www.iFourWinns.com

What are you guys running for grills? I have mine mounted on the rail but unfortunately my dock is on the starboard side so getting on and off the boat is a tricky procedure. Ideally I would like a grill that would swing up when not in use so the platform would be free. I know it is a pipe dream but I figured I would see what else you guys could think of. Below is a picture of my sweet ol' gal.

No grilling on the boat for me. Charcoal and boats don't go that well together. Not a fan of gas grills, or open flames on a boat. Lot's of people do it, just not for me. It's just as easy to carry the grill up to the beach and cook there. Or wait till you get back to the marina to grill out.

If you are looking for a different place to mount the grill, consider installing a flush mount rod holder in the port side gunwale over the cooler, you can get a grill mount that fits in the holder, and the grill swings out over the water a bit. No dripping or mess on the boat or swim platform that way.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I ordered the optional rail system that Fourwinns offered for the back of my 278. It was pretty pricey for what it is but the grill mounts right through a hole on that. I do like that option in that it gives you something else to hold on to when you're getting on and off the boat. I haven't taken the grill out of the box yet but will do so soon.

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

Optional Rail you say, hmmm. I will see if I can find one in the parts catalog for the 248V. Thanks for the tip!

I'm going with Magma's new detachable pedestal. This one.



I'm installing it under the starboard side locker on the swim platform of our 348. That way there won't be anything to stub toes or trip feet. The pedestal base they supply is pretty low-profile and all edges to it are rounded. It's about as low as can be made without having a hole through the decking for a post. I'll post pix when I get it done (probably next week?)

I've seen others put the base in the same cavity as the stored swim platform ladder. I'm not sure that's something I'd do. If you block the ladder you can't get back onboard. Accidents happen. Or even if people are swimming (as my wife likes to do) on the run-up to dinner being ready. Block the ladder with a hot grille? Not quite what I'd consider a good idea. I know it's tempting to do it to avoid the mount being in the way. But I'd rather have that than lose the use of the ladder. For the swim platforms that are just a "shelf" I'd go with the recessed pedestal mount instead (like how the cockpit table is mounted). In that situation you're not dealing with a big through-hull into the boat, as would be required on the 348.

We've grilled the past two seasons on the boat and it's been great. The Magma grill cools down pretty quick. By the time dinner's over it's nearly cool enough to stow back in a duffel bag I use for it (medium sized one from REI). That and the bottle gets stored in the swim platform locker, not below, to avoid any possibility of propane leaks. A $3 coleman can of propane lasts us a whole summer. I probably would not use charcoal on a boat as there's no easy way to deal with the embers. Tossing them overboard is not legal in most places and why would I want the hassle of going ashore to bury or otherwise dispose of them?

The only thing I avoid cooking is hamburgers as the grease from them tends to drip. I've had the grill on the stern rail of our 348. I put a rod holder on the rail (canted to the starboard side about 45 degrees) and use the Magma rod holder gimbal mount. It has worked well enough except for the dripping issue. The transom slopes outward under the grille and any drips mean more cleanup and re-waxing. Thus I've avoided things likely to drip. Strip steaks are our most popular dinner, along with corn on the cob cooked right in the husk. Hopefully by using the new pedestal location I'll be less concerned about possible drips and get some burgers going this season.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I'd be interested to hear how that works out. I've seen the picture on the website and the catalog but have never seen one in person. From the looks of the picture I'm not sure whether I'd get it or not. But if it's stronger than it looks in the pictures then it might be worth considering. I'm always leery of rail-like add-ons that only use two upright pedestals. There's no third angle to distribute the stress of someone pushing against it, or a dock line pulling through it. And if it's removable that begs the eternal question of WHERE to stow it when it's not in use?

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Yeah, I found the rail too. Looks like it wouldn't take much to snap that off and possibly damage the swim platform in the process. Will be good to hear from someone that is trying it.

The rail is actually pretty heavy duty. I'll snap some pictures of it this weekend and post them here. I think you would have to order this from the factory to get this option or cut some pretty good sized holes in your swim deck. I stopped by the dealer yesterday and they were outfitting a new 278 and it did not have the rail system on it. When I climbed aboard from the ground using the ladder I really missed the rail being there. The rail pops off by depressing a button on the bottom of each side but at this point I don't see myself taking it off at all. I may change my mind once I get on the water and swimming off the back in which case I'll pop it off and lay it in the aft berth. If you look on the FW site under accessories you'll see the rail. The same rail can hold a grill, table, rod holder or tube rack. They all fasten into one or a combination of three holes across the top.

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

He said a hassle to go ashore. Now that is funny.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Yes, well sometimes I'm funnier than I'd expect. But I'll take the laughs where I can get 'em.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

For our Magma grill, on the Sundowner, we used the hull-side mount. This uses a small square mount that is screwed to the hull-side and a grill mount arm that drops into it. When the grill is stowed, you just have the stainless plate mounted to the hull. In use, the grill is over the water, so any drips are not on the boat.

While I like the idea of the grill over the swim platform, for convenience and working room, I wonder about making a potential mess.

You can just see the mount in this pic ... about 18" to the rear of the windshield. This was a spot behind the helm, with open floor space:

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner