www.iFourWinns.com

Always down; so the U/J bellows are in the same shape as when they were moulded, so under less stress............

.......... and for the sake of the health of the UJs, in case I ever forget to lower the drive before I start the engine.

Graham

Graham, That's what I've been thinking since I got into this hobby last yr. I wasn't worried about the HYD like some of the guys were posting. I was worried about the bellows not being in their designed state when running. I was especially worried about the 1st/last boat I owned because 1.it was previously owned by another, 2 salt water boat 3 not sure how much maint. was done. It looked & ran fine. But being in the maintenance field I ALWAYS worried when we took it out. Just the tech in me comes out on that kinda stuff. Plus anything I buy I buy it new, only didn't on the 1st boat cause wasn't sure how much we'd like/use it. Still made out great & happy

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2008 H190 4.3L Blue W/Red Graphic
2002 Honda CBR954RR BLK/SLVR slightly modded
2003 Yamaha Warrior 350 6spd < SOLD!

I alternate days.

I trailer and store indoors. Summertime: up unless I know it will sit for 3 weeks or longer without being used. Wintertime: down when winterizing is done. Next year I'm pulling the props for the winter as well.

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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)

Ditto. 20 ft garage

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Matt-

2007 Four Winns H190
Earth First, We'll Mine the Other Planets Later

Up at the dock up aon the trailer and all winter shrunk wrapped.

The boots are inspected every season, if they are deteriorating then they will be replaced before they fail.

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Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II

Further to my reasoning for having the drive in the down position; When the drive is tilted up, the rubber/ elastomer at the lower side of the bellows is in tension. the upper side is in compression. Rubber and polymers are more prone to failure when they are in tension than in compression, tension also encourages creep. So, if any microscopic cracks do start to develop during a season on bellows that looked perfect when last inspected, keeping the drive tilted up is the best method to cause those cracks to grow as fast as possible ( "best method" = worst for the boat and my wallet!).

Graham

Always down in the water and on the trailer unless towing.

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Rob
2007 Four Winns 180 Horizon

Always down, unless trailering. Only time I had to leave it up was when my mooring spot was shallow (~3 ft low tide) and I had to do that so the skeg wouldn't dig in. Now I have a deeper spot with 10 feet at low tide so I can keep it all the way down.

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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