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VOLUME 16 ï NUMBER 1 JANUARY 2003

Boat Review ... Page 3 3 Boat Review One of the best-riding monohulls we’ve ever driven, the SeaCraft 23 Classic deserves consideration in the high-end center console market. 9 Repowering Pros If you’re thinking of repowering with diesel, call one of these guys. 11 Life Rafts Winslow still leads, but the gap narrows. Viking’s RescYou Pro earns a Best Buy. Life Rafts Page 11 18 LED Lights Hella and Perko have introduced LED navigation lights. We also check out other gadgets making use of LEDs. 24 Nonskid Paints & Pads Treadmaster decks Vetus in a -to-head Nonskid Test of nonskid mats, while West Marine’s paint Page 24 earns Best Buy honors. 28 Clear Plastic Cleaners Four products shine: Armada 210 and Plexus sprays, Dolphinite liquid paste and Mer- Maids liquid (a Best Buy). Also in this Issue 2 Editorial Nighttime boating tips.

Diesel 21 Product Monitor Saltwater soap, ACR space blanket, Tool Leash. Repowering Pros 31 Letters Air Head follow-up, used boats, kudos to Bombardier, balsa. Page 9 32 Advisor INOX lubricant, Radio Shack alarm, 7.4L engines, Glacier Bay/Grady fuel tanks.

January 2003 • Powerboat Reports 1 Boat Review SeaCraft The Classic 23 boasts one of the best rides of any small monohull we’ve driven, but it comes at a very high price—$58,000. For that, consumers de- serve a longer warranty and a better fuel tank installation.

