www.iFourWinns.com

Hey there,

Anyone here with a Vista 318 experiencing a slight gas smell in the cabin? It becomes worse if we turn any fans or the AC. We tried sleeping on the boat on Saturday (1st time) and ended up having to leave at 02:00 in the morning because the smell was just too much to take.

Looking at where the tanks are located , they are not easily accessible to inspect. When I open the engine hatch, there is the typical engine smell, but nothing too bad that would indicate a fuel leak on the engines.

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"Kokomo"
2006 Four Winns Vista 318

I have a Vista 298 and one of my guest mentioned the smell of gas when the seas were very active. The smell was coming from the tank vents. At the time, the tanks were @ one half full. I have not noticed this on calm conditions or while in the cabin. This was only while sitting in the stern seats.

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2002 Vista 298 VP 5.0Gxi

My tanks are about half full as well, however we can smell it when we are sitting in the slip

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"Kokomo"
2006 Four Winns Vista 318

Pwrplay,

Are you sure it is a gas smell?
Does it only smell in the cabin or can you smell it outside also?
I am asking this because I have a 2007 318 that has a strong odor in the cabin only that one could mistake as gas fumes, but really it is more like the glue or some chemical they use when building the boat. This is the second season with the boat and I cannot get rid of the smell no matter how much I air it out or use deodorizers. When I come home from the weekend my bag and clothes smell like the inside of the boat.

I cant get rid of it, but I am sure it is not gas fumes

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Bridgewater, PA
2008 Vista 318

Hi Partycove

Ya we are pretty sure it is a gas smell. I noticed stronger the other day when I was sitting at the helm in my slip a nd bent down to pick something up on the floor. I noticed the smell stronger in and around the right side of the dash in behind the rocker switches and controls. So it loooks like the smell may be coming from the starboard tank sopmewhere.

Another interesting thing was when we where putting gas in the starboard tank, some water started coming out of the fuel vent , we knew it was water because it didn't leave the typical "rainbow" gas or oil leaves in the water.

I have had my mechanic check the engines and there is no visible leak so now I have Four Winns involved. Hopefully it will get resolved.

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"Kokomo"
2006 Four Winns Vista 318

first of all let me say, safety first, gas leaks are serious business on a boat. I'm sure you know this but I had to say it.

Does your boat have gas vapor detector in the bilge? Did it detect any gas?

The fuel vent line on my first boat was routed with a lot of peaks and valleys. Often fuel would collect in the valleys and stop the vent from working right. The tank would be hard to fill and gas would go places it was not supposed to go. Searay finally had their mechanic reroute the vent line to a more direct route.

Given your story about liquid coming from the vent, maybe your vent line is clogged, kinked, convuluted or just too long. Can you follow the vent line in the engine space, look for problems. It should be as direct as possible. Also since you got water out of the vent you may want to check the vent on the hull, it should point down and have a little screen on it. Plus it should be way above the water line.

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2008 V358 Two-tone Blue V/P Dual Prop 320 HP
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Oh man Sting Ra y, I think you hit the nail right on the head. Thanks allot!

First ...Yes we have a gas detector but it doesn't go off because the the smell is not that strong in the bilge. The tanks are port and stern and of the aft cabin towards the stern.


Second...Just yesterday I went to the gas docks and put gas in both tanks the starboard tank filled fine, the port vent spit water out and the fill was slower in that tank.
So I bet the hose has a valley and gas fumes in the tank aren't being vented when water gets in the hose thus causing the fumes to permeate through any other point of least resisyance such as the sending unit maybe.

Now I have some ammo for Four Winns so they can get it fixed ASAP, so that I may sleep over on the boat like we intended it for. Oh ya forgot to mention, they also have to add the engine light , the V Berth CO detector, and the sub woofer.... and get this...I bought it off a FW dealer owner who used it as a demo..He didn't apparently notice all these things missing.. what a joke.....oh well Four Winns is stepping up to correct these things, so as long as that happens things should be great. We absolutely love this boat


Thanks again !

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"Kokomo"
2006 Four Winns Vista 318