www.iFourWinns.com

So I got out for 5 hrs today. Had a few small issues and a few more questions.

1- I had drain plug out when I towed the boat down. However, when I pulled it when I got out I had a solid 3 min stream come out. I had tried the bilge thru the day and nothing. We swam a little, but not much. Any thoughts

2- my Temp gauge never got over 130. I thought it had read higher than that last year, but not sure. Is that normal temp range?

3- I can only seem to get about 38 mph out of the boat, seems like it should be a little faster. With 2 people aboard, fuel, no gear. It's a 4.3 liter

4- anyone else have issues with engine cover? The screws from mine ripped out of the fiberglass. Am thinking of making some SS plates to mount it with. Any other thoughts/ fixes done for it?

Thanks for the help

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2002 180 Horizon 4.3- 67 hrs- SOLD
2007 220 Horizon 5.0- ~150 hrs

With regard to your water draining.....I would check to be sure the bellows are not damaged, allowing water intrusion.

Also....you turned th bilge pump on, but did you verify if it was even turning on? Any sound?

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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

3 min of water could have slowed the boat down, in regards to the speed.

Like the SS mount idea, my old boat had that problem that I never fixed, but thats a good idea.

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Martin
2001 Horizon 230

My first thought was the bellows for your water issue. If you had that much water come out, your bilge pump has an issue.

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP

So this morning I used the hose to test the bilge. It pushed water out no problem. The only thing I can come up with is that I turned it on early in the day and it didn't have enough water yet. I also tried to validate time if 3 min. Dad thought 1 min. Neighbor thought maybe 2. I'm wondering if it just seemed like longer because it didn't seem right to me. It was way more than I got out of our other boat, which went in 5 min after mine and came out just before.
The other thing was I put the plug in hand tight, it's what I've always done with my dads boat. I can't see how that could be an issue but tossing it out there.

So I run a sheet metal company. So these brackets will be no big deal. I'll post pics of them, and of them installed. Why would any boat manufacturer think screws in fiberglass that you have to remove regularly to service it would be a good idea? Seems like common sense. It is cheaper though

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2002 180 Horizon 4.3- 67 hrs- SOLD
2007 220 Horizon 5.0- ~150 hrs

Temp not getting over 130 is most likely a thermostat that does not open all the way.
Screws ripping out of fiberglass, well screws should never go into fiberglass, unless there is a wood backing panel behind the glass. I had this same problem with the gas struts on my 88. They must have been bolted to the glass on the gunnel, I made 2 backing panels out of 1/2 in ply and put the mounting bolts through that (behind the glass). If you have room to work, the best way is a wood reinforcing panel, through bolted with fender washers for bolts and nuts. That way the wood takes the load and it is spread out. Fiberglass is not good at taking concentrated loads in one small spot. Wood esp plywood takes load much better that's why it's been used in transoms, stringers and decks. The issue with it is that it needs to be sealed with 'glass or pressure treated. PT is fine for backing panels as long as you use stainless steel fasteners. PT will eventually corrode aluminum fittings though.

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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

Hook up the motor to the hose & let it warm up. While doing so check for any signs of leaks. That way you can eliminate sources of potential water in the bilge.

I may be missing something but what kind of setup do you have???? VP, merc, omc, year, boat etc.

If a merc then could also be shift cable boot..either make needs bellows check....what year boat and when is last time drive has been pulled and bellows inspected....water can come from many places....you have an issue cuz if you didn't spill a cooler you got a leak somewhere.....8 hours on lake with constant in and out and I had maybe a couple seconds of bilge drain----some of that was from cooler drain.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

+1 On that, my boat drains cooler and water that gets aboard from wet passengers, Even a minute draining seems like too much to me. But he did put the drain plug in by hand so maybe it wasn't tight.

Is is an 02 with the Volvo Sx drive. I put the plug in tight on Sunday. We tubed a lot and swam a lot. My cooler drains out the side. I was ale to get some out of the bilge pump, but only 5-10 seconds sporadically depending on the angle of the boat thought the waves. I had about 20 seconds of water come when I got on the trailer.

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2002 180 Horizon 4.3- 67 hrs- SOLD
2007 220 Horizon 5.0- ~150 hrs

Sorry...you gotta leak.....do this....back boat into water, but keep on trailer....have drive all way up...you keep eye glued to transem under engine and have bud lower the drive....if u have bad bellows the movement under wawa will show it....no need to start it....if still nothing check all hoses and clamps and brlock/Mani plugs.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

My in dash cooler goes overboard, but I drain water out of large carry on into ski locker...lightens the load and use it to rinse out dirt.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

The cooler makes sense. The in dash cooler doesn't seem to last more than an hour or so keeping sodas cold.

I did notice the bellows are dry rotted looking, so I'm guessing to start there

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2002 180 Horizon 4.3- 67 hrs- SOLD
2007 220 Horizon 5.0- ~150 hrs

Watched temp guage and checked with others. We all seemed to be running about the same temp. Lake was 68 on the top and about 64 a few feet down

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2002 180 Horizon 4.3- 67 hrs- SOLD
2007 220 Horizon 5.0- ~150 hrs

Temp of the lake should be fairly inconsequential. The temperature sensor for the gauge is located after the thermostat. Therefore, the water in the engine will heat up to temp and open the t-stat. This is the first time the water temp should potentially have an effect on the engine temp and therefore temperature gauge. The therm on the boat should be at 160. Depending on how accurate you and your buddies gauges are (and often it is hard to pinpoint to actual temp) that *could* be the issue.

If stuck open the engine temp will run cold regardless of water temp.

It is possible (although unlikely) that you did not run the boat long or hard enough to get up to temp.