www.iFourWinns.com

I’ve been visiting this site throughout the purchase of my new boat. Lots of great info. Now about the boat, it is a 2004 230 Horizon with the Volvo 5.7 DP engine. The boat is super clean with 107 hours and kept in an indoor dry storage facility. We completed the deal last Friday, and tomorrow I will pick it up. I’m sure I will have questions in the future, but for now I just wanted to introduce myself, and my new addition.

Welcome to the forum!

There are several folks here to help you with your new boat!

Welcome Aboard!

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Jeff

2006 Four Winns Yellow Horizon 30th Anniversary 200 SS
2005 Nissan Titan Crew Cab
2004 Ford F-150 Lariat

http://www.seabrook-services.com

Welcome aboard! Congrats on the new boat, she looks great!

I know someone who's gonna be havin' fun!

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Welcome! We have the same boat but an '05. Where will you be boating? I'll be happy to help answer questions if you have them.

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

Thanks all for the welcome.

I picked up the boat yesterday from the marina where the previous owner kept it. It was about 150 mile drive one way. The only set back I had was getting the trailer adjusted. When I put the boat on the trailer, the trailer was lifting the back of the truck. I had to move the axel assembly back a few inches to get some weight on the back of the truck. Other then that I wound up taking the ferry back home which cut the trip down to 60 miles. I’m glad to finally have the boat home.

I will be boating on Long Island, NY, south shore – Great South Bay. I should be able to get a few more decent weeks of use before it starts to get cold out. Unfortunately, the is a storm blowing by today and tomorrow, so looks like I should be able to get out on the water on Sunday and Monday. Can’t Wait.

One question I do have, there is a hose fitting on the back of the boat to flush out the engine. Anyone know the proper procedure to flush the engine out? Is this flush out fitting for in water use only? Can I use it while it is on the trailer, but just don’t start the engine? You can see the hose fitting in the picture below next to the yellow sticker.

It appears the boat has a flush kit installed. You should be able to flush the motor without running the engine. Easiest way to check is follow the line and see where it attaches. My guess is that it either is teed into the line feeding the raw water pump or could be feeding into a manifold that has other lines supplying water to the block and exhaust manifolds to flush the engine. Either way, you should be able to hook up a hose and run water thru the engine without it running for 5 minutes or so and you should be good. Once the water is turned on you should see it exit the transom under the transon shield just as if the motor was running on muffs.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Is the trailer the one that came with the boat? It would be very unusual to have to make any adjustments to the matched trailers that come with these boats.

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

Jvalich - Thanks for the info. I’ll have to check the hoses tomorrow. I’m pretty sure you are right about the flush out. My brother stopped by today, he had an older Four Winns with the same feature. He said the same, flushes out the motor with out having to run it.

Mike230 - The boat didn’t come with a trailer. It was keep in an indoor rack and stack facility since new. I brought the boat and trailer back to the trailer shop for the final adjustment today. She is sitting good now. Now I’m just hoping for nice weather.

Hey soapm...congrats! ...and welcome.

We have the flush out kit and it's great. Rinse that salt water (or whatever) right out of there after you pull her. You don't run the motor when using it. It's basically the same as (on ours anyway) the blue hose inside the engine compartment, but far more convenient. We usually leave the hose on for about 5 minutes.

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JustBreathe
'05 230 Horizon

I’ve been using the flush-out fitting on the back of the boat. It works great. Just plug the hose in and let it run for a few minutes. I can smell the steamy salt water come out as it flushes. It is also great that I don’t have to get the ear muffs and run the motor. Nice feature.

saopm -- I think you need to reread some posts -- I do not think you are supposed to run the engine on the flush fitting on the stern.

While I do have the flush kit on my 2003 FOur Winns 240 Horizon I do not use it -- I prefer to use the old pain in the rear earmuffs -- since without actually running the engine I feel it is a better flush for saltwater use -- I did it that same way for my last boat for about six years of saltwater use with no issues.

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DaleG -- West Palm Beach FL
2003 240Horizon -- 5.7Gi -Duoprop

Thats funny, in my last post I worte "Just plug the hose in and let it run for a few minutes." I ment let the water run, not the engine. I can see how that can be confused with letting the engine run. So far so good with the flush out. Thanks all for the replies.