ometimes you gotta travel a little to get to the fish, but 150 S nautical miles … and in a 23- foot open boat? That’s what Ian and Shep Murray did (twice) this past sum- mer to reach their favorite fishing spots off of Martha’s Vineyard, MA. The brothers, who hail from Greenwich, CT, crossed three different Sounds (Long Island, Block Island and Rhode Island) in their 2002 SeaCraft 23 Clas- sic, a center console powered with a 225-hp Honda four-stroke. “We left at 7 in the morning and we had our lines in the water by 1:30,” said Ian. “We stopped a few times. It really wasn’t that bad. It’s a great-riding boat.” Above: SeaCraft will pre-rig any engine brand but packages with Mercury and And it always has been. Honda. The boat hardly flinched during our sea trial, its legendary design Since Bill Potter cranked out the first living up to all the hype. SeaCraft 23 in 1970, owners have been raving about its soft ride. In fact, older SeaCrafts—in all sizes—are all the SeaCraft, Bill Potter. He and the proud and 24 degrees at the centerline,” he rage these days, as evidenced by a SeaCraft owners and L.I.’s Hampton said. flourishing website (www.classicse Watercraft were quite helpful. We wish Potter gave us more specific input acraft.com) where owners trade we could say the same about the cur- into the design of the bottom, which renovation tips and tales of slicing rent manufacturer of the SeaCraft 23, as far as he knows has changed little and dicing seas no other 23-footer Tracker Marine, which also owns since he ran the company. The would dare take on. (See the accom- Mako. It took us three weeks before SeaCraft website supports his belief: panying article). we could pin down sales and mar- “The 23' Classic is currently built uti- We got a chance to test a SeaCraft keting president Frank Longino for an lizing the same time-honored hull 23. Like the Murrays’ boat, it was interview. And even then he would design as when first introduced in the rigged with a single Honda 225. Here’s only give us “10 minutes.” We hope early 1970s.” our report. that this I’m-too-busy (he was prepar- The key is the bottom’s variable ing for a boat show) attitude doesn’t deadrise, which is distributed through Design trickle down from corporate to the longitudinal steps, said Potter, who Research for this article included our dealers and on to the buying public. took the patented design of SeaCraft usual sea trial and dockside inspec- We actually ended up keeping Mr. founder Carl Moesly’s 21-footer, ex- tion. In addition, we interviewed the Longino on the phone for about 30 tended it 2 feet and modified the Murray brothers, two other SeaCraft minutes. The mission of the 23, ac- bottom slightly to produce the 23 in owners (one of them launched the cording to Longino, is to deliver a 1970. “Instead of , you have aforementioned website) and a smooth head-sea ride at planing panels that are parallel to the SeaCraft dealership on Long Island, speeds and yet troll and drift with line,” said Potter, who is still active NY. For some historical perspective, minimal roll. “That’s the reason for as a marine accessories designer for we spoke to the former owner of the 18-degree deadrise at the exterior Seamark Marine in Florida January 2003 • Powerboat Reports 3 (www.hermco.net). “These panels than its LOA. As ad- Fast Facts flatten out as you move outboard.” vertised, the 23’s Once on plane, water flows strong point was its Length 23' 3" smoothly outboard, the steps reduc- head-sea ride. The Beam 8' 2" ing deflection, or “slapping,” upon re- boat thought nothing Draft 16" entry. On many other production of a 2-foot chop at a Deadrise @ (avg. deg.) 20.5 monohulls, the water must fight past cruising rpm of 3500. Dry weight (lbs.) 3,070 the strakes to escape outboard, which Three-footers Transom c/l height 30" can lead to a rougher ride. awaited in the ocean, Fuel capacity (gals.) 135 Above the waterline, simple lines and the SeaCraft was Maximum horsepower 300 contribute to an attractive profile. With up to the task. She a straight sheer and freeboard propor- wasn’t as smooth- Standard Equipment tioned to satisfy both form and func- riding in quartering tion, we think the boat looks darn good. seas, but still did an mount rod holders (4) We wondered whether its perfor- adequate job. Under gunnel rod storage mance would measure up to its looks We had no prob- Transom baitwell as we nudged the throttle into forward lems with the hy- In- baitwell at the 2002 Miami Boat Show. draulic steering, find- Baitwell pump & circ. system ing it quite responsive Fishboxes (2) Sea Trial with a tight four turns Raised casting deck The Miami Boat Show remains the from lock to lock. Console tackle storage ideal forum for us to test boats. Be- Klockars pushed the Cooler space under standard leaning post sides the quick access to the ocean, throttles down to Single T- the fact that hundreds of powerboats achieve a top speed of Standard rocket launcher w/ handrail pack the channels—and churn up 38 knots and ran the washing-machine-like water—adds to boat in all directions in Optional Equipment the fun. search of moments of The two PBR editors who tested this uncontrollability. He Vertical rod storage boat brought different driving styles found none. Double bow t-top (w/ outriggers) to the helm. Technical advisor Erik Our sea trial was Rupp Top Gun outriggers Klockars drives hard, in white-knuckle relatively dry. Winds Fold-down mini tower fashion that pushes the boat—and its were moderate, Electronics box occupants—to the limit. Let’s put it though. Remember, Fluorescent T-top light this way, you quickly discover this is a small boat— Spreader lights whether the vessel has an ample num- and completely open, Backrest for standard rocket launcher ber of handrails when Klockars takes so it’s no surprise Fixed-back rocket launcher the helm. His bat-out-of hell technique that the Murrays re- Console cover helps us uncover any bad habits or port that they got wet Spray hood w/ boot characteristics. on their passages to Spray hood privacy curtain In contrast, editor Chris Landry and from the Vine- Bimini top w/ boot concentrates on how the boat oper- yard. In fact, Ian coaming bolsters ates at cruising speeds, gauging how Murray said that “the Bow coaming bolsters fast he can run comfortably, the re- boat is wetter than I Casting deck/bow cushions sponsiveness of the steering and con- expected.” He might trols, and visibility at the helm. (Sta- have to make the bility while adrift and at slower speeds same addition as David Pugsley, who test boat consumed about 8 gallons sits high on his priority list, too.) frequently runs a refurbished (1979) per hour while attaining a speed of The T-top supports on many cen- 23 through Sir Francis Drake Chan- roughly 21 knots. And of course this ter consoles often block sightlines, a nel in the British Virgin Islands. “I V6 four-stroke murmurs quietly at troll- safety hazard as well as an annoy- have spray rails starting about a foot ing speeds—a mere 71 decibels push- ance. Not so on the SeaCraft 23. Two up from the waterline in the bow and ing along at 1500 rpm. The four-stroke support bars are pushed outboard and tapering down to waterline level about isn’t going to pop her out of the hole only slightly impede the helmsman’s amidships,” said Pugsley, marina op- as quickly as a two-stroke, but we line of sight. erations director of Bitter End Yacht wouldn’t call it sluggish, either. While battling our way through the Club in Virgin Gorda. He uses the boat roily waters of Miami’s inlets, it be- for both work and pleasure. “This is Construction came obvious that this is an excellent why this particular boat is so dry.” Today’s 23 is built to be lightweight sea boat, one that rides much bigger With that Honda four-stroke, our but durable. The company uses a 4 Powerboat Reports • January 2003 Critic's Corner / SeaCraft 23 Classic PROS CONS

