On the water!

[Jeb]

I bought my '84 V20 in early March and have done some work: remove the old faulty oil injection from the '89 Merc 150, change lower unit lube, new fuel filter, new plugs, new impeller, new thermostats, replace solenoid on the power trim, repaint the deck, refinish teak, compound the hull, repair the bimini.... I haven't touched the rod boxes. They're garbage and I'm going to build new ones over the winter.

And finally, I went out. And I love it. She got up over 30 kt like it was nothing (just over 3500 RPM). I headed into a chop (probably 2-ft) at 25 kt and couldn't believe how smoothly it handled. Completely dry. I'm psyched. I love that it's easy to trailer, yet feels big when you're aboard.

Even got my ladies involved already!

It's going to be a great summer.

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[tsubaki]

Congratulations on the splashdown and the girls loving it!

[phatdaddy]

nice job

my daughter was 2 when i got our V20, she just turned 27 and still loves going out in it. i've tried several times to get another boat, but they all fall short.

enjoy it

[jvitiel]

Gotta love that new boat feeling...

Got mine late last fall and that made for a LONG winter

[3 Squids]

Can't wait to get my kiddos out on mine. They love my Striper but I think the V will be much more comfortable and I know it will ride better. People think I'm crazy for taking my 5mo. old out on a boat but that's just how we roll around here. All my kids have been on the water before they could walk.

Glad you finally got yours going and I'm impressed by those numbers. Mine has a 88 200 Merc 2.5 on it. Found a good deal on a rebuilt 150 powerhead and had fears of losing power but it seems I'd be alright.

[bradford]

Good job on the maintainence and repairs, glad to hear she did good for you. Some of my best memories are being with my dad on his boat when I was a kid. When I met my wife she never really had much experience on boats, I've been messing around with them since I was 6 or 7 years old. She loves them now, I'll let her pick which one we take, and where we go alot of the time. Even got her watching tides and listening to the NOAA radio. Love that woman.

[Striper80]

Can't wait to get my kiddos out on mine. They love my Striper but I think the V will be much more comfortable and I know it will ride better. People think I'm crazy for taking my 5mo. old out on a boat but that's just how we roll around here. All my kids have been on the water before they could walk.

Glad you finally got yours going and I'm impressed by those numbers. Mine has a 88 200 Merc 2.5 on it. Found a good deal on a rebuilt 150 powerhead and had fears of losing power but it seems I'd be alright.

What life jacket do you have for a five month old? If like to get mine out in about a month when he's 5 months.

[Pipe_Dream]

Well done, Jeb. Ain't life grand!

[Greyduk]

Beautiful family. What a blessing. Enjoy!!

[Jeb]

Thanks for the kind words. I just felt the need to post my reaction to the V20 hull after getting it out there for the first time. This site (and the enthusiastic reviews about the steplift) are one of the big reasons I specifically tried to find a V20. So, thanks.

[3 Squids]

What life jacket do you have for a five month old? If like to get mine out in about a month when he's 5 months.

We have a Stern infant one for 30lbs and under currently. It's the smallest yet safest USCG approved jacket we can find. But it seems a bit big for her like she could slip out. She only weighs about 13lbs. However we did just find one made in Canada called Salus Bijoux. They have awesome reviews and have been proven to be the safest jacket produced for infants under 19lbs. Problem is it's approved by the Canadian Coast Guard but not the US.

US Coast Guards reasoning for not approving it is they don't recommend any child under 18lbs be on a vessel. Seems like a weak argument to me. We are going to order a Salus and keep her in it when we are underway. When anchored she technically doesn't have to have one on just as long as it's in the boat. However we never take them off. But if we're anchored which is 99% of the time they'll board you around here, then there's nothing they can do about it. If by chance we do get pulled and she doesn't have the approved one on then I'll just have to take the ticket. I'm not going to jeopardize my daughters safety because another country makes better life jackets and the US government is too ignorant to approve it.

[bgreene]

Boat looks great, and over 30 knots /33mph at 3,500 is faster than I thought possible unless running a 225 hp outboard.

Boat have trim tabs ? If not strongly recommended. Greatly reduces pounding in chop & any porpoising.

Bennett

[Troutkiller2006]

you sure about not needing the life vest on when anchored? here its all people 12 years and under must have a vest on at all times on all vessels under 26'. unless i reading it wrong. i woulda thought cg regs were federal and wouldnt vary state to state. my boy is 10 and swims like a fish. belongs to a local swim team and thinks he dont need to wear one cause they so cumbersome. and i dont blame him when we fishing. but i make him wear it in the harbor and when underway. we keep an eye out for marine patrol when fishing.

gonna look at that reg again cause we always thought it was funny that when we jump out the boat for a swim or to cool off he doesnt need it. but as soon as he gets back in the boat hes gotta put it on

[Destroyer]

Check into Onyx in-sight inflatables. Like wearing nothing at all. Come in both belt worn or chest types. Inflates with a jerk of a cord that punctures a co2 cartridge. (Manual inflation via a stem is also possible) West marine also sells their own type, but I like the Onyx ones.

[3 Squids]

you sure about not needing the life vest on when anchored? here its all people 12 years and under must have a vest on at all times on all vessels under 26'. unless i reading it wrong. i woulda thought cg regs were federal and wouldnt vary state to state. my boy is 10 and swims like a fish. belongs to a local swim team and thinks he dont need to wear one cause they so cumbersome. and i dont blame him when we fishing. but i make him wear it in the harbor and when underway. we keep an eye out for marine patrol when fishing.

gonna look at that reg again cause we always thought it was funny that when we jump out the boat for a swim or to cool off he doesnt need it. but as soon as he gets back in the boat hes gotta put it on

This is copied and pasted from VaDGIF's website:

Federal Life Jacket Rule for Children Under 13 Years Old—No person may operate a recreational vessel on federal waters with any child under age 13 on the vessel unless each child is either:

Wearing an appropriate life jacket approved by the Coast Guard; or
Below deck or in an enclosed cabin.

Key word here is Operated. I had a coast guard guy test drive my boat I had for sale and I asked him to clear this up for me that there's no loopholes or anything and he assured me that as long as the vessel isn't being operated a child doesn't have to have one on.

[Troutkiller2006]

cant copy and paste for some reason but msdmr says 12 and under, while underway, less than 26'. so thats good news for my kid and thats the way we did it anyway. question now is does working a bank with a trolling motor count as "underway"?

[bradford]

cant copy and paste for some reason but msdmr says 12 and under, while underway, less than 26'. so thats good news for my kid and thats the way we did it anyway. question now is does working a bank with a trolling motor count as "underway"?

Def not any attorney, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

Working the bank under any kind of propulsion, yes.

Drifting with the tide, no.

Makes me wonder with the new technology, Is a Merc Sky Hook or a gps controlled trolling motor considered to be underway?

Probably as long as it generates revenue.

[Striper80]

Def not any attorney, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

Working the bank under any kind of propulsion, yes.

Drifting with the tide, no.

Makes me wonder with the new technology, Is a Merc Sky Hook or a gps controlled trolling motor considered to be underway?

Probably as long as it generates revenue.

I read somewhere that drifting is considered underway. A sailboat has the right of way over a powerboat drifting was what I read. It was on the Internet so it must be true.

[SkunkBoat]

drifting is underway.
If you are not tied to the dock or anchored or out of the water, you are underway.
If you are underway, you are operating the vessel.

[inaforty]

Heck anyone that's 12 or younger walking down a dock has to have a PFD.

[3 Squids]

Sorry for the thread hijacking Jeb. We kind of got sidetracked.

I'm sure all states have different regs. Just so happens here in Va. we do not have state laws when it comes to PFD's, we must go by federal laws. As for kids not having vests on while anchored, I don't believe it is a good practice. My 2 and 4 year olds never have them off. We put them on when we get to the dock and take them off when we are putting them back in the truck. The only reason my 5mo. old takes hers off is she's a breastfed baby and it's practically impossible to do when she's in the jacket. Now when the kids get older, say 7-8 I may let them take them off when anchored. Just scared the little punks will hop right out now.

[Jeb]

Sorry for the thread hijacking Jeb. We kind of got sidetracked.



I liked the discussion. It's been too quiet on here recently!

[Troutkiller2006]

id take my life jacket off for that too!

[DiverDux]

Congrats on getting your boat in the water! Nice that the family is enjoying the boat with you. You mentioned the dry ride and the way it handles the chop... It's been said before that the V20 is the biggest little boat on the water! Enjoy!!!