My 2020 is starting finally...

1

1966Mustang

New member
Hey all,


It's been a hot one here in the tidewater.


For those who don't remember (cause I've posted nothing memorable...) I have an 86 V-20 CC w/ 170 I/O.


The last ride of the 2019 season was down the Elizabeth River to the P-Town Fish'n Slips. A good time was had by all and there were no 'adventures in boating' to be had! Of note... one of the yachts marshalling at the fuel dock of the marina was being moved around via an iPad type device. It was pretty amazing.


v20-2.jpg

Work this year has focused on fixing things that were annoying me last year...
- 2 'good used' trim cylinders were installed.

- Replaced the engine well buikhead with coosaboard/glass/epoxy. Still have some fairing and finishing to do - Too damn hot and there's two layers of glass over the coosa (I only removed the top skin/rotted core). So this is what it is for now.



v20-3.jpg


And I also built 2 new side cubbies out of mat and epoxy. I used the old cracked ones as 'molds' - really I just waxed the old ones up and laid the glass over them and separated when cured... so not really a true molding effort. I could have done this with less effort... but whatever, they came out decent.



v20-4.jpg


And finally the brightwork/teak. I didn't want to deal with varnish, so this year I am experimenting with a linseed/beeswax product called 'Viking Purified Linseed Oil Wax' that I have used on some furniture projects.


After I sanded/stripped all the teak and sanded it back up to ~600 grit I basically just wiped this stuff on. It's all organic and so far baking in the backyard on the boat it still looks great. I'll see if all it takes is wiping it a couple times a season.



v20-5.jpg


If the stars align and I get a wire rigged up for the trailer light, I think we're off to the Lafayette River launch tomorrow. So, if you see a V-20 cruising around with a maroon bimini top - that's probably me. Stop by and have a beer!


Best,


Perry
 
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Can t help with the I/O issues, but the teak looks great. I used cetol on mine , lotta work, but I can get about 5-7 years before doing it again.

Good luck with your decision
 
Lack of Oil pressure when warm

This has been on the 'ignore' list, but it doesn't have oil pressure when hot - that's indicative of something way down in the rotating assembly, crank journals, bearings, etc. Well, so much for the magical thinking approach.


Too Soon! It wasn't supposed to do anything 'wrong' today. I mean.. at least run like a top until the bellows go and sink at the launch.



Popped the valve cover and valve springs in rear are 'a little rusty', which would jive with the erosion/water leaking into that port when I first got the boat. This is the first time I've popped the VC... :D



I feel like replacing/rebuilding the head, maybe it just needs a valve job. I've replaced about everything external on it. - Cam snout resleeve, good used exhaust manifold, new upper reservoir, carb rebuild, fuel pump rebuild, alternator, pertronix, etc etc etc.



No one wants to work on this thing here in VABeach area (that i know of). Even the budget boat boys said - 'that engines getting a little long in the tooth ain't it?'. So, the option is - I get to do the wrenching, and bring it to a machine shop. IDK. Just venting.



A bracket and outboard? Well, that would be quicker but way more expensive. What angle bracket, length shaft, and what HP? I'm sure it's all in this board someplace.


Am going to have to sleep on it, discuss with SWMBO. I've got way more into this that I'm going to get - but I do like it.



Those economics don't jive with SWMBO who asked "Why don't we just rent a boat when we want to go out?" :sick: .



Other than it is against every fiber of my being? I like pain? Because I want to sit at the dock and drink beer? In my boat... which I haven't been able to do since getting this thing...


Feeling kinda dejected with the 170. I'll keep calm until opportunity presents herself.
 
If it’s overheating and you have a closed cooling system, it’s probably leaking coolant out of the water pump seal. I had to sleeve the front end of the cam shaft (it’s integral with the water pump and not real easy to access). You need to pull the harmonic balancer, which houses the alternator (though by now you may already have an aftermarket external alternator installed).

I think it’s a good engine if it’s in good shape but if you have to bore it out, buy a bunch of parts, probably including all new rubber on both sides of the transom, this is exactly the time to consider bracket and outboard.
 
Did the waterpump/cam seals last year - that fixed that particular issue. Starting up this year for the first time it dripped a couple of times out the weephole then stopped.
 
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I'm going to take a deep breath here and look at the easiest things...



- Inspect the oil, disassemble the oil filter, see if there's anything sparkly to see.
- If sparkles in oil... have a bigger conversation.


- If no sparkles... then change then oil with some rotella 15w40. Check compression. Go from there.


The comment about the cam bearing service part is interesting: http://www.wellcraftv20.com/community/showpost.php?p=171145&postcount=55
 
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Tough decisions, and ones that unfortunately I can't give you any sound input other than hoping that you can work this out. I can sympathize about not doing anything in this heat. The Pipe Dream is sitting in her slip, waiting for me, but it was so hot this past weekend that I punted going out.
 
If it was me, I'd look around for a new engine. I'O's aren't that hard to change out and the cost of a replacement might be less than doing a band aid fix on your present one.


OMG! (That's the name of my 1986 20'er) is sitting on her trailer. Was supposed to take her out and shake the cobwebs outta the Yamaha engine this past weekend. Too hot. Maybe later this week. We're supposed to get some rain tomorrow and Wed and break the back of this heat spell, so who knows...:head:
 
Back on the water! But...

Over the weekend I took delivery of a 1987 Grady White Tournament 19 with a 2018 E-Tec 150 G2 with 22 hours on it...


The hull was given to my father and he did some cleanup and the engine install. He claims he hasn't been using it much so he offered it to me.



Took it out today and... wow. Engine-wise - ...a modern engine and controls are awesome - 30mph at 30% throttle ~40 at WOT - It can use a bit more prop though. I do like the open bow - it does 'feel' like a bigger boat in that regard.



Ride-wise - the tournament is harder and wetter. I immediately see the benefit of the V-20 bow flare.



I will be sending the V-20 up to CT to him. Who knows, maybe it'll make it's way back down here. For now, I am going to enjoy this Grady.
 
Update

I will be sending the V20 up to central CT. My father is looking for a little project.



The engine still runs but he is going to do a proper tear down and rebuild on it. We have a great engine builder in Middletown, CT. It'll be up north by September.



I need to get some more time behind the helm on the Tournament.



Sunday, I upset the bejeebus out of my navigator - picture an angry wet cat. Kinda got a little catty-wampus inadvertently sucked into bow surfing a wake... after that the navigator was not into traversing the elizabeth river to the james with a headwind and some confused waters... I think it was just... unfortunate.



I was just glad to be on the water. The 150 Etec G2 is running a RX4 4 blade 15 x 16 prop and the boat doesn't have trim tabs. The boat runs flat with 0 trim and max speed with this setup is a hair over 40 trimmed about 10%. I did not remember the RPM.



I see some of you guys over on greatgrady :D
 
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