Just a intro

[evilgli]

hey guys. i'm new to this site and i bought a 1996 V-21 posted on this site from New Jersey about 3 weeks ago. i love the boat, it did have some issues, but i have pretty much taken care of them.

power pack in the looper took a dump the second day i had it, guy i bought it from picked up the cost of the new one.

replaced all thru hulls with stainless steel, the fish box and livewell fittings and all the hose in-between all.

cleaned it all up and polished the hull.

installed a garmin 430sx gps/sounder

installed new radio with speakers

installed new swim platform off transom

love the boat and it performs very well with the 150 johnson on it, 39.4 MPH per the GPS on sunday, half tank of fuel and 2 people running a 15X17 prop.

how many of you guys take these offshore fishing and what is the roughest water have you been in and still felt safe?

thanks for any replies and hope to make some new friends here.

[macojoe]

Wellcome to the site! Sounds like you got a good one there, good luck!

I had a 1975 V20 and use to go every were in it, 20 miles out and 6 footers. Not that I liked it but I was safe.

Took a 10 foot rough wave over the bow, filled the boat to the gunnles with water, took the windsheild out and messed us up pretty good, but with a quick bailing we made it home!

Boat still lives on the N Shore some place, But I have moved up in size now.

[randlemanboater]

Welcome.

Sounds like a nice boat, post up some pics when you can.

I have been out 25 miles in mine and wouldn't hesitate to go further......on the right day.

I have been in some snotty stuff, 4-6 ft. and always felt safe.....beat up, but safe.

The key, as has been discussed many times before on this board, is to pick your days and pay attention to the weather when you are out.

Have fun!!!!

[csvencer]

Nice to see someone else from the Tidewater area. Now let's see some pics!

-Svence

[reelapeelin]

Congrats on buying that 21...I thought about that one myself, but I'm a LONG way from NJ...

As for going offshore...don't just pick a day...look at trends...what is the sea doing over several days...pickin' one day in the middle of bad ones will get you in trouble...if there is a three day trend for good seas, fish on the second day if you can...isolate the good-day forecasts whenever you can...and NEVER shut your motor off out there...get accustomed to your range...how many hours of operation on a full tank and always use the 1/3 rule...1/3 of a tank out, 1/3 back and 1/3 reserve...so the question becomes, how far out at cruising speed will your boat run on 1/3 of a tank...if you haven't already, become real familiar w/this site...

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/rmd.shtml

Good luck and good fishin'...figure out how to post pictures here...go to photobucket.com...you will use them as a "host" for your pictures...some of the guys have found other host sites, but PB seems to be the old standby...

[shubey61]

Congrats & good luck. Just bought my V in june,love the boat. I wouldn't hesitate to go 20 miles out with her. Been in 3-5' with it so far, she handles better than some 30's i've been in.

[evilgli]

thanks for the replies guys. i just wanted to know what the boat will handle. i don't think i would be going out in snotty weather or rough seas. and my brohter lives in kill devil hills with a 25 footer for offshore fishing, so i just go visit him when i want to go far out.

i also have another buddy here local to me that just bought a 28' albemarle express, so i can go out with him too.

i just wanted to know if i'm going to be ok going out in the chesapeake bay and if i get caught in some snotty weather for some odd reason that i'll make it back.

i have been told by everyone to never turn off the engine until i get back home, so that sucker is going to run all the time i'm out.

i have alot to learn and i'm glad i found this site and you guys.

will hopefully get some pics this weekend, weather is looking decent saturday, then off to try and pick up some stripers.

