www.iFourWinns.com

Hi all, new member here, just purchased a 1999 258 Vista a couple weeks ago, upgrading from a Sea Ray 215 Weekender. I downloaded the owner's manual and between that and lurking here has helped me with taking care of a lot of little things on the boat, but I'm kind of stuck on one thing.

Is the sump box that is in the little compartment just forward of the aft cabin considered the forward bilge? Or is the forward bilge pump somewhere else? I've looked in the owner's manual and they make reference to the forward bilge pump but don't specify much about it. The owners manual also states that the sump pump is protected by a circuit breaker on the cabin panel labeled "Sump", however this doesn't exist, but there is a switch labeled forward bilge. Interestingly the owners manual also states that the pickup for seawater for the toilet is in the engine compartment, but it is actually in this compartment with the sump box.

Oh and I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but I do not have a grey water system on the boat.

Any help would be much appreciated, Thanks! (I'm sure I'll be back with more questions)

Jason

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'99 258 Vista Cool Breeze II

I have a 99 258 as well. The sump box infront of the aft cabin is the grey water for the floor drain in the bathroom and sink in the bathroom. Next to it is the sea cock for the head. next to that is the forward bildge pump. The switch is next to the 120 v outlet. Hope this is what you wanted.
Do you have operable windows? Mine are fixed (closed) its the only real thing I don't like besides the VDO gauges.

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Blue Baron
258 Vista 1999
Great Sacandaga NY

Oh and I forgot. The best thing I did was install a huge FW swimplatform. Best thing ever.

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Blue Baron
258 Vista 1999
Great Sacandaga NY

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to go look again, and take a picture. From what i recall, that little compartment contains the seacock for the head, the sump box with an attwood sahara pump in it, and then a float switch that is outside of the sump box. I don't recall anything else in there, and don't recall seeing a 110 outlet ...but I'll have to look again. Do you know where the fuse for the sump pump is?

The windows in the cabin do open, although I haven't actually opened them yet.

One other issue I haven't been able to find info on, not sure if you'd know ... the gas struts that hold up the engine hatch were gone so I'd like to replace them. It seems like I'd need 27" struts (extended) but not sure what weight rating I'd need.

The extended swim platforms look nice, but probably something I'd look in to down the road.

Thanks,

Jason

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'99 258 Vista Cool Breeze II

There should be a bilge pump in the forward bilge next to the shower sump, not a float switch. The forward bilge pump is manually switched above the galley sink near the port window, next to the fresh water pump switch - and near the 110VAC convenience outlet/GFCI. The bilge pump fuses are on the engine bulkhead (under the hatch), near the batteries and charger.

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Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

Thanks guys, I was down at the boat yesterday and resolved the issues. The bilge pump had come off the base that was attached to the hose and there was so much dirty water in the bilge that I couldn't actually see the base piece so I thought that was just a float switch. Once I bailed all the dirty water out I was able to see where the hose attached to the bilge pump. Ran to everyone's favorite marine supply store and picked up a new pump ... a half hour later was good to go. I appreciate all the replies.

Jason

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'99 258 Vista Cool Breeze II

I have 258 Vista, 2008, but I also don't know where myfront bilge is...
I have never used it, is it possible that I don't have it? Maybe it was some additional equipment... (i bought it used...)
Wher should be the switch located? In the bathroom? Maybe next to the overboard discharge switch?

I have a 2007 V258, there is none. I added one, a 500gph

I may need to do the same with my Vista 258 2006. Recently had 6 gallons of fresh water in the forward section surrounding the sump box. FourWinns should have included a front bilge on this model.


Did you place the bilge in front of the sump box?
Did you screw into the same floor as the sump?
What type pump did you use?
What electrical connections, fuse, did you use?
Did you tap into the discharge hose from the sump box?

Thanks

I placed it infront of it, towards the bow. There is not much room to work with! Part of it had to go under the floor. Because of that I used 3m 4000 quick set and tacked it down. If I had to get it out later, I was thinking that I could just twist it and break the tack. I shut the battiers off & I still had power to the sump pump. I think it's on the same circut as the bildge pumps so I wired it to the sump. No, I did not add a fuse it since that circut is fused anyways.

As to connectors: Since I was splicing into the sump wires I just cut each wire and added the new pump wire. So now you would have 3 wires to make up your connection. I used a small wire nut, than filled it with a silicone sealent to make it water tight. I find that this works VERY well form me. Its not so inportant how that connection is made, what is, that its "water tight". That wire will turn green!!

To add, I faced the hose outlet towards the head. I had to run the hose by the left of the tolet and under the sink. You could go to the port side but I did not want to pull the fridge out. I drilled a thuhull fiting under the sink and clamped the hose to it. I also drilled a few holes though the floor were the sump is, that is a subfloor with a space between that and the hull. This will allow the water to come up.

Those lines to the sump were really corroded, and talk about short. Had to get them by pulling the cable housing out from the bathroom floor access port. Luckily that worked.

I will place a bilge pump in front of the sump, but in the recessed drop and run the outlet hose to the starboard side like you did. I have someone who will make a plastic mold to advance the pump as far forward as possible. It will be secured to the plastic mold and that in turn will be screwed in just before the sump. I will run a new line from the battery to the bilge, as I am afraid to lose both pumps (blown fuse) if they become active at the same time (not likely, but still possible).

Did you install a bilge switch so you could manually run the bilge? If so where to you put it?

Not to the forward one. I did not see the need for one. BUT, if I wanted to, I would use the bilge switch at the helm. I am more worred if I am not there, so all my pump do have a float switch.