www.iFourWinns.com

Hello all. I take delivery of my 2002 248 Vista this weekend and I couldn't be more excited. For those of you that trailer your vistas, I had a question. While trailering, do you leave the bimini up or take it down?

And also, regarding the cockpit cover, do you trailer it with it on or take it off. I contacted FW's customer service and they recommended not leaving it on while trailering. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

I had a 205 Sundowner. I used to trailer it with the bimini top up but with the cover on it. Never a problem. The cockpit cover is not meant to be used during trailering at highway speeds. I would leave it on for short local trips ( under 40mph and 2 to 3 miles ). There is too much chance for it to fully or worse partially blow off ( the snaps banging around and causing damage) at highway speeds.

_________________
07 Tiara Sovran 4300
07 338 Vista - SOLD

My biggest thing is the road dirt that gets into the cockpit when trailering. Also, I like to try and keep the rain out when at all possible. I used to have a sundowner myself and I ALWAYS trailered it with the cockpit cover on it. Never had a problem. Now my new vista's cover seems to be much thinner. I don't worry about it blowin off as much as I do it's structural durability.

I wonder if I could have a "road cover" made for it? I have a horrible feeling it would be extremely $$$.

I have a 1997 24.8 Vista. I trailer it with the cockpit cover on and the bimini up. The bimini frame on the 97 is not really designed to be folded down. Never had a problem, except for the bugs that smash on the material. I wait a day for the lit'l critters to dry, then use a stiff brush to take them off. I'm trailering 73 miles each way at highway speeds and never recall any problems with snaps. Been trailering this way for 8 years now.

woggy, finally time to pick up the new boat! Congratulations and Best of Luck! Having gone from a Sundowner to a Vista myself, I can tell you that you are going to absolutely Love It!! With the Camper Canvas up, it became our little "Cabin on the Water"! Best of Luck!!

As far as trailering with the "Cockpit Cover" or Bimini, although I have not trailered the Vista, I did trailer the Sundowner for 10 years before that and several other boats from 18' to 23' for the 10 years or so before that, and I never had a problem trailering with the cockpit cover on. I would not trailer on the highway with the bimini however. I always felt that all it would take is one good wind gust from a passing tractor trailer to cause me a problem with the bimini acting like a sail and losing traction where the "rubber hits the road". Local roads, not a problem as long as height is not an issue.

The cockpit cover on my Vista is pretty tough! I am not sure if this is what you are referring to, as I sometimes call it the mooring cover. I do not know if the mooring cover and the cockpit cover are the same thing. It is the same material as the Camper Canvas except it snaps in front of the windshield, covers the glass all the way around, and snaps along both sides of the boat and the stern along with a couple of stern straps that secure to the railing. The cover is supported in the middle by 2 adjustable aluminum poles on the centerline, one at the helm and one in the cockpit. The cover is actually very form fitting and I do not see a lot of air getting under it. If this is the same set up that you have, I would have to believe that is fine to trailer with. In fact, the only time I use the cockpit cover is when a big storm is predicted with high winds. Then I take the camper canvas down and put the cockpit cover on. I will be interested to see what other Vista owners who trailer have to say. If you plan to do a lot of highway trailering, and are still concerned, the only other suggestion I would have is to see about having a couple of screen like hatches sewn in to the cover that can be covered if raining with the original canvas maybe cut to fit the screen and left attached on one end to use as a hatch with velcro on the other end. When trailering at highway speeds you can open the canvas hatches and allow the screen to act as a relief point for any air that did get under the cover. OBviously the screen would have to be on the downward slope at the rear (lee side of the wind) so as not to catch any wind itself. Just an idea. Again, Best of Luck!

_________________
'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

Just a note on trailering and the bimini tops. Both on my 288 Vista are in their covers. They are wearing out after 1 year. I found two small holes last weekend which are now patched. The only thing I can conclude is the flapping at highway speed is long and hard on the canvas cuasing it to wear prematurely.

Just a note. as I can't "prove it" but looking at it's surface closely and the abrasions I see on the fabric, it's the only logical cause I can come up with.

As to the cockpit cover. I only trailer with it on for short distances (to and from storage) Long trips on the highway are rough on it.

_________________
Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Do you think this is for all covers? Or is this more so for the Vista because of its size and the larger surface to trap the wind during the trip?

_________________
2007 200 Horizon- 4.3GXi/SX 225hp
2007 Tahoe LT

Congrats! I should be picking up my 248 here soon. On our Horizon, just having the bimini cover even wrapped up tends to collect a TON of bugs in the summer. I would second not trailering with any of the canvas up. Just the extra strain (from hwy speeds) seems as though it would beat up the canvas a lot quicker. I also just sent you a PM.

Brenden

Just to clarify my earlier statement, I trailer with the cockpit cover on, and the bimini in its cover. We trailer hundreds of miles each season which attributes to why I'm so anal about caring for the canvas. The boat is covered when not in use to prevent UV damage. I wash and dry all the canvas throughly before putting it away at seasons end. Every spring I apply 303 fabric waterproofer, which is recommended by Sunbrella and also contains a UV block. When I see what the UV rays do to peoples gelcoats, I can imagine whats happening to the canvas. This is the original Sunbrella cockpit and bimini canvas, (10yrs) and I've had no problem with rips, tears or with the zippers and snaps. An avid believer in an ounce of prevention..............

Giaccamo, if you go to the link below and click on "canvas types" they have nice illustratons and explanations on the difference's between the two covers. I read somewhere that FW has their canvas made by this company.

http://www.greatlakesboattop.com/fourwinns

_________________
1997 23.8 Four Winns Vista
Bay Dream'n

O/K, Thanks. It looks like mine then is a cockpit cover since it does not cover the bow. Thanks Again!

_________________
'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

Well, here she is. The brand new lady in my life. We trailered her back with the bimini up and in the boot, and the cockpit cover on for half the way. No problems.

_________________


"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Congrat's Again! By the way, that is the exact color scheme as on my 268Vista, and that is in fact the same exact Cockpit cover I was referring to! You should have no problem trailering it the way you described!! I'll tell you, seeing that picture makes me want to leave the office right now, and go down to the marina and rip the shrinkwrap off the boat and start washing ans waxing her right now!!!!

_________________
'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

She's washed on the outside, just not waxed yet. I definately have some work to do on her hull. Not that she's in bad shape, but just not in as good of shape as she will be.

_________________


"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Where do you get the 303 waterproofer and how do you apply it?

_________________


"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz