www.iFourWinns.com

I've been looking at all the cruisers in my "class" and feel like this 318 is absolutely the best boat for us. Crownline, Regal, Searay, etc... I've looked, validated, and found that perfect mix of comfort, amenities, size, and budget....

It only took a week of nagging to the factory reps to get some pictures of the new addition. She'll remain in Cadillac until early December - and then she'll make her way west to Seattle.

I've got a slip on "reserve" locally in Lake Union. In an older, mature marina where my new slip neighbor has the biggest crap box houseboat on the lake. Alas - at least we'll have 24 hour security. ha ha.

Neighbor's living quarters ( *note, the bathtup on the stern!)




Now, for a couple pics of the actual boat.... sitting on the flatbed at the factory. Some of the pics aren't great, but man they give ya just enough to keep me excited.

Man, that's a big boat


Helm - some extra guages and controls for the Volvo EVC package


Cockpit Fridge


Super pumped about the spring'd mattress!


Galley with the TV and look at the SWEET coffee maker. The admiral is diggin' it



Not so bad....

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

very nice maybe your neighbor will rent his ablution facilities to you
cheers Robbi

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2008 V288 with twin 5 litre Seacores
http://www.galwayhouse.com.au

i loved to see a photo of your new boat in the slip... as i am sure you would to. it will be quit a contrast. but like you said, 24 hour security....

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Cougar,

It looks great. I bet it will be a long winter for you. I went thru this last year. I can't wait to see more pictures in the spring.

Take care Bill

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2001 Sundowner 235

Congrats Cougar, it looks fantastic. I don't know how you'll manage this wait..but it looks like it will be worth it!

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Nice going Cougar - you are going to love it!

By the way, the coffee maker is not just convenient, it's actually a terrific coffee maker.
Can you explain a little about the EVC system? I don't know a thing about it. Do you know what kind of additional information you get on those gauges (fuel flow, digital tank levels)?

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

There is no dedicated storage for the table on the 358 either, but admittedly, I have never had occasion to remove it (until I stored the boat for winter and brought it home). When you use the sunpad filler cushion the table simply drops lower using a different set of legs - I presume it is the same on the 318

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

Thanks Sierra! I'm not sure how much we'll even mess with moving the table - I just wasn't sure what my options were on it.

As for the new EVC stuff from Volvo. From what I understand, it's similar to the Merc DTS setup. Throttle/shifting is electronically controlled. You can sync both motors to one shifter if you like. The new guages are new to me - but it looks like there isn't a dedicated speedo anymore. Tach's for both motors - and the tachs seem to have smaller, multi function displays in them. Then, an EVC guage that looks to have multiple lights - maybe for warnings or something?

It's going to be a fun one to play with. From what I understand, there may be a capability to get all the fuel flow stuff plugged into the Raymarine chartplotter/display. However - I don't think that connector is available yet since the EVC is so new.

I like the idea of no more cables to lube. That, and the smooth throttle experience makes it all worth it to me.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Aaaah... what you're calling EVC I know as DTS (Digital Throttle and Shift). This is the same system we have although there are no gauges associated with it. I have to say I really like the system. The one time I had an issue the system triggered a warning light on the control station and threw a code (which you have to get into the ER to retrieve) but the problem was quickly diagnosed. The throttles are VERY sensitive so it takes a bit of getting used to (on my sea trial I almost threw a mate off the swim platform). The engine sync works flawlessly. You can read about how I interfaced the Raymarine display with the engines in the V358 thread. There are also some other ideas there about getting fuel flow data. These are things I feel strongly that FW needs to integrate at the factory level, even if they are options. There is clearly a desire for it.

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

There is no dedicated storage for the main cockpit table, but it does fit perfectly upside down on the carpet in the mid cabin. We never leave the mid cabin table up (it fits, snuggly, in the storage under the cusions) so the "U" shape is completely open. I flip the cockpit table upside down so it lays flat in that area...fits perfectly so it does not slide around and I don't lose the space for other bags / storage. Probably not how it was designed, and your table may be a bit different, but it gets it completely out of the way with no issues or damage.

