inexpensive boats

[steplift20]

my question is this
why is the 20 v steplift not expensive i see them all the time but there not alot of money,, i love my boat and the lines are great to me its a perfect size but if you see a grady or whaler the same size there like twice the money
so tell me why so cheap?

[spareparts]

there are a bunch of them, and most people prefer a center console over the cuddy like a V(compare prices of center console V's to cuddys)

shhhh, don't tell anyone how good of a boat they are, they may want to charge more for them

[phatdaddy]

good question
i would say it is supply & demand, most of these are at least 12 to 20 years old and on the lower end of depreciation cycle. also great starter boat for families, but not all families enjoy boating. the ones who do, probably move on to a more specialized hull, center console, walkaround cuddy, pilot house, etc. One of the reasons i have had mine for 17 years is the versatility of the hull & layout. It is not the best boat for any one activity, but it is 90% for everything we do. I have friends with center consoles that i fish with and think i gotta get another one of these, but they tell me, next time we take you boat so we won't get so wet & beat up. i have friends with walk arounds that say the cabin is too big, just collects junk and the never go in it. they wish it was smaller. i always thought that the v-20 is like taking your mom's station wagon to the prom, not the fastest or the coolest ride, but safe, dependable, and large enough to get the job done.

[reelapeelin]

my question is this
why is the 20 v steplift not expensive i see them all the time but there not alot of money,, i love my boat and the lines are great to me its a perfect size but if you see a grady or whaler the same size there like twice the money
so tell me why so cheap?

Might sound like a Yogism, but the more affordable something is, the more people can afford it...I think that's a big part of the "V"s popularity...there's a lot of us who recognize her classic lines and unmistakable seaworthiness...would we all have Grady 33s packin' twin 300 hp Zukes if we could...(or something in the price range)...damn right we would, so now we get the most that we can for the $$ we can or are willing to cough up and for a large number, that adds up to our beloved V-20...and for some of us, 21s:beer:

[CaptJJ]

Why a V20 is cheap? I agree they made a but load of them and they are tried and tested. Great all around boat, dry and versatile. I have had mine since new. It was a college graduation gift from my father. It has been an incredibly good experience with this hull. Scuba diving, fishing, skiing, more beers than I could ever count.............tons of use and been everywhere with her. Comes down to the fact there is enough out there for everyone to enjoy.

[steplift20]

i think your right theres alot of them but i have mine for 13 yrs now and bought her from the original owner., and its a 1978 and have no plans on trading her for a bigger or newer boat, i love it great lines never get tired of looking at her i was just wondering why they are not expensive boats, maybe like you said theres a lot of them

[Pipe_Dream]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The lines of the V-20, which I find to be as close to "classic" as a glass boat can be, might look somewhat dated to many of today's newer boaters.

I spent a little time walking around the marina last evening, sizing up some of the competition. As was stated by spareparts and phatdaddy, lots of center consoles and walkaround cuddy's, and elevated helms, as opposed to my PD, which looks lower in the water thanks to both its lines and its low top.

Aside from all the V-20s obvious attributes, I really like how the old-timers I run into instantly recognize the boat, despite the fact that I have no decals or markings on her. They'll always say something like, "That's a great hull," or, "good, strong boat," and invariably, "I" or "a friend of mine had one years ago . . . man, that was one tough boat."

[Blue_Runner]

It is not the best boat for any one activity, but it is 90% for everything we do.
That sums it up in one sentence for me. :clap: In the world of trade-off's, which as you know everything about a boat is a trade-off, the V20/21's are right smack dab in the middle. Period.

Any bigger/heavier you couldn't afford to run em or trailer em.
Any smaller and the ride would be crap.
Any wider and the ride would be crap.
Any narrower and she would roll like a dawg.
She's got a windshield to block the wind. Open it up to feel the wind.
Cuddy to sleep in or store all of your gear.
And my personal favorite is the wide open cockpit with plenty of room to fish!!

[willy]

Good all around hull, inshore superb, light off shore, good sea worthy hull. Build quality was right in the middle of the boat lines new. I love CC's but if I was to have one I would want a 23 footer at least for the slightly drier ride. If I lived in 24/7 hot weather like Fla. I would go with a CC with curtains but up here even in our summers you get cool afternoons and if you are wet to boot fishing becomes more of a endurance test rather than a good day on the water.
After a day on the water I sit down in my helm seat, close the center window and cruise back at 25 mph thru the usual afternoon chop and wind and nary a drop touches me, I don't pound and I talk with my friends who are all sitting comfortably.
Got room for four guys to fish, or the family out on the water for a day.
If I want to run out ten to fifteen to fish a wreck I can do it safely and if it kicks up nasty I know the hull will handle just about all but the most extreme coming back in. I can store what I need in the cuddy and it stays dry.
Good jack of all trades and cause they were made for a long run of years lots of them out there. Well respected by those that spend time on the water. Got news for you concerning the Gradys, they are good boats also but they have all kids of problems as they get older as do others. Plus you look at a 92 Grady 20 footer and I bet you could get it as cheap as a V.
The V's that have been refurbished and with new power in this area will set you bak a pretty penny, look at a boat like Lumbers, if he sold that puppy for less than 14 g's he would be foolish. I have seen two real sweet V's this year that have sold for that much and more.

