www.iFourWinns.com

Ok, well here's the scoop. I have taken our new 248 vista out twice now. Great days on the lake and the boat runs great. But the trouble starts when trying to load her back on the trailer. I will explain what I do and you all tell me what I am doing wrong.

I back the the trailer down into the water so that the guides are just poking out of the water. If I go in any deeper, then she always comes on the trailer crooked.

I line it up, and drive it on till the bow eyelet is about 12-18 inches from the bow stop. My wife hooks the winch strap, and then I try to power it on the rest of the way.

This is where I have troubles. The boat will not power on the rest of the way. I am always forced to back the trailer further in the water to power it the rest of the way on.

What are you thoughts? I think the best thing to do is when I make my intial approach is to just run it all the way on.

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

I never power load my Vista, in Michigan on most ramps it's illegal. Have you tried just using the winch? The winch on my FW trailer has two gears. High is for quick winching and low for more power. I always set my winch gear in low for the last few feet of winching. I found low gear on the winch to make it easier and alot less effort.

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Fred 248Vista
So much water so little time!

What type of front bunks do you have if any? The pvc vee us useless. See your local trailer guy and have him fit the trailer with carpeted wooden guide bunks. They will guide the bow right were it needs to be and will really help to keep the stern centered. You should be able to get the trailer in deeper and keep the boat loaded straight.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

There are no front bunks. Just two paralelle bunks on each side. When the boat is loaded the sides of the boat overhang the fenders on the trailer by about 2-3 inches. When I put the trailer in too deep, and load the boat, after pulling out, the boat will be resting on the fenders of the trailer on either one side or the other. I didn't consider the two gear thing. I believe it's in the low gear but I will have to double check. One thing that I think might be hindering my loading is that my vista is bottom painted. The bottom paint might be causing more friction with the carpeted bunks and making it more difficult to load.

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

Perhaps the following will be of help to you and others.

http://powerboat.about.com/cs/trailersu ... lering.htm[url]

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Jeff

2006 Four Winns Yellow Horizon 30th Anniversary 200 SS
2005 Nissan Titan Crew Cab
2004 Ford F-150 Lariat

http://www.seabrook-services.com

Ok, ours isn't that big (a 1997 Horizon 200) however when trying to put it back on the trailer last Sunday we had a heck of a time with the wind pushing it to the right.

Finally I had my gal pull the trailer up so the back bunks were just barely under the water and I drove it up so the bow was centered about 1/2 the way up the trailer.

Then I got out, hooked the winch cable up and started winching away. Of course it got really hard, so I motioned for my gal to back the truck/trailer up real slow as I was winching.. Worked like a charm.

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Greg

1997 Horizon 200
1998 F150 4x4

Likely it's mentioned in the link above, but wetting the bunks makes a world of difference in winching boats on to trailers.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

The next time the boat is off the trailer, spray the bunks with Pam cooking spray. it will make a world of difference.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

I love the PAM recomendation!

How about some olive oil and garlic

Just kidding

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Jeff

2006 Four Winns Yellow Horizon 30th Anniversary 200 SS
2005 Nissan Titan Crew Cab
2004 Ford F-150 Lariat

http://www.seabrook-services.com

I had the same problem with my 238 a couple of times until an old salt told me to make sure I get the trailer bunks good and wet. When I did it the first time after that, it made a world of difference. I may have had to back the trailer up a bit but it winched up real easy and right into the eye of the winch and centered.

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Alexj



1995 Four Winns Horizon 190
OMC 5.0 RL

JimR,

Where in Waupaca?

We are close to selling out here and moving to Wisconsin for the Summer!

That is the Last Two weeks of June THRU the First Two Weeks of August

Right

The rest of the time we are going to be in Marfa, TEXAS

NO Lakes!!!!

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Jeff

2006 Four Winns Yellow Horizon 30th Anniversary 200 SS
2005 Nissan Titan Crew Cab
2004 Ford F-150 Lariat

http://www.seabrook-services.com

I'm on the Chain. It'd be great to spend the entire summer, I haven't done that in years. If you make it up there, you'll likely see me on Rainbow.

One more point on the bunks, if you use water and wet the bunks, the water will eventually dry and resistance will return to normal. If you use silicone, or spray Pam on the bunks, they will remain slick for some time. One needs to keep this in mind when at the ramp. A quick stop while backing the boat in could unseat the boat if the bunks are 'greased'.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

I've also had a few problems with not being in far enough, or in too far. I've found that if I submerge the bunks to where the top most tip is barely in the water, the back end will stay centered.

It also helps if someone is holding the back end on a windy day like we had last weekend.

Jim - Good luck if you get your boat out this weekend. To bad the weather isn't supposed to be what it has been the past few days.

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX