www.iFourWinns.com

Sold our Sea Ray 250 last week and looking for our next boat. Went and checked out a 2004 FW 288 Vista the other day but it was still shrink wrapped and in this weather it was about 140* in there. The boat was very dirty and had whiskey bottles laying on the floor. The boat was at the local Sea Ray dealer as a consignment. I'm not afraid to do a little cleaning and figure I might be able to save some $$$ with it being so dirty and the fact that it apparently has been sitting since last season. The boat has a twin 5.0 VP's GXi's. No mention of a genset and no pictures of it which probably isn't a big deal to us. The price is $48,000. That doesn't seem to out of line for a clean boat but this one doesn't show well at all. Might go back again when it isn't so hot out and take a better look. Anything in particular I should look out for with these models? I will be getting a survey, mechanical and sea trial but the initial look will be just me and the wife. Thinking if everything looks good maybe an offer of $37k or so to start?

Also looking at the early to mid 2000's SR 280 Sundancer and the same year Rinker 270's.

Probably going to the Sandusky Ohio area Saturday to check out there (I'm near Pittsburgh)

Great boat!... be sure to make the distinction between dirty and neglected. First place to look is the engine compartment. It is not exposed to daily traffic or the weather, therefore, if a complete mess it is likely not a very will taken care of boat. Check out the forward bilge under the aft cabin as well. Should also tell a story.

_________________
2004 - 288 Vista
Twin - 5.0 Volvo Penta GXi DP

Good idea. It was too hot the other day to mess with anything. I had sweat running in my eyes as soon as I got under the shrinkwrap. The pics look good but who knows how long ago they were taken. Here is a link to the boat.
https://foxchapelmarine.com/inventory/2 ... 8-1996531i

Thanks! You going to be at your boat this weekend? Might stop over and check it out again. Supposed to head to the Sandusky area Saturday to look around. Me and my wife were on your boat last year chatting with you. We are at your marina.

And thanks for that link. Hadn't heard of that site. Been checking yachtworld and boattrader, aw well as Craigslist but haven't seen a whole lot.

Yep i'll be there. What time approx?

I'll be there early (to clean)and most likely go out around 2:30

No idea when we will be there. Don't wait around. If we happen to see you there we will stop by. May not even make it down there at all. Our plan is to leave early Saturday morning and won't be back until late but not sure what we doing Friday and Sunday.

I bought my 2005 vista 288 four years ago for 47k it was super clean and had the kohler 5k generator so I think 48k is to high I am in california prices for boats run 10-15 % higher here. expect to have electrical problems four winns used prefabricated wiring harness with plugs not for marine duty that are always causing problems do to corrosion otherwise I love the boat and I should say I Am an electrician and did all the repairs myself I don't want to think what it would have cost to pay someone to fix everything ironically i sold a 1995 searay 250sd before I bought my four winns

_________________
2005 vista 288

some of the connectors I eliminated by cutting the wires one by one and splicing with butt connectors with shrink tubing a time consuming repair depending on where the connectors are others I just cleaned with contact cleaner but sill have problems with my horn

_________________
2005 vista 288

I bought my 06 288 from an older gentleman who barely used the boat. It was very clean. Problem was, he hardly used the boat. I have replaced an engine, water came in through the exhaust when the engine stalled due to a pulley breaking. The genset had 74 hrs and it seized for not being used or flushed. Can't take the genset out for repair without removing an engine. Had same issue with ac. Compressor was seized for non use. I love the boat, but my main complaint is that engine compartment. Any work on it mechanics want to rape you because everything takes twice as long to get to.

As far a electrical, I am having a nightmare. When I use the windlass, the radio cuts out, the horn stopped working, the step switched on the bow for windlass do not work. Electrical is a bear.

Trying to tidy up the boat to sell it or trade up on something with a little more room to work on. I don't mind getting dirty but when I have to remove an engine to get to a starter, it is quite expensive.

Check everything!

I think There is a lot to buying a boat that has been used and not sit all the time. I have Heard the horns are junk, lucky, mine still works....

Thanks for the honest reviews of the 288, I like The layout and beam size, but will probably go larger

_________________
Current:
2000 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer "still Livin the Dream"

Past
2002 268 Vista 5.7 GXI "Livin' the Dream"
1996 Rinker 192 Captiva. "The Simple Life"
1999 Yamaha XLL 1200 Waverunner.
1976 Mercury Marquis tri hull 120 hp

hey 73 driver if you remove the 12 volt breaker panel and the gauge bezels (carefully) you can see two large white connectors in the main wire harness if some of the pins get corroded there it can cause elect. problems all over the boat

_________________
2005 vista 288

Hey Sig.. When you say 12 volt breaker panel, is that the one outside under the throttle or the one in cabin? Sorry for ignorance.

re FW electrical systems, assume nothing corresponds to the wiring diagrams; since around 2008 they don't even make schematics available to their (UK) dealers. Maybe different elsewhere.

There were schoolboy errors in the wiring harness of my 2009 278. The forward bilge pump could never have worked; result, loads of water there and corroded connectors ( waterproof, but not for 5 years continual immersion ! The connector has gone, replaced with adhesive lined shrink wrap butt connectors; individual waterproof connectors for each component downstream, well above any water ingress. An overkill now, as the faulty bilge pump wiring is corrected anyhow.


As to the 12V fridge wiring, a very tortuous route( port aft, starboard aft, forward then to the port side) with a small diameter cable. Replaced with a direct cable on the port side, very, very easy; what were they thinking of ?