New Project 79 Chris Craft 22' CC Dory

Progress so far... lots of cleaning and engine work.... started some brightwork work.... Question: I was considering rotating the fuel tank 25 degrees so it lays down and build a picnic style aft seat to incase it.. do you think this would cause any unforeseeable problems? Something similar to this... less deep in scale but here's the idea

I feel obligated to say its is a fantastic community and I raise a glass to all... thank you

David H. and Ironman.... I grew up sailing at BHYC with the Lucas family... LISOT 420/I470/ESCOW training. Would be great to connect.

Snowgoose does have trim tabs but most likely will replace them (OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS).... redoing the wiring this week.... put a new high-cranking battery in and got an ark that melted the dog bone out the new battery (yikes) I appreciate the comments about weight distribution. She has always been a little leaky our family thought was where the prop shaft met the hull is where the problem was. That being said after reading this thread I would agree to agree that the scuppers combined with the weight aft could be the problem. The fiberglass cover over the fuel tank alone was 50lbs+.
I'm thinking if I lay the tank down and ditch the cover and incase with seating... ill save weight and shift weight forward... Honestly please tell me why this is a potentially bad idea.

Cleanslat how is the rewiring process going for you?

Look at the previous photos of my Dory. Look at my seating set up . You do not have the room to turn the tank down, which is not a good idea, and make bench seating the lean post helm seating. Now add two or three people , you won't be able to move around. If you tuned the tank down, what is going to support it? What would you do about the aft cleats and backing blocks with in the hull? What would you do with the haws pipe above the cleat?
You need to be able to open that deck hatch just in front of the tank to service the rudder and rudder post, the aft bilge pump etc.
Keep it the way Chris Craft made it. Do not change it. It would just mess up the balance of the boat.

All done. Much improved !

Rain water runs in around all the deck hatches into the bilge. Hence the need for two bilge pumps, one under the motor bilge , just in front of the motor oil pan. And one in the aft bilge up against the rudder. your leak at the shaft is the shaft log packing gland. Needs to be looked at every so often , it should drip water every few seconds . I have to tighten mine a few time a summer. But I put 100 hours or more on it.
Possible other leak spots are the entire drain plug , engine raw water intake, rudder post, shaft log, aft scuppers and any transducers you may have.

The aft scuppers on my boat still work. It's a crud design CC did. The plastic hoses are with in the foam filled deck. CC claims the Dory to be '' unsinkable '' like a Boston Whaler , but I don't want to find out. With a full tank and people on board seawater will come in the scuppers. I have to keep my deck drain plugs in . I can keep them out at the dock with no one in the boat and she will drain rain water fine with a full tank or less. you still need the automatic bilge pumps to remove and other rain/wash water .

Cleanslate thanks for the update's many thanks much noted... progress report .....

lower block cracked on the MerCruiser 5 7 L 350 engine.... looking at options any suggestions?

Greetings all... on my first visitation since winter of 2014 when I was still in restoration #1 of my 1974 CC 22' "Tournament"/dory. I've recently completed "mini restoration #2" with brightwork refinishing, fresh Awlgrip, and a little more music power. After a recent cocktail cruise around the Venice of America down here I figured it was finally time to consult with the brain trust here about an irritating characteristic of my little boat - absolutely terrible steering at low speed due to what appears to be a horribly modified rudder! It's more of a skeg than a rudder, and as a result maneuvering in close quarters requires more throttle than it should to "kick" the stern around going forward... and reverse is virtually non-existent in one direction while again requiring too much throttle in the other. While it likely the original rudder casting, it appears that someone in its prior life cut the entire aft portion of it off with a hacksaw in a fit of rage!

Based on these pictures is anyone able to A) confirm that looks original excepting the butchering, and B) post a profile picture of a correct rudder with a measurement of the leading edge to trailing edge? I am going to attempt to make a Starboard "prosthetic" for the amputated rudder and attach using 16 or 18 ga stainless strips either side in hopes of improving the low speed steering without making it twitchy or overly sensitive at higher speeds. I look forward to lots of input on this one!