New V20 Owner in Nova Scotia

[Terrica]

I just bought my first V20 with a 150hp Yammy, launched today and thrilled with the boat until the steering broke!!! I limped back to the wharf and thought I would ask a few questions about these boats.

1. Hydraulic Steering vs. Mechanical Steering - thoughts? Since I have to replace it should I repair what I have or change the whole system to hydaulic?
2. The drain in the Live well in the floor, where does that lead? and is there supose to be a bildge pump in there?
3. The Drain in the aft port locker, I asume that drains over the side using one of the 2 plastic thru-hulls.
4. The Lowrance X65 Depth sounder - was that standard equipment or did someone install that later?
5. Has anyone installed a water ski bar and if so where did you get it and what size?

Thanks

[willy]

Welcome, what year boat, they were all rigged differently. Your livewell could be plumbed to a pump to go thru a thru hull or most commonly just drained into the bildge for that pump to put overboard.
You would have had a bildge pump from the factory on all of them I believe. If you see a switch on the dash for it you know for sure or it could have been an auto pump only. Turn it on and listen. You will find it in the bildge at the lowest point center of the bottom of the hull under the floor and there should be access there to it from some angle. If it is not working fix it before doing any other improvements.
Some do water ski and have installed the pole set up, they will chime in I am sure.
if you are talking about a pump out for the live well those that came from the factory I believe were mounted at the end of a hose in the bildge not in the live well itself.
Your electronics were likely installed by the owner or some marina type place.
Oh yea, you live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, congratulations

[Terrica]

Thanks Willy,

The boat is a 1989 with the same year motor. The live well in the floor has a white bildge hose and 2 wires that are just hanging there and then there is a hole in the floor for the drain plug. The aft live well, just has a drain with no place for a pump so I assume it drains by gravity through a thru hull.

There is a switch on the dash for a bildge pump but no sounds come when I turn it on, so either it's broken or missing.Where did the factory install the bildge pumps, in the stern, access though the inspeciton port by the motor or under the fuel tank? More important, what did te factory install? Rule 500 with float switch and a 3 way switch on the dash?

[jjjtronics]

WELCOME Terrica !!!
Two days after we got our V20, the mechanical gearbox broke. I installed the same one ( Original Teleflex brand I believe, "there are cheapy ones", and it has worked flawesly for two years and many many uses every w.e.
Don`t hesitate to ask us questions, we will tell you all the tricks we have learned.
I have a Yami 200 2 stroke, and I love it.
Juan

[Terrica]

So your cable did not break, just the actual hub (helm) assembly at the wheel. Good to know, I'll take that apart before I order a new cable. The hub is cheaper than the replacement cable. Telflex is the good one, not something to go cheap on.

[spareparts]

most of teh time you can get both the helm and cable for just a little bit more than either one separately. I allways recomend replacing both, unless there was a particluar reason either is replaced. You might want to check inot a no feed back steerign system, its not as nice as hydraulic steering, but its close. Hydraulic is teh way to go if you have the $$, its not exactly cheap, but its worth every dime once you start using it. Check with ebasicpower.com and iboats.com for parts

[reelapeelin]

Go Hydraulic if your boat bux allow!!...Teleflex NFB works pretty well if hydraulic is too much $$...

Here's the ski-tow I used...comes right out when I'm fishin'...right back in when the girls want Daddy to take 'em to the lake...I tow skiers, wake-boarders and tubes w/it and it works great...you can see it in the picture below...

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/prod...ID=1008&r=view

Show us some pictures when ya get a chance...

[willy]

Or you can use these which is what I use for towing the kids on tubes

http://www.leisurepro.com/prod/AHDTD...=23-47700940-2

[macojoe]

Welcome to the madness!! My wifes family is from Halifax!

Replace the whole steering this way you know what you have, and as said it is cheaper that way. Go NFB unless you have $$$ for Hydraulic.

Fish Finder was installed by one of the last owners.

My boat was from the 70"s and had no pumps so I am no help there. and I also don't pulll anything but fish lines so ski wil have to come from another.

Good Luck

O Yea

[Blue_Runner]

1. Hydraulic Steering vs. Mechanical Steering - thoughts? Since I have to replace it should I repair what I have or change the whole system to hydaulic?

Hydraulic. I just went through this after 2 failed cables. One broke the other got stuck after the boat sat. After the 1st one breaking I bought another NFB cable system for darn near $400 (sounds high!) and thought I'd get by for a long time. One year and six months later I was facing another $400 or $975 for hydraulic so given my experiences I went with hydraulic. I'm loving it so far.