Looking at 86 Cuddy

[brianct12]

hey Chum, when you say "self-draining" I assume you mean overboard ... and not into the bildge ? If thats true about everything after '78 ... then I guess I have been making some wrong assumptions. I do know the floor was raised in '88 - that I am sure of. I just assumed it was to get some height over the outside water level - so they could plumb the drains overboard. My '86 corner drains dump right into the bildge ... the '88 corner drains have hose attached going overboard. Now you have me starting to wonder - whether the drain set-ups were "options" from Wellcraft. Especially seeing that Mac's '90 does not have any corner drains - which was surprising to me.

[chumbucket]

Yes, I mean overboard. If you have corner drains they should have been plumbed into through hull like skools posted. I have a buddy (not a site member) with an '83 or '84 that has the corner drains and they are plumbed into through hulls for overboard drainage (that is what self bailing means. Not into the bilge) Mac Attacks boat is self bailing as well even though it drains through the motorwell. My center console had the rear corner drains plumbed into through hulls where Mac's are missing as well as the drain holes in the motorwell..
One thing I've seemed to pick up on with regards to these V20's from Wellcraft, is that consistancy was not always a factor. Just when you think you've got most of the model variances figured out, someone will prove you wrong on something in that theirs was built slightly different. Almost seemed as thought they weren't all built at the same facility (I'm quite sure they were though) or they had hulls that may have been left over from prior model/year runs and they may have "tweaked" them a bit to sell as current models. Not much surprises me in the way of inconsistancy on these boats.
They're still a great design and hard to compare the value of what you get for your money

[Airslot]

After they became self bailing, the fisherman models (Center Concole) seem to drain thru the stern whereas the Cuddy's drain out the sides. I can tell you that on my 87' that with full fuel and three anglers that somebodys gonna get wet feet on my boat. I do have stoppers for the drains though. I'm thinking of installing much larger scuppers with the check balls in them.

Airslot

[msbhammer]

My 86 V drains out the side. The floor is not raised. I installed larger deck drains with a scupper ball. I also have as back up, inline scuppers to cut down on water coming in.

[macojoe]

I was thuinking about trying to make mine a self bailer, but I have 3 floor tanks that drain into the bildge also.

I guess I could plug them and then pull the plugs at the end of the day? But they get most of the water before it gets to the back of the boat I think??

O well not to worry I get so littkle water that its not worth it I guess.

But when it was a I/O it would havew been!! The salt water would get inthere and splash around,. Starter get wet and rot, oil pan rotted I hated a I/O in there.

[regidog]

Hey just got back from checking out the 1989. Boat is hands down in better shape than the 86. On this boat the self bailing drains are in the corners and drain out the sides. Will be taking a sea trial. Floors had no flex what so ever. Some small cosmetic problems but that doesn't worry me. Need to hear the engine and see her under power.

I would look for one with an outboard or blown outboard so you could put what ever you wanted on it. I bought an 83 last year with a blown Johnson 175 for $1,200 that was in excellent condition.I'm not a big fan of I/O's as they will nickel and dime you to death and take up too much fishing room in a little 20 foot boat but thats just me....Frank

[willy]

My 85 cuddy with full transom has the corner drain holes that drain into the hoses which connect to thru hulls on the side. All 16 V20's I checked out had this arrangement.
They did raise the floor level approx two inches at some point late 80's due to complaints of water coming in the thru hulls. It did not eliminate the problem but reduced it a lot.
A lot depends on the power arrangement you have. For example even though my motor is on a bracket sitting 30 inches off the transom(previous sea drive) the scupper drain holes outside sit approx two inches obove the water line. That is I believe because I have a 4 cylinder 115 Johnson. I test rode two V's that had a 225 and a 200 horse V6 and they were approx same year and they both had drain holes that sat below the water line. Both of them took water in and out constantly from just minor rocking and wave action.

[brianct12]

Willy, Thats good info - thanks for sharing. For some reason - Wellcraft didnt hook up the corner drains on my '86 to thru-hulls, they just let em drain into the bilge. I will have to study the level my boat sits in the water - and see if I could hook the drains up to thru-hulls.