Converting to a open bow

[bksah2]

Hi all,,, looking for a little more space for passangers especially kids and was thinking this winter of converting the closed bow to an open bow ...The boat runs great its a 1989 with the 200hp yamaha ,, and i hate to get rid of it.. though of looking around for a CC,, open bow but then I would have to start hitting the forsale market and all the BULL that goes with it ..I would much rather keep my boat that i know is solid and have myself or a fiberglass guy do the work... with the way the Vs cuddys are set up it don,t look like that hard to convert WHAT DO YOU THINK ...

[Destroyer]

Hi all,,, looking for a little more space for passangers especially kids and was thinking this winter of converting the closed bow to an open bow ...The boat runs great its a 1989 with the 200hp yamaha ,, and i hate to get rid of it.. though of looking around for a CC,, open bow but then I would have to start hitting the forsale market and all the BULL that goes with it ..I would much rather keep my boat that i know is solid and have myself or a fiberglass guy do the work... with the way the Vs cuddys are set up it don,t look like that hard to convert WHAT DO YOU THINK ...

Two things...:

1) I think that hitting the forsale market is a lot less stressful and time consuming than trying to cut off the bow of a cuddy. Unless you're a fiberglass expert (and few of us are) than I think that the resultant mess will be far from what you planned. Maybe you can do it or find someone that can, but in the end you'll still have a boat that looks like a cuddy with the front cut off.

2) I think that Wellcraft wondered about the same thing ... so they paid a lot of people (designers, moldmakers, fiberglass experts, etc.) to come up with a way to accomplish it. The result was the dual console V20. If you look at one (Look at Lumberslingers posts) you can see that they moved the consoles way back to allow for more room at the front for more comfort. There's NOT a lot of room in the cuddy you know, so not sure how you would accomplish the same thing.

BOTTOM LINE.. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Look for a dual console model. Chances are that you'll find one for just about the price that you can sell your boat for. Let the experts do the work. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but you did ask for our opinion...this is mine. cheers :beer:

[tsubaki]

I gotta agree with Destroyer.
How hard have you looked at rearranging the floor space you have now.
I've looked but can't seem to find a link to your finished arrangement.
What about a bench seat in the rear and maybe 4 pedestal seats (this adds foot space), bean bags for the kids.

[joe7670]

Funny but with my other post asking about the dual consol space behing the console I was thinking the same thing.
Especially after redoing mine completely with tank, electrical, platform...

I could really use that space in front.

[bksah2]

Maybe i will convert it into a CC

[garagenc]

Maybe i will convert it into a CC


There is a V 20 walkthru (bow rider) here in my area for sale. I looked at it about 1 1/2 years ago for Randlemanboater. It was solid on the transom. The floor needed a little work up by the walkthru.

I'm in Camden NC I saw it today.

Let me know if youre interested I can go by there and look at it again.

[bksah2]

Hi garagenc if its not to much trouble that would be great ..I sent you a pm

[willy]

It will come down to you over engineering what the wellcraft boys did to reinforce the floors, bulkheads etc. It is not just re-arranging furniture here. The hull on the V20's flex as do other boats, the engineering incorporates stiffeners in the right places to counteract that flex.
There was a fellow down in the Highlands that sought to convert a Bertram 28 into a different style boat and he altered bulkheads and floor supports stringers to accomplish it. looked beautiful, only problem was the floor would separate from the hull sides and gell coat was cracking all over. That is one of the strongest hulls ever produced and minor alterations ruined it.
Look for a boat engineered for the type you want. JMHO

[Destroyer]

It will come down to you over engineering what the wellcraft boys did to reinforce the floors, bulkheads etc. It is not just re-arranging furniture here. The hull on the V20's flex as do other boats, the engineering incorporates stiffeners in the right places to counteract that flex.
There was a fellow down in the Highlands that sought to convert a Bertram 28 into a different style boat and he altered bulkheads and floor supports stringers to accomplish it. looked beautiful, only problem was the floor would separate from the hull sides and gell coat was cracking all over. That is one of the strongest hulls ever produced and minor alterations ruined it.
Look for a boat engineered for the type you want. JMHO

X2... exactly what I was trying to say in my other post. :clap:

[bksah2]

Still doing research
http://www.westcoastmarineinteriors.com/before-afterphotos-details.php?selid=34

http://www.westcoastmarineinteriors.com/before-afterphotos-details.php?selid=47

http://www.riverdavesplace.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28484