Your Dream V20 $ No Object
 

Since I don't have a job and money really is no object, I figured I'd ask. If you had unlimited funds and a V-20 hull, what would you do?

I have a '91 w/ a 200hp yammi.

I'd enclose the transom and put a new 4 stroke on a Porta-Bracket, maybe drop down to a 150hp.

Replace the passenger back/2/back seat w/ a tackle station w/a cushion on top.

Replace Captains seat w/ anything.

Hard top w/ steering station. (this thing would be sick cruising the beaches for Tarpon)

What else? I love the hull. I've never had to deal w/ the headaches of a used boat. Now that I've had to deal w/ unemployment and all the associated b.s., I like the idea of an older boat. I'd rather dump some cash into the one who stuck by me. What would you do? Things will change and I'll be waiting.

If I had $ and no job, I`ll be looking for a place to go with my kids and spend time with Family and friends.
For the V20, a four stroke 150 is all she needs. I have a Yami 200, and the only thing I regret is that it just uses a lot of gas. But I would mount it on the transon without any mods.

New rod pockets (SSI brand)
150 hp Yamaha 4 stroke w/ digital gauges
All new wiring
New gas tank
all new ss thru hulls, with new hoses
hydraulic steering
trim tabs
Todd 1000 seats
bimini (short) w/ all ss fittings
racor fuel water separator
dual batteries (1000 amp each)
onboard charger
big ol' garmin map gps
fancy fish finder
screaming stereo
new dual axle trailer w/ brakes
couple of Willie's super models (this would probably be first on the list, if I was 30 years younger, had hair and lost about 50 lbs.)

:you:I'd have someone scrub it for me...:fight:

if money were no object then i'd buy a newer / bigger boat and for sure not waist money in an older 20' boat of any brand

if money were no object i would take a V20 and buy a 33 foot grady white center console.
oh and the V, you guys can have the V.

well I use to love my V20, it was a great boat for me for 9 years, and still think it is a great inshore boat it will get you home in most anything.
The ride in the CC and Dual are great, the cuddys I have to say don't ride all that great in the slop unless you take it real slow.
That said I would do as skools and move up in size, as i did with my 23 footer.

But if you like what you got then stick with it!

Hard tops are great! with rod holders!
Full enclouser
Tackle station in the front bulk head (were I made mine) or in a seat is a must also
No Back to Back seats they take up to much space.
salt water wash down
anchor pulpit, was a great addition
150 on bracket, I had a 175 on a bracket
Good Nav system and FF a must.

Upgrades for trouble free runn ing, Hydrulic steering
all new wiring
new gauges
thru hulls

I would take my 92 V and put a nice hard top on it with good rod holders on it(several) full canvass around it. A nice teak bow pulpit with power unit for the anchor.
The other major change would be either a Yammie, Suzuk or ETEC 150 on the transom. I would soda blast the hull and remove the bottom paint which it had when I bought her and do not need. I would do the hull bottom in a Petit Epoxy based two part paint and I would paint the hull sides in Awlgrip fighting lady yellow.
I would set up the stern with a auxilliary motor, like I had on Old School with a 25 hp four stroke for slow trolling or as and emergency get back engine. For that reason I would probably go with the Etec to keep weight down on the back or would do a relocate with one or both batteries. I would install some Bennett Tabs on her.
My hull is in great shape other than the changes I said I would make so she is a good canvass to paint on.
I actually saw almost this exact set up on a cherry V20 the same year as mine parked in a driveway down in the Point Pleasant area and stopped to look at her.
A V20 set up like that is just about the perfect inshore and light off shore fishing vessel and you could spend a great sum of money buying something new that would do as well. The draft is skinny enough to fish the back bays when you use the auxilliary motor, I had Old School in a foot and a half of water chasing some fishies with no problem. It is sea worthy and dry enough to run thirty to forty miles off shore and fish for any pelagics you have running and in the cold weather with the canvass hard top you could literally fish all year long bringing portable heat into it. While I like the bigger boats too, I don't want to tow them so I would say the V20 is the upper range of a fairly easy to tow boat and if that is in your equation then you will see my point.
Yea I think it would just about be the set up to beat.
Also, as I am sure many of you guys appreciate, the V20/V21 is one of the most beautiful boats on the water, the flair on the bow and the hull form along with their looks while underway is timeless, and what I call functional beauty. There are a lot of good boats, there are only a handful of boats that combine the classic beauty with capabilty of the V20.
JMHO

money no object. 65" viking for the overnighters.s and a 34 fountain with trips for the tuna trips in the gulf. leave at 6 am and be back in time for a late lunch.

Answer
 

If you had unlimited funds and a V-20 hull, what would you do?

My wish would be for a mother boat that I could pick up my V20 and set on deck and travel anywhere I wanted! Sleep and live on mother boat and fish on my V20!:clap::clap::love:

dey ya go!!

Wow, this is a great thread. I'd go with a Pompanette captain's seat and convert the port side into a custom couch with a gigantic fish box underneath. Also remove the windsheild and add a hard top with eisenglass enclosure on 3 sides and a removeable eisenglass rear curtain.

