:
unit instead of my own questionable design.
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