Rail, cleat and navigation light at the bow are tucked Once you step onto away to prevent the casting platform, snagged lines and gunwale height hooks. Raised decreases to only casting platform 17”. A foredeck flush provides storage with the sole would be space. safer.

Hawsehole- accessed cleat Conventional cleat makes for clean mount allow you to design. Built-in tie a line quicker toekick at the than this arrange- hull sides and ment. No toekick in handrail on the corners or around backside of the baitwell. No toerail leaning post’s at hull sides, either. backrest adds Must cut cockpit to overall safety sole to fully access while crew aluminum fuel tank stand/fish in the for inspection or re- cockpit. moval.

T-top supports are pushed out- Windshield is too board so they short to block wind do not obstruct while you’re stand- sightlines. ing at helm.

Trim tab Gauges should be switches are higher for quicker close to monitoring. throttle for quick access.

January 2003 • Powerboat Reports 5 Boat Review

100% vinylester resin throughout, which we’d expect in a high-end boat like the SeaCraft. Some build- ers claim to use vinylester, but it’s ac- tually a blend of polyester and vinylester. Construction crews hand-lay the biaxial fiberglass fabric to a solid ¾” thickness on the bottom. SeaCraft does use quite a bit of coring, but just not in the bottom, which is fine by us con- sidering the fact that ensuring an inti- mate skin-to-core bond can be tricky. Also, a solid glass bottom can be more easily repaired than a cored one. Airex PVC foam is used to core the sides and decks, according to Longino. The hull-to-deck bond seems durable—the shoebox joint is glassed Above: The SeaCraft 23’s piano-hinged transom board keeps out green water together and further secured with but still allows for toekick space. The board is long (55”) but seemed strong and stainless steel screws. stiff. It can be folded down to free space so the outboard can be fully trimmed. All hardware is through-bolted with lock nuts or tapped aluminum plates. Through-hulls are bronze and why not offer a 10 or even 20-year war- We don’t like the fuel tank instal- chrome/bronze, much better than ranty—and some sort of blistering lation. To fully access the aluminum those PVC through-hulls that dry-out, warranty? fuel tank, you’d have to remove the chalk and crack after 5 years. “It’s bad business to do that— console and leaning post and cut the The builder gives you a 7-year you’re on the hook for 20 years,” said deck. Longino said foam is not used warranty on the hull and no gelcoat Longino. around the tank, which is good since coverage. With the claimed high So what? Boatbuilders should be it will trap moisture against the cor- level of construction materials, meth- “on the hook” for more than a mere 5 rosive aluminum. We’d much pre- ods and design, we asked Longino or 7 years, in our opinion. fer a plastic fuel tank. Aluminum Performance: SeaCraft 23 Classic

Gallons Range Range RPM Decibels Knots MPH Per Hour NMPG MPG NM Miles

1000 69 4.04 4.65 0.25 16.2 19 1965 2260 1500 71.5 5.7 6.55 0.8 7.12 8.2 865 994.8 2000 73.75 6.91 7.95 2 3.46 4 420 483 2500 79.5 7.96 9.15 4 1.99 2.3 241.7 277.9 3000 80.5 12.2 14 5.9 2.06 2.4 250.7 288.3 3500 84 18.5 21.3 8.1 2.29 2.6 277.8 319.5 4000 85.5 27.1 31.2 9.1 2.98 3.4 362.2 416.6 4500 87.75 26.4 30.35 12.2 2.16 2.5 262.8 302.3 5000 89.5 30.2 34.75 13.2 2.29 2.6 278.1 319.9 5600 91.5 33.4 38.4 20.13 1.66 1.9 201.6 231.8 SeaCraft 23 center console, single 225-hp Honda four-stroke, 15-pitch stainless steel prop, 135-gallon fuel capacity, 72 gallons of fuel, 3 people, light gear, safety gear. Test performed off Miami, FL.

