www.iFourWinns.com

Fathers day several years ago, boat load of people including a couple of first timers. I enter the marina and make the right turn towards my dock, I ease into neutral to make the left turn into my slip and the boat keeps going forward. Put it into reverse and it continues forward so more reverse (instinct) and faster forward. The Admiral looks at me from the bow, and says something like "what the H#*l are you doing". I turn the key off as we glide into a steel bulkhead. Thankfully the Admiral did not try and stop us and no one was hurt (except my ego). $1800 damages, hit right on the point of the bow and flattened it. Ended up it was a missing 10 cent cotter pin from the shift cable that left me stuck in forward. The newbees never came back.

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Inboard, outboard, onboard never bored
KUT 'N LOOSE
'99 258 VISTA

My most recent issue was giving an idiot in a bow rider a bit more room when coming into St. Michael's. He was headed straight for our port side and not even looking in our direction. I noted a larger vessel off our starboard side and figured we had enough depth. Then.... shhhhhlumpf, we ran aground in mud. That larger vessel? It was a jet board and the damned things only need less than a foot of water, not the 40" we require.

Now I have a new set of props on it. The original ones are now my lucky charm, sitting in storage as a safeguard against ever needing them again. Why couldn't I just have cheapie rabbit's feet instead of $2600 worth of props....

Lesson learned, I'll run the stupid bastards down next time.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

The Admiral and decided a few years ago to go night catfishing on Table Rock Lake in the middle of the week, very little to no traffic on the lake. We drop anchor at the mouth of a cove near a point (perfect for cating). We start setting our lines and my wife waves at a passing Deck Boat, it is at this time that I realize one of the catfish lines is tangled around a cleat. So I am fixing the line when the deck boat pulls about 10 feet from us and states" I thought that you were friends of ours", we chit chat for a minute and the deck boat begins to pull away. I put the catfish ine back in the water and decide to cut my nails with my foot on the gunnel. Well, the next thing I know the bow of the deck boat is 2 feet from me going about 10 mph and I dont even get words out of my mouth when he hits my port side throwing me into the water. So I swim back to the boat (100yrds of drift later) and he and my wife have the boats tied up by the time I get there, I climb up the ladder and walk up and sit on the bow of the boat catching my breath and he asks me "hey can I buy you dinner or something" . The only saving grace of the whole event was when his wife stated " Bob you almost killed him, he doesnt want to eat dinner with you". Only damage was to the trolling motor, so he got off easy on the funding end and he didnt even have to pay a hospital bill either!!!!!!!

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King Of Battle
2007 318 Vista
2003 254 Monterey
2003 Fisher F/S

Bwaahahahaa, made me laugh out loud. Gotta be one of the few times a spouse chimed in with a useful comment in an otherwise awkward situation. Nice one.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Didn't happen to me but to a transient boater passing through our marina about a month ago.
Georgian Bay is a maze of rock shoals and dangerous shallow waters and the "small craft route" is a marked channel/route that weaves boaters safely through thousands of shoals and rock islands.
This unfortunate soul in a older 50 foot cruiser ventured slightly off center of a particularly narrow portion of the buoyed channel and struck a rock. He limped it into our marina where he was immediately admitted to dry dock.
The damage...... 2 bent rudder shafts, 2 - 2"x8ft drive shafts, 2 - 25" dia bronze props.
One week later he's on his way having had all repairs made and covered by his insurance company.
Two days after that we heard that he had struck yet another rock shoal about an hour south of us and limped into another marina for identical repairs but this time his insurance company cancelled his coverage on the spot.... not surprisingly!

Some days ya just gotta wonder!!!!!!

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"ROCKHOUND"
2005 Vista 298
Georgian Bay, Ontario.

I love Georgian Bay as we go fishing up there almost every year. I can't imagine taking my 268 up there with the rock situation. I am sure if you know what you are doing it would be a great place to go boating. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I have seen guys tear the lower unit from their motors. I would be a mess operating my boat there.

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2003 268 Four Winns Vista
F-350 King Ranch Diesel (Tow)
1990 Four Winns Fredom 180

Just had one this weekend. My 1 year old at the controls while docked at a outdoor bar/restaurant. Busy place - lot's of people right on the water - tight slips. My 1 year old raises my out drive to it's full up position. I dont check - pull out and bump trying for a tight port turn. Nope - go straight and tangle anchors with something shinny and white. Sucked. New rule - absolutely no kids at the helm - EVER or I break arms (even little 1 year old ones)....

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Mojo
North East River, MD
04 268