www.iFourWinns.com

Hello,

Should be picking up my 200 tomorrow. I made the mistake of going to the Dallas boat show. Got a great deal though! This boat is beautiful!
This is my first boat and I might ask some really newbie questions about boating.

I have already read up on the engine break-in posts. Safe Boating classes are not until August.
My only real worry about this is gas prices. It's gonna be sad if gas goes through the roof because I'm finally buying a boat. Then everyone will blame me.

Just wanted to say hi --
-Chris

Are you gonna trailer it or dock it?

_________________
Koz

200 Horizon
Shopping for a 240 or bigger...

cmak -

congrats on the new boat, Phil dill should take you out for as long as you need to , giving you instruction and the like. Insist on it.

See ya on the lake.

_________________
2006 FW 203 FS
2005 Dodge Laramie 1500
2003 CRF 247F SuperMoto racer
2001 CBR1100XX

cmak -

congrats on the new boat, Phil dill should take you out for as long as you need to , giving you instruction and the like. Insist on it.

See ya on the lake.

_________________
2006 FW 203 FS
2005 Dodge Laramie 1500
2003 CRF 247F SuperMoto racer
2001 CBR1100XX

River ::
I will trailer it. Got a few lakes within 30 - 60 miles

Waytooslow ::
Thanks! I asked how long they give you on the lake. PD Boats said 30 mins to one hour. I said I want two hours.

Do most people just leave theirs outside? The boat is much nicer than my car, thinking of putting the boat in the garage.

I've read on here the FW boats are pretty quiet. Looking forward to that.

Can you use the bimini top at all when the boat is moving? I've heard 20-30mph is ok

Also read the good posts on engine break-in.
Can you still have a good time during the break-in?
You would need to be at a steady speed for skiing, so how would that work?

cmack,

I got 2 hours out of them, the guy didn't seem in a hurry to get back to work, as soon as we got back to PD (Phil Dill), we headed right back to the lake and spent the rest of the day on the h2o.

I wish we had enough garage space for ours. We store at a local storage facility, I picked up a shipping cover (or two) and use that for now. (we are still thinking of a extended swim platform, so waiting to buy the cover).
It works pretty good in keeping the boat clean and the fading down. Not the best solution but for now it works.

Go over your new boat with a fine tooth comb, keeping notes on all issues. PD is really good in making things right, so far.

Common problems with our model, fuel sender failure, Seat pins not installed correctly, trim sender adjustment among others all taken care of.

_________________
2006 FW 203 FS
2005 Dodge Laramie 1500
2003 CRF 247F SuperMoto racer
2001 CBR1100XX

I was there at 1630 to pick up the boat. PD Boats was not ready to hit the water till after 1700. Gave me plenty of time to go over boat. afew minor issues.
When we get out on water, the engine is really loud. High pitch squealing noise. So we only spent about 10 mins on the water. Had to race back to get the boat in the shop. Turned out there was very little power steering fluid. Now it's after 1800 and I want to put it back in the water to verify. Everything sounded good. But the guys were ready to go. This was just an out and back trip maybe 5 more mins on the water. I would have really benefited form a good hour figuring the boat out. No Joy.
It all becomes worse because I live and hour and half away. I did not want to have to come back for a better lake ride.

I pretty much got the gist of getting the boat on and off the ramp.
In the water
1. Put the drain plug in
2. Un strap the back of the boat
3. Make sure trim full up
4. Back the boat in the water. The trailer wheels were just about fully in the water. Back quarter of boat was in.
5. Trim down to 3/4 -- Can you trim without the engine on or do you start first?
6. Start Engine -- Might need to be primed
7. Unhook front of boat
8 Back boat out
9 Trim down full when out deep enough

Out of water
1. Trim up to 3/4
2. Back trailer into water. Needs to be further in water so you can just see front of slats on the trailer.
3. Coast into trailer
4. Use the motor to push the boat up the trailer
5. Trim full up
6. Hook the front of the boat, and wench it up
7. Drive the trailer out
8. Pull the drain plug
9. Strap the back of the boat

Did I miss anything?
Sorry for the painfully newbie post..

-Chris

yes you can trim motor down b4 starting....very important so the water intakes are fully submerged to allow engine cooling.

_________________
2005 Funship 214 5.0GXi/DP | 2006 Yamaha FJR1300

Thanks Ifourwinns.
I do know to fully submerge the lower unit. I just was not sure if the hydraulics for the trim ran off the engine.

Our boat had the same issue with the P/S fluid. I think what happens is, the reservoir is filled at the factory but the steering isn't operated enough before shipment to completely fill the lines and purge all the air out. So the buyer goes out for the delivery ride, and suddenly the reservoir runs low. This is something I think FW ought to change in their delivery process, or warn their dealers about.

_________________


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

I had a great time this weekend. We went out on sat and sunday. I think things went well for my first time out on any boat. Learned alot. Figure it was a success since ::
1. No one went to the hospital. I could not say that no one was hurt because I broke my toe on the boat. My wife got stung by a bee on the tube in the middle of the lake.
2. The boat still floats. --A few dings, still learning to dock
3. Not sure I want to describe my first trailering -- It was bad. Second and third try right in the hole!

Completly forgot to pack a camera. Here is a picture in our driveway(After our first outings)...

_________________
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2006 200 Horizon
Volvo Penta 5.0GL
Texas
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Couple if items you need to carry with you trailering:

1. Get a bottle jack capable of lifting the boat
2. A grease gun
3. Several pieces of wood, 12x12x2, a 12" long piece of 8x8 or 6x6. These will be used to place the bottle jack on. It always seems that a flat tire is on the shoulder side of the road. Trying to jack the trailer up to change a tire in a soft shoulder will result in the jack being pushed into the ground rather than lifting the boat high enough to actually change a tire.
4. A spare tire. Have one and chances are you will never need it.
5. Misc wire connectors etc and a crimping tool.
6. A couple small rolls of electrical wire.
7. A breaker bar with the appropriate socket for the lugs. Many times, a breaker bar is needed to break loose a lug nut.
8. I also carry a portable refillable tank of compressed air. It's come in handy to top off a low tire and has gotten a buddy to a station when he had a tire with a slow leak.

_________________
Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"