26 seaway

[tunaorlater]

I am looking at a 1985 26 seaway with a 225 four stroke 2005 engine. Anyone have a similar setup they can share some performance numbers on? Thanks

 

[Tunascapes]

Stern mounted or bracket mounted? What is the configuration?

1984 center pilot house walk around with a stern mounted 225 etec cruise at 19-20kts burning about 2.5mpg depending on how we are loaded. Top end is 31kts. I love the boat for anything inside 40 miles. a 16kt cruise is very comfortable but its sweet spot really is right around 19kts, doesnt push as much.

I know you are well versed in projects but these 26s were made for the lighter two strokes of the day. Harry farmer told my dad and uncle when they were each having them built that if they were doing a 300hp of the time he needed to laminate another layer in the transom. Standard is 2 layers of 3/4 ply with glass etc. We had to do some beefing up for accommodate the etec a few seasons ago. A transom job is probably in our near future. A four stroke is more weight so check accordingly.

Any other questions fire way. Ours has been rebuilt and modified quite a bit. Extending the keel is a night and day difference in a following sea. The flat ass end can get down right dangerous in the right conditions.

 

[tunaorlater]

Great info thank you! This boat has a bracketed 4 stroke. I haven't gotten to check the transome because all thee hatches are frozen closed but I am guessing it will need to be replaced.

 

[captchuck]

I have an 84 26 straight inboard love it in a head sea definitely dances when its on my quarter but I would imagine with an outboard way out on a bracket she would have more control in a following sea. And like tuna said the boat does run nice when pushed up a little with the hard chine she pops up a little.

 

[Tunascapes]

My dad had it built with a bracket. That was removed after a few years and he transom mounted. I honestly wouldn't even know numbers at that point. He was pretty much just lobstering and motors were pretty different.

The boat has to have trim tabs, at least for our configuration. Get that bow down and it does well in a head sea.

 

[tunaorlater]

Thanks or the info, I am going to take a better look this week.

 

[tunaorlater]

Looked the boat over better today but I still can't get into the bilge because of frozen hatches. The transom seems real solid as do he decks but everything is frozen. It's n 85 hull, would that be solid glass or cored most likely? Also what did they make the stringers out of? And I assume balsa cored decks? It has a new tank installed in the center, i see some online had two tanks is that the normal layout? I know all are different but I am trying to get an idea of what was most likely used.

 

[Tunascapes]

Ours and a few others I know are cored, I do not know for sure but I think most were cored. Coring runs 10 inches or so on either side of the keel up to just under the gunnels. Stringers are plywood and decks were normally plywood with just resin on the backs. My dads deck had to go back and get replaced after the first season because it had delaminated already. Standard tank setup was twin tanks one on either outboard side of the stringers. Pretty sure standard was twin 60s with an option for 75s. Our tanks have been replaced and we went with a single center 130. If its a center tank good chance decks have been redone. Transom may be good if its still all enclosed across the back for the bracket. Biggest place I have seen water intrusion on two of them is around the threaded PVC scuppers.

Hope this helps.

 

[tunaorlater]

Great info, thanks again. Gonna warm up tomorrow so I should be able to poke around better.

 

[cmm88]

Mine is also cored. 1986 Hull. Twin 75 gal tanks. Just installed an outboard bracket and the transom was in great shape.

 

[Towboat]

Going to jump in here - hope this isn't considered hijacking. I'm also looking at a 1985 Seaway 26 Northstar with a bracketed outboard. This is a bassboat style fitted out in yacht trim with lots of teak & a fully finished cabin. So the consensus is that this boat is likely cored? Are there any good ways to tell without doing something destructive since this is someone else's boat?

No interest in an older cored hull boat, so if I can't tell I'll just pass. Otherwise I love the layout

 

[cmm88]

Replaced a thru-hull fitting today and I noticed a little water in the core. I dug it out to see what was going on and notice that the coring is a blue foam material.

 

[captchuck]

I'm also cored 84 hull for what its worth last season I replaced an old thru hull and enlarged it,all was dry.

 

[aopel]

Cored Hull ??

hi Towboat - Were you looking at the '85 Northstar from Ipswitch Bay Yacht Sales? If so, I ended up buying the boat. Rick told me the hull was not cored and was solid fiberglass. Was he right?

Thanks,

Andy