diff --git a/seaman.py b/seaman.py
index 2e100e3..abf4afd 100644
--- a/seaman.py
+++ b/seaman.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#  -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 # *****************************************************************************
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
@@ -34,6 +33,16 @@ CFGLINE = re.compile(r'(?:device makeitem (name|stick_name|confirmed) "(.*)" ""'
                      r'|addon_list makeitem (.*) (?:"permanent"|"volatile"))')
 
 
+INIFILE_CONTENT = """
+set instrument {ins_i}
+set serverport {port}
+set logbase {insdir}
+{extraline}cd {seadir}tcl
+exe echo 1
+exe {service}init.tcl
+"""
+
+
 def run_command(cmd, wait=False):
     if wait:
         old = termios.tcgetattr(sys.stdin)
@@ -68,6 +77,48 @@ class SeaManager(ServiceManager):
 %(legend)s
     """
 
+    def do_create(self, ins, *args):
+        if ins == 'check':
+            ins_list = self.wildcard(None)
+        else:
+            ins_list = self.wildcard(ins)
+            if ins_list is None:
+                ins_list = [ins]
+        self.get_info()
+        for ins_i in ins_list:
+            seadir = f"{expanduser('~')}/sea/"
+            if not exists(seadir):
+                print(f'get {seadir} from git first')
+                return
+            insdir = seadir if ins_i == self.main_ins else f'{seadir}{ins_i}/'
+            if ins != 'check':
+                os.makedirs(f'{insdir}/logger', exist_ok=True)
+                os.makedirs(f'{insdir}/log', exist_ok=True)
+                os.makedirs(f'{insdir}/status', exist_ok=True)
+            extraline = 'set connect_sea_to_sics 0\n'
+            for service in 'sea', 'graph':
+                port = self.info[ins_i][service]
+                if not port:
+                    continue
+                sea_init = INIFILE_CONTENT.format(**locals()).strip()
+                extraline = ''
+                filename = f'{seadir}{service}_{ins_i}.tcl'
+                try:
+                    with open(filename) as f:
+                        content = f.read().strip()
+                except FileNotFoundError:
+                    content = ''
+                if sea_init != content:
+                    if ins == 'check':
+                        if content:
+                            print(filename, 'does not match')
+                        else:
+                            print(filename, 'does not exist')
+                    else:
+                        with open(filename, 'w') as f:
+                            f.write(sea_init)
+                            f.write('\n')
+
     def do_cli(self, ins, service=None):
         if self.wildcard(ins):
             raise UsageError('wildcards not allowed in sea cli')