www.iFourWinns.com

Has anyone here swapped out the gas supports for powered hatch actuators? The hatch on my 200 is a pain...wife and kids both cannot open it. It would be SO nice to have it powered.

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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

Don't know about the 200 but I was told it couldn't be retrofitted on the 260. However when I saw a boat with them I don't see that it would be too hard to do.

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

Well...I know it cant be retrofitted....but I am wondering if it could be easily accomplished or not?

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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

I don't think it's a matter of "if you can" -- I think it's a matter of finding the right person to do the job that won't steal your money.

Power hatches also come with a pricetag... if you don't have any battery juice, opening up that compartment could likely suck - big time.

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

I have the power actuator on my engine cover. It's a simple install if you have sufficient space. I think you probably already have all the wiring and a switch on your dash? Chances are it's just a matter of mounting the linear actuator and splicing into the wiring. Have you checked your wirring diagram to see if the wires exist?

The actuator works real slick and i can remove the back seat cushion which allows me to pull the top pin so you can manually lift the hatch if you don't have "juice"

I'll try and get you some pictures.

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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

The other option is replacing the gas lifts with ones that are the same size with more lifting capacity....I have the full size sunpad on my old 88 and I have a 60 lb unit on each side....I think you can go up to at least 90 lbs...check West Marine or other retailers....certainly it would be cheaper and simpler....
I had to replace the wood in my old sunpad last fall and that thing was heavy for sure....seemed close to 50 lbs with the padding and uhpolstery.....

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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

I offered this advice before and got hammered for it, but some folks never learn. Here's the advice, open the walk thru first, and push against it after releasing the latch. Leverage is applied, and I'd bet even your wife could then open it. The flak I took was that it's be bad on the hinges, or some such, so far no issues here, and I've been doing it that way almost three seasons.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

I brought this up one other time and agree taht a power lift should have been an option for us guys with smaller Horizons. I plan on working on this next off season. If you come up with something before then please share.

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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)

Re opening the hatch in the event of flat batteries or actuator failure, it isn't an issue with the way FW fitted the actuator on my 245; the pin at the end of the actuator shaft isn't attached to the engine hatch; it actually fits in slots routed into an outer tube that is attached to the hatch. That tube fits over the actuator cylinder and the pin is normally at the top end of the slot. If something fails, on manually lifting the hatch the pin slides along the slot .

Graham