www.iFourWinns.com

I just recently took delivery of a new Vista 278 and I'm wondering about storage of a few items. I guess the biggest items are the bumpers. I have seen those mounted on the bow rail of some of the cruisers but the mounts that I saw in the West Marine catalog seem to mount on a vertical rail so I'm not sure that will work in the case of the Vista. Also I'm not sure that I will like the look of having the bumpers mounted there. In general I'm having a hard time trying to figure out where to put the bumpers, camper canvas and the required amount of PFDs. I will have the Vista in a slip and I'm going to buy a dock box to store some items so that will help. On my old Horizon there seemed to actually be more more storage than what is on my new Vista. That being said I love the new boat and am about a week away from getting her wet. Come on spring!

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

Are you planning on taking the camper canvas down on a regular basis? I just went through the spring ritual of putting it all up on my boat Most likely that will be the last time until winter that I have all of it down. I do frequently remove the vertical pieces but those usually just when we're underway and they usually get tossed on the bed or rolled up and put in the aft cabin. For fenders we typically slip with the majority of the fenders deployed. When we're underway a few of them fit in the transom storage, the bow ones we flip up between the bow rail and the deck and one or two usually get flipped into the cockpit area. They haven't really been a problem for us.

I store the majority of my PFDs under the aft bench in the cockpit. I have some overflow I keep under the benches in the aft cabin.

I will say that I've moved almost everything on the boat at least twice trying to find the right spot to store everything. At least on our boat there is plenty of storage though much of it is difficult to use because of undersized openings, odd sized items and a generally huge amount of crap.

Ben

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2001 Cruisers 4450
Volvo TAMD-74P 480hp Diesels

We purchased a pair of inflatable fenders; they use a small hand pump and inflate in just a couple of strokes. We use these for fuel docks, rafting and transit ports. At our home dock I leave the permanent style already in position for our return. As for the canvas; I plan on using the aft birth for storing them; when it’s time for bed I will have them deployed so they are not in the way. The life jackets we have two styles’ our personal jacket type and the generic orange pull over. The orange type vests I keep in a life jacket bag and basically leave it in the aft section top side; it makes a good ottoman for the crew.

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“Growing Older, But Not Up”
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2008 Four Winns V248
2004 Stingray 220CS

The orange pullovers were the ones I was struggling with. I like the idea of a bag for them. I'll see if I can get one made to fit under the seats. My wife was working on making up the aft bunk and we've decided to have our neighbor custom fit the bedspread she bought so maybe while she's at it I'll have her work on a storage bag. Thanks for the suggestion.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

I keep our life jackets in the dock box. That bag is nice, but they take up a lot of room. There is usually only two of us on board and we use the inflatable type of jacket. I keep them stowed under the helm seat. If any one else comes on board for a cruise or trip, I just take out the required number of jackets from the box and put them on the boat.
As for the fenders, the rail mounted fender basket will work fine. I was going to get on, but they are a tad pricey. I usually only have two out when we are slipped. They are on what ever side of the boat that is on the finger side. The one on the bow just gets pulled up and stored between the deck and the rail, and the aft fender pulled in and just left under the aft seat.

Wow, that's brave. If it were me I'm sure I would forget life vests at least half the time if I had to get the each time I had guests. I keep mine under the seats but even so I know what you mean about them taking up space. Anytime I try to find a place for most anything I'm reminded of how much of my storage is eaten up by PFDs.

Ben

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2001 Cruisers 4450
Volvo TAMD-74P 480hp Diesels

Just food for thought on the life jackets. Do not keep them in a nice zippered bag while out on the water. God forbid you ever need them in an emergency you don't want to have to fumble around with a zipper and a bag. I have the nice red storage bags which are great for winter storage but when I load everything onto the boat in the spring the jackets come out of the bag. On my 340 dancer there was a great space under the companion seat at the helm. I fit 10 orange PFD's in there. Your storage spot should be easily accessible and preferebly in the cock pit NOT down below in the cabin.

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2008.Fourwinns V358
1999 SeaRay340 Sundancer
1989 SeaRay 260 Cuddy

rberm makes a very good point. I was boarded last year by the coast guard for a random inspection. They asked to see everything and even though mine weren't in bags, they made sure to tell me that the PFDs must not be in a bag, even the plastic ones they came in, in order to be counted in the ship's inventory.

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2001 Cruisers 4450
Volvo TAMD-74P 480hp Diesels

Rarely do I ever have more than four of us on board. As long as you have a regular list of things to do before you launch, you wont forget them.

Do the cushions in the cockpit get any easier to lift up after a while? I have noticed the openings are not that wide. My former boat had cushions that totally came off and my friend in a Larson had cushions that were on struts that allowed wonderful access.

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2008 Four Winns V358 (T 6.2L Merc Bravo III's with DTS and SeaCore)
2006 Sea Ray 340DA
2006 Sea Ray 320DA
2005 Maxum 3100 SE

On the 358 the cushions across the back of the boat are hinged (that's where I keep my PFDs) the side cushions are removable. The port lounger, which has a huge amount of space, also has a removable cushion which I find find to be a total pain to remove because the seat cushion is so large. I mostly store the less frequently used stuff in the side benches because they're more of a pain to access.

Ben

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2001 Cruisers 4450
Volvo TAMD-74P 480hp Diesels