Newbie here--just got a v20

[flats22slam]

Hi everyone, my name is Chrissy. I'm in the Tampa Bay area and I just bought an 88 Wellcraft 20 Fisherman center console. It has the original motor which I would like to upgrade to a four stroke at some point. I also want to ditch the bimini and get a t-top. I love the look of the boat and I'll be excited when I can finally do some offshore fishing. Right now I am slowly buying all new electronics for it...

[Kracker Jack]

Hey Chrissy,welcome to the coolest boat forum on the web!!!!! I definetly see were that bimini could cause some issues trying to do some serious fishing off that rig. Nice boat by the way good luck with your mods. To get by for now with your bimini you can bring your straps closer to your pivot point so you don't have them in your way. You can move the eyelets just about under the edge of the top and it still stay tight. It will give you a lot more room to minipulate rods around.

[flats22slam]

Thanks for the tip! One question I have is about paint. I would really like to paint the bottom of this boat because it is so ugly. It is stored high and dry but I'm just looking to make it look better. What kind of paint is recommended, and my friends are telling me it will slow the boat down????

[Kracker Jack]

You have a few options. One you can get it soda blasted and remove the paint all together,soda blast is just abrasive enoght to remove the soft ablative paint and not effect the factory gel coat. You can repaint with a soft ablative which it looks like that's what you have. Or you could (i think) paint on a tie coat type primer and then paint on a hard shell non ablative which will not effect your performance as much. Others will chime in with other advice soon.

[phatdaddy]

welcome to the site, are you going to trailer or dry stack? if you are not planing on keeping it in the water, i'd see about removing like kracker suggested. once removed, your done with it. if you paint , it will have to be done again at some point. and don't count that old merc out , lot of them still around

your living in a great spot to take advantage of that boat year round.

[mannydvk11]

wellcome from a newbie to a newbie

[macojoe]

Welcome to the site!! Lots of great guys here that can help you out with any questions you have!! So ask away!!

[cfelton]

Welcome to the site!! Plenty of good information here to check out. Keep thr pictures coming.

[jetblue319]

welcome to the site, i see your from Tampa also. the picture looks like the marina near Baypines VA center, well, good luck, and if you need help, let me know, Im a paramedic in Pinellas cty.
jet

[phatdaddy]

i hope it is just your tach, but sometimes a tach not reading is a symptom of another problem. i'd verify the charging system on the boat is doing it's thing first.