www.iFourWinns.com

I recently purchased my 2002 248 Vista as many of you know. I am moving up from a 1996 225 Sundowner. In my old Sundowner, everything was so accessable. All the cables and wires were easily tucked up under the gunwale rails. The helm was easy to get to because all you had to do was lay on your back and all the wiring was right their at your fingertips.

However with the Vista I am realizing that aint quite the case. In fact, it's quite the contrary. Although the asthetic nature of the Vista is great, it also makes it difficult to add anything. Anyone that has done a lot of DIY projects have any pointers as to how to get to things? Where are the access panels? Where should I stay away from? Any advice would be greatly apprecaited.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

I tore mine apart on numerous occasions. What have you in mind?

Projects included:
> Installed tank monitor system
> Installed fuel flow computer
> Installed auto fire system
> Installed new upgraded head
> Installed A/C vent in aft cabin [/list]

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Well, you asked so here we go:

1. Installing a stereo amplifier (looking to locate under helm seat) but I need to have direct wiring to the battery. I also need to run a wires to the head unit in the cabin.

2. Installing GPS unit so that means being able to mount my GPS antenna outside and a fuel flow sensor that connects to the GPS unit. That wire needs to run from the engine to the unit at the helm

3. Installing XM Radio at the helm along with an audio accessory input located at the helm. (for the XM input and an Ipod input) and then runningn that wire back to the head unit in the cabin.

4. I need to run new stereo wiring to all speakers instead of using the factory wiring.

Do the head linings come out in the mid cabin and main cabin? Is there a good way to get to the wiring at the fuse box and the helm?

My biggest fear is taking off a panel and either breaking it or not being able to get it back on.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Woggy, the headliner in the Aft cabin does come off. If the 248 is the same as mine, the headliner on the starboard side has several vinyl covered buttons in a row going forward to aft. These pop off with a flat edge screwdriver pretty easily. Just be careful not to tear the vinyl. One the caps are off, you will see the screws holding the headliner in place. Take these out and you should be able to pull the whole piece out since the back end is simply tucked into a little groove on the sidewall all the way to starboard. The piece you take down will simply be plywood with the vinyl covering stapled all around it. It's roughly about 2' X 6' if I remember correctly. The easiest way to see all the way up into the underside of the gunwale is to lie on your back and look straight up. You should see the wiring harness tied up top there going back to the dash area. My biggest fear was that once I got the headliner off, I would never get the screws to line back up, but I got lucky and they did. The space to work in is tight, but I could get up there to snake the wires and tie them back up together neatly. Good Luck with all that.

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'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

I did see that panel. I don't think that will be that much of a problem. Does anyone know how to get into the cabin panel where the radio is? Can I run wires along the port side?

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Man, I'll be all over this in a few weeks when i get mine. I can't pick it up this weekend due to staffing at the marina it's currently stored at. I've got most of the mods you have planned and a few others.

Almost complete. I have been able to get almost all of my electronics installed in what was actually a pretty easy task. I have never used a fish tape so much in my life. That made the job really easy. I am just waiting on a switch from my four winns dealer and everything will be complete.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Fish tape is great, especially the flat kind. But get a cheap one if you're going to leave it on the boat by mistake. Danged thing rusted up pretty quick. Also consider the fiberglass extension poles. They make it a lot easier to get the line run straight along the empty spaces in the gunwale without dipping down and getting caught on the back of a cabinet mounting screw.

Why replace the factory speaker wire? It's not like you're ever going to get anything close to decent fidelity from a boat setup. And louder isn't necessarily something that makes friends when anchored up. But yes, an amp helps make sure you don't cook the head unit alone trying to run it at 10 on the volume all the time. Not sure I'd have put it under the seat, isn't the factory location somewhere in the cabin below? I'd have to imagine the corrosion is going to get pretty bad on the terminals if it's not in a reasonably enclosed space. Thus belowdecks in an area with some reasonable airflow usually works better.

Just make sure you go back check that all wire is securely attached. Those square pads for zip ties with adhesive and screws do a good job. You don't want that wire flapping around, not even by a little bit. The wave action, combined with corrosion, will drive you crazy in no time trying to debug flaky connections.

Thanks for the tips. I did all that (as far as tying down the wires). With regards to corrosion, you have to remember, although we have to burn corn fuel, corrosion isn't nearly as big of an issue in the beautiful fresh water of the midwest as it is in salty areas.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

One place I found in my boat was to remove the locker cabnet at the helm on the wall to the right of your feet at the steering position. It has a lot of screws but gave good access to running cable through the engine compartment to the dash.

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Alexj



1995 Four Winns Horizon 190
OMC 5.0 RL

Here's my stereo set up... I have a 2000 248.

To get to the stereo, you need to pull the whole face plate off.. I had to take off the breaker panel off a couple of times but I was adding a battery monitor at the same time. There is a small opening that leads down from the stereo area to an open area underneath the cabin stairs. If you lift the top stair and remove the garbage can you should be able to see wiring harnesses. In this area down and off to the aft, there is a circular hole that runs behind the 2 storage compartments in the aft cabin. I put my amp and power distribution here.

If you have factory air, the factory are runs through this area and it will make things tight. (not impossible)

As for the stereo, I have the head unit runing 1 set of deck speakers along with the set in the cabin. The amp runs another set of speakers I added to the deck along with a subwoofer. Finally, I have a set of RCA inputs that go to the DVD/Flat screen TV. It is mounted on the microwave cabinet in the same way that (Vista Fred) mounted his.

I was also able to run the aft remote through the back area as well.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

That may be the case in the Vista's due to odd speaker placement (but even stock it sounds very decent) but in my last boat (Stingray 230SX) which had great speaker placement. When I upgraded (all Polk Momo, Pioneer Premeir, Kicker 700.5 for power) it truly was/is high fidelity and I'm sure the new owner will be floored when they buy it.

With that said... I am very impressed with the sound in my 248 given the LACK of adjustments on this Clarion Marine head unit and no amp. But a couple (4) Polk Momo components and a 10" Momo sub or two, a big amp and she will be even better fidelity

Ahhhh yes, future projects!

Check out me post http://www.ifourwinns.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5769#5769
to see where I added a pair od speakers in my 248. The add'l 2 speaker plus a sub makes for GREAT sound.. even underway. And no need to replace speaker wire, although I DID have to wire the head with better power cable.[/url]