Welcome - I agree Spareparts & Ferminator are absolutely great resources and very generous guys with good advice.

I have the same boat but it has a 170 - I've never figured out the 470/170 difference, they seem identical to me. A comment on the engine - mine had been owned by a completely non-mechanic guy who changed the oil and didn't know to do anything else. All the rubber from engine to outdrive needed replaced. The flapper that keeps water from getting up into the engine was gone and water had gotten into the back two cylinders. Wasn't too bad but needed the head done - so I recommend that you do a compression check.

My lifting eye was like yours. I just cut out the rod and used a big washer and matching bolt to anchor the deck cleat - it's not a lifting eye any more, but I don't need one. If you want to preserve that function, take Rwilson up on his offer or made it out of steel and get it galvanized (galvanizing usually charges by the pound, so it shouldn't be bad).

If you enjoy working on stuff like I do, you just got yourself a treasure - I think I got about 2 full 5 gallon buckets of abandoned wire out from several generations of electronics.

I'm sure glad I found this site several years ago when I got my V. One of the many great things about the guys here is that they aren't full of crap - you don't get a bunch of know-it-all nonsense - very good bunch of guys.

Welcome! Yes as others said lots of other people with prior experience with your hull and engine. Some things are priorities and will save you money and headaches in the future. Go through them first before worrying about cosmetic fluffy stuff.

Welcome,
Check out this link and you will find the back plate bracket to the lifting eye as well as many others, also called the arm base.
http://greatlakesskipper.com/deck-do...d-lifting-eyes

Welcome
 

Hey, look through my threads. I just redid a 1987 and have some tips in there that I got for the wonderful people here. If you want i can get you my number and I can discuss more in detail.

Steve

So I'm confused, do your boats have actual lifting eyes on them? Or are they just a backed bow eye?

As I know them lifting eyes include a big turnbuckle or bolt that attaches the bow eye, to a deck cleat/eye, or just a lifting eye up on the foredeck.

Whalers all have them, i think. Never saw one on a V-20

Yes. At least mine does. Right behind the navigation lights is a ring cleat. That is attached through the deck with a large diameter threaded rod which threads into a steel plate/bracket that is bolted into some captive hardware that I imagine is gelled into the hull. Then there are two stainless bow eyes out on the transom.