Winter Projects - 258 Vista

650Guy · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 7:15 pm **Posts:** 47

Ok, Winter is upon us... time to get your boat ready for another season of water fun! I am lucky enough to have indoor heated storage, with a full workshop to do whatever is needed. So now the question is, What are some suggested winter projects that everyone thinks are worth while? What I'm wondering, is there any known items that should be attended to outside of standard winterizing? What are your thoughts??

Here are some of my improvement idea's...

* Add LED underwater lights

* Redo cockpit switches (all the rubber is working off)

* Scrub the outdrive and re-paint

* re-paint the belly

* Rebuild the aft L-seat

* re-glue some of the drooping headliner

LVChris · **Posted:** Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:42 am

I vote for the switches and the aft seat. If you do please post pics/details because I need to do those two things as well!

Also I'd like to do the led lighting, but I think ric has posted enough about that for me to figure it out.

650Guy · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 7:15 pm **Posts:** 47

The Switches and the seat are very high on my "TaDo" list. I'm thinking of replacing the wood in the seat with Marine tech stuff? Can't remember the name. I'll take lots of pictures and post them as I move along.

As far as the switches go, i'm sick of the black fingers from trimming! haha! anybody have any good idea's of where find the switches for a good price?

650Guy · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 7:15 pm **Posts:** 47

This may be a dumb question, but does anyone have any idea how much it would cost to add A/C?

LVChris · **Posted:** Sun Nov 11, 2012 7:36 pm

650Guy wrote:

The Switches and the seat are very high on my "TaDo" list. I'm thinking of replacing the wood in the seat with Marine tech stuff? Can't remember the name. I'll take lots of pictures and post them as I move along.

As far as the switches go, i'm sick of the black fingers from trimming! haha! anybody have any good idea's of where find the switches for a good price?

Starboard is the "marine tech stuff" and I found the switches pretty cheap on eBay.

I am doing the same thing, just bought the boat so funds are tight. My fingers and my clothes are always a mess from those switches, so they are first on my list...

taz42169 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 11, 2012 10:28 pm

I'm doing a new trumpet horn (again) and a new spotlight. Gears are stripped on the remote spotlight and makes night navigation thru the crab trap gauntlet a bit tricky....

Did risers and manifolds last year....

Good luck!

acguy · **Posted:** Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:10 am

650Guy wrote:

This may be a dumb question, but does anyone have any idea how much it would cost to add A/C?

I added an A/C unit to my 248. I would say it ran me about 1k. I bought the unit used and pieced the rest together from ebay and craigslist. So if you buy a new unit you will be approx $1600 doing it yourself i would think

Knotty Gull · **Posted:** Mon Nov 12, 2012 1:02 pm

Can anyone tell me how to remove/repair the aft seat cushion? I bought the boat with packing tape holding the seam together, but once it got wet it turned into a slimy mess. I'm good with a sewing machine so I thought I'd tackle a reupolster task during the winter but how to remove the cushion without wrecking something else? I have to remove get things taken apart before it gets colder and the metal parts get brittle (YUCK!). Thanks!

Knotty Gull
1995 Vista 258 7.4L

650Guy · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 7:15 pm **Posts:** 47

There really isn't too much to removing the L-Seat in the aft. Honestly, there is just the two hinges and the seat comes off. Once it is off, you should have 4 brackets that hold the back on.

I will try and take pictures of mine removed in the next week and show you it step by step if that helps.

650Guy · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 7:15 pm **Posts:** 47

acguy wrote:

650Guy wrote:

This may be a dumb question, but does anyone have any idea how much it would cost to add A/C?

I added an A/C unit to my 248. I would say it ran me about 1k. I bought the unit used and pieced the rest together from ebay and craigslist. So if you buy a new unit you will be approx $1600 doing it yourself i would think

so you did it yourself? where did you end up mounting it? This would be a big project for me but really think I would enjoy it.

Knotty Gull · **Posted:** Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:48 pm

Oops, you are so right about the seat cushion, but I mean the back cushion attached above the seat. I got the seat off easily but I'm not sure if the if the upper cushion is glued on or srcewed on or bolted to something. The seat was chewed up in a way that reminded me of my fathers truck because he used to sit on screwdrivers and box wrenches all the time! A big V of Canada geese flew south over the Connecticut River early this morning so winter is well on the way now I guess. By the way, I got a "portable" 5K AC with the boat, it fits on the deck hatch perfectly, the only drawback is it that it is awkward to wrestle through the windshield, well it is for me anyway!

Knotty Gull
1995 Vista 258 7.4L

acguy · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2012 7:41 am

650Guy wrote:

acguy wrote:

650Guy wrote:

This may be a dumb question, but does anyone have any idea how much it would cost to add A/C?

I added an A/C unit to my 248. I would say it ran me about 1k. I bought the unit used and pieced the rest together from ebay and craigslist. So if you buy a new unit you will be approx $1600 doing it yourself i would think

so you did it yourself? where did you end up mounting it? This would be a big project for me but really think I would enjoy it.

In my 248 i installed it in the rear aft cabnet, that is where it comes installed from the factory
It is not a hard install just time consuming but it was the best thing i ever added to the boat

ric · **Posted:** Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:27 am

Switches are easy...
http://www.pacergroup.net/Categories3.a ... _Actuators

A/C isn't technical to install, it's just simple labor. You can get used units in the $6-$800 range or brand new ultra efficient/TINY ones for around $1200 with everything you need and they're heat pumps so they reverse cycle cold/heat. Mount it, run power, drill in 2 thru hulls. The modern ones you can run off a 1000w inverter and just run it off the engine. No need for genny if you don't need to run it when the boat is off.

My next cuddy is getting one for sure.

650Guy · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 7:15 pm **Posts:** 47

Oh man! thank you guys very much! Ive been out of town so i'm sorry for the delay.

So basically I would lose my cabinet under the sink, but gain A/C. I have a TON of time... i mean, 6 more months! HA! Being that I'm so new, can anyone give me some guidance as to where I can start looking for A/C units? Recommendations for good units?

acguy · **Posted:** Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:48 pm

650Guy wrote:

Oh man! thank you guys very much! Ive been out of town so i'm sorry for the delay.

So basically I would lose my cabinet under the sink, but gain A/C. I have a TON of time... i mean, 6 more months! HA! Being that I'm so new, can anyone give me some guidance as to where I can start looking for A/C units? Recommendations for good units?

Half the cabinet in the aft, i assume that it would be the same layout as my 248 was. Look on ebay for units, 5000 btu will do you. Buy a reverse cycle unit, (heat/cool). You can also check defender.com or craigslist. There is a link that boater Al has for the A/C install that is a good guidline of how to i will see that if i have the link and will post.
Don't hesitate to ask questions

www.iFourWinns.com

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