www.iFourWinns.com

You know the issue, once up on a plane with the wind just right the snap in carpet in the cockpit in front of both bucket seats flaps like crazy. Slightly annoying. Saw a fix posted here - just add a couple more snaps. Finally got around to applying the fix last weekend. I found one additional snap on each side fixes the issue for me.

I really have to stop taking pics with my cell phone. This was taken above 40 MPH and no more flapping.



Here's the other snap, and a surprise.



Found the bolt complete with anchor rolling on the floor under my seat. Spent about 15 minutes locating where it was from. This shot is looking up under the helm dashboard. I was less than delighted to see that not one but two bolts appeared to be missing.



I'm pretty sure from the material still on the bolt's anchor that this one was the topmost of the two designed to hold the helm console 'up' to the fiberglass under the windsheild. The other hole that appears to be missing a bolt is horizontal, and in the direction of the bow storage cuddy. I have yet to find whether there's an anchor involved, or if that bolt would screw into wood.

On the vertical bolt, any thoughts on the best way to reset the anchor so that I get this back together?

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Do you know if either of them are accessible from the storage space (i.e. thru holes)? If not, can they be drilled through? I'm not completely sure I understand the location of these, but if they're where I think they are, it could be a bad thing having the helm bouncing around on the water without the support from those bolts in place.

This is the one consistent gripe I have with FW - their tendency to use scraps of wood and Grandpa's old coffee can full of (non-stainless) miscellaneous hardware during assembly. "Oh, here's one that'll fit."

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

As far as orientation, the camera was held under the helm pointed up. The hole with the displaced wood chip next to it may very well go through to the bow storage area. In fact, there may be a bolt in place on that side - I have not investigated that one yet.

The other hole seen in the inverted u shaped slot goes up towards the top of the helm. I believe the windsheild is on the other side, it does not go all the way through, so FW installed an anchor into the orange looking fiberglass and secured the two sections together with a bolt and washer. I need to get that anchor back into the fiberglass in that slotted area and bolt it back up. My first thought is to clean up the anchor, apply some adhesive and attempt to screw the threaded anchor back up in there. So what adhesive works best with fiberglass?

I too think it would be a bad idea to not get this taken care of - the white looking material on the brass anchor is fiberglass that was pulled away when the bolt/anchor assembly was sprung loose. To my mind that means there are considerable forces being applied here. I want to make this at least as secure as it was before, if not more so.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

My carpets are rolled up and on a shelf in the garage. They get so wet and the kids drop doritos that get soggy and stain.

I think you take off the bow seat back and maybe access behind the helm. Some Horizon's have an openning there. I think throught the ski locker you can assess under the floor to mount some snaps.

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2010 Sea Hunt Triton 220 "Big Whiskey"
2003 FW Freedom 180 Volvo Penta 4.3GL/SX-M "It'll Do Four Now" (Sold)
2012 Avalanche LTZ 4X4

Thanks for the replies.

The snaps for the carpet are in place and working well. The snap part that mounts to the 1" thick king starboard decking are plenty secure - I didn't need to through bolt those, I think the screws are only 3/8" long, a little 4200 on the threads and they are good. It's the structural bolt from the helm that came loose/apart on my 'sea trials' that I'm fussing with now.

In this different view, note how the helm area is two parts, a lower unit and upper unit. I believe the bolt that came off secures the lower unit to the upper unit. I believe it's location would be in the corner area behind the mirror, but of course it doesn't go all the way through.



I probably should have started a new thread for the issue with the helm bolt.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

I'm at a bit of a loss on this one Jim. Do you have a good fiberglass guy in your Rolodex?

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

I'm a bit late replying on this one, but I have had several things comes loose on my 2007 FW Horizon... I've had windshield screws (under the weather stripping), the ignition key assembly, ipod & cig lighter, dash mount screws, and chair screws... I currently only have 1 screw that I don't know where it came from (this is a GOOD thing... usually I have more to sort out)....

BTW, the extra carpet snap is a great idea... I'll be doing that as well...

I also need to replace all the bunk mount screws on the trailer because they came from "grandpas jar" and now have so much rust that they could qualify for having been used on the Titanic... most of the ones in the boat itself appear to be stainless tho...

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

[quote="Jim_R"]

In this different view, note how the helm area is two parts, a lower unit and upper unit. I believe the bolt that came off secures the lower unit to the upper unit. I believe it's location would be in the corner area behind the mirror, but of course it doesn't go all the way through.


Hey Jim,

Had the same thing happen a few months back and had to do some twisting to locate the hole. I recall there are four or five bolts that keep the lower attached to the upper section. The one I was missing was all the way in the far right hand corner of the lower unit tucked behind all the fiberglass and wires, which then required a very long screw driver.

I can check this weekend if you still cannot locate where the missing bolt came from. Just let me know. Hope this helps some...

Matt

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2007 200 Horizon- 4.3GXi/SX 225hp
2007 Tahoe LT

Thanks Matt, I've found the location of the hole, the issue now is getting the anchor set again. Also created a new thread (unavoidable pun) here for the bolt/anchor issue: http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=6193

As seen in the other thread, epoxying the anchor did the trick.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP