www.iFourWinns.com

I just bought a 1999 214. It didn't come with tie downs for the back of the boat trailer. Do I really need them? The previous owners never went more that 2-3 miles to put it in the water. I don't see any place to attach them to my boat.

Welcome aboard!

They are required by law where I live. Check your local laws to play it safe.

John

_________________
07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

Welcome!!

TY,,also do I need a transom saver? I have read mixed opinions on this. Most say "if it didn't come with one it doesn't need one".

Good advice by Winter Sux...

On the practical side, tie downs are cheap. My advice - Buy some and use them.

Welcome to the forum and Funship family!

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

No need for a transom saver for an I/O in my opinion. The dual hydraulic cylinders are very stout compared to the stress of trailering, and the outdrive is not all that heavy.

Transom Saver makes more sense for an outboard, which has much more weight hanging off the transom, but I never used one with an outboard either. Outboards often have separate "tilt" cylinder which is not as strong as the "trim" cylinders, so I would use the built in latch or block of wood to take the stress off the tilt cylinder while trailering.

_________________

"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

I just saw the second part of your question about the tie-downs. On my Funship there are eye-bolts (U-bolts) on the transom on either side of the outdrive to attach the straps to.

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

The tie downs are to keep the trailer attached to the boat. Highly recommended.

I'm only going outside for a minute, I don't need my pants!

_________________
2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow

Thank you for your input. The eye hooks to fasten the the tie down staps are NOT on my boat for some reason. It shows where they should be in my manual but they aren't on my boat. I have 3 hook points on the rear. The main center ski hook,and 2 other on the left and right out board sides. My manual shows 2 additional hooks more inboard to hook the tie downs to. I will install 2 eye bolts on my trailer to match up with the outboard hooks and use them as the tie down points. But the main question I asked was if they were needed.. I will follow your advice and use them!!!

On the subject of tie downs, I have seen Four Winns trailers that don't come with a safety chain as standard, this is an important safety feature and should be added if it wasn't there originally. Lastly, I added a chain/hook/turnbuckle that goes from the trailer tongue to the bow eye. This holds the now down and also keeps the boat from sliding coward if you get rear ended. I have a roller trailer and live where there are steep hills so extra tied downs are needed.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

You could opt to use a gunwale tie down instead....that way you wouldn't have to drill your boat.

Just a thought...

Erik

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe