www.iFourWinns.com

Well, rapped on the trumpet a few times and still no sound...I do have three nice new dents in it though! LOL

I guess I see a new horn in my future....

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-Tony
2016 Robalo R200 w/Yahama 200!

Previous boats:
2003 Four Winns 248 Vista - sold
1994 Sunbird Corsair 200 - sold
1980 Checkmate Predictor - sold

I jinxed myself. This weekend there was a wedding party standing on the breakwall and I tried to honk at them and got nothing. Now it only honks as I'm whacking it with my dock stick....I'm pretty sure this method is not Coast Guard approved so it's time to replace

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

As a note to those with non-working horns.

The very first outing in our boat after we bought it we were stopped by the coast guard (boat registration stickers were out of date, I had updated the registration but the new stickers had not arrived yet). While going thru all their checks, they said to sound the horn and it did not work. (Funny thing is my kids had been playing with the horn before hand and getting in trouble). Luckily I had purchased a whistle to put with the safety kit (flares, etc.). So I went below, got the whistle and he made me blow the whistle to prove we had a sound making device.

That $5 whistle helped save me a ticket or whatever I would have gotten. Plus if we had to ditch the boat, I figured it would be good to have it as a backup safety device once in the water.

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Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

I do have a whistle but how funny would it be to pull out a flute as your sound producing device I think I still have my recorder from elementary school so maybe I could bust out a wicked rendition of ""hot cross buns" for them. For some reason I get the feeling if I did that I would end up with a ticket for something

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

Stupid Horns!

Yesterday I finally got time to put my new horn on the boat. Luckly I decided to hook up the wiring and test it before mounting it on the boat because all it did was pop fuses everytime the button was pushed. I ended up driving the 50 mile roundtrip back to the store to pick up another one. This one worked but I ran out of time to get it mounted. So I still don't have a working horn.

I've had a back up air horn in my cup holder the last two times out just in case I got stopped. I didn't know the whistle could count as a horn?
I smiled and waved at both the Sheriff and Coast Guard on Saturday and they left me alone.

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2004 248 Vista "Amante"
MC 5.0MPI/B3

Jesus, what is it with the forum and malfunctioning horns! This past weekend I have my trumpets not work twice, then work again! I have to take them apart, but I think it has something to do with not working after I wash down the top deck and water intrudes in the trumpets....just my initial diagnosis...we will see if it holds true or not.

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2008 378 Vista
"Not 2 SHABI"
IPS 500 Volvo-Penta D6

Previously
'06 318 Vista
'97 258 Vista
'98 195 Sundowner
'87 180 Horizon

OK Fellas,
I whacked it and nothing so I picked up a brand new Sea Fit Trumpet off of eBay for $40.00....Installed it last night and drove everyone nuts.

As spares, I have a whistle and the portable airhorns (you see that some ball games on occassion).

Anyway, I'm legal again.

I jumped on the new trumpet because last weekend, every dork on the eastern seaboard was in our back bays and acting like they've never operated a boat before. There were three cruisers, including me, in line pass through a no wake zone (in the channel). There were a lot of locals (I am a local as well) fishing and I had some dickweed (sorry about the language, there is no other way to describe him and the move) try to get between me and the boat in front of me. He was in a small center console with his chest puffed out and girlfriend next to him. I hit the switch, remembered I didn't have a horn so just used a little verbal judo to convey my message about the move. (He did approach me from my port side, I had the right of way, bigger boat, etc...all the rules of the water). He went blasting thru the no wake zone with everyone angry. Luckily there was a State Marine Police Boat just hanging out and nailed him.

Anyway, long story short, glad to have my horn back!

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-Tony
2016 Robalo R200 w/Yahama 200!

Previous boats:
2003 Four Winns 248 Vista - sold
1994 Sunbird Corsair 200 - sold
1980 Checkmate Predictor - sold

Wow for once they get the right guy! It drives me nuts when I see them pulling over a family while an overloaded boat full of drunk idiots motors past them

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

Add me to the list of non functioning horns, thankfully a fellow boater had a canned horn so I could pass the vessel safety check couple of weekends ago at the marina. Great thread for checking the issues, i'll make sure I bring the mallet down this weekend!

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Michael Bova


"Swept Aweigh"
2003 Four Winns 328 Vista

Previous Boat
2003 Crownline 230CCR

Hi new to this forum today i have just bought a 1995 four winns vista 258 with 5.8 efi and omc outdrive SM i think. my horn doesnt work. How do i access the back of the horn?

thanks

rich

Rich, if it's original, you need a special tool. I unscrewed it from the hull, pulled out the wire, cut it, and spliced it to the new wires. Taped it up, pushed it back in, silicone, screw in the new one and done. That was last year, now I'm blowing fuses. Fun, fun.

Cleaning the diaphram fixes the horn issue. If you pull off the rear driver, clean the coil and re-assemble, it should work again. Cleaned both of mine and have not had an issue. It just takes a bit of corrosion to stop it from working.

Now that I have posted this I better check mine tomorrow.

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Jnizi

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

combination cleaning and rubber mallet did the trick for me.

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Michael Bova


"Swept Aweigh"
2003 Four Winns 328 Vista

Previous Boat
2003 Crownline 230CCR

Hey thanks for the many tips I will try the horn this weekend and see if i can get it to work. Then it's onto getting the dash to work. I think it is a bad earth. Tacho reads 7000 at idle and trim and fuel gauge dont work.

Wish me luck

rich

Broke down and replaced my horn today.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"