www.iFourWinns.com

I need some wiring run to my helm on my 2005 348. I drop a fishtape down in the hole where the c80 is that i removed, but seems i just hit the floor. What is the trick to do a cable run from the engine compartment to the dash?

Look for opportunites to run the fish tape in sections. For example, do you have speaker(s) on the starboard side of your boat in the hlem area? Remove starboard speaker and retrieve fish and continue on. Do you have access panels on the starboard side of your radar arch? Remove radar arch access panel and carry on etc. Take one section at a time.

Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

I have made that run several times and I highly recommend you leave a pull string to any cable runs so you don't have to fish the runs a second time. I found access following the cable bundle and water lines that go from bow to stern.

We found an access hole behind the starboard seat which give me access forward to about where the throttles are. If you pull out the C80, you will find a small hole to whee the dash meets the gunwale. Access straight down will not get you anywhere. Working the fish tape forward from the engine compartment or through the seat access hole, you should be able to grab it.

Once you have the cables run, wire tie those cable to the existing structures to ensure they don't interfere with other things.

Best of luck.

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Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

Thanks, Are you talking about the helm seat, or the rear seating area? I got the trim tab buttons out, but still can not view the hole that will allow me access to get down in the engine compartment. Been very frustrating. Still trying to pinpoint where the dash meet the gunwale, tore up my arm pretty good to trying to reach through the hole from the c80 searching for it. Any pics would be great.

FYI, running new power wire up to helm for the horns, and mounting my horns on the arch. Seems I dont have enough amperage. Each horn works when wired alone, but wiring them both, they dont sound. They do work however is wired directly to battery. Going to run new power wire from breaker panel to dash. Then wire the horns up to the arch.

Any more details would be great on that access hole.

Thanks again!

Thanks, Are you talking about the helm seat, or the rear seating area? I got the trim tab buttons out, but still can not view the hole that will allow me access to get down in the engine compartment. Been very frustrating. Still trying to pinpoint where the dash meet the gunwale, tore up my arm pretty good to trying to reach through the hole from the c80 searching for it. Any pics would be great.

FYI, running new power wire up to helm for the horns, and mounting my horns on the arch. Seems I dont have enough amperage. Each horn works when wired alone, but wiring them both, they dont sound. They do work however is wired directly to battery. Going to run new power wire from breaker panel to dash. Then wire the horns up to the arch.

Any more details would be great on that access hole.

Thanks again!

Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the starboard side but here is a shot of the port. The rear seat lifts off and you should see a similar opening.



You might try to get the wiring scheme drawings from FW so you have the color code of the wiring to the horn. You should be able to find a system ground pretty easy so it would just trying to find the feed from the helm.

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Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

OK great thanks, I will update once I get to the boat next, hope I have an access hole like that on the starboard side!

Don't recall there being a hole like that in the 348. Dig through my old posts, I covered pulling that whole area apart.

What're you thinking of wiring up? That too, I've covered in pretty exhaustive detail in past posts.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Not enough amperage going to my horns. Running new power wire from breakers to helm for horns. And while I am at it, moving the horns to the arch.

Searched your threads, and tore up my arm pretty good reaching through the C80 hole trying to find how to get out of the dash area to the gunwale to run a power wire to the breaker panel.

And I accomplished absolutely nothing.

Hoping to take off those seats to see how to get a wire up the starboard side, if i was able to get the throttles out, i could probably see the hole, but they are bolted from underneath. Reached around to get the trim tab buttons out, but still no luck tryin to find a hole to get down to the engine compartment.

Ran the fish tape from the c80 hole in every possible direction, but no luck.... if i can get a starboard rear seat out, and run the fish tape up to the helm and find the hole, to get to dash, id be happy if that would work. Will try again Friday, I aint givin up!

I hear you on the arms. Wait until you have to change the water pump. Or service the outboard sparkplug on the generator. Or the AC condenser...

You CAN reach that hole from the chartplotter hole. Yes, it's an unholy pain in the ass.

The hole has a lot running through it, VHF, radar, helm wiring, etc. But there is room. Get a mirror on an extension rod (toolbox must-have on a boat). You'll see it far over to starboard and downward. Once you find the hole using those bendable fiberglass electrician's poles will help you make a link back to the engine room. Fish tape will not help as much. It'll curl up and run everywhere but the direction you need. Trust me, been there done that, cursed a blue streak, several times. I seem to recall also putting a straightened coat hanger into service as part of this bastard of a task. In fact I think I might have used the poles from the engine room and then snagged it from the console using the coat hanger. I can't recall for certain as it's been a while.

No, I know of no other way to do it. And I really know this boat. I'd have willingly ripped cabinets down in the mid-cabin if I thought it would have helped (it won't).

Just wait until you have to deal with running the line around the fuel tank... You'll curse, you'll cry, you'll rue the day you ever bought a boat... but then you'll realize just how much money you'd have to pay someone else to fight this...

You can remove the armrest box but, as I recall, the hole in there is only large enough to tease you into thinking it'll help.

The starboard seat upper (the back) slides up and off cleats. Once that's up you unscrew the bottom seat hinge from the platform. Once the seat is out of the way there are screws that hold that whole seat base and locker bottom down to the deck. It's a beast of a piece and does benefit from two people lifting it, but can be done alone (I've done it, several times). I did not remove it to run the helm wires, as I did that before the other work that required it's removal. But it would certainly help provide a clearer line of approach to the job, at least from the engine room-forward. I don't know that I'd recommend for just the wires though, as it's a lot of work getting it out.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I till try the coat hanger on Friday, and try starboard and down on the starboard side, once its through though, just not sure how I will retrieve it. Maybe Ill tape the fish tape to the hanger once i get it poked through. Without removing the rear starboard seat I can wedge myself back there to access the spark plugs on that side, and have wedged myself to replace the port sparkplug on the genny.

Bill by the way, can you check on my thread on speed props and RPM.....