Fish Beware! Build Thread...
 

I've made so many changes to my V20, and I'm planning so many more, that I thought I'd start a "build thread", where I chronicle some the changes over time, and also share ideas and ask for advice.


I bought Fish Beware last summer (2020), from the previous owner on Cape Cod, who had taken wonderful care of this 1984 V20 steplift with 2003 Johnson (Suzuki) 140 HP 4 Stroke with under 350 hours.

The boat is clean and well loved, and I'm thrilled to be her owner.

Later I'll probably list all of the changes that I've made so far.

Right now I want to jump into the refit.

I've added an inexpensive tower, and now I just purchased a 7" Sonar / GPS multifunction display (MFD) from Raymarine.

I'm thinking about the best way to mount this new toy on the dash. Plus, I'd like to add Radar too, and now that I'm learning about the possibilities, I'm even considering an NMEA2000 wifi gateway, and maybe a 9" MFD as well.

I bought a Raymarine Axiom 7+ with side and down scanning sonar plus their "Real Vision" 3D sonar imaging. The unit is high resolution at 1280x800.

I'm now trying to figure out the best setup, including if I should add a 2nd screen, and if if so, what size.

More to come.

-Philip

WOW.. That's some serious $$$. Most of us, when making major changes like that to the dashboard like to make our own dashboard. Go to home Depot and buy a 2'x4' sheet of Starboard. Nice, white, 1/2 in thick plastic. Design your own dashboard according to your needs. :)

Did I miss the pictures?!?

Nope. I talked a good game, so now I guess I've gotta deliver! :-)

Update.... wires, wires, wires!
 

OK. It's not a photo, but here's a graphic of the wiring upgrade I'm considering.

Attachment 8162

I've added a radar arch from Atlantic towers... but still need to wire up my spreader lights, antennas, etc. I'm also relocating the battery, adding a 2nd battery, and rewiring *everything* in the boat.... more to come on that, with pictures :pic: :pic: :pic:... I *promise*

I want to relocate the battery from the stern to under the passenger seat, and also add a second battery, and an automatic charging relay.

I'm still trying to figure out if extra wire will allow the motor to start OK (suzuki DF140 2 stroke), or if I'm asking for problems. I plan to add 27' to each the positive and the negative leads of the starter circuit.

I'd like to use 4 AWG tinned copper if that will work, but might have to go with 2 AWG -- although I really don't know if either will work or cause problems.

Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks!
-Phil

IMO;
You are over-thinking/over doing it with the battery. Leave it where it is. I ran a V20 cuddy with zuke DF140 on a single Grp27 Dual Purpose battery. Did that for 12 years. Replaced the battery about every 5 years. I did not even have a battery on/off switch.(although I would recommend that).
I had two sonar/chartplotters & VHF. I fished at night with lights. I ran 60 miles offshore. Kept boat in water all season.

If you need 2 batteries for peace of mind, an ACR will work but you might be able to use an aux charging wire from your DF140. With 2 batteries you need to decide how to rig it. Are you going to use one for HOUSE 12V and the other for dedicated Start battery? You going to use a 1/Both/2/OFF switch?

BTW, If your battery ever goes underwater you have bigger problems than what happens to the battery.


As for the 7" display, get some 1/2" Starboard and make a new flush mount dash.

You say "DF140 2 stroke" A DF140 is a Four stroke. A DT140 is a Two stroke


I can't see your diagram post...

That's sound advice, and I did not know that the engine can support an aux charging wire, I will have to look in to that.

For the usage. I plan to have one battery for start and bilge pumps, and the other as a house battery for everything else. That will give me the peace of mind that I can't kill my battery running electronics and find myself stranded.

That's great to hear that you ran 60 miles off shore. I'd like to go off-shore too. Some people have said that I'm nuts, but I believe with proper preparation, the V20 should do fine... and preparation includes checking the weather forecast and staying home or close to shore if you don't like it.

I agree, my batteries are under the deck if they are covered with water it will be time for me to jump ship.

Tower with Rocket launchers...
 

OK. The dual batteries are going in the back under the deck.

Here's an update, and tease of things to come. I've got so many projects going at once, that it's hard for me to keep up!

I put on a tower-in-a-box from Atlantic tower, and I LOVE it! It took me FOREVER to install... it was far more work than I thought.... plus I had to cut four new access holes to connect the backing plates behind the 4 mounts, so now I have those to deal with. Two of them are going to house speakers for a small stereo. The other two will get an access panel installed, or maybe I'll just cut something into a square shape and cover them with 4 screws... we'll see.


Here's what **a** V20 looks like with the tower... mine looks very much like this... but that one isn't MY Vee... more to come.

Attachment 8211

Electrical Panels and rewiring
 

I decided to start a mini-thread for each of my projects.

This one is for the re-wiring which is coming along.


I bought this switch panel, which has 8 switches with circuit breakers. It comes with stickers for each function and it can be back lit.

The switches aren't the best quality, but I think they'll do. I melted one of them by accident with my heat gun! I also re-wired the back of it... I'm using heat shrink connectors, and then putting heat shrink over that.
Attachment 8212


It's time consuming, but I'm making progress!!

Here are photos of some of the products I purchased and am using.

I'll get photos of the install to post too.

I decided to re-wire most of the boat!