Best " year " for the V20

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fisherman

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With interest in this boat, was there a " best " time period of production ?

Meaning, since the original model was launched, did Wellcraft make any improvements over the years leading up to the last production year of 96 ?

Likewise, was quality any lower during any of the years ?

Were the transoms all the same in terms of water intrusion, tanks, hull, fit, finish etc.

I'm a new member to this site, and I like it !
Thanks
 
I think it was Charlie the Tuna that pointed this out but EVERYONE knows that 1986 was the best year ever built....all years before that were protoytpes and all years after that they were going down hill!!!!:sun::sun::sun:
 
All of them were built either on a Monday or a Friday except in 1994...there's a little known fact for ya!
 
Hum.......something tells me that the 2 posting answers are not necessary based on scientific or other specific verifying data.. !
 
They made changes in every model year, and there were changes within the same year for different models, I/O Sea Drive outboard, equipment packages etc.
It does seem that the changes were all thoughtful improvements rather than change for change sake. So it would seem logical the newer the better as far as addressing shortcomings.
That being said the hull itself did not change so a early vintage if kept up with and with some modifications would be a darn fine boat. The two major changes that addressed problems in the V20's is the filling the hull cavities with flotation after a few years of production and the raising of the floor height somewhere around 1988 or so depending on model. This of course addressed the water draining and coming into the thru hulls on pre floor change boats.
I have had a 1986 and now a 1992, love em both, ride the same, same room and just great boats.
 
All kidding aside fisherman, from what I can tell from my tiime involved with this website (albeit short, comparitvely speaking) there is pretty much every year represented here by members and I have never read or heard any distinctions of quality or significant design change from year to year (although raising the floor for the deck drains was a good one, and going from saddle tanks to a floor tank was a biggie way back when)

If you look at some of thre repairs sections with pics of floors cut out and such you can hardly tell what year boat you are looking at based upon the construction.

Wellcraft pretty much built the same darn boat for 26 years.....really that is the draw to these boats, cant improve too much on a good design.
 
Willy - thanks for the specifics .

Also seems that in terms of buying one of these, there are two options:
1. buy one that's had major transom and floor related work done.
2. buy one and plan to need to have it rebuilt.

Since I have no interest in a major project, I'd prefer to find a beauty, already fixed and ready for the blue.

Somewhat smaller fuel capacity though at 60 gallons ?:pic:
 
fisherman said:
Willy - thanks for the specifics .

Also seems that in terms of buying one of these, there are two options:
1. buy one that's had major transom and floor related work done.
2. buy one and plan to need to have it rebuilt.

Since I have no interest in a major project, I'd prefer to find a beauty, already fixed and ready for the blue.

Somewhat smaller fuel capacity though at 60 gallons ?:pic:
Click to expand...

I dont know if thats neccesarly true....I think there are quite a few V20's out there with original floors and transoms in good shap which if taken care of from here on out should last well into your future. My 86 is original and (at least as far as I can tell) is in fine shape. If you buy an already repaired one you always run the risk that it was fixed by a dumb azz and looks purty on the outside and lacking strength on the inside.
 
That is true, also you will find late boats that have soft transoms and early boats that are as hard as a rock.
The way a boat was maintained over the years makes the biggest difference. Some boats have bolt holes that are rusting and the owner never sealed them, some installed engines and did not do a good job on the bolt holes etc. some installed electronics or transducers along with thru hulls and did not bed the parts correctly and allowed water to seep in over the years.
If those boats are sealed up right, especially if they are a trailer or rack stored boat they will last indefinetly
 
They are like snowflakes...you can find a '75 that somebody took care of and have a great boat...or a '96 that was abused and neglected and have a POS...

Assuming a reasonable amount of care over the lifetime of a given "V" I'd be lookin' in the mid 80s to mid 90s...and starting from scratch, a full transom (sea-drive preferred), add a bracket and best 25 or 30" OB your budget can handle...150 hp minimum...
 
I've had the old low profile deck design, and the later self-bailing higher profile deck design. The hull is the same, the ride is identical, but it seemed to me the lower deck design had a more solid ride. I attributed it to the deck design of the later hulls having more flex in the cap, not the hull. Both ride outstanding.

i took a big wave over the motor and transom of the old 72' and lived to tell about it. My 83' model was great and the self bailing deck gave me much more confidence, but a bolt of lightning hit less than 100' from the boat giving me a new respect for weather. Nothing is a 100% guarantee but this hull design is solid, but there is also a matter of luck involved beyond seamanship to say the least. On a lighter note, I saw I couple guys I considered heathens on their knees praying to God after that bolt of lightning.

If you are out on the water in a small boat it's a risk, but the V20 is a design yet to be improved on in my opinion. The ride was shocking when I first went offshore in mine in 73' after riding in lesser boats.
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Wow, going to have to get a ride on one of these..........

Saw one out of Shark River Inlet, Belmar, NJ this past Sunday.
Just a few miles out the inlet. Looked nice.
 
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