Alright...now there's a story if you all have time.....Let me just start out by saying I am VERY happy with this boat....it looks like it's exactly what I've been searching for these past 15 or so years (HappierWet can correct me). A little bit lake and a little bit bay. Something with a cuddy cabing big enough to actuall use...without the cabin taking up all the cockpit room. Something to fish and crab from and also ski and tube. Something that tows easy and has an outboard. Something big enough to handle rough water, yet small enough to not be a hassle.....I present the Wellcraft V-20 Steplift Cuddy. My tune may change by the end of summer...but for now it's still honeymoon time......now back to the story.
Set the alarm for 5:30 (yes, a.m.) was hitched and ready to go the night before. Got up to the marine store by the lake at 7:10 am. Spent $160 buck on Nav lights, some misc. hardware items, a couple of engine well tubes, etc. Went to the lake ramp parking lot and got to work. Called Happier Wet around 8 am and texted Lime 4x4. Lime showed about a half hour later....Happier Wet took a couple of hours......but Lime brought some tools and Happier Wet brought some drill bits and a hammer or two.
Finished the B.S. work around 12:30 or so and plunked her in....she fired and ran with little drama...seemed like she wanted to go go go. Was evident after a very short ride that she was overheating at anything over idle speed...with steam...so I held a conference with my two experts and managed to determine that the impeller might need to be replaced. So back onto the trailer with her and Lime4x4 was kind enough to give me a ride back down to the marina to get a complete water pump kit. Then we ran up to his folk's house to get some more tools and a infrared thermometer. Back to the parking lot and off with the lower unit....two pro-techs...took us less than 5 minutes to have it apart....sweet. Old impeller was SHOT in about every way that an impeller can be shot. Back together with new parts (another $60) and back in the water. o.k. now she's running cool, but the temp guage is acting like a tachometer (which also doesn't work) at idle..dead cold...as speed comes up. so does heat..maxes out about 3/4 of the way up the gauge...water "pee" stream feels same temp either way...hit both heads with the heat gun...then took their temps....same temp both times (idle and after high speed run) within a few degrees and no steam this time. Stopped, rafted with Happier Wet ate some fried chicken and a couple of beers smoked a stogy all provided by happierWet, took her for a run down the lake and back, called it a day about 4:30 pm. Went home....Lime and Happier can fill in any details I may have missed...oh yeah, I broke a few of Happier's drill bits while I was at it......
