V20s...did you know?... - Page 4

bradford · #31 04-09-2014, 09:40 PM

Figured I'd bump a good 9 year old thread.

Saw my first one back in 99 or 2000. Was on a trailer at Sail Harbor Marina on Wilmington Island about 2 miles from where I live now. Was a early 70's model with a 200 yamaha precision blend on her. Really caught my eye, seemed like a big boat, but not that big. Liked the huge cockpit, cuddy, and bowflare.

Looked at a few over the years on the side of the road for sale. Eventually moved to Clearwater, Fla and bought a house. Started shopping for a boat and looked at a few different models, but V20's always stood out. Looked at a few that needed some work, and eventually found mine in Winterhaven, Fla. Has been a good boat and I've gone through alot of the common problems with older V's. Spent a bunch having the old 225 rebuilt, new fuel tank, recored the top deck over the cuddy, had the transom redone, new awlgrip paint, new etech 150, took off all the non skid except for the deck, new cleats and hardware, custom bow pulpit, the list goes on.

I'll never come close to getting my money out of her, but I'm not planning on selling her ever either. Yeah, I think I knew.

My music would be "Crockett's Theme" from the Miami Vice soundtrack.

http://youtu.be/_UmOY6ek_Y

Destroyer · #32 04-10-2014, 02:22 AM

Kinda weird story for me. Back in the mid/late 80's I got my first V because she was cheap, and I wanted a boat bigger than the 15' Renken I had at the time. I really don't remember a lot about her. She was an under-powered I/O and I could not get her up on plane. (I didn't know that her engine was scored) Not knowing a lot about boat engines at the time I bought a second hand 6 cylinder engine, fabricated an adapter plate and mounted it in place of the 4 cylinder that was there. Took her out, hit the throttle and .....nothing... (I found out later that the engine was only 65hp and the pitch of the prop was a 21p). Soured me on the boat 100%, I hung a for sale sign on her and she sold for what I paid for her in two weeks. (I've always hoped that her new owner treated her better than I did).

That should be the end of the story......

But...

I always remembered how nice she looked,... what a great flare on her bow, all that room in the back and how she cut through the waves rather than pounded up over them.... and so, many many years later, when one of my uncles that lived in Florida died, my aunt asked me if I wanted his boat (because she knew that I was a boater/fisherman). So my mom (her sister) and I went to visit her for a few weeks, and I looked at the boat and saw that it was a V20 steplift like the one I had years ago. I took the boat out almost every day. I simply loved it. A year later I trailered her home and ever since it's been a continuation of my love affair with these hulls that lasts to this day.

Striper80 · #33 04-10-2014, 05:29 AM

I was looking for a boat and a guy I worked with mentioned his neighbor was selling one. It turned out to be a boat that I used to stare at while my friends and were hanging out in a park when we were 15. She was an 89 18 cc. I had that boat for about 5 years and had a lot of fun with her. When I sold it the floor was pretty soft but I thought she was a good boat. I picked up a Striper WA because my fiancé didn't like having no place to use the bathroom. That boat never rode anywhere as good as my little 18. My uncle has an 89 v20 cuddy and whenever my father comes up from Florida we go out on it. It seems like no matter what the forecast is it gets snotty but she handles it like a champ.

cterrebonne · #34 04-10-2014, 10:34 AM

As a kid, my family bought a camp on the barrier island south of where I grew up. So naturally we needed a boat to get out there and start fishing. At that time, my uncle had the '79 that I bought later on and my dad's friend also had a v20. So, my dad went on the hunt to find a 20ft CC that was not going to break the bank. Low and behold at the local boat consignment yard, the had a '76 with a '77 175 Evinrude for sale at a really good price. So, my dad bought it and brought her home.

That bought caught so much fish and we had so much fun on it. We eventually added wing tanks, a t-top, larger portable livewell, and got a glass shop to build the front area into a huge insulated fish box/storage area. That fish box was awesome. We also added a radio, vhf, FF/GPS.

Being a V20 we had to eventually replace the transom and we had to rebuild the engine have one cylinder have out on us. We then put a 81 ish 9.9 on the back as a kicker motor in case the big engine had trouble again.

Since then, I have been hooked on the v20. For where I fish, it is an awesome boat.

macojoe · #35 04-12-2014, 04:09 PM

I knew nothing about them! I saw for sale in local paper, went saw it and loved the room for fishing and I was sold! Was great for 10 years the amount of fish and the water it had went thur was great! till the wave of 2006 almost took us out! Then it was time for a bigger boat.
Best thing about the V was finding the site and great people here!!!!!!!!

macojoe · #36 04-12-2014, 04:09 PM

I knew nothing about them! I saw for sale in local paper, went saw it and loved the room for fishing and I was sold! Was great for 10 years the amount of fish and the water it had went thur was great! till the wave of 2006 almost took us out! Then it was time for a bigger boat.
Best thing about the V was finding the site and great people here!!!!!!!!

bgreene · #37 04-13-2014, 08:27 PM

Back when I was around 20 years old, our family had a T - Craft 21, very similar to the V-20/V-21.

After a couple of boats, last being a Mako center console, I just wanted a V.

Looked at a lot of " over rated " boat ad's........till the 96' popped up in NJ, and I snapped it up fairly quickly after test ride etc......