ABout to put a deposit on a boat.. Waddaya Think

meinmelb · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2014 6:12 pm

ric wrote:

Wouldn't it be cheaper to ship??

I am looking at putting it on a truck but still want to water test it. Also have mates in the area that we can stay with. Freight cost seems about $1200 plus insurance.

My SUV runs on LPG so round trip about $350 in fuel.. And company pays anyway!

Time in travel is the pain here. 19 hours up and longer back with boat in tow so looking at flying up testing the boat, doing to paperwork and freighting the boat will be a lot easier.

But then there is the excitement of the family road trip......

deafwish · **Posted:** Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:09 pm

meinmelb wrote:

But then there is the excitement of the family road trip......

Don't risk putting the family off boating & road tripping with the risk of mechanical failure, due to it being a new boat!

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

That's a good all round boat and water sports on it are fine....yes on the slolom with a hole shot prop. The wake will be mild to moderate depending on the load in the boat.

Interesting to note that some friends have a hi end wake boat and decided to sell. Seems all those wake boat gadgets like ballast are always malfunctioning.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:27 am

TX H210SS wrote:

Interesting to note that some friends have a hi end wake boat and decided to sell. Seems all those wake boat gadgets like ballast are always malfunctioning.

There's 3 high end wake boats on my lake, all under 5 years old. All 3 are mechanical and electrical nightmares. One has a bad starter and it's unique to that year, almost $500. One overheated last weekend and melted the exhaust. One has a bad $1200 ecu. None currently run. The cool ballast systems? LOL. They're just atwood life well pumps hooked to bags. That wiring always fucks up and the pumps last a month. The 60-80k MSRP on those things do not reflect quality.

meinmelb · **Posted:** Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:05 pm

Not sure if I have posted this previously.....

I sold my Mastercraft in January for a number of reasons but mainly because of Unreliability and cost to maintain. Also because it is a one trick pony and not designed for what my family enjoys doing. Lost so much money on that boat......

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

This guy is selling his for an all purpose bowrider...I'm not sure if there has been issues with the v-drive on his wake boat, but that setup has sure seemed complicated to me. Kinda like a front wheel drive tranny.

What scared me most was the required deep water and unforgiving damage if you hit bottom.

Anyway, the boat your looking at is a good all round ride capable in water sports except for wake surfing, which needs an inboard for safety. You will not win any wake board championship with the mild to moderate wake but you will not lose any teeth in rough chop either.

We have ski'd, tubed, knee boarded and wake boarded from the h210 and prior bayliner capriSS for 14 years and have no complaints. These style boats are made for day boaters...if you want to also swim, hang out on the hook and cruise around then you made the right choice.

Bayboater · **Joined:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:43 am **Posts:** 146

meinmelb wrote:

Not sure if I have posted this previously.....

I sold my Mastercraft in January for a number of reasons but mainly because of Unreliability and cost to maintain. Also because it is a one trick pony and not designed for what my family enjoys doing. Lost so much money on that boat......

I went through the same. Do I get a seriously wakeboard orientated boat or do I go for an allrounder?
Given that the majority of my boating is on Port Phillip Bay, the Four Winns H220 made good sense.

BTW meinmelb, don't forget to post some photos when you get it.

Cheers, Craig

Liquidenoir · **Posted:** Thu Apr 24, 2014 7:08 pm

Hi Meinmelb.
If you have a couple of days on the Hawksbury, please give a report on it. I'm looking at heading that way in the near future.
Where around Melbourne do you intend boating.?

Cheers. Graham

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

Beautiful boat , I love the cover coming down all the way also. Good luck on your new purchase.

Bayboater · **Joined:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:43 am **Posts:** 146

Hi meinmelb,
When do you pick up your boat?

Cheers, Craig

meinmelb · **Posted:** Sun Apr 27, 2014 10:23 pm

Left Wednesday night picked up the boat Friday. Spent Friday and Saturday on the Gold Coast and drove through to Melbourne.... It's a long drive!! 19 hours up but 24 hours back towing boat with a stop over in Sydney. Never made it to the Hawksbury.....

Will post pictures ASAP.

meinmelb · **Posted:** Sun Apr 27, 2014 11:02 pm

Have to also note the following but will list in separate posts for assistance if I can't solve. Boat ran perfectly when we took it out, nice and smooth over the chop, wake is average but ski-able. A Very comfortable boat and the extended swim platform is perfect. Power is acceptable... but then it is running a 3 blade 19 ali prop with one blade bent - cant wait for the High Five...
Best of all.. used half a tank of fuel!! Previous boat used a full tank a day! now half a tank in 2 days ... Nice!

Bearings were done/repacked with grease before I collected the boat. But all of them seemed to have pushed grease out of the rear seal and onto the brakes etc. One of the bearing buddies also came off ( not replaced properly afterwards?). I was stopping every 250 kms or so for LPG and driver swap, and hubs were checked every time and were running cool to the touch and not overheating. I suspect the bearings were simply over packed and even the slight warming of the hubs was enough to push grease out. So now I have bearing grease ALL OVER the inside of the rims and all over the brakes so they work but with out friction. ( Lucky I have upgraded brake disks and pads on my car!!). Not bad for 24 hours of almost continuous running but still not right.

