www.iFourWinns.com

I bought a used 1998 Four Winns Horizon QX a few months ago. It's my first boat. Actually I never planned on ever owning a boat because I've never had much interest in boating, swimming, fishing, and just being on the water in general. But then I got signed to play baseball and I can no longer afford (injury wise) to race and ride dirt bikes. So I sold all my bikes and bought a boat for a toy. So granted I no nothing about boats except what I've learned these past few months.

I havent been able to find a owners manual for it, but luckily the engine isn't much different then on cars.

I have been going out about 2-3 times a week and I'm keeping it docked at a lake. Makes going out on the wknds much much easier, but the down fall is the rain. When it rains my engine comparment fill up about half way. I tried using the bilge but it only sucked the water from the storage area into the engine compartment making it even more full, and when I turned off the bilge all the water rushed back into the storage area. So I bought a portable automatic bilge pump until I can figure out whats going on there.

Number two is how rough it has been running. I don't know if this is a high compression engine or not but I'm assuming so because when I first got it I could get on the gas just fine with out having any problems. I have been running regular marine fuel in it lately and when it first starts I have to crank it quite a bit. Also when I get out into the no wake zone I have to ease into gaining speed very very slowly. I'm talking maybe 5-10 min. of slowly gaining rpms because If I give it to much the engine bogs down, to where it will stall. So I put some octane booster in the gas tank and it started right up and had no problems gaining speed once out of the wake zone.


The speed has been consistant at about 30 mph no matter how many people are in the boat, and pulling tubes and skis or whatever. Would a differant prop give my boat more speed?

And any ideas on my engine being a high compression engine?
And my bilge pump anyone have that kind of issue before?

Totally not an answer to the questions you wanted, BUT if you go to the four winns website you can download the owners manual for your boat (look in archives area).

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'90 Horizon 220 5.8

I would check that the bilge hose does not have a leak, and that it is still connected to the hull fitting. Sounds like it might be pumping the water from the bilge into the engine compartment. Water and dampness in engine compartment could be causing the engine trouble.

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Mannix2
Hyde Park, NY

1997 Four Winns 203 Coast Runner-150hp Ocean Pro Evinrude
"BONA 4 TUNA"
1986 19' Bayliner Capri 125 Force

I keep my 2000 Horizon 180 in the water on my lake.

No issues with rain with the snap in covers properly waterproofed. Without the covers on, it would fill up in a heartbeat. I highly suggest you invest in some kind of cover not just for rain, but to keep the interior nice. My boat is a 2000 on it's original seats and they look brand new. People compliment my boat allllll the time for how nice it is.

I'm still using a 500 manual pump. If it rains ALLL day then at night when it stops I'll go empty it, takes about 15 minutes to drain what seeps in otherwise a little rain storm here or there I don't bother... it's fine.

My next adventure was to actually go with a mooring cover with slits for the dock lines. The snap in doesn't protect the fiberglass from the sun, and after 4 months of being in the sun it's getting a bit faded on top and needs a good high speed buff.

Otherwise? No issues being in the water

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

Well the covers are properly on at all times when I'm not using the boat. It doesn't get that wet on the inside of the boat, I'm thinking water seeps into the engine compartment when it rains really hard and fills up the engine area.

It's been pretty dry in the engine comparment once i realized the bilge wasnt working properly, because I have that automatic pump sitting under neath the engine pumping water out the back. I mean, it's a little wet in there but no more then 1 inch of water.

My main concern is trying to find out if my engine is a high compression engine. My boat is pretty clean, and that was my main attraction to it when I bought it. I looked at about 20 or so boats, and all but mine were messy and nasty.

I'm trying to get another 5-10 mph on the water from my boat.. she holds at about 31-35 max at about 5k rpm.

That is way too much water esp seeing as you do have it covered. On your boat, is there an anchor locker at the front of the bow? Does the bow cover include the anchor locker as well? On my 88, the bow cover did not cover the anchor locker area, and this would drain into the ski locker, into the gas tank area, and then into the engine bilge. I always had an 1100 gph pump with an auto switch, but there was always some water in ski locker and bilge. I had the bow cover re-done to cover the anchor locker and it keeps out nearly all the water. If it rain really hard for several days I will get some water in the bilge, but not even enough to turn on the auto bilge switch.

You want to find out the cause, you could have leaking in around the bellows or the transom mount. A leak in the bellows will ruin the ujoints and the gimble bearing and a leak around the transom seal will rot the wood in the transom, very expensive repairs....
I'd pull the boat out, jack up the front, and then pull the drain plug. Then replace the plug and re-launch the boat. Then get in the engine compartment with a flashlight and a telescoping mechanics mirror and look for leaks....

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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

My 18ft with a 3.0 does right around 36 gps mph with a 14.5x19 pitch prop at 5000rpm and a nice slow 20-21mph cruise at 3200. I'm going to swap out for a 14.25x21 and hope for low 40s and better fuel consumption along with a faster cruise around 25. That's not good if you want to tube/ski. Stick with the OEM 19.

Your boat isn't "high compression" as octane boost only ass .1 octane point... as in instead of 87 octane, it's 87.1. If you reallllly want to know, just stick a compression gauge on it. Free rental at any autoparts store. It should be...eh... around 120psi on each cly. You don't have to worry about 93 octane until you reach the 190+ mark. A 3.0 chevy won't survive long @ 190psi.

Sounds like you just need a tune up. New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and really... take off the carb and have it cleaned and check the ignition with a timing light. Do all that, it will run fantastic. My boat was the same way when I got it (sat for a while). Stumbled, hesitation, hard start, etc. Ran good at first when I first got it and got really bad quickly after I started using it (cap/plugs fried). Tune up fixed it perfect.


If you want more power/speed, first check what prop you have and get something good for your use. After that? Buying a boat with a bigger engine is the only way to get more speed out of a boat.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

Well I know that isn't true about the octane boost lol. It depends on how much gas is in the tank and what kind of gas is in it, and my boat only started running like once I ran 87 in it. Cap n rotor will cause it to run either good or bad all the time.. not bad at first and good once warm.


And I get water in the engine compartment only after it rains good.

Yes have it tuned up.

Cover or not the you need to check your pump. As some one eles has said, make sure the hose goes from the pump to the hull fitting!! It should be a automatic pump (if not, you can add a float switch), with a float, it will turn on after 1" or so of water. I would always add a 2nd pump as a backup & connect it the 2nd battery. Also, check to make sure the pump is not cloged with something.

In some ways you'er right! But, this is a boat and dampness can set in under the cap. This may not even be the problem! But, if you don't know when they have been last changed out, then I would do it. New cap, rotor, wires & plugs. Even impeller while your at it!

Better still, do a web search. Seloc makes service manuals on the engine & out drive for both Merc & Volvo. I think that would be more in line to what you are looking for.