www.iFourWinns.com

OK so ended up selling the 99 210 last spring after we moved from Atlanta to Fort Worth. About mid way through September when I realized North Texas has a boating season well into late October I started searching again. I was primarily looking at Sea Ray Signature 210-240 and a few sparse Baja Islanders until I came across an 04 Horizon 210 that peaked my curiosity. Why was I looking at other brands/models?
1 - I want to retrofit a selectable through hull exhaust (prefer rear exit to side exit). Before you torch me just save it. I'm a hillbilly and I want it so just save yourself all the typing. In any case for the 99 H210 this was a nearly impossible feat. It could have been done side exit but would not have been a sano install AT ALL. The Sea Ray and the Baja would be easy.
2 - The ride in the FW H210 was not good with 2.5 people and even light chop. The 99 H210 was a very cool hull design and I loved that it had no wood in the hull (google the VEC hull design if you're unfamiliar). I didn't install trim tabs but seriously, OE the ride was not very good other than in very smooth conditions (read: max 1ft wind chop).

So here are my questions:
1 - I can't find a good picture of the engine compartment/under engine hatch area to eyeball selectable exhaust routing. I'm sure it'll still need to be side exit because the steering ram looked to be in the same place (on the transom) from the one picture I was able to find. Anyone have and willing to send me a clear pic or two of an 04 H210 or very similar year?

2 - Anyone want to weigh in on the ride of the 2004 or similar year H210? Yes I understand this is very subjective but here is a broad scale "metric" we can use: If you're out just by yourself cruising around and there is a steady 15-25mph wind on your inland lake. The waves in the more open areas are probably 18-24 inches crest-to-trough, tiny wind swept white caps at the top. Going back into the wind are the fillings getting rattled out of your head at 3000RPM/25MPH or is your beer staying carbonated and in it's can?

Again, I know several of you are just going to want to torch my post with ad nauseam "anti-thru hull" and posts about how poor my view of the 1999 H210's ride was. Seriously, only looking for answers to the aforementioned questions.

Thanks in advance
-Sean DeAngelis

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1999 FW H200 - 305Gi - SX

Wow, that's a tall order. Even in my 24' Horizon, I would rather be out on 3-5' Ocean Seas than directly into 18" chop with white caps on a lake.

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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

1 - I would love to have thru hull side exhaust but I know people who don't want to mess with it for various reasons. I had always thought the transom exit was easier done than the side exit. I have plenty of room to do either on my 260. You had a concern about the steering ram being in the way, but aren't most steering rams directly behind the engine on all Mercruiser engines? You would have to go up and over.

2. If the wind is honking along at 15-25mph then I'm usually not on the water. It's just not fun unless you can cove out on anchor somewhere out of the wind. I've been on several 21 foot boats and they all seem to ride about the same in heavy chop. The heaver boats do better but they all seem to have about the same deadrise. There are days on the water that even my 260 can't provide a smooth ride. Any canned drink on a boat has a high probability of ending up all over the boat .

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Current Boats:
2012 FW H260, 8.2 B3X (DTS) "Ctrl-Alt-Delete"
Previous Boats:
1984 Century 5000, Merc 260 Alpha 1
2012 Yamaha VXR

Kansas City, MO

Sean,
What lake will you be boating on?

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2001 328 Vista

Previous Boats:
2004 Sea Ray 220 Select

I have the standard side thru hull that came with the H210 SS models and I enjoy it....It's a matter of preference, but i have no idea how involved it would be to install. With the stepped hull design at the transom I assume you would go wide with it if you wanted to run out the stern.

I will say that having it on the sides seems to cut down on the fumes in the boat....the exhaust is carried away by the draft on the sides of the boat rather than pooling at the stern if that makes sense...the pass thru would be lower than the steering ram in my model (2008 H210), so dont think that's the issue.

As far as the ride in the H210 in rougher water.....it's all relative. Much heavier and better ride than the 180, little better than the 200, worse than the 240 and way worse than the 260. I never had much of an issue as I am a lake boater and when it gets too rough...I come in.

Post pics

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


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi