www.iFourWinns.com

Guys I need your help! We sold our 225 and I have it down to two 268/278s.

We will be using the gen each time out, my question is how much of a pain is the honda compared to a built in? The guy we rafted with had a built in and it was a breeze.

There is an '06 278 with no gen, and a '04 268 with a gen...about same price. Am I a fool for considering passing up a built in when we will be using it alot?

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

The portable is a pain....I have a 03 268 and use the honda Eu200i....and will never own another boat w/out an on-board Gen. Takes up too much space on a boat that doesn't have a lot of floor space.

I love our on board genny. I ran our air conditioning over the weekend and also use it for coffee and the microwave when we are out on the hook. I will run it for a hour or two while we are preparing dinner which helps charge the batteries. I have no experience with the Honda attached to the back but I personally wouldn't want to mess with it. I know a lot of people use them with success but for me it would just be something else to mess with and walk around.

Firecadet does this mean you will be pulling this to Worth IL for the loop cruise or is that off? I haven't seen a post from Woggy for a while but I am still considering that trip. I've never done that on my own and would like to follow someone the first time around.

Feel free to PM me if you have other questions or I can give you a number to call. My 278 is the same boat and I can tell you what I like and dislike after a year and a half on one. Congrats on selling your old boat!

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

Got it...BUILT in is a must have.

PM sent.

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

All else being equal, the boat with the genny at the same price is a no brainer.

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-Tom
2003 298 Vista

built in is the way to go, just remember the added maintenance and costs associated to having another 'system' to deal with and troubleshoot when trouble arises.

I stress 'when', not 'if'.

My buddy uses a Honda 2000 and it's a sweet little unit - but side by side another boat with a built in and it's not even a comparison.

Do whatever you can to find a boat with a built in!

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

I love our Honda EU2000, but if I could have a boat with a on board gen set..... That is the way to go for sure.

With used boats being a buyers market, I would not look at anything that does not have everything on your list.

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

If you were to have a genset installed into a boat, figure $10,000.00 to install a Westerbeke 3.0 or Kohler 5.0, "roughly"... It may be more, it certainly won't be less!

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Brett DiMichele

True. Our must haves are AC and a windlass, gen would be nice but not a deal breaker. What hurts is we are looking to get a steal, so that is limiting our options.

I agree onboard is the way to go, but its MUCH cheaper to fix a Honda. Heck you could buy a new Honda with what it costs to fix an onboard.

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

+1 to that.

1 year of maintenance and 1 small snafu - and you cost yourself a Honda EU2000i.

But, when it's working (which is most of the time) - it's ssooooo much nicer than a EU2000i.

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

I guess I'm spoiled. I have all the options and the genset and air are two of the most important components here in the hot an humid midwest. We were on the hook a few weeks ago and it wasn't even that hot out and I had to get up during the night and fire up the gen to run the air for about 45 minutes to cool the cabin. I think our AC is probably the most used system on our boat. If it is extremely hot and humid we'll be in the marina at night hooked to shore power with the ac on. My wife had skin cancer a few years ago so she avoids direct sun and she cannot tolerate heat very well. When we're both going through the end of the weekend packing up I shut her in the cabin with the AC on 65 while I wash down the boat and cover things up. She is able to put everything away while I do my thing outside. In different parts of the country this might not be as much of a factor as it is here.

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

Once you have AC you never want to go without it. I used it quite a bit.

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2001 Sundowner 235

Remember with an onboard genset, READ THE FRICKING MANUAL! RTFM could save you thousands in repairs.. For example, if the gen isn't installed correctly by the factory (and IMHO, most are not) and you crank it and it doesn't start, and you crank it some more... Within a few minutes you will have filled the lift muffler with water and it's now backing up into your cylinder, the next crank will result in a hydro lock which then will most likely result in two new connecting rods at the very least... And those V Twin Kawasaki's are NOT cheap to work on, I had one in my John Deere 425 and a replacement long block is $1895.00

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Brett DiMichele

If you're not planning on slipping your boat and thus not having access to shore power don't plan on using your AC at all without the use of a generator, period. So, unless you're prepared to pull that Honda out every single time your ability to run your AC is going to be very limited. It doesn't run of your 12 volt system so even if your motors are running, no AC. At least that's the case for me.

But hey, if you tie up with Sunday Dinner enough you can always just bring along a shore cord with an adapter and plug it into a deck outlet! Sorry, I already have a buddy that does that with me. Instead of a electrical meter on it, we have a beer meter when he's plugged in charging his batteries.

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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