So I am going to have to replace the brake pads, clean the rims, and degrease the brakes. Pain in the bum!

I also have to decide whether to pull the hubs and replace the rear seals - did they leak because the bearings were over packed with grease or are they shot and leaked because they could not maintain a seal..... at $2 for the marine seals it is cheap enough but a long and dirty job....

Speedo was not working but I have since unblocked the pick up hole, now fine.
Radio (Clarion XMD3) faulty but I knew that before hand. It seems to turn on, welcome me, run a check, and then shut down and wont turn on again until battery disconnected/reconnected. No sound just the screen for about 10 seconds then nothing. Might be easier to chuck out and replace with new Fusion system.

The real pain is the temp gauge on the multi function dial does not work. It might be the temp sender, wiring, or the gauge itself. I will have to investigate further. I am sure the engine management system will alert me if the temp spikes but I want to be able to see it myself. Spares are cheap enough but don't want to replace what ain't broke!

Will post as I go, but very happy with my purchase so far!!!

Bayboater · **Joined:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:43 am **Posts:** 146

Sounds good meinmelb.
The 4.3 MPI is an economical engine, especially at cruising speed.
Wise choice to change the prop. One of the first things that I did on my H220 was change the 3 blade 19P prop to a 19P high five. Heaps better out of the hole and lower planing speeds.

PM me if you need anything for your newy as I know a Four Winns guru in Chelsea Heights.

Don't forget to post some pics.

Cheers, Craig

meinmelb · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2014 5:29 am

So with typical Melbourne weather, and too many family engagements, the boat is locked in the garage and I have begun the process of bringing the boat to my spec's.

Started with the throttle. The neutral lock on the throttle handle that requires the button on the handle to be depressed had seized in the open position. With a $150 replacement cost I spent a few days with the blowtorch heating, then dropping it into oil, wriggle, repeat... now back to 100% but now it seems the actual collar on the housing has been worn down so while it still holds - it is not 100% perfect. Might save up for a new complete system in a few seasons.

Oiled Throttle cables: Used a clear flexible water hose with a tyre valve on one side and clamped the cable inside the other. Filled the hose with oil and compressed... forces the oils down the cable until it drips out the other end. Cables now smooth and slick. Might need to replace gear cable in the future but fine for now.

Replaced corroded fuse junction box under helm, repaired Horn and courtesy light in gang way. Removed cleaned and lubricated hinges on Gangway door along with retaining press studs to keep it in place.

Removed rear access doors to free locking mechanism. Access to battery and drive hydraulics now perfect. ( ready for hot water shower and heater installation)

Installed 10 x 3LED light pods: under driver and passenger foot well, inside side storage shelves/ gunnels, rear jump seats 2 in motor area. We often launch before dawn and return after dark so need lights to see where everything is.

Clarion radio is dead and removed... ready for new unit when money allows!

Trailer:
Brake system removed everything cleaned and checked.... then binned it all except for the callipers. New cable, coupling, quick release on activator, new pads.
Front hubs removed to check disks, binned them and have new ones ready to go on, fully Galvanised.
New "marine grade" bearings and seals for all hubs.
New LED rear lights with new cable wired through trailer. Orange side lights waiting for install...
Removable draw bar bolts replaced with quick release hitch pins.

Now I have a puncture to repair... :roll:

After all this I have yet to hit the water in Melbourne to start evaluating prop options. Currently have a 17 pitch 3 blade aluminium prop which lets the motor hit the rev limit too quickly. I also have a 3 blade stainless 21 pitch (with prop vent) which will give long legs but at the expense of low down pull. 19 pitch High Five is on the short list :lol:

Once we have had some time to play on the boat, and sort the prop, next step will be hot shower and heater so we can ski through winter... the warmer day's anyway.

Having too much fun to remember photos, but here are some of the boat anyway.

meinmelb · **Posted:** Mon May 26, 2014 5:57 am

Bayboater wrote:

Sounds good meinmelb.
The 4.3 MPI is an economical engine, especially at cruising speed.
Wise choice to change the prop. One of the first things that I did on my H220 was change the 3 blade 19P prop to a 19P high five. Heaps better out of the hole and lower planing speeds.

PM me if you need anything for your newy as I know a Four Winns guru in Chelsea Heights.

Don't forget to post some pics.

Cheers, Craig

Thanks Craig, will do. As with most boats it is a bottomless pit of money, so advice and information is always valuable!

Ps Prop info would be appreciated. It seems you are happy with the Hi Five 19P, where did you get it and what did you pay for it? PM me if you got "Mates Rates".

www.iFourWinns.com

ABout to put a deposit on a boat.. Waddaya Think

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