Cost of SeaCraft Seafari Total Restoration

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by SeaCraft Seafari Searcher

. . . What should I expect for a full restoration with an outboard conversion (making the boat comparable to brand new)? . . .
Any advice would be appreciated.

An attachment to a Seafari is not irrational at all . . . I ran my 20 for 42 years and found it to be so versatile that I was able to do all kinds of stuff with it!

I'd be real careful about converting a 25 Seafari to an outboard however. Connor Davis is the resident expert on this hull having put thousands of sea miles on his on some very rough Bahama trips, but from his comments, I believe this hull seems to like more weight forward. (Moesly designed it to have a forward ballast tank which Potter never included!) And because of it's very high deadrise, the lower the CG is in the hull, the more stable it will be. Installing outboards on a bracket will raise the CG and move it aft, so just the OPPOSITE of where it was designed to be and the opposite what a very experienced owner says works best! I have nothing against outboards as both the E-TECs and new 4-strokes are great motors, but I really believe this very unique design is better suited to a modern I/O like the Duo-prop with a fuel injected engine. An I/O might also be cheaper and easier to work on due to older/simpler automotive technology!

[SeaCraft Seafari Searcher]

Originally Posted by erebus

The previous owner of my 1979 23 Seacraft Sceptre got a quote from Metan for a full restoration in 2012.

Quote, if I recall was around $80K NOT including a new motor.
The boat was in pretty good shape at the time. Had a bracket already and the floors and transom were already done.

Previous owner figured he'd be into it for about $100-110K when all was said and done.

Could you find insurance for a restoration like this? I would imagine valuation would be a big question. I would have serious anxiety roaming around on a $80k boat valued at half that amount.

[cdavisdb]

I got mine insured thru Boat US, agreed value, not depreciated value. It was about 40 years old at the time. No problem with what I thought was a reasonable value. For an expensive restoration, they would probably want a survey.

[cdavisdb]

Oh well, since Denny brought it up, I can't resist jumping into this subject.

Anybody thinking of changing a 25 from I/O to outboard, especially on a bracket, needs to think long and hard about what's important to him and do some careful research.

The hull is just simply more stable and handles better with an I/0, because both the vertical and horizontal CG are better. Outboards on this hull can be a serious screwup or not, depending on how its done. A friend of mine had one with twin outboards on a bracket and a hardtop. He hated it and for good reason. The boat had some god-awful handling habits caused by screwing up the CG. On the other hand, the nice one that sold recently from St Pete had an outboard, I think on the transom. The owner seemed to be quite happy with how it handled and had owned it a long time. So, its possible, but be careful.

And Denny's right about the 20 Seafari. I owned one and dearly loved it. Plan to get another one after the 25 goes on to a good home.

[Bigshrimpin]

Originally Posted by SeaCraft Seafari Searcher

Could you find insurance for a restoration like this? I would imagine valuation would be a big question. I would have serious anxiety roaming around on a $80k boat valued at half that amount.

That's pocket change for Metan customers

[Fr. Frank]

Originally Posted by Bigshrimpin

That's pocket change for Metan customers

That's true. An old friend of mine had them do a full restore on a '68 27' Magnum Marine about 12 years ago, including re-powering from the original twin Volvo 350/350's with 270 drives to 525 EFI Mercruisers with XR drives. He spent over $200K all-in, but it sure looked and ran great. He said it cost less than he expected, as the original estimate was over $250K.

[kmoose]

A good basic cost guide for a full restoration at a reputable shop of a classic boat runs about $3500 per foot not including power, fuel tanks and wiring. There are different levels of restoration to consider that can affect price but that will get you in the ball park of a good looking, quality restoration. The contract for such work will need to be comprehensive and legal in every aspect as it can get ugly if expectations are not set. Timeframes are critical and need to be defined and agreed upon by both parties.

As stated by member who know, proper weight distribution is critical. I considered a 25' at one time and the only way I would ever consider conversion to outboard power would be to notch the transom for a big 30' motor like a DF350. A bracket would be out of the question for twins considering the weight of modern outboard power.

[Bigshrimpin]

Originally Posted by kmoose

As stated by member who know, proper weight distribution is critical. I considered a 25' at one time and the only way I would ever consider conversion to outboard power would be to notch the transom for a big 30' motor like a DF350. A bracket would be out of the question for twins considering the weight of modern outboard power.

There's one of those on Facebook Marketplace now with an ETEC.

[Old'sCool]

You could just do all the work yourself and save a bundle

[SeaCraft Seafari Searcher]

Originally Posted by Old'sCool

You could just do all the work yourself and save a bundle

If I tried that, it would take 5 years and probably sink to the bottom on the first trip out.

Thanks all for the info. I think I will look for a 20' in decent shape and search for a reputable local shop.