[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by smokeonthewater

put a blower in it and operate it for several minutes before starting and while at idle or no wake speed.

the intake should go to the lowest part of the bilge NOT likely to have standing water... definitely below the starter.

as for fuel injection or carb makes no difference... fuel lines filters fill hoses vents and even tanks can leak..... heck the fuel tanks are a COMMON issue with these boats

Totally agree, which is why I said

Originally Posted by Destroyer

Baring leaks in your fuel system, at which point you should NEVER take your boat out on the water

Gas tanks are part of the fuel system. My point about the carbs vs Fuel injection though was that with fuel injection, unlike a carb, there is no fuel exposed to the outside (bilge area) air, which, in turn, means less likelyhood of vapor in your bilge area.

Originally Posted by macojoe

my 75 had them on top of the gunnels, one backward one forward, but no worry about water that far up!

Exactly correct. Your vents are mounted on the top of the gunnels. If you get water into your boat through them that will be the least of your problems. Your bilge pump will easily handle any spray that might come through them.

Originally Posted by rscottdds

Both of the vents on this boat face backwards. My bass boat has one forward and one backward. The v20 will be an ocean boat though and I think I'd rather keep them facing the way they do so salt water spray doesn't get channeled into the engine compartment.

The way this boat will be used it will be started multiple times a day and the thought of lifting the engine hatch each and every time just doesn't appeal to me. I've seen a few pictures of what can happen when there is an explosion. Not a pretty site. If we are going to put one in now is the time as I can't use the boat anyway.

Of course the first I/O my family had when I was young didn't have a blower (not sure any boats did back then) and it didn't blow up. Easily could have though as I did have an uncle pump 30 gallons into the bilge through a rod holder once.

The previous owner obviously mounted the vents wrong. With both of them facing rearward they are almost totally useless since the incoming air needs the forward facing vent to scoop the air into the bilge area.
Since my boat was constantly being run/trolled the only time I lifted the engine hatch was during trailering. By all means, if you want to install a bilge blower, then do so. An ounce of prevention, as they say.....

And as to your uncle pumping 30 gallons into the bilge thru a rod holder, it's really amazing how many stories like that we hear of. And truthfully, in that situation, the best bilge blower in the world won't help you at all.