www.iFourWinns.com

Why not launch at the state park at the North West corner of Muskegon Lake?


BTW, congrats on the new boat Cap'n.

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

I always heard it was a really shallow ramp and to stay away from it. Is that not the case?

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http://youtu.be/-4ckF7u1iNk
2003 PowerQuest 260 Legend SX
2014 Lund WC 14

2007 H210 Volvo 5.7 Gi/SX (sold in 2012)
2007 H180 Volvo 3.0 (sold in 2009)

I launched there 3-4 times last season. No problem. I never saw less than 3 ft of water from the ramp out to the main lake. If you have a GPS with detail of the Great Lakes it should cover this area.

Of course lake levels fluctuate. Last year they were up. This year??

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

You could launch at the st park by snug harbor, like RR says, the ramp and water depth is fine. Weeds should be non existent this early in the season. The city ramps are not patrolled this early in the year, so you could launch at fisherman's landing or Hartshorne and not have to pay.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

My boat is still high and dry on the rack at Barretts. Hopefully they get the floor cleared soon so I can get mine out. I need to bring it home for a few weeks to get my projects done.

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

It was a chilly sea trial, 39 degrees, but was great to be out on our new boat. Everything went smooth with the trade in of our 282 and delivery of the 204.
This will be a fun boating season for us.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Congrats Cap'n. glad everything worked out for you.


Cheers!

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2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

yeah!!

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

Congratulations! She's a beaut.

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

Nice looking boat! Aren't you going to miss the 282's size a little?

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

Nice!
As I said, that's a perfect size boat, and the running costs are low enough not to notice your boating budget. I am glad I stuck with the 20' size.
My old boat got a new interior, deck and stringer repair about 6 years ago. Now finally the hull is getting painted, red Imron, no more faded red to pink gelcoat! I'll post pix when it's done. I stuck with this one because I knew what I had in it. The hull is longer and deeper than the newer 200s and the engine access is also much better. It has a 21* deadrise so it is very stable in rough water.
I see 20' boats out in the Sound all the time, you have to pick your days carefully but it can be done. Most of my friends with big boats are either looking to downsize or kept their boats but don't go very far with them. To me then what's the point you still have to pay for storage and maintenance unless you can do it all yourself and store it on your own land. The small boat frees you from all those concerns.....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Congrats!! I just noticed you even have a bow ladder, and that trailer is gorgeous! You must be very excited just thinking of all the cool new lakes you're going to visit this summer!

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

Looks great, congrats!

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Thanks guys, Lou pretty much summed it up. We feel like we are now free to enjoy boating when and where we want. It simplifies our lives at a time when we should be enjoying it the most, and not worrying about all the maintenance and associated costs of owning a cruiser. Boating is an expensive hobby, no matter what boat you own. But owning a cruiser is more operating cost, maintenance, storage and associated payments than we will ever incur with a 20' bowrider.

Yes, we will miss the 282 and it's luxuries. It was a perfect size boat for us, with all the features of a much larger cruiser, in a nice manageable size. She is in excellent condition, and somebody will get a nice boat at a good price if they buy it. The 282 was a bank repo, so we got it at a fantastic price, which is why we jumped on it 2 years ago. The price the dealership offered for the 282, was what we paid for it, so we had some equity from the trade which we put towards the new boat. It ended up being a clean way to get out of the 282 and into something brand new and much easier on our pocketbook and also gives us a new way to enjoy boating.

Yes, it has a bow ladder. That should come in handy in the early season to beach the boat, and let the wife get off the bow without getting wet in the cold water we have here this time of year. We already have a couple of trips planned for this summer, Torch Lake, the inland waterway to start. Plus lots of local boating in west michigan, where we have over a dozen lakes within a 40 minute drive from our house. About six of those lakes we can just drive the boat to and not have to trailer, conditions permitting. We have two vacations previously planned, one at month end in Ft Meyers beach, and one in June at Myrtle Beach. So that is two weeks we will be away from the boat. But the lake is so close, we can launch after work and get several hours of boating in, and then some night boating which we like to do.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

That is GREAT!! So happy everything worked out in the end. It really is a gorgeous boat!!! I was able to splash this weekend too, wasnt as cold for me as it was for you though. We had low 50's at 10am yesterday.

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2006 Vista 278
First Boat:
2005 Sundowner 205
Columbus, OH