Got my first V

[Dr. Hook]

I am quite excited to have picked up this '84 V20. Has a mercruiser 5.7 V8 in it. Its a big upgrade for me and my family coming from our 16' aluminum starcraft.
http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz37/andrew9638/IMG_2794_zpsupcnwwa5.jpg
http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz37/andrew9638/IMG_2768_zps5gpv1qbr.jpghttp://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz37/andrew9638/IMG_2791_zpsninrqg9e.jpg
http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz37/andrew9638/IMG_2774_zpsaesimfla.jpg

Had it out for one trial run and it was great
Does need work in some areas like all old boats though.
I will get back with more info later, its late now.

[jjuriga]

Nice looking boat man!

[phatdaddy]

Nice, clean looking boat. Enjoy and keep pics coming.

[jvitiel]

Awesome. I love it when you get a new boat. Magic times

Good luck. This forum will become invaluable to you - it did me...

[BillTex]

Yeah...that's a beauty. Looks purpose "built" also.
We continue to be impressed with our V.

Have been running of-shore quite a bit lately and the hull does not disappoint.

Enjoy-be safe, bill

[Dr. Hook]

Thanks for the compliments. I paid 5000 and I feel it was a solid deal.

The good:

First owner apparently stored it in a boat house on a lift.

Seller was the second owner (he bought it 5 years ago) and he ran a boat repair business for 20- some odd years, specializing in fibreglass. So the hull is looking really sweet.

4 yrs ago seller replaced original OMC sterndrive with the mercruiser/ alpha 1. At this time he replaced transom (said it wasn't even rotten though) and the engine stringers. The engine he put in was used (unknown hours) and the outdrive was freshly rebuilt.

second owner only put 50 hrs on since doing the work

Has a great custom canvas with full sides and back

Trailer is in great shape all around

Has trim tabs, a kicker bracket, and a remote spot light on bow.

I love the seating and the layout. Perfect for my family, and for fishing trips with the guys.

The bad:

The bulkheads are rotted about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way from bottom up and the flotation foam around gas tank is soaked. I think the water got in from the leaky front hatch and also the screw holes in deck from aftermarket seats. The main stringers seem solid from what I can tell so far. Along side the gas tank could be a different story. I have started removing the wet foam, and boat is kept dry in an old barn now.

The cockpit drains go into the bilge, not self bailing.

I'd likely have taken an outboard model given the choice, but beggars can't be choosers.

[Dr. Hook]

http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz37/andrew9638/IMG_2761_zpssscwuzdw.jpg

http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz37/andrew9638/IMG_2764_zpsgqohjajk.jpg

Here's some more eye candy for you.

My pathfinder tows it surprisingly well, even though I am close to my 5000# towing capacity. Good thing the trailer surge brakes work well!

[Destroyer]

If you have rod holders built into the gunnels that's also a main source of water into the hold. By all means get rid of the foam. Every gallon of water removed is 8+ pounds of weight. I've removed most of the foam from my 16.5 Airslot and have already removed close to 400 lbs of dead weight. (I was curious, so I've been weighing each plastic bag as it's gone out to the garbage). Going to use Spareparts suggestion from long ago and use pool noodles to replace the foam in the voids. Cheap replacement, and easily removable should the need ever arise again.

[Dr. Hook]

Well for some reason my pictures showed up for the first couple days and now they are gone. Does photo bucket always do that? Is there another way I can post them here?

As for the foam yes, it must go. I want nothing that holds water inside. I do have the rod holders and they even have a crack so that would be letting water in. I may just lose the floor foam and fill the rod holder voids with foam, then cover them over. I'd rather have another type of rod holder anyhow.

As much as I'd like to do a full rebuild for stringers and bulkhead its simply never going to happen. I'm thinking I may try to reinforce the bulkheads by epoxy glueing a new plywood bulkhead to the existing, and then glassing that to the hull with cloth and resin. Not a perfect fix by any means but I think it would add considerable strength to the overall structure and give me peace of mind. The thought of my hull splitting open while out with my family just haunts me.

[scook]

For drying out, in addition to digging out the foam, you might try leaving the canvas slightly open and put a fair sized fan in the boat (a standard box fan is good). Consistent air movement is very good for drying things out.

[phatdaddy]

doc, use Imgur to post on forums. photobucket wants u to pay them for using the site.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/dockside-chat/871252-how-add-images-your-post-using-imgur-free.html

[Dr. Hook]

Alright, signed up on Imgur, here are the photos again.

https://i.imgur.com/NfbSm6Y.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/ovAq45s.jpg?2https://i.imgur.com/uhHckdL.jpg?1https://i.imgur.com/enguazq.jpg?4

I started drilling test holes in stringers and unfortunately found more rot than I anticipated. Port stringer is pretty much all soft the whole length, and starboard one is soft on the bottom for part of the length. Sure doesn't take much for the water to get in. A couple areas had shoddy glass work from the factory and thats all it takes. Little voids at the end of a sheet of cloth where it didn't lay flat, and one spot the cloth didn't even cover the bulkhead/ stringer joint. Water was getting in the fuel filler port where the bedding had been deteriorated for years.

Oh well.. nothings perfect with old boats. Way too much work to rebuild that. I'm just going to buy an auto- inflate life raft and an EPIRB and go out and enjoy the boat. Throttle back in the waves. If she splits open some day then so be it. I imagine most old boats out there are driving around with rotted wood and most owners don't even know about it.

[charlie_the_tuna]

only pictures I see are the last two. looks clean. where you located, Hook??

[Destroyer]

Pretty boat. Looks really nice. I'm not a big fan of painted trailers, but that one looks in really good shape. Someone went to a lot of trouble to put all those reflectors and lights on it. Looks great. :beer:

[Dr. Hook]

I'm located in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Right on Lake Simcoe.

Yes, the trailer is very good. Previous owner sandblasted and then painted with a two part epoxy paint. Also has nice LED lights and the brakes and tires are all good. I feel totally safe on the highway with it. Just need to replace a couple of tired rollers.

[Destroyer]

I'm located in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Right on Lake Simcoe.

Yes, the trailer is very good. Previous owner sandblasted and then painted with a two part epoxy paint. Also has nice LED lights and the brakes and tires are all good. I feel totally safe on the highway with it. Just need to replace a couple of tired rollers.

If you're replacing rollers then you might want to read this post I made from a few months ago.
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/community/showthread.php?t=21887