www.iFourWinns.com

There are alot of us newbies with vistas coming aboard. Any experienced veteran vista owners want to share how they load and unload from trailer. when its not busy I have been deploying bumpers on dock side and putting a rope on front and back to pull against dock. Wife parking truck and running back. When its crowded I go ahead and back out of the way then come back and get her, but its pretty stressfull for me still, when I drop her off and pick her up at dock. Anyone back the swim platform up beside the dock to drop people off? I know alot of you guys dont trailer really, but looking for some insight.

Thanks
Rick

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2001 Four Winns Vista 248 by rick2752, on Flickr

Parking is just part of the process. Do people get pissed at your ramp because they have to wait for you to park?
My wife can't park with the trailer so I have to do it. I always put two lines on, one bow, one stern, before I back into the water. Once the boat is floating wife hangs on to the lines while I pull the truck/trailer up just a bit. Then I get on the boat and make sure she starts and everything is good(no water rushing in anywhere). Only after that do I pull away from the ramp and go park. Wife stays with the boat on the ramp dock and when I get back we untie and leave the ramp. This whole process takes less than ten minutes.

It's only stressful if you make it stressful. Don't let others waiting for the ramp stress you out. You waited your turn now they can wait for thiers.

Just try not to be "that Guy" that has to back his boat in and out of the water twenty times to get it on the trailer correctly. Or it won't start so he spends and hour cranking and wrenching on the engine on the ramp while the line to use the ramp gets longer and longer.

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2004 248 Vista "Amante"
MC 5.0MPI/B3

Since I just bought my Vista, I will be watching this thread. I have been doing something similar. It hasnt been too busy so far, so I havent felt super stressed. Getting her loaded back on the trailer is difficult because my wife is afraid to drive the boat onto the trailer and doesnt feel comfortable driving the trailer either

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2006 Vista 278
First Boat:
2005 Sundowner 205
Columbus, OH

You need to find the sweet spot on your trailer. At lest thats what I call it. For me, it was the rear tires of the truck would just hit the water. For you it might be + or - 6" or so!! With the trailer at this depth the boat will self center it self and the rear roller will stop the boat from floating off to the side. I always picked up the drive a little, but once over the trailer I would than power up a little to push the boat closer to the winch. This made it a LOT easier on my wife too!!

On lunching, it really is the same. I would power up to take the most of strain off the cable so my wife could winch the boat off and than un hook it. Then put in in N and the boat would role off and than put it in R.

I have only trailered my 278 once when it was taken to a paint shop but I have trailered similar sized vessels. One small point - instead of two ropes I prefer a long rope from the front cleat on the boat to the back cleat, with plenty of slack rope. The person on the dock can handle this rope just as you do, they can also quickly drop it over a post or cleat (without stopping to tie knots) to make sure the boat can't escape. They can also move up and down the dock and move from the centre point of the rope.

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John
2006 Four Winns Vista 278 (sold)

I wouldn't put the swim platform against the dock. If picking up passengers from anywhere other than my slip, I come in (with fenders out) on the starboard side. It's much easier to control and see the docking process.

Line on the stern and bow for ease of trying up.

Trailer off/on, one each during the season. My buddy usually drives the truck/trailer away. I'm on the boat (with blower running) while getting prepped. He backs me in (after all straps are removed). Once in he water, lower the outdrive, start it up and drive off. He meets me at my slip.

Pulling the boat out, I usually wax (canning wax) my bunks, he backs in and drive onto the trailer. He attaches my bow and as he's doing that, I'm raising the outdrive. In and out in under 5 at the ramp.

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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

We trailer and typically launch/load every weekend. I drive the truck and she drives the boat. I highly recommend having her involved. Calm logical discussions about what works and what may use "refinement" go a long way. Any ridicule or belittling will speed up the process of boating alone, or not at all, if you know what I mean. For launching, prep the boat so you do not hold up others. Back the boat in to the water so the drive can be lowered and the engine started. Unhook the winch and back the boat into the water to float off of the trailer. She floats or fi;nds a dock while I park the trailer. For loading you need to figure out how deep to put the trailer. She drives it on, Iwinch it up, and drive out. It has taken practice, but it works well. Remember, the reason we go boating is to have fun.

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Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

I agree that she needs to be involved....the new f250s have a rear view camera option, which is amazing. We do all the prep prior to backing in, I back in the loaded trailer, she pulls out the empty one. Last time I held the boat with rope while she parked and it worked well. I'm gonna try the one rope thing tomorrow.

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2001 Four Winns Vista 248 by rick2752, on Flickr

I have found with my last boat and this boat just hooking the rope to the middle cleat works the best for us. My son usually controls the rope and has no problem with the front or the back of the boat swinging away from the dock.

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Scott
"MyTy Too"
1997 258 Vista
5.7 GSI Volvo Penta
Muskegon, Michigan
Previous boat:
2006 18ft Bayliner

Be careful. I was talking to the guy that works the Charlevoix City launch and asked him about all the "entertainment" he gets to see every day. He says that he "gets to see the start of a lot of divorces" That and that you wouldn't believe the amount of damaged outdrives from people forgetting to put them up in the trailer position. The ramp there has scars in the concrete from it.
He was walking up to every boat pulling out to ask if they raised the outdrive.

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2004 248 Vista "Amante"
MC 5.0MPI/B3

I back her down with two dock lines on. I have two guide poles with flurecent markers that are my wareline mark. When I get halfway down the ramp I unhook the bow. Then back her down the rest and she floats off. Wife ties her off while I drive off and park. From time to backing down the ramp to when we pull away from dock is no longer than five minutes.
Retrieving about same time or less. If someone ever thought we were going slow I would tell them to go F themself. Cause we are very fast and dont mess around.
If you really want to learn pull up a chair at the ramp and watch all the mush heads that do it wrong.

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"Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes "

1996 238 Vista dlx "Casper's Toy Too"
2006 5.0GXI w/closed cooling, DP-sm 1.95 drive
Previous boat:
1998 Sundowner 205

Yep, there is usually a lot of entertainment value at the boat ramp. My wife and I actually got "booed" because loading went well for us when every one else was having trouble. It is best to give other boaters the chance to do there job. Once in a while someone will even accept help. I heard of a boater that had nothing but harsh words for his wife while she was positioning the trailer to load the boat. After a little too much of his complaining, she drove the truck and trailer home and left him in the water. OOOpps.

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Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

I once saw a small boat come in from a fishing trip with two men on board. One, presumably the owner, tied the boat to the jetty with three ropes and went off to get his truck and trailer. On his return he found he couldn't untie his knots. He threw a temper tantrum, grabbed his filleting knife and cut the boat free.

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John
2006 Four Winns Vista 278 (sold)