www.iFourWinns.com

Does anyone know if the Transom Eyes and Bow Eye are designed to be capable of lifting the whole boat (fully rigged)? The owner's manual does not seem to say one way or the other.

I have two 5ton overhead cranes available in the shop I work at, that are quite capable of lifting the boat off the trailer. It would be great to lift the boat off the trailer for a through cleaning and waxing of the bottom running surface.


early 2000 Horizon 240. Showing Transom Eyes

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Absolutely not!

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07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

I remember back in 1981 when we bought our first boat (a Glastron SSV177), we watched the marina pick it up on a shop crane by those eyes while they adjusted the trailer rollers' alignment underneath it. I thought it was CRAZY then, and luckily it went okay. I absolutely would not put that kind of stress on those components.

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2007 Meridian 341
2008 SeaDoo Speedster 200 "Caliente"
1994 Larson Cabrio 280 "Liquid Asset"- Sold

why not use your cranes with straps to distribute the load of the boat?

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

Because I cannot get straps under the boat while it is on the trailer, and they would be in the way of the cleaning/waxing. I suppose I could lay the straps across the trailer prior to retrieving the boat out of the water.

I think the hardware would be strong enough if it was in the real transom, but back in the sponsons... I don't think so.

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Mine was lifted by the bow eye and a sling/spreader near the back, by the shop who replaced my bunks. No problems at all. But I would say the majority of the weight needs to be supported by slings, not the transom eyes.

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

With the choice to lift the boat by the bow and stern eyes, I'm reminded of a valuable old adage to consider any time when making decisions in life: What's the best and the worst thing that can happen?

Pretty big spread of outcomes in this case! I would find another way to lift it!

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2007 Meridian 341
2008 SeaDoo Speedster 200 "Caliente"
1994 Larson Cabrio 280 "Liquid Asset"- Sold

Back the boat into the water while keeping the bow hooked. The boat will float, the trailer won't. Think outside the box, man!

Thanks Mike. That's the info I am looking for.

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Do keep in mind, the spreader is critical.

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

When my buddy's Horizon was hoisted into the water up in Redondo Beach, they used a floor jack to lift it off the trailer enough to slide straps under the boat and then the crane to lift it off the trailer.

Your boat, but if it was me I wouldn't rely on the bow and transom eyes.

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2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

I've been having nightmares since reading the original post. I think I'd lean toward the slings. Question: waxing the running surface? What for? The wax would last for a matter of minutes at cruising speed. I'd just wax what you can reach with it on the trailer and not bother with the portions near the bunks/rollers anyway.

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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)

It is the brown staining that I would have liked to remove, and maybe even machine polish afterward.

I will rescue you from your nightmares. I am not going to do it.

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

I'm with EvilZ. You don't need a lot of space to get the straps underneath. I would not trust the transom and bow eye.

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Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

Also, DO NOT work under the boat when supported by anything other than solid objects and the ground.

Don't worry about slings being in the way, they should NOT be what is supporting the boat while your working anyways. Get some blocks of wood and lower the boat so it is resting with the keel on the blocks and at least something at each chine at the transom to keep it from tipping.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs