what do you think of sea drive outboards

so can I take a good sea drive and mount it on a bracket?

Is this boat worth spending $6500 on


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1988...ewItemQQcategoryZ63726QQitemZ4597431654QQrdZ1

I am not broke but I am also not rich. Seems like a good deal to me but you guys have me afraid of these seadrive outboards.
I currently have 2 boats one has a 1984 evinrude 70hp that has never given me any serious problems.
I hope to get at least 3 years out of the seadrive before thinking bout repowering.

Also do the make a manuel trim and tilt bracket for this engine?

or should I gather a few more dollars and by this smaller boat with a nice yamaha

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/5/0/81352150.htm

The question is if you had $6500 what would you buy. Looks are very important to me.  
 
Deshet you are comparing two really nice boats, one bigger than the other, you have to weigh what you want in a boat, size, whether you will be trailering or docking in a marina. I rode in a v20 CC and it was a sweet boat but a few extra feet ain't nothing to sneeze at, usually makes a substantial difference in ride and dryness. As far as engines I don't believe you can use the sea drive on anything but a sea drive mount if that is what your asking. The point both I and MJ made was to use that sea drive until it is finished and then take it off and put a bracket on it and new/rebuilt outboard of your choice. What you will have then is improved performance and economy, and because it is a sea drive the transom should be very dry strong and most importantly FULL.
So it all comes down to what you want/need both look to be excellent boats. ;) Tough to beat a V20 in any configuration near as I can tell, but that 23' CC with a bracket and newer power would be as fine a boat as you are likely to ever fish from.
 
personally i'd go for the 23' CC with sea drive. Ride till she dies then part out on ebay and find a good used bracket. I'd go twin on a 23 with either 140's or 150's. good size for a small twin set up.
 
From bassbarn.com "Originally posted by barnaclebillsmarine:
"This is a very bad topic to start with and I know I should of keep quiet but its true. You must keep up with a bracket outboard or it will fall apart. The only outboard that was ever made to hang from a bracket and breath all the salt was the OMC Sea Drives. They had duct work that pulled in air from the inside of the boat. The had flapper drains that only let water out and not in. They were made to hang out there and take waves halfway to over the motor cover. However they still allowed salt water to enter the lower cylinders when the exhaust ports were open in a heavy sea. 9 times out of 10 when a bracket ouboard failes it the lower cylinders. Some people love brackets and some hate them."

Thought this was interesting info
 
I am leaning towards the 23'' CC but I have a question on repowering.

How much should I expect to pay for a used bracket?

It seems like you guys look out for deals all the time is that 23'' CC for $6500 a deal or is that something that is found pretty often. I am not looking forward to driving 9 hours there and probably 12 back if this is not a really great deal. I know that boat would be at least $3000 more here in Virginia Beach.

thanks
 
M80 I had heard those same things when I was looking at different boats and was considering a bracket boat. Spoke with mechanics and engine reps at two boat shows and they said it may have been true at some time many years ago with certain engine designs but any outboard made in the past 30 years would be perfectly matched to a bracket configuration. There would be little if any difference mounted on a transom or a bracket. They said it was more important to match engine weight to hull design, and the boat I just sold was a Robalo 18.5 CC with a Merc 150. That combo bobbed up and down in the water so much it it scared me. My V20 with a bracket and a 115 doesn't come close to it. In big waves it is not even a concern and I know a 150 would not be a problem either.
 
I'd have to disagree 100% on the sea drive being better than a Bracket. If that were true they wouldn't have stopped making sea drives and the boat mfg. would build 75% to 80% of the new offshore CC boats with brackets and twins. They put and average of between 300 and 500 HP on brackets with twins now and even seen brackets with triple and quad set up. I've see brackets with 1000 to 1200 HP with four 250 and 300 HP outboards.
 
I did what MJ mentioned. I assumed I was buying the hull and figured the period that the Sea Drive stayed alive was gravy. Like I said, it was still running when i had it removed, may she rest in peace.

Mulv, I had no flappers on my Sea Drive. It was rigged just like any other outboard on a bracket.

One thing I will say though is that the Sea Drive was much dryer as it was mounted so much closer to the boat. My Johnson on the 30" Armstrong definately gets dunked when coming off plane or when drifting stern-to. Hasn't been a problem though as "dunked" so far means just to the bottom of the cowling.

Frankly, after having a bracket and a Sea Drive, I don't know why they stopped the Sea Drive mount as the boat handles better with the Sea Drive, the motor is less subject to dunking and you pay less for a slip because the boat is shorter (less set back w/the Sea Drive). If I could choose between the two set ups, I'd take the Sea Drive (not the motor, just the configuration).
 
those brackets are extremely expensive. I hope I won't need one for a long time. They look like they are simple to make. The complete front end for my 1979 corvette was less then that and it all fiberglass.

Does any one know some one that can make a bracket like that ?

thanks
 
Deshet they are expensive that is why you see posts on here whenever someone finds one listed used, that is the best way to do it IMHO. I wanted to put one on my V20 whichever one I ended up buying but I was going to shop used and run whatever it had until it was done meanwhile shop around. I was lucky because I found a v that had it done professionaly and bought that boat
 
I have one of these Gil Drive I brackets;

http://www.gilmarine.com/products/gbracket/brackets.html

without the side platforms (which can be added) I picked this up several years ago and recently was going to use it on a project 23' Formula that was going to be converted to outboard. Ended up with very little time to work on it and lost storage facility. Bailed out of the project and sold it, but kept the bracket. I honestly don't know if I want to sell it right now. I'll give that some thought and depending on what I end up with for a new (to me) boat for next year, it may end up in the for sale forum. I'll give youz guys first crack at it for a good price (because I got a great deal on it) if that happens.
I just don't want it to end up like other things I've sold and later wished I hadn't. Know what I mean? ;) 8)
 
I sold one for $350 a year ago, you can find them used in the $500 range if you look hard.

Call your local Mariner they may have a take off just lying around??
Thats what mine was, came off a 23' Seacraft and the guy bought a new twin bracket.

You may have to shim it to fit the curve in the wellcrat? I did, and it has been fine for 3 seaons so far
 
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