[evilgli]

i do have one question about the boat that maybe someone has some info on. the floor from say the tank back is floaty. i have checked the transom and stringers and there is no rot. but the floor doesnt touch the stringers but in a couple of spots, and the others its like the fiberglass has broken away from the wood or something. does anybody else with a V-21 have this concern or seen it. or what is the fix for it? thanks

[phatdaddy]

Welcome aboard, dittos on what the rest said. I'm on the Florida gulf coast & i don't' like to go out in anything 2 to 3 or bigger. most of our waves are wind generated and are set close together. i am more bothered by the distance between and not the height of the wave. down here the troughs are so short, you end up surfing down one face and stuffing the bow in the next wave. on the deck issue, i had rotten core under the pedestal seats and had to replace, but it sounds like you could try shimming between the top of the stringers and underside of the deck and if that cures the problem, do a better fix with glass.

[reelapeelin]

i do have one question about the boat that maybe someone has some info on. the floor from say the tank back is floaty. i have checked the transom and stringers and there is no rot. but the floor doesnt touch the stringers but in a couple of spots, and the others its like the fiberglass has broken away from the wood or something. does anybody else with a V-21 have this concern or seen it. or what is the fix for it? thanks

I wish I was better versed on exactly what kind of core lies between the floor and the stringers...is there a plywood layer between the two?...I would think there is...if so, is the floor laminated to that plywood and has that lamination failed?

When you push down on the "floaty" areas, does it feel like there is only a thin piece of "glass" moving or does it feel like the glass is still attached to a plywood core?...if it's a matter of re-attaching glass to wood, you may be able to drill a series of small holes thru the glass and inject an adhesive, then repair the holes...

If you don't mind the look, you could use some SS oval-head screws w/finish-washers to pull it down...done in a proper pattern, I wouldn't have a problem if it were mine...of course the pre-drilled holes need to be filled w/ something like 4200 for a good seal...

It'll be interesting to see the solution...keep us posted...:beer:

[Blue_Runner]

I've had my V-21 to the gulfstream off of Ocracoke inlet 5 times in the last 2 years fishing for dolphin/wahoo. Brought fish back each time. It was around 20 - 25 miles. I've been up to 30 off of SC.

What everybody else said.

[Blue_Runner]

Oh and as far as 40 away from oregon and rudee inlet during winter striper fishing...30 pretty regularly.

I would never feel "safe" that far away without other boats with us.

[evilgli]

here are some crappy cell pics of my boat. when i picked it up, first time in the water with my dad holding on dock, and some things i have changed, like putting all stainless steel thru hulls in.

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr23/evilgli/w4.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr23/evilgli/w1.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr23/evilgli/w2.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr23/evilgli/w3.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr23/evilgli/w5.jpg

http://i466.photobucket.com/albums/rr23/evilgli/w6.jpg

[Stillrunning]

Congrats & good luck. Just bought my V in june,love the boat. I wouldn't hesitate to go 20 miles out with her. Been in 3-5' with it so far, she handles better than some 30's i've been in.

You must have been in some pretty bad 30 foot boats if a V20 rides better in 3' to 5' waves.

[shubey61]

They were, old revel crafts & broadwaters

[reelapeelin]

Great PIcs!!...nothin' wrong w/ those camera shots!!...looks like a NICE 21:love:

[nipper]

Evil, that is a very nice boat. Hope you have a great time with it.

[evilgli]

thanks guys. still got alot to do to it. bottom paint looks terrible and wish previous owner would have never put it on. but come spring i'll pressure wash it off (because its falling off) and do it up right. will get some more pics of it when i can and applied for a gallery here so i can get them in there.

i think for the 5G's i spent on it i didn't do to bad. hope to see all of you on the water sometime and thanks for the great website you guys have here.

[reelapeelin]

You can have the bottom blasted w/ bakin' soda to remove the paint...then paint it back w/a white bottom paint...tinted to match the Wellcraft white of course...

[evilgli]

i like that idea. thanks for the info

[nipper]

Wow, you got a really good deal for $5k.

[bradford]

Wow, you got a really good deal for $5k.

just what I was thinkin'

[dmoore]

Great deal for the money! Congrats! Dave

[macojoe]

I have the same vertical rod holders, Becareful they are not all that strong!! Of coarse I had 4 rods with 4 Penn 50's in it at the time!!