haakebecks
New member
Congrats on choosing a Venture 26. I really look forward to seeing how the build comes out.
As a fellow 26 owner with twin 90 two strokes, there isn't a whole lot about the boat I would change. I MIGHT look at getting Yamahas or Suzukis or Hondas depending on where I lived, but I've been very pleased with the Tohatsu motors. Start right up and have been totally bulletproof so far.
Building it fresh, I would probably go airhead instead of vacuflush/holding tank. The storage design in the new ones is quite a bit better than my 07. If I ever pull the holding tank again and switch to an airhead, I would make changes to the storage arrangement and have a bank of drawers put in the location where the tank currently resides.
I also haven't cut access hatches in the v-berth, although I believe the new ones come with them standard.
The only thing I really don't care for in the boat is how low my outboard controls are. Not a deal breaker, but I was they were up a bit higher. I'm 6'2" and even then it feels a bit awkward.
My boat does have permatrims and the water tank is up in the bow. I feel like she busts through chop and snot VERY well. I've had it out in the Columbia River Gorge with high winds multiple times where things were getting more than a bit wet and she punches through pretty good.
I too have a Garmin suite with Radar, Charplotter, etc. on a high radar arch. I REALLY like it and love the looks. Would I go Garmin again... not necessarily. The chartplotter market is so dynamic right now that it really would just depend.
The new boats are coming with good lazarette hatches to you won't have to worry about that.
The only things I would think about doing are making sure they recess the wallas or whatever stove you are getting pretty close to the front so you have room for a space rack, etc. behind it. I also really like having a fridge, but I would mount an Engel style one on rails that is readily replaceable and easy to get out instead of a Dometic or something like that. I would look at intermittent wipers. Sure you can add an intermittent switch later, but it is such a nice convenience thing. I haven't done that project yet and I am always messing with the wipers when punching through the snot. Finally, I would highly recommend a windlass. I'm running a v700, but would spec out a horizontal model if I was doing it fresh. Also, make sure that the anchor roller they put on is long enough to work well with newer generation anchors like the Manson Supreme. Mine works, but I will probably be upgrading it for a slightly longer model.
Hope you take lots of pics of the build process! I'll be very interested to see how she turns out!
As a fellow 26 owner with twin 90 two strokes, there isn't a whole lot about the boat I would change. I MIGHT look at getting Yamahas or Suzukis or Hondas depending on where I lived, but I've been very pleased with the Tohatsu motors. Start right up and have been totally bulletproof so far.
Building it fresh, I would probably go airhead instead of vacuflush/holding tank. The storage design in the new ones is quite a bit better than my 07. If I ever pull the holding tank again and switch to an airhead, I would make changes to the storage arrangement and have a bank of drawers put in the location where the tank currently resides.
I also haven't cut access hatches in the v-berth, although I believe the new ones come with them standard.
The only thing I really don't care for in the boat is how low my outboard controls are. Not a deal breaker, but I was they were up a bit higher. I'm 6'2" and even then it feels a bit awkward.
My boat does have permatrims and the water tank is up in the bow. I feel like she busts through chop and snot VERY well. I've had it out in the Columbia River Gorge with high winds multiple times where things were getting more than a bit wet and she punches through pretty good.
I too have a Garmin suite with Radar, Charplotter, etc. on a high radar arch. I REALLY like it and love the looks. Would I go Garmin again... not necessarily. The chartplotter market is so dynamic right now that it really would just depend.
The new boats are coming with good lazarette hatches to you won't have to worry about that.
The only things I would think about doing are making sure they recess the wallas or whatever stove you are getting pretty close to the front so you have room for a space rack, etc. behind it. I also really like having a fridge, but I would mount an Engel style one on rails that is readily replaceable and easy to get out instead of a Dometic or something like that. I would look at intermittent wipers. Sure you can add an intermittent switch later, but it is such a nice convenience thing. I haven't done that project yet and I am always messing with the wipers when punching through the snot. Finally, I would highly recommend a windlass. I'm running a v700, but would spec out a horizontal model if I was doing it fresh. Also, make sure that the anchor roller they put on is long enough to work well with newer generation anchors like the Manson Supreme. Mine works, but I will probably be upgrading it for a slightly longer model.
Hope you take lots of pics of the build process! I'll be very interested to see how she turns out!