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Joe B.
Ruff'N It 4
2011 Regal 42 SC

Previous
2008 FW V358
2006 FW V318
2004 FW V288

I greatly prefer NOT having engine data on the chartplotter. The E-80 is just large enough to safely show enough chart, weather and sonar detail to be practical. Trying to cram engine data onto it compromises this. I know because I've tried. I've got Lowrance NMEA2k fuel flow sensor and the RPM data available. It's a relatively simple matter to install the sensors and splice into the E-80. But I neglected to consider how useful it'd be before expending the effort. Turns out it's not useful at all as the databar and boxes don't really allow condensing the data well enough to leave room for charting functions.

If you had two E-80's then maybe it'd be worth considering (like the new 408).

Instead I went with installing a small gauge into the starboard binnacle. Lowrance makes one that shows the fuel data, along with depth, speed, water temp, lat/long and quite a lot more. I usually just keep the fuel flow rate on it to keep an eye on things.

Personally I find the advantage of analog needles (or their digital equivalent) to be much better than numeric alone. When you've got a row of dials you can quickly scan them. You need only notice that they're all at the same position. It's only when something's off it's normal position that your eye needs to stop on it. Like this past weekend when the port engine cut out just as I was beginning to throttle out of the slip. You can't necessarily hear the engines independently. I wasn't getting the expected maneuverability out of the throttles and only had to drop my eyes briefly to notice the port engine RPM didn't match the starboard one (it was zero). This without having to punch buttons on a display to switch views around.

So go with whatever works for you but just give it some thought.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

That is a fantastic point.

I think on this one I have to have a wait-and-see attitude. It seems that the guages on the EVC boats are not the normal Four Winns guages. The tachs on both sides have multi-function read outs. The big question is if things like trip computers/fuel burn/etc are included in that - or if I have to figure something else out.

Since EVC is so new - I haven't really gotten any answers from anyone. Nobody seems to know.

Scary, but kind exciting.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Looks great Cougar!.... I feel bad for you that the only thing you can do now is just thinking about it..... until Spring

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

Spring! Ha! I wish.

Boat will be delivered to the local Regal dealer of all places (thanks to Law950 for referring me to an awesome service manager to work with). It'll be delivered by Christmas and will remain wrapped up into January/early February.

Ryan over at Winnisquam has commited to flying out to Seattle with a tech of theirs to help prep the boat for water. I'll use the local dealer storing the boat for a detail and clean up, and some little here and there items. Ryan and the tech will spend a couple days with me "breaking her in".

The factory has done as much as they can to make sure the prep/PDI stuff is minimal. Even the regional rep did a walk through on the boat and all the systems were double & triple checked. I gotta say, it sounds like Four Winns is going the extra mile to make this deal work for us.

I have a slip ready to go whenever I am ready. Prime location on Lake Union in downtown Seattle.

I'll be boating in February.

My wife and I have actually registered locally with a training outfit that will spend 2 days going through all the systems with us, educating us on navigating the Puget Sound waterways, answering questions, etc. The guy who does this has been captain'ing ships for years in the Seattle area and comes highly recommended locally. I figure the introductory courses for my wife will be worth every penny as she'll know what to do before I do. Also, this is my first experience with twin engines -- so it'll be a fun change to adapt to. Everyone tells me that it's way better than trying to move a single around.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Nice choice Cougar, I am new to the sight and saw your post. We got our 318 around the end of July and have taken trips every other weekend since.
Ours is is white with black stripe and copper band at the water line, 350 MPI Bravo III Seacores with DTS, E80 Raymarine Nav Package, flex teak plaftform with rail system, just added a flat screen in the cockpit as it makes a great spot to watch football.
I'll post a photo or two when I get smart enough to do it.

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2008 318 Vista "Ka-wai-ola"
350 MPI/BravoIII DTS Seacore
2006 1500 Key West -70 Yamaha
Previous Boats
Key West 2300CC
Pacemaker 270 Sport Fish
290 Sea Ray