1978 SEACRAFT SCEPTRE 23 WALKAROUND — POTTER-BUILT — NEWPORT BEACH, CA

3 owners. Well cared for and upgraded throughout.

THE HULL

If you know SeaCraft, you know what Potter-built means. Bill Potter produced these hulls from 1968 through 1980, and the devotion they inspire among serious boaters has never faded. There is a well-known saying in the restoration community that the only hull a reputable yard would bid on over the phone — without seeing it first — was a Potter-built SeaCraft. That reputation was earned.

The 23 Sceptre features a variable-deadrise, longitudinally stepped hull with high freeboard and thick fiberglass construction. It handles head seas with confidence, stays dry at the helm, and is stable at rest. Owners of this model do not sell them easily. This one is well-preserved, properly upgraded, and ready for the water.

POWER

• 2022 Yamaha F250XB four-stroke outboard — purchased new by previous owner August 2022
• 184 hours
• Mounted on Armstrong bracket
• Stainless steel propeller
• Power trim and tilt
• Whale tail

BOTTOM AND EXTERIOR

• First-ever bottom paint applied 2025 — Vivid finish with full barrier coat
• Freshly maintained hull
• Fishing Boats Unlimited tower
• Full Isinglass enclosure
• Cockpit awning with removable sides and back
• Full custom Sunbrella boat cover

NAVIGATION AND ELECTRONICS

• Garmin GPSMAP 7607XSV — GPS, fishfinder, and chartplotter combined
• Radar dome
• Compass
• VHF radio
• Bluetooth stereo
• Yamaha digital gauges — tach, speedo, hour meter
• Four batteries with battery switch and charger
• 12V DC outlets
• Circuit breaker panel
• Navigation lights

FISHING AND DIVING

• Fiberglass recirculating bait tank
• Lewmar windlass with claw anchor and rode
• Large midships storage for dive bottles
• Dive tank racks
• Rod holders and rocket launchers
• Rod storage
• Built-in cooler
• Transom storage boxes

ACCOMMODATIONS

• V-berth with updated cushions throughout
• Cuddy cabin with sleeping capacity for two
• Hard top
• Bimini
• Swim platform
• Bow rail
• Captain’s chair and bench seat
• Glove box
• Full boat cover

MECHANICAL

• Trim tabs with trim tab controls
• Bilge pump
• Engine kill switch
• Horn
• Fuel injected

TRAILER

Triple-axle galvanized trailer, 1978 VANSN. Disc brakes with electric-over-hydraulic brake pump. Spare tire included. Trailer is included in the sale.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Potter-built SeaCrafts in this condition are genuinely hard to find. This one has the hull, the power, the electronics, and the gear to fish or dive seriously — and it looks the part doing it. The 2022 Yamaha 250 with 184 hours is barely broken in. The 2025 bottom job means she is ready to splash now. Three owners over 47 years, and every one of them took care of her.