Picking up this v20 Monday for 1500$ . Comes with a 2005 150hp Mercury optimax .Motor runs great . Has a soft/spongy spot on the floor. The top right motor mount looks a little squeezed . Quite a few holes from previous depth finders/ trim tabs that have been caulked . Current owner had used it the last 5 years .When opening the inspection port I did notice a little water on top of the gas tank.He's taking me out for a ride Monday before I buy it / show me the ropes . I didn't notice any movement in the transom but I'm expecting it to be wet. I've been lurking here the last few weeks doing my due diligence. My plan is to ride it out this year and come winter as long as it worthy I could pour a transom and stringers. My idea was at least if the boat failed I'd still have some value in the motor itself . Any thoughts / advice / comments / concerns?
88 V20 Cuddy new to me
- Thread starter funkyfish
- Start date
Pipe_Dream
God
Welcome to the madness! Keep us posted and share as many pics as you can, and good luck!
phatdaddy
God
Sorry so late to the party, by the time u read this, test drive is over and she' sitting in your driveway. Looks good for the price. I would wonder about the white starboard(?) patch in the stern and the 2 drain ports on the port side. I see scuppers on the deck, so I assume one is for that, but what is the other one? Wouldn't think you'd have a bilge pump discharge that close to the waterline.
As far as the optis, they run great with amazing fuel numbers and exspensive when they don't. Compressors are the big item on them and I would recommend running only Merc Opti oil.
Like Pipe said, Welcome to the cult, ask questions and we love pics
As far as the optis, they run great with amazing fuel numbers and exspensive when they don't. Compressors are the big item on them and I would recommend running only Merc Opti oil.
Like Pipe said, Welcome to the cult, ask questions and we love pics
That was my original question. What that white starboard was. The guy bought it from said there was something there and he kept tripping over it so he put that board there. 72-Year-Old man, he seemed really honest with me good guy. We went out for a ride today. There was a little spot in front of that starboard closer to the seat. That was a touch soft but it's hard for me to tell on the trailer. Maybe I'll pull that board and have a look in there tomorrow. I was willing to bet that it could have been rotted out. I'm not exactly sure. I also noticed some starboard on the port side dash. I'll attach pictures below
One of the scuppers is the portside floor drain. The other scupper is the port side Stern box. I put a vacuum to it to confirm.
Only other question I have right now. Starboard side of the boat. There's two scuppers in the back. One of them is the bilge pump The other one there's a white hose. It's disconnected. I believe the live well is in front of the gas tank if anyone can confirm? I see the other end of that Slinky hose in there broken . And I'm hoping to replace that leg on the trailer with a roller
Attachments
phatdaddy
God
Deck storage depends on model. My fuel tank is next to the splash well, the the deck hold with deck between it and the cabin door. Have seen them with tank in the center and deck storage against the splashwell.
The deck hold is a lousy live well, no easy way to get water in or out. When I got mine there was a small bilge pump in there. Best use is a fish box with ice, then use bilge pump to get slime water out and not run it through your bilge
I did away with all that and store cast nets and each chairs in there now.
The starboard over the dash is probably covering up a bunch of holes from 3 or 4 generations of electronics.
The deck hold is a lousy live well, no easy way to get water in or out. When I got mine there was a small bilge pump in there. Best use is a fish box with ice, then use bilge pump to get slime water out and not run it through your bilge
I did away with all that and store cast nets and each chairs in there now.
The starboard over the dash is probably covering up a bunch of holes from 3 or 4 generations of electronics.
Gas tank is in the center on mine, I did confirm it is a plastic tank so I assume someone has already been in there or it would be aluminum? Then like you mentioned there is the hold. There is no bilge pump in there just that broken slinky hose .In front on that there is another box same size that one is under the cuddy . I'm confused as to what that one is . They both have drains . Then Infront of that in the cuddy there's what I would think is the anchor storage in the bow . I will get a picture tomorrow from stern to bow.
Here's a update , removed the starboard and lo and behold a former repair. The plywood is wet as expected .It seemed dry inside .I cleaned up the area and resealed the board back to the floor .
I'm going to be fixing the multiple holes one the transom below the water line . It is currently caulked with what I believe is shower and bath clear caulking . Any suggestions to repair this . Drill old caulk ,taper the holes ,clean it , pack with 3m vinyl ester putty/ or just use 3m 5200, gel coat over that ?
Noticed the lower motor nut is cracked also
I'm going to be fixing the multiple holes one the transom below the water line . It is currently caulked with what I believe is shower and bath clear caulking . Any suggestions to repair this . Drill old caulk ,taper the holes ,clean it , pack with 3m vinyl ester putty/ or just use 3m 5200, gel coat over that ?
Noticed the lower motor nut is cracked also
Attachments
Last edited:
ctmv20
Member
Congrats on the V20! Your gonna love it! I have an 89' with the same layout as yours with an original plastic 60 gallon tank. Looks like some minor fixes needed for now and for the future the floor should be fixed properly and made flush to not be a tripping hazard. Many good youtube vids on repairing holes in gel coat for your transom, if they are just small screw holes and not many I would just use 5200. One thing I noticed on mine was water seeping into the gunwales from the top of the rod boxes and top flush mount rod holders, I used some weather stripping on the top edges of the rod box contact surfaces and caps for the top rods holders, it would mainly happen during washdown but the water was saturating the foam behind the rod boxes. Enjoy!
steplift20
God
Did you say $1500.00 ? That’s a steel.
Yes 1500 ! Got him down from 3500 I'll be taking it out on the salt hopefully Wednesday/Thursday get some fishing in .
phatdaddy
God
Good luck & take plenty of pics
As far as the holes in the deck, get a piece of cardboard larger than the hole underneath the deck and trace a pattern for a replacement piece of 3/4. The tab some strips around the hole for the plug to rest on. Encapsulate the plugs,set in place and caulk gap with thickened resin.
After that lay down some glass over the seams. Grind and fair, then paint deck
Or fish it as is this summer and make a winter list.
As far as the holes in the deck, get a piece of cardboard larger than the hole underneath the deck and trace a pattern for a replacement piece of 3/4. The tab some strips around the hole for the plug to rest on. Encapsulate the plugs,set in place and caulk gap with thickened resin.
After that lay down some glass over the seams. Grind and fair, then paint deck
Or fish it as is this summer and make a winter list.
Got out there today , ran great made it home so that's what counts. Couple of things I did notice was the splashwell scuppers seems to mostly be underwater especially when sitting there letting the bait soak . The previous owner did tell me he usually puts the plugs in so that's what I did.
Also notice the trim tab on the port side seem to be pretty stiff and resist folding up where as the starboard side one will trim up easier . Maybe I need to remove the boot and grease it . Even with the wife a 8 yr old and a loaded cooler the boat still seems like it was leaning slightly to starboard side
I was a little hesitant heading out first time . Motor ran great about 25 miles round trip give or take. Solid 6.5 hours out on the water .
Also notice the trim tab on the port side seem to be pretty stiff and resist folding up where as the starboard side one will trim up easier . Maybe I need to remove the boot and grease it . Even with the wife a 8 yr old and a loaded cooler the boat still seems like it was leaning slightly to starboard side
I was a little hesitant heading out first time . Motor ran great about 25 miles round trip give or take. Solid 6.5 hours out on the water .
Attachments
Pipe_Dream
God
Overall very good! Way back in time when I had a 150 hp 2-stroke my scuppers rarely took in water. Adding weight in the form of the 200 4-stroke means that water comes in much easier through the scuppers and I put in plugs whenever I have guests on the boat.