photo's of my 1976 23 footer

[Blackwater21]

I finally scanned a couple of pictures of my 1976 23ft center console. I currently use it a a "back up" boat for my charter business. I customized a few of the hatches and glassed over the aft livewell. But the rest is original including the console and plexiglass. The tower was added in 1997 along with a couple of 1997 150 EFI Mariner engines.

[Reel Smoker]

very nice, I love the way they sit in the water.RS.

[Scott]

WOW that looks awesome......The fish must tremble when that gets near [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

BW21 ... What modifications did you make to the hatches????

and

What kinda numbers do you get running the twin 150's......cruise, top end, fuel consumption and what size fuel tank????

Sorry for so many questions .... but the hatches are in process and "I" only want to have one fuel tank built......Twin motors may be in the somewhat distant future but I want to have appropriate fuel capacity for them now....the longer I seem to wait to have the tank built the larger it gets......

I'm not looking for blazing speed but rather a little insurance in the engine department......and now alot of guys around here have me thinking about these Suzuki motors

Again Love the boat…..Truly looks like a Classic Sportfisherman [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Hooper]

Hey BW....

How have you made out with those Mariner EFI's? I have a '97 225hp efi and have had a few problems since purchasing the boat. How many Hrs on them???

Yeah I agree, doesn't it sit low with a crew aboard??? I know I keep a close eye aft, always...

-Hooper

[Blackwater21]

I plug the drain holes because some water does come in the deck drains. I have ball scuppers on the splash well and i rarely get any water in there unless a wave comes over the transom.

As far as performance, it does well. Top end is around 50 with a full load. I can beat a Hewes 20 with a 150. Average fuel economy is 1.4 miles per gallon with the EFI's

I have been running Mercury products since 1991 and have never had a major problem with any of the engines. I have a 1999 Mercury 225 EFI on a 21 ft Maverick flat and it is still running perfect like the day it was new. Get this it has 1376 hours on it. I don't use this boat as much as i should. The hours on the twins is just under 500 hours.

I completely made new hatches from scratch. i didn't like the original ones. The thing i hate most is that huge splash well. I have two above deck live wells because the one in the splash well sucked. So i glassed it over and now you would even know that it existed.

[Briguy]

Another follow up question. With those 150's, doesn't it sit very low in the water with 1 or 2 guys in the back? Did you move some weight forward or plug your drain holes?

PS I bet you get an honest 50mph out of her.