Lavey Craft Sebrings!

[luv2gofast]

Nice lookin boat! I can't belive how good it looks for a 20 year old boat!

[moomba]

If the one in Tuscon didn't work out for me this was going to be my next phone call.

[LaveyT]

Lavey is very reluctant to build a one off light layup in any boat that wont be used for racing only anymore- and even then they just dont want to do it.

They have been sued by people that have crashed boats racing, one guy took a 30 year old production model - chopped the interior out of it, compromised the structure to get it "light" and then overpowered it, and of course- had a problem.

The Camire family that owns the company today didn't even build that boat- but they were still found liable for this d-bags stupidity on the claim that they bought the name and all therefore own all prior liability.

Its guys like that - that cause the prices to go up, and effectively "choke" entire industries of profit to feed the insurance companies and attorneys.

Of course the upside of a slightly heavier, stronger layup is that you get 15
& 20 year old boats that look like these do and will continue to provide decades more of boating pleasure free of structural issues that plague so much of the el-cheapo crap out there today.


UD

When pepole ask me about the Lavey there jaws drop when I tell them its a 1989
These boats are rare in the midwest, especially with a JohnRude. the only thing that says Lavey Craft on mine is on the Hensley Guntner trailer.

[sms]

Have any of you played with the rear tunnel plates on your boats? Mine are flat with the tunnels and I have never adjusted them. Just curious if there is anything to be gained from moving them around.

[boater454]

I can't tell from your pic but ours came from Lavey with pins holding the brackets. These pins vibrated at idle and made an awful rattle. I replaced them with ss nylock bolts and no more rattle. At that time I tried moving them up and down a few degrees and couldn't tell any difference. I didn't have a GPS back then though!

[LaveyT]

I cranked mine up 1/4" or so . The boat would not take a "Set" with them up. It just hopped and hopped

[LaveyT]

Sorry, interupted by work.
After raising these up I realized that the hull is usless without them. On mine anyway. They sort of set up a tri pod, or wheelie bars. The motor acts as one leg and the tabs the other two. That seems to be the reason behind the "Rough Water" handeling ability. Just hit the wake of a ski boat and the boat doesnt falter at all.
You would almost have to adjust it to belive the difference. I adjusted mine up at the old Rumble years ago. After seeing that it didnt work I decided to leave them "UP" just a bit from flat. Mistake, some times I have a hard time getting the boat to take a "Set". I really need to put mine back to dead level. I saw no speed gain at all raising them. I have alot of jackplate experience also

[cocacola]

see mine here

[LaveyT]

see mine here

Man thats alot of work. You have the same Trailer as I do. Thats what needs the work on mine. Lots of surface rust. My transom still looks great. No plate needed yet !
Was that Ron Hills old Boat ?

[cocacola]

Yes...it was Ron's boat. Got it off of ebay. He took it to Phoenix. We vacationed and picked it up on way back.

Engine tossed rod out the case. Now have a stock 200.

Man thats alot of work. You have the same Trailer as I do. Thats what needs the work on mine. Lots of surface rust. My transom still looks great. No plate needed yet !
Was that Ron Hills old Boat ?

[LaveyT]

Are you running with no nose cone ?

[cocacola]

Are you running with no nose cone ?

Yes, no nosecone. Is that a bad idea? Engine in lowest setting. High Five 22". Water pressure is good.

[LaveyT]

These boats dont like them. A trophy would probably pick up a bit of speed for
you.
Have fun,
Dave

[sms]

Sebring in action.

[moomba]

Are you running with no nose cone ?

Got the Lavey Tue afternoon. Spent a few hrs cleaning the Diesel and road soot off it. It looks just like the photos NICE. Did a complete nut and bolt check and noticed a crack in the skeg. I pulled the lower off last night and put on a 200 lower with a Bobs nose and LWPU that I had on my Hydrostream so I can run it this weekend. Im trying to get the gentleman that I bought the boat from to help me out on this deal. It had a 1993 CLE with a Bobs cone and LWP. What gear case should I put on this. The motor is a JSRE 260 with a 1993 260 mid.
Any and all help would be great. Let me know if you have something that may work. I have had many pros and cons on welding the skeg.
Thanks