6 Powerboat Reports • January 2003 Value Guide: SeaCraft 23 tanks, in our opinion, should be fully however, since the rail is only at accessible for inspection and re- shin level once you step up 9-1/ Overall utility 3 moval without having to perform 2” onto this surface. We prefer a Overall appearance 5 major surgery on the deck. flush foredeck so that the gunwale High speed performance 5 rises high in front of you, increas- Low speed performance 4 Helm/Deck ing safety on this least-stable sec- Seaworthiness 4 What do coaming bolster pads, tion of the boat. The downside: the Construction 4 snapped-down cushions, navigation loss of storage space, but we’ll live Hull integrity 4 lights, cleats and bow rails have in with that for the increased safety Fit and finish 4 common? They snag fishing lines and factor. Ease Maint./Repair 3 hooks. SeaCraft tucks away most of Moving aft, standard rod racks Passenger seating 2 these elements to minimize the snag- line the and flush- Design/Layout factor. The only exception: The pads mounted rod holders sit inside the stowage 3 on the two-person seat and backrest gunwale tops at the . Free- foredeck 2 molded into the forward section of the board measures 26” just outboard cockpit 4 console. Secured with long SS piano of the helm and 24” at the stern. head - hinges, the pads (which also serve as We’d prefer higher (28”) sides for Helm station the hatch lids) don’t appear to be re- safety’s sake. seating comfort 4 movable, either. The windshield height (61” off sightlines 4 The spring and stern cleats are the sole) is too short to protect a instrumentation 3 mounted on the hull sides and ac- standing helmsman. The builder ergonomics 3 cessed through stainless steel stuck the horn switch amongst a Electrical (overall) 4 hawseholes. The bow cleat is the pop- strip of others under the steering access 4 up type. At 6” and all alone, this cleat wheel. We’d move it up higher— Mechanical systems 4 needs to be bigger to handle two and make it red—for quicker recog- Fuel tank installation 1 docklines. nition and access. Leave the Lenco Engine access 4 The boat has no bow rail of the trim tabs switches where they are— Warranty 3 conventional sort. A recessed 1”D rail between the throttle and the wheel Standard equipment 4 begins just outboard of the leaning post for no-look operation. The helm seat and rings the bow. It sits inside the was comfortable. Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 5 deck liner’s L-shaped radius on the We found the batteries in the (1=poor; 5=excellent). inboard side of the gunwale top. console, secured firmly and with You’ll find this low-profile rail on terminals covered with rubber some of SeaCraft’s competitors, no- booties. from the top of the backrest down to SeaCraft has done an exceptional tably Contender. the livewell. They’re up high, too, so job with the livewell/leaning post The raised casting platform at the you don’t have to hunker down. On a module. Two beefy handrails extend bow diminishes the rail’s purpose, speedy boat meant for offshore use like this one, crewmembers need something meant for clutching—not the rocket-launcher rod holders (on some boats, you’re lucky to get even that). The builder has selected a clear lid for the livewell, which gives some baitfish a better chance of survival. SeaCraft also builds a livewell into the deck, a nice alternative since trans- porting bait from a casting net into a raised baitwell gets tricky. Our test boat had a third livewell, raised and in the starboard quarter. Since the Classic’s on-deck design Left: The SeaCraft boasts a clean deck incorporates a cut-out transom, a layout, with recessed hardware. splashboard forward of the engine is Above: A clear livewell lid helps necessary to block green water when some baitfish survive longer. Crew backing down or adrift in rough seas. standing in the cockpit will appreci- We were impressed with the design ate the waist-high grabrails on the lean- of the splashboard and motor well. ing post. The stiff 55”-wide board is angled aft to January 2003 • Powerboat Reports 7 Boat Review allow for toekick. In fact, the only places you’re deprived of toekick space is at the transom corners. (For an even higher Website Helps Owners safety factor, we’d like to see standard toerails at the gunwales.) Revive Old SeaCrafts That transom board also folds down on a piano hinge to make room Remember that old shampoo