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.