New SeaCraft QUALITY????

[jmilana]

WHAT IS THE WORD ON THE NEW SEACRAFT HULL'S QUALITY? IS IT A WELL BUILT BOAT OR AN IMITATION OF THE ORIGINAL?

THANKS FOR ANY COMENTS

JIM

[FELLOW-SHIP]

HA JIM
I LIVE IN SOUTH FLORIDA WHERE THEY ARE BUILT. I HEAD OVER TO OUTDOOR WORLD 1 OR 2 TIMES A MONTH, WHERE THEY ALWAYS HAVE 10-15 SEACRAFT BOATS ON DISPLAY. THERE’S NEVER A TIME THAT I DON’T STOP BUY AND TAKE A LOOK AT A FEW OF THEM. TO ME THEY SEEM TO HAVE MAINTAIN A GOOD QUALITY ON THE BOATS ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE CHANGED THE MATERIALS WITHIN THE LAMINATION TO SOME OF THE COMPOSITE TYPE MATERIALS ALSO IN TODAY’S WORLD IT IS NOT EASY TO GET GOOD HELP THAT STAY WITH A COMPANY SO QUALITY CONTROL ALWAYS NEEDS TO ME CHECKED. I HAVEN’T HEARD ANY PROBLEMS. THEY ARE STILL USING QUALITY MATERIAL WITH A QUALITY DESIGN. IF I WERE GOING TO BUY A NEW 23’ BOAT TODAY I WOULD BUY A NEW SEACRAFT ON A DIFFERENT SIZE BOAT I MIGHT CONSIDER ANOTHER MANUFACTURER.
FELLOW-SHIP [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[POUNCE]

I have a '2000 23' Seacraft that I had built to order. I've had two significant problems with the boat, both of which have been taken care of by the manufacturer without so much as a whimper.

#1 - Gelcoat voids/blisters - The boat was delivered with one gelcoat void in the deck ring. In talking to the dealer about it, he suggested that we use the boat a while before we had the one repaired - just in case some more appeared (as they often do with new boats). Sure enough a few more "popped" up and were fixed with no problem at all. This was a year ago and 300 hours of use later, no more have appeared.

#2 - T-Top mounting. If you look at the brochures and website, you will see that they advertise that all fitting are backed with aluminum plates or oversized washers. I can atest that indeed they are - metal backing plates are actually glassed into the underside of the deck and liner and the fittings are tapped and screwed into the plates - top notch quality. However on my boat, they some how missed the plate with the screws for the aft/starboard mount for the t-top. I discovered this the hard way when I hit an odd wave about 30 miles offshore while running at 30 knots. The landing impact stripped the screws out of the deck as the mounting plate was missed by almost an inch. Seacraft fixed this without a question but did not replace the two rods that I lost when they were literally launched out of the boat.

Not withstanding, if I had it to do all over again, I would buy another new 23. All of the hardware, fiberglass finishing and electrical systems are made from the highest quality materials and components on the market and are assembled beautifully. The boat now has over 800 hours on the water and close to 10,000 miles on the trailer and it still looks like its a brand new boat. Every nut and screw is still tight and when running in heavy chop you never hear a creek, rattle or groan.

With all the use the boat is getting, its come time to start replacing some of the wear items like lights, pumps, etc. It could not be easier, everything is positioned for easy service/replacement and the parts are easy to find.

I have the oppurtunity to run other comparable boats and have yet to find one that has been used as intensely as mine that is holding together as well.

For power I have a 225 Optimax. The motor is great or at least I thought so until my mechanic was doing a routine PM and called to tell me I needed a new powerhead (after 700 hours). Dispite the fact that I was out of warranty, merc repaced my powerhead free of charge. In talking to my dealer he told me that he is specing all of his new boats with the 225 hondas and the motor seems to out perform the optimax. With that, I think I may repower (soon) with twin hondas.

[JohnB]

This may be nit-picking, but I was looking at a brand new 20 footer, and there are 2 things I really don't like.
1, they are using exposed screws to hold the rub rail on. 1 tap of the dock, and you have a place for water to come in, (I know from experience).
2. The trim that goes around the transom has screws that hold it it. The are pointing straight down, and eventually will let water in the transom.
Other than that, great boats.