www.iFourWinns.com

I just bought a 2003 268 Vista which is near mint condition. It has 60 hours. I am planning on putting her in next weekend. I have no experience with a boat this big. I am planning on trailering the boat to different lakes in Ohio. The seller made it look pretty easy putting the boat on the trailer but it looks somewhat intimidating to me and my wife. Any suggestions?

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2003 268 Four Winns Vista
F-350 King Ranch Diesel (Tow)
1990 Four Winns Fredom 180

Welcome to the blog. I keep my boat in the water so I can't help with the trailer concerns. I can tell you that as a new boater (we just bought our 2005 298 Vista a month ago) that this website has been a great source of info regarding all things Four Winns and boating in general. Welcome aboard!

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Stacy & Isora in Annapolis, MD
2005 Vista 298

Welcome! I'm also from Ohio but do most of my boating in KY.

The trailering can be intimidating, but it just takes time and practice. Make sure you have a good winch man/woman with a strong arm though!

What Ohio lakes do you plan to hit?

Welcome, also new Four Winns owners here. This is a great site loaded with information, and some very knowledgeable members. We keep ours slipped. I'm sure someone will chime in with some "trailering do's and don'ts". I guess the one thing I would say is be patient, take your time on the first couple of launches and don't let the others on the boat ramp intimidate you. Depending on the time and where you launch it can get pretty busy and you may feel some pressure from people waiting. maybe you can get in some practice runs when the ramp is empty.

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Michael Bova


"Swept Aweigh"
2003 Four Winns 328 Vista

Previous Boat
2003 Crownline 230CCR

First of all welcome and here are some suggestions:

It's just gonna take practice to get used to launching/retrieving.
- First suggestion I have don't go on a busy Saturday to practice, you will be more nervous and frustrate others on the ramps as they will be crowded. Instead, practice during the week at a nearby ramp if you can, if not get there earlier on Saturday, before all the crowds.
- Define jobs for you/wife so you both know what to do, when to do if you are backing the vehicle down the ramp and she is launching the boat and also do the same when retrieving.
- Get ready to go in the parking lot, not on the ramp that way you can just back down and go instead of loading coolers, gear etc on the ramp.
- Might want to build a checklist of what to do when launching retrieving
- Each ramp will be a little different, some easier, some harder to launch, better/worse parking, etc, etc
- Get your wife familiar with backing, driving a trailer, much easier to have 1 in the boat, 1 in the car
- With something that size, get the brakes and wheel bearings checked out before you trailer too much
- Get a small floor jack to take with you to change flat tires, etc
- Ask questions on this board or to other
- Take a Coast Guard or power squadron safety course.
- Enjoy the boat

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2000 248 Vista

My suggestions for trailering a boat in addition to what has already been mentioned are:

- Take note of the trailer depth in the water at the ramps you launch at and make mental notes of it. When I launch I obviously go deeper so the boat just floats off. But when you retrieve you want to know the shallowest point to put in that makes for an easy load on but also keeps the boat centered and not drifting off the bunks.

Four Winns trailers aren't the best out there but my experience is that they do a good job centering and guiding a boat on.

- Remember to raise your drive!!!! That's easy to forget with all of the commotion. Do it before you even leave the helm everytime after loading.

- Pull out slowly and check the boat for being center on the trailer. (Note the spacing on the side bunks). Its easier to back up a little and get it straight than it is to come all the way back down the ramp. Key is to not dunk the trailer to deep or wakes will float it all over making it impossible to center.

- Please be ready to launch when you're at the ramp. Prep in the parking lot.

MOST IMPORTANT!! DO NOT YELL OR GET ANGRY WITH ADMIRAL. Once you get frustrated and get mad then the women freak out all hell will break loose and it will ruin your day or ride home and discourage everyone even though it makes for good entertainment for the rest of the people on the ramp. Just take it all in stride and it will come.
Good luck

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

Welcome to the forums. What lakes in Ohio will you be boating in? Some of us may have some local knowledge and could help out. As far as the advice here most of the advice was good. The best so far was not to go on a busy weekend. If you have the opportunity go in the morning on a weekday when you will have more time and hopefully the other boaters will be more patient.

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

If you are powering the boat on the trailer, have 2 way radios so you can talk to the other person, you won't be able to see them all that well and communication is key. Also never pull out unless the safety chain is connected, and never undo your winch until you are near the bottom of the ramp. I have seen several boats sitting mid ramp because someone took the winch off and the boat slid off the trailer.

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2000 268 Vista "Reely Nauti"
http://www.facebook.com/#!/rivercruiser

I plan on starting out at Salt Fork. Many of my friends want me to head straight to Lake Erie. That will not happen until I take a boating class. I have had several small boat but nothing of this size. I have a Ford F-350 Crew Cab with an 8' bed. My rig is 54' long. I am going to get the wife to practice at the lake during the week. My fear is that she may dunk to whole rig. I would hate to have to disolve our marriage after 31 years if that happens.

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2003 268 Four Winns Vista
F-350 King Ranch Diesel (Tow)
1990 Four Winns Fredom 180

Teaching the Admiral to put it on the trailer was a lot easier for me than even just explaining the concept of backing up an empty trailer you can not see.

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2005 Four Winns Horizon 200

I can't believe that no one has mentioned the three most important things...............................CHECK THE DRAIN PLUG, CHECK THE DRAIN PLUG and oh yea, CHECK THE DRAIN PLUG!!!!!!!

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2008.Fourwinns V358
1999 SeaRay340 Sundancer
1989 SeaRay 260 Cuddy

I have seen a boat on a roller bunk trailer at the ramp, roll right off the trailer approx 1/2 way up the ramp, where they turned around in prep to back down, lost boat!!! They just ended up sliding the boat down the rest of the way to the water, ouch!!!!



Two way radios are our key for communication. I am the one in the truck, I always make mental note of depth of trailer in water and exact water line in relation to something on truck, example; door, nerf bars, rear tires, ect...

Ya, I am one whom has forgotten a drain plug once Went boating with two small kids, so I was launching by myself. Launched boat and tied up to dock, went and put truck and trailer in parking lot, while walking back to the dock, I saw someones boat at dock spewing water out the side (bilge pump going full boar) only to realize that was my boat!!!! We boated over to shore where I installed plug.

One other thing, I always check bilge, hoses, motor, for any water/leaks before leaving marina after launching. Not just to see if I Forgot drain plug, but to make sure everything is OK, and watch water temp gage that motor reaches normal operating temp. When all is OK, enjoy the ride!


I believe that retrieving the boat at the end of the day, with a larger boat (vista), it is essential that person that backs the trailer in must guide boat captain, when in boat it is hard to see exactly where trailer is. I am the one at the trailer and watch/guide the boat captain as it is approaching trailer, watching just how the wind is affecting the approach and I point which way I want nose of boat to come into the bunks. Always have boat start from a distance from trailer and proceed straight towards trailer, its a one time shot. I have observed many that try to put boat on trailer from 5' away from trailer and wind blowing boat sideways, end up having several people jump in and walk boat to trailer.
If you don't succeed, motor boat back out a distance, and try again. Practice!

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
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