www.iFourWinns.com

Ok 230 Mike and I started discussing something interesting on another thread and I don't want take over that thread so I thought a new one was in order.....

Here's the question-- How much effort do you put into boating?

For example, if my boat is in it's slip I can walk there in less than two minutes, if my boat is on the trailer I drive three - four minutes down the road to the ramp and launch. once On Lake Ontario I have endless areas to go and explore(as long as I can afford the fuel) I sometimes trailer 45 minutes East to the heart of the Thousand Islands (Gananoque, Ontario) but not to often.

I'm not talking time to stow your goodies, washing the boat etc... Just how much effort do you spend getting to your boat or getting it to the lake?

BTW, 230 Mike claims an hour drive each way.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

We live in Manchester England, which unfortunately is smack bang in the middle of the country. Our boat is in a marina in Wales, we go to the boat every two weeks. It is a 3+ hours drive each way, we try to arrive by 7pm on a Friday and stay until midday Sunday. It costs around $100 in fuel to get there and back. If we are very lucky we take the boat out Saturday pm & Sunday am at a further cost of $100

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Regards
Beyond the Blue

"If we improve with age I'm now excellent"


Ex 1998 238 Vista 5.0Gi SX DP
Lexus RX300

5 minute drive to the marina, then we are on the water. The lake is nice but not very big. We do have a choice of 2 lakes in town, within about a 10 minute tow distance. Within an hours drive, we have a large choice of lakes.

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Boat is kept 5 minutes away on the trailer in storage. Our closest lakes are 1.5-2hrs from our house to being in the water. Its worth it.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Boat is kept on the trailer at my house and its about 4 miles to the launch.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

With 4 young kids? It takes about an hour just to get all the crap loaded up in the car and then 30 minutes to get to the slip. Once at the marina, it takes another 30 minutes to get all the kids unloaded and things set up. When I was single, I used to be drinking a cold one at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Now I am lucky to get to the boat by 1:00. You gotta love'em though.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

For good water, it's 4.5 hours each way to Table Rock. For crap water in Kansas, 25 miles. There is a little lake five miles that the small boat can go to, but the 261 won't go as there ramp is not long enough to float it.

Of course just to fish and paddle around, I just walk out the back door and cast. We live on a small lake and have a paddle boat for that. The bass get over 5 pounds though! Sunfish, Crappie, Catfish.

It's all good..........

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1992 Baja 38 Special Twin 502 Mags

03 Stingray 3.0
88 261 Liberator 460 King Cobras
95 Bayliner 1850 3.0
77 Fiber Form 20ft 350/385hp
70 Wescraft 1800 SS 455 Jet

Lead, Follow, or get the Hell out of the Way!

Looks like a fifty/fifty split of "close vs far". I would consider close less than a half hour away. Maybe I should have made this a poll?

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Boat is on a trailer. Yesterday for a late afternoon cruise, we had a smaller cooler packed and on our way in about 10 minutes. Was 9 minutes to a ramp near by and we were on the water. There are countless ramps near us all under an hour drive (2 of them minutes away).

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

Boat is kept in a slip 8 miles from my house. Depending on Chicago traffic it can be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour drive. On certain busy weekends, it's quicker if I ride my bike and the admiral drives the truck down with the supplies.

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-Tom
2003 298 Vista

Our house is on Lake Lewisville, so we are super close. We keep the boat in the garage and we have 2 ramps within about 10 minutes of the house...actually one is about 5 minutes away. Its a 29K acre lake...not huge, but big enough for a good day of fun. There are several lakes within day trip driving distance also.

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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

We put LOTS of effort in to a day on the water.

We live 1.75Hrs away from Lake Winnipesaukee. I keep the boat in storage up there on the trailer. We have to drive up, uncover, hook up , load boat, drive to the ramp(4 miles from storage), and launch. We have to reverse this after the day is done. It's a 45 min process. We have two little boys as well so the added 2.5HRS at each end of the day driving and launching adds up.

I would LOVE to be close onought o go for a weekday night time cruise. Maybe some day I will retire at "The Lake"

We are considering a seasonal camper in the area so we can spend the weekend. Or leaving the boat a at a marina valet for the convenience. It's cost $$$$ to save time.

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2004 230 Horizon
5.7GI/SX
Towed by a 2000 Expedition

My lake house is a little under two hours from my house in KC. Once I'm there, it is a few miles between my storage shed (trailer boater) and the ramp/marina we use. We usually rent an overnight slip as well, so once we are there it is pretty easy.

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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)

Paul, you probably told me before, but where do you slip over there?

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

We keep the boat in a marina in downtown Seattle. We work about 12 minutes from the slip. We live about 40 minutes from the slip.

Boat is always ready to go.... We pack clothes, food, and apropriate beverages - although with 2 fridges, we tend to keep the basics stocked at all times.

No kids (yet), but we took the neices out on Sunday for a few hours and when the admiral is convinced it's time to shoot out a watermelon, then that'll definitely add a little overhead. Right now, it's alot of 'gametime decisions' when we boat - unless we're going out for a long weekend with friends.

Even when we had the 240, we slipped it. Guaranteed to use the boat tenfold when it's already in the water. Trailering around here isn't tough at all, but it's just a pain thanks to the launch-ramp-antics that we all commonly see.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA