www.iFourWinns.com

Yep, When not in, I tape it to the wheel

Well here is reality now that you feel better....you have a 97 18 footer with the 5.7 that is an awesome hot rod boat that I told you to rake care of when you acquired it, remember? So pull your head out of your arse and quit trying to sink it please......and......I've done it too!

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

^^^ Get this man a beer!

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

Mine doesn't leave my hand until it's taped to the winch handle on the trailer.

I can't say I have put the boat in with no plug, however I think we have all provided entertainment for spectators at one time or another.

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2004 - 288 Vista
Twin - 5.0 Volvo Penta GXi DP

I haven't forgotten the drain plug yet but did forget to remove the stern tie down straps once. Why isn't it floating off the trailer? Of course there was a long line waiting for the ramp that day......

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Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

HA! Done that too. Mine was "Man I must have a lot of air in the trailer tires because its really floating today... whoops"
I think I have done most of the rookie mistakes even after years of boating.
I also a couple times forgotten to lift the outboard(previous boats) and created my own scrapes up the ramp too.

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--2002 3880 Regal Flybridge | Twin Merc 8.1HO **Seven**
--2003 AB 13 VST Console Inflatable | Tohatsu 40hp TLDI **Phish'n ski**
--310 Mercury Inflatable | 1982 9.9 Johnson

I've done this as well. What helped you is the fact that you headed out quickly. Once you are on plane no water will come in through the drain hole, and the water that was already in will actually run out once you are moving along.

Add my name to this list also...

But I didn't forget the plug on the boat...it was on one of the Seadoo's we had previously before we got the boat.

Dropped the Seadoo in the water and the wife climbed on and started riding it over to the shore. As she pulled up, it was listing really bad to the side but still running. She said something seemed wrong and it felt sluggish. I pulled the seat and the engine was almost completely under water! I was surprised it was still running! We pushed back over to the trailer and put the plug in after all the water drained out.

The wife has since never let me forget a plug again!

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1999 180 Horizon OB Fisherman Pkg
2013 Grand Cherokee 4x4 w/ 5.7 Hemi
San Antonio, TX

haha oh ya i remember.. Believe me she gets babied.. waxed and cleaned all the time. fluids changed, i was just giving her a gentle enima. lol and that will be her last one as well.

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

Just this year launching into the east side of Lake Macatawa(Holland). Had done a ton of cleaning and powerwashing so I just let the water drain out in the driveway. We launched. I parked the truck and trailer...a LONG ways away from the dock. As I backed away from the dock my kid said that the bilge was pumping. I replied yup I probably have a ton of water in it from cleaning...AH HELL I FORGOT THE DRAIN PLUG!

Someone was ready to back into the launch where we came from. I yelled to clear the way and he did. Family held the lines at the dock while I sprinted for the truck and trailer. I had to drive on the grass to get around the launch line. LOL! The launch workers just waved.

What I have learned since that was if you pull the boat out full of water it can crush the trailer springs or even damage the hull from the extra water weight. So, load it and pull it out slowly and let it drain. I had installed a grossly oversized bilge pump with a flow rate that are boat isn't supposed to need. Glad I did.



** I also have forgotten the stern straps. I hit the brakes 4 times at the busiest launch in Michigan before I remembered what I did. Launch is Oxbow campground on Hardy pond the Saturday of Hot Boat weekend. We just laugh and have a good day and try not to make the same mistakes twice.

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2001 265 Sundowner

Ours is tied to the transom with a bit of rope. I drilled a hole across the flats on mine & a piece of rope keeps it from being further away than a foot from the hole. I also keep a spare one aboard.

Not done it yet, but a friend recently nearly sank his Bayliner from this, the kids noticed something was wrong when the toilet was floating in the cuddy!

Add leaving the swim ladder down today. From Sleeping Bear Dunes, north to the point, across to South Manitou Island then south a few miles. Geesh, I need to check things and not trust them to others on the boat!

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2001 265 Sundowner

Ahh yes the ol swim ladder .. I have done that many of times. look back and notice the extra spray coming from the back and then smack the old forehead and stop and strap it up...

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

Thinking back the only things I forgot were:
Forgot to put down the VHF antenna before pulling it out one year, but did not break it just heard it scrap a branch and stopped.
One year I had the floor jack under the left side of the axle checking the brake after hooking up the trailer to the Jeep. Well just lucky I looked and said to myself, why is the boat higher up on that side...would have been a slow tow to the ramp with the floor jack under the axle lol.

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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

good vision of that running down the highway.. lol

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4