The Stacer Seahorse was an entry level aluminium open boat, built on Stacer's EVO hull and sold in five sizes, the 429, 449, 469, 489 and 529. It is not part of Stacer's current range. Stacer's own site lists Skimma, Seasprite, Proline, Sea Master and more than a dozen other ranges today, and Seahorse is not one of them. No date or reason for dropping it is published anywhere Stacer controls, so this is as far as that fact goes. Two Seahorses are for sale on Boattrader right now, checked today.
The numbers
This is Stacer's own spec sheet for the range, from when it was still current. All figures are for the boat alone, without motor, trailer or fitted options, and the brochure itself notes they are approximate and subject to change. Treat them as a guide to the range, not as the capacity rating of any individual boat: that comes only from the compliance plate fitted to the actual hull.
| Model | Length | Beam | Hull weight | Power range | People (basic) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 429 Seahorse | 4.27m | 1.90m | 164kg | 30 to 40hp | 5 |
| 449 Seahorse | 4.49m | 2.05m | 220kg | 30 to 50hp | 5 |
| 469 Seahorse | 4.69m | 2.20m | 240kg | 40 to 50hp | 6 |
| 489 Seahorse | 4.90m | 2.20m | 260kg | 40 to 60hp | 6 |
| 529 Seahorse | 5.35m | 2.32m | 285kg | 50 to 60hp | 6 |
Stacer's own archived brochure lists no 420 Seahorse, only 429 as the smallest size. If you have seen a "420 Seahorse" advertised, it does not match anything in Stacer's own published range, and the 429 is the closest genuine size.
Stacer's own brochure copy described the 429 as suited to exploring local waterways and tight corners, and the 449 for manoeuvrability and durability in enclosed waters and open bays. The 489 was pitched as fitting six people comfortably, and the 529 for choppy water with room to spare. Deadrise was not published in the brochure, so it is left out here rather than guessed.
Do not confuse it with the Stacer Seahawk, a separate model with a similar name. Searching either name turns up listings for both.
What one costs right now
Two Stacer 449 Seahorses are listed on Boattrader today, both confirmed live rather than pulled from a sold or expired ad.
A 1990 Stacer 449 Seahorse is asking $7,990. A second, listed as a "449 MY08 Runabout", is asking $13,500. Its hull is painted 449 SeaHorse and the seller's own description calls it a 449 Seahorse too, so it is the same boat by any name, whatever "2016" in the ad title actually refers to.
That is two asking prices, not a market survey. It is not enough to call a fair price for the model, only what these two sellers want for one 449 right now, and the $5,510 gap between them says as much about condition, trailer and rigging (bimini top, sounder, seats) as it does about age.
2 Stacer 449 Seahorses for sale
What to check on a used one
Marine and Safety Tasmania's boat condition guide tells owners to look for two things on any aluminium hull: electrolysis, caused by dissimilar metals and debris being in contact, and fractured welds. Separately, it warns that "hard points", where seats, frames or supports connect to the side and bottom plating, often cause the plate itself to fatigue and crack. Its inspection checklist also covers corrosion around main engine bolts, fastenings, rivets and bung holes, and stress fractures at seat post mounts and transom brackets.
None of that is specific to the Seahorse. It applies to any aluminium trailer boat of this age, and a 1990 hull has three and a half decades to have picked some of it up. Pull the bungs, look in the bilge, and check the trailer's own registration is current and separate from the boat's, since it usually is in Australia. MAST's advice is blunt on the rest of it: if you are not confident reading a hull yourself, get a boat builder or shipwright to look before you buy.
Who it suits
The Seahorse was Stacer's entry level open boat: light, simple, and pitched at enclosed water and bays rather than open water. At 164kg to 285kg and running on as little as 30hp, it suits a first boat, a cheap second boat, or a basic bay and estuary fisher. A used Seahorse will not come with a factory warranty or the safety features fitted to a new boat, aluminium or otherwise, so budget for a survey rather than dealer backup. If offshore work or a warranty matters to you, that is what Stacer's current range is for, not this one.
Where to go
Both boats above are linked to their own listing, not just the category. For the current Stacer range, or for other Seahorse sized boats that come up for sale later, the full list of Stacer boats for sale on Boattrader is the place to check back.
2 Stacer 449 Seahorses for sale
