www.iFourWinns.com

I agree Paul, this is why I don't do that, or grease my leaf springs to keep them quiet, etc. There's enough crap in the water already.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Get cooking spray, works great on the bunks as a lube and all natural.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

I'm no tree-hugger (and with a 348 we won't even TALK about 'carbon footprint') but I tend to avoid putting anything in the water that normal ecological conditions wouldn't already be dealing with. That is, don't put something synthetic in the water. And not "it's already polluted, so what's one more thing?" Not that you're making that point.

I'd go with the cooking spray ideas as at least they're using a biodegradable substance. Of course that leads me to wonder what impact those might have on the bottom wax and/or gelcoat?

Silicone is NOTORIOUSLY difficult to deal with when it gets on something. Plenty of people slap silicone 'caulk' on surfaces only to make matters worse when it comes time to remove it or apply the correct product. I'd have to wonder what impact that would have on getting wax or paint to stick to the hull?

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Don't know about the impact on the hull, but I use cooking spray for environmental reasons. Sure, I have to do it more (which costs more), but it is the least I can do to help the fish in my lake get their proper daily servings of vegetables so that they can stay healthy.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

And to think, they coulda had a V8.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I pulled my fender covers this past weekend. Glad I did, those non-SS self tapping torx head screws were starting to show some discoloration (trailer is now 1 year old). Still brainstorming about replacement hardware. Maybe drill out the self-tapped holes a little, paint them, and use SS bolts with a nylon plug insert, nylon washer and lock-tite?

What other non-SS hardware has been found on the FW trailers?

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

The only stainless on my trailer that I can think of at the moment is that which I've added or substituted. Some of the brake hardware that was part of the kit delivered to FW from Tie Down may be SS. All the bunk bolts, fender liner screws, side guide bolts, etc., are galvanized. Which is just inexcusable IMO.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

No stainless on a Four Winns trailer. These trailers are made to get you off the lot. Also check all your welds by pressing on the paint on the bead. Seen more then one weld on these trailers not cleaned, painted over and rusty with-in 6 months.

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It happened to me last time out. After launching the boat one of the plywood fender liners was floating in an upright position held to the trailer with one self tapping screw. I ran back into town to Home Depot and picked up 1" long stainless steel machine screws and cad plated nylon lock nuts. I checked both fender liners and thru bolted 9 self tapping screw holes where the screws were missing.

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Jeff
2006 H240 6.2 MX 320HP B3
La Habra, California

I think they're a workable trailer, but they definitely need some "owner improvement" and ongoing maintenance. Of all the hours & effort I've put into "working on the boat" in the last 4 years, I bet 95% of it has actually been working on the trailer (not including time washing & waxing the boat).

My left fender liner has a missing screw. Not sure if it fell out or if it was never put in at the factory, the others are all still tight. Anyway, when I go down the highway it flaps, which I figure helps my mileage.

I'm going to replace them all with flathead stainless machine screws and stainless nylock nuts also. The flat heads should enable them to be pulled down flush with the surface of the plywood, eliminating any possible contact with the boat.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Oh please let the pivot for the fold away tongue be SS. I'd hate to have to try and find a SS replacement for that. At a glance, I noticed major discoloration but shrugged it off to grease.

I probably shouldn't be too concerned. My normal usage is to drive 3 miles to drop the boat in at the beginning of the season, and maybe 6 miles at the end of the season including a stop for winterizing/ servicing. It sits outside covered with a tarp "in season", and in a garage with the boat on it "out of season". Still, I want to keep it rust free, and ready for out of the ordinary usage at a moments notice. I wince everytime I see a boat on a trailer on the side of the highway, hooked up or not, and I've winced a bunch.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

I'm not sure about the pivot, but I don't think it's stainless. However - that's one part I wouldn't worry much about because 1) it never gets dunked (hopefully!) and 2) it's usually covered in grease anyway.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Thats my biggest fear is that joint. No real trailer manf makes a folding tongue that the joint has that much leverage on it.

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I agree, those pivots look small for the amount of stresses and responsibility they carry. However, there are a lot of them on the road now, and I sure haven't heard of any problems with them.

As an aside, I'm deep in the middle of making some trailer repairs & upgrades right now. Nothing fancy, just stuff that should've been done at the factory. Stupid stuff that I shouldn't have to spend my time doing.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Yeah. The weld at the guide-bunk trailer interface is busted and starting to rust (both sides). I didn't notice until the paint started pealing up on the welds!

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Matt-

2007 Four Winns H190
Earth First, We'll Mine the Other Planets Later