TV for the motor when it’s trimmed up. commercial where images of a A hatch in the cockpit sole aft of beautiful model’s face multiply as the deck livewell leads to bronze she explains “And I told two seacock fittings with shut-off valves. friends, and she told two friends, The pump and switch are logi- and so on …” ? That’s what it has cally mounted on an L-shaped been like for the membership list bracket—just remove the bracket over at www.classicseacraft.com. when it’s time to replace the pump Rhode Islander Jason Goldfarb and/or switch. You won’t have to drill launched the site while restoring holes in your boat. Klockars gives it a a 1968 20’ SeaCraft. Above: In addition to before-and-af- thumbs up. Pie hatches in each cor- “One e-mail led me to five [used ter photos of refurbished SeaCrafts, ner provide access to fuel lines. SeaCraft] owners, then 10. I was the website gives you a little history: talking to them all, but my fingers SeaCraft’s founder, Carl Moesly, de- Conclusion got tired, so I created a website.” signed and built the first SeaCraft, a With the single Honda 225-hp four- The membership now bulges at 21-footer, to race offshore. stroke, the SeaCraft 23 Classic retails 250 with SeaCraft enthusiasts from for $58,545. Optional equipment in- all over the country—even the cludes trim tabs ($680), Top Gun world (homeports include France, writes Steve Syler in his dramatic outriggers ($1,400) and coaming bol- Bermuda and Cabo San Lucas). buildup to his discovering of a 1979 ster pads ($425). SeaCraft sits among Most of the boats were built in the 23-footer for $7,000. He worked for several other high-end center console 70s or 80s. The oldest: a 1967 19- an entire winter—nights and week- fishing boats. Certainly, you should footer, which Goldfarb writes “is ends—stripping and then refurbish- consider the competitors, especially the most impressive boat on the ing the boat. the Regulator ($54,500 MSRP) and site, hands down.” The owner “has One of the most common old Contender ($49,899 MSRP with mini- taken great care of his 19, and has SeaCraft repairs has been the re- mal standard equipment). Remember all the original documentation, placement of wet transoms, which to sea trial all three—don’t just look at warranty cards, and articles about were built with wood and encapsu- them at a boat show. his boat. His boat is an I/O with a lated in fiberglass. Goldfarb says a What does the SeaCraft have go- 160-hp Chevy inline six with a project like this might seem over- ing for it? A head-sea ride we can MerCruiser outdrive.” whelming at first but is quite doable safely say is one of the best we’ve Goldfarb writes a sizeable por- with the help of an ever-growing encountered in a small boat. We think tion of the descriptions accompa- group of SeaCraft owners to fall the Classic’s topside design is com- nying the before-and-after photo- back on. mendable, too, especially the fold- graphs. But the site very much be- Yes, bringing an old SeaCraft down transom splashboard, snag-free longs to the owners, most of whom back from the dead is hard work, hardware and double-handrail setup could never afford a new SeaCraft but guys like Syler have no regrets, at the leaning post. We have no com- (a 23 retails for a whopping especially once they feel that plaints about fit and finish or electri- $58,000). smoothing-riding, variable deadrise cal components (all wiring is tinned). “There was a lot of talk about hull beneath them. The helm could use a few modifica- how great these boats are, but not tions (move that horn switch up having deep pockets I thought I Contact—www.classicseacraft.com; higher), but we like it for the most part would never find out how good,” Jason Goldfarb: 508/295-9700. because it doesn’t interfere with sightlines. Our biggest concern with the boat ion. We also think the builder should more than $2,500 per foot—no wonder is its inaccessible aluminum fuel tank provide more than 7 years for a war- used SeaCrafts are so popular. ■ installation. No matter how good the ranty, and offer some sort of protec- installation, a boat owner should be tion against blistering. In our view, Contact—SeaCraft, 4355 NW 128th St., able to access his fuel tankage with- this is not too much to ask for con- Miami, FL 33054; 888/732-2723; out cutting up the boat, in our opin- sidering its price, which equates to www.seacraft-boats.com. 8 Powerboat Reports • January 2003