I'd buy they very best epirb and compact lifeboat money could buy. Then I'd rig it to the teeth with Shimano 30 wides, replace my 150 2 stroke with a new 150 4 stroke and head for the canyons!

That about sums it up. :party:

Wow, this is a great thread. I'd go with a Pompanette captain's seat and convert the port side into a custom couch with a gigantic fish box underneath. Also remove the windsheild and add a hard top with eisenglass enclosure on 3 sides and a removeable eisenglass rear curtain.

I'd buy they very best epirb and compact lifeboat money could buy. Then I'd rig it to the teeth with Shimano 30 wides, replace my 150 2 stroke with a new 150 4 stroke and head for the canyons!

That about sums it up. :party:
I can attest to that! Done both and these boats are freakin awesome IMO!

i see the purpose of the thread now.

new alum gill bracket with twin 90hp e-tecs. custom fuel tank to hold 120 gals. radar, twin chartplotters, nice big FF, it would be really cool to have a large fishbox incorporated in the transom. livewell lean post. i would like all the cockpit floor to be teak. A sort of bimini style top that they use on the big sportfishers would be nice to get out of the sun too.

Got alot more out of this than I figured, most of you even got it. The idea was what you'd do to "this" boat to make it perfect. I'd love a 33' Grady or 60' sportfish also, but we're on a V20 forum.

Someone said that the cc and dc rode better than the cuddy. Anyone else notice that? Why? Weight distribution?

Generally the further back one is in a boat, the softer the ride...the Cuddy's capt and rider are further forward than in the DC and CC versions...

Spot on as usual reel! So, going with the spirit of this thread, I would also add auto-pilot to a cuddy model. That way, I can ride in the back. :sun:

I'd never heard that, everyone just says how well the V rides. I was thinking weight distribution had something to do w/ it. Didn't even think about the position of the driver. I can't imagine that a set of tabs wouldn't even the field.

I had the money and sold the V and purchased a bigger boat. Its sad as I see my V often and its just sitting at the guys dock and has been used twice in 2 months. The bottom is painted but the guy never painted the hydraulic area that sits in the water and it had never seen barnicles before and was very clean. The boat is dirty and I bet he never uses the flush on the motor and there was never a time the boat was used and not flushed when I had the boat. I wish I would have turned down his offer and waited for someone who would care for the boat and not just let the thing sit there and rot. I knew the guy and knew this would happen but he paid more then what I wanted and I even talked him out of the GPS unit. Oh well.

Take it from one who just added tabs...HUGE improvement...

1960's model Alim Marine V20. Knock the windsheild off. Bolt on a half tower. Trash the I/O and hang a balanced and blueprinted 140 looper with a 30" shaft on a bracket (does that even exist?). Use the old engine bay for extended fuel capacity or maybe a livewell/bait jacuzzi. If not I could spend some money on a Yanmar diesel I/O set up. Mount a fighting chair in the cockpit. Paint the hullsides black, topsides, deck, transom, bracket, and outboard white, and white again below the bootstripe. Small amounts of tasteful teak trim. A big ol' bow pulpit fit for a harpooner with a big ol' rail. All stainless hardware. Maybe after all that I'll figure out how to post pics and let ya'll see it!

If you are prone to use live bait and you truly got some money to spend on that 91, enclose the transom all the way up and mold a 30 gal oval shaped live well into the transom...add the bracket you mention and a 200 HP Etech (same weight as 150) like the one Slinger put on his DC...remove the windshield and have a light-weight rigid top, rocket-launchers and full side/front/rear eisenglass curtains w/pockets in the front and sides to roll up...slap an 80lb Minn Kota saltwater remote-control trollin' motor on the bow and go slow-troll some livies around those tarpon...they'll HIT IT like a freight train, so strap on a butt-plate and make sure yer hangin' on REEL good :beer:

http://www.classicseacraft.com/forum...b=5&o=&fpart=1


Here's one like I mentioned above...not the exact one I was thinking about, but same idea...

New Member..Me and the "V"
 

Hi all !! I have an 85 v20 that we use as a family and entertainment vessel. I just recently did some cosmetic work to it.I decided to go off the norm of things and customize it to our liking.Any1 has any suggestions or comments feel free..Thanks for all the valuable info on here.

few more pics
 

More

kevdon, nice work. That's a one of a kind right there. Do you drag it to the beach or just hang at the lakes?

Thanks Blue !! Just moved here to Cary Nc a few months back and we have gone to Jordan Lake a few times .Not real thrilled with it thus far.close to home is good but now my style of fishing.Heading to Outer Banks next week for 5 days of fishing.That should get the juices flowing for me to start traveling to the ocean every weekend.By the way , you know of any good reasonable canvas guys in the area.Would like to add plastic windows and add on to existing top(2 yr old sunbrella)to enclose the cockpit.Thanks again Blue >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

On the enclosure, no I don't. Skools Out might know of something close to you. Shoot him a PM if he doesn't come back to this post. Your boat looks great, congrats.

I don't have much money but boy if I did,
I'd buy a big house where we both could live.

Serially, I'd buy a big waterfront house with a boat house to keep her in. Oh yeah, and I'd finally install some trim tabs.