So what's with these boats ?

[Destroyer]

Allow me to add to the comments. One of my first boats many, many, years ago was a V20.. I loved it, but it was too small for my growing family and my plans to go far offshore.... so I sold it and moved up to a 30' luhrs... good boat but after a few years it needed more repairs than I could afford.. plus the dockage fees were eating me alive. Went through several other boats in about the same class, finally ending up with a 25' John Allmand. (Great solid boat in all honesty) But as things have a habit of doing, time and age catches up to all of us, including me. I finally went back to a V20 simply because I can trailer it and avoid all those nasty dock slip fees, and it's easy for one person to launch and retrieve. It's ride is mostly dry due to the extremely wide flare on the bow... more so than the average carolina flare you find on boats. (FYI, In the right conditions we used to take tons of spray on the 410' long Destroyer I was on in the Navy... there is no such thing as a completely dry boat.) My boat is a 1978, and the transom is as solid today as the day she was built. Yes, you can and will find these boats with soft transoms that need replacing... it all depends on how the boat was treated and what maintenance was done to it during it's lifetime. I feel safer in my V20 than I did in my 30' Luhrs. It's a solid, well built boat that can take a wave that would swamp another boat, shake it off and look for more. It will get you home when a lot of other boats will not, and that's what I was looking for more than anything else. Find one, buy one, use one... you'll be like us and fall in love with it. Guarenteed!

[tsubaki]

It's a V thing, you wouldn't understand.











I couldn't help myself.

[charlie_the_tuna]

also, keep in mind that this is THE original deep V hull and as such has not kept up with technology. it wont give you the same soft re-entry of a potter hul but when you're out beyond sight of land and it starts to kick up, she'll get you home.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by tsubaki

It's a V thing, you wouldn't understand.
I couldn't help myself.

[Blue_Runner]

Whoever said they were flimsy needs to have a couple knots popped in thier booger barn!

[inaforty]

The only other boat of this size I ever spent time on was our 2120 Sport cabin Parker. The Parker was built better (however significantly more $$$) but the ride in the V 20 is with out a doubt much better. Trying to find a 20 foot boat that rides better for the $$$ you spend on a V 20 would be very hard to do.

[nipper]

Don't know what type of use you will have for a boat, but there is no doubt that they are roomy, solid fishing machines. I, however, use mine on relatively small inland wakes in Indiana and it makes a great family boat. Used to put the kids down in the cuddy with the hatch open and a windfunnel for a nap. It does great pulling skiers and water toys. The clean, open cockpit is a breeze to clean out when kids track in sand and mud on their feet. And even though using it on small inland lakes where I do not get true ocean chop, we do get insane chop coming from all directions on weekends with so many go fast boats and wakeboarders (man, can a wakeboard boat kick up a wicked wake!) Been on all kinds of boats in these inland lakes and none has handled it as well as my v20 cuddy does.

[CaptJ]

"Momma always said life is like a box of chocolates". Great boats! I have owned mine since brandy new 1989. But as in any boat or mistress, pull out the wallet and let them take what they want or you will never get to where you want to go.

[dmhallene]

You Trailer this ALONE, routinely,? Please Help me with a checklist as I'm new and not so confident, YET. 1984 20' Step V, 1989 150 HP Mercury outboard. 1987 LoadRite Trailer W/ elec winch.
Thanks

[nipper]

Oh gosh, yes, I trailer it alone all the time. I have even trailered it from Indianapolis to Scituate, Mass. and back twice. Although I was with the wife, kids and dog, I was the only driver (can't get wifey to drive the suburban with the boat on back). Typical ride where I live is about 2 hours each way to get to a decent lake. I launch it and retrieve it by myself all the time too. Piece of cake, and I am 47 years, a bit height challenged (5'8"), not very strong, and a bit overweight (190 lbs.). I sure learned a lot over the years though because we had a boat since I was about 5 years old.