[spareparts]

one other thing to consider is that especially with newer boats, the price of the engines have gone up more than the price of the boats. Any of your newer type boats with big DFI's or $strokes, figure 50-75% of the cost is towards the motor

[phatdaddy]

I don't know how many times i've been at a ramp or tied up to a dock and some body said "I used to have one of those, man , I wish I had never got rid of it."

[LESTERUS]

Mine Is A 1978 Bougth It 25 Yrs Ago From Original Owner And Still Have It, In The Mean Time I Had A 40 Footer But Never Had The Guts To Get Rid Of The Faithful V-20. Wise Choice.

Every Time I Go Out Young Guys (younger That I'm That Is) Walk To Me And Ask Me About It, And Tell Me That Father Or Grand Dad Had One And Tell Me About Good Times In It. That Makes My Day.

[bigshrimpin]

Brand Name Premium . . . BW and Grady aren't built any better.

[Jetty Rocker]

Mine is a 1975 and I got 3 years ago as a project with no idea how it would perform or ride. Now that it has hit its anniversary of its rebirth, my wife would get rid of me before the Jetty Rocker. It gets a lot of attention and compliments. We love it and the ride.

[steplift20]

boy have i heard that alot, i was washing my boat and this guy came in with a 25 wellcraft and he came over to me and said[you got it] boy i used to have a v20 and sold her for this 25 footer and i really want her back, shes a great boat, and as for looking at the newer boats in my marina[i do that also] i still like mine better than the new ones, better lines--more fishing room--- and also nicer to look at and shes 30 years old

[charlie_the_tuna]

the more affordable something is, the more people can afford it...


uuuummmmmm. . . . . . . . oh.

[charlie_the_tuna]

got a huge deal on mine.
she owes me nothing.
had some great days on her.
nother couple years outta her.
gonna get a cc.
go a bit bigger too.

[macojoe]

I had mine 9 years and did tons to it, only to sell it and the guy call me 5 hours later to say he sunk it!! Forgot the plug!!
I was told in the beginning of the season that it was in a marina up near Boston, I wonder if it ever got used again??

[bradford]

I had mine 9 years and did tons to it, only to sell it and the guy call me 5 hours later to say he sunk it!! Forgot the plug!!
I was told in the beginning of the season that it was in a marina up near Boston, I wonder if it ever got used again??

Everytime I hear that i think "What a douche bag." It's one thing to forget the plug, but to actually sink it is ridiculous. Did you tell him the story about the 10 foot wave?

[macojoe]

I never told the buyers when they came to look the story, afraid they would have said no deal.

Not only did he leave the plug out but he was driving around boston with 2 buddys when he called to ask should he be checking for something cause water was coming in?
I said itwas fine and did he put the plug in and he said it was finger tight. Called 4 times, the 3rd call was to say that the marina had put straps to hold it up between two slips while the haboer master was coming with a pump, the 4th call was to say that all went under water but now on the trailer draing the last of the water.
Plug was in the holder at top of transom, thyought that was were it belonged?? Said he must have miss understood him when I told him he needed a 9/16 wrench to put it in?

To think of all the rips and waves and slop that boat took me threw in 9 years and have a yahoo sink in in 5 hours:cen:

[reelapeelin]

I never told the buyers when they came to look the story, afraid they would have said no deal.

Not only did he leave the plug out but he was driving around boston with 2 buddys when he called to ask should he be checking for something cause water was coming in?
I said itwas fine and did he put the plug in and he said it was finger tight. Called 4 times, the 3rd call was to say that the marina had put straps to hold it up between two slips while the haboer master was coming with a pump, the 4th call was to say that all went under water but now on the trailer draing the last of the water.
Plug was in the holder at top of transom, thyought that was were it belonged?? Said he must have miss understood him when I told him he needed a 9/16 wrench to put it in?

To think of all the rips and waves and slop that boat took me threw in 9 years and have a yahoo sink in in 5 hours:cen:

MJ, it's a toss up between, "here's yer card" and "you can't fix stupid"...sometimes ya just gotta take yer pick....:sleep: