www.iFourWinns.com

I wish I had a friend looking for a 248 that would be sweet, unfortunatly I'm the only nut into boats the rest of em are just freeloading rat bastid's

I have a 500 deposit on my teak, I told Travis he's going to have to be patient with me the weather has been HORRID I have 90% of the ESP template done (just need to do the arc against the transom) I haven't started on the cockpit templates yet. And I haven't started on the windlass yet, I am getting all my goodies together and just trying to figure out how the heck I will be able to do it.. Gel coat and resin won't cure at 30 degrees!

I will ask around at work and see if anyone would be looking to get into a cruiser and if you want me to post it on the bulletin boards at work I can do that. You would have to make me up a word doc with some small photos and description and phone number tear off's.

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Brett DiMichele

I suggest you try the hinged radar archat the dealer before you make a committment to that being the low bridge fix. I have the hinged arch and it does not appear to be an easy job nor fast job to take down.

Production slots do fill up fast. They only produce so many of the Vistas for spring delivery.

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07 Tiara Sovran 4300
07 338 Vista - SOLD

Is that your 348 up on a trailer or the old 268?

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

That is our 348 in the picture.

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348 Vista ( Last Call )
Raystown PA

Wow, Good point Barry! I just assumed it was rather easy - figured there was a latch or locking mechanism behind that plate and the arch was supported by gas struts. I see the picture in the back of the 08 catalogue - that's where I saw the struts. Do you have an addendum? I looked at the manual on the FW site listed 06-08 but I did not see any extra info regarding the hinging. Can you possibly summarize or scan and send me the procedure? I just don't want the dealer to somehow oversimplify it when I go to get a demonstration.

Larry, I'm still staring at the impressive pic of the 348 on the trailer. It looks like you guys drop the radar arch down at least some. Hard to tell. Any truth?

No the arch at the same level as it is usually. We build a frame for the canvas that is all we had to do. The canvas has pockets for our electronics and we have a door in the back also.

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348 Vista ( Last Call )
Raystown PA

It doesn't seem like it'd be a tremendously difficult job to rig up something that handled hinging a radar arch. There'd have to be some pretty strong pins and hinges involved to keep it from moving during boating. But actually USING it seems like it would be a bit of a hassle. That and you'd be faced with pretty much disassembling both the front and back bimini covers, even worse if you had the camper sides attached. But even without the canvas being attached you'd still have the problem of the arch swinging forward pretty much right smack in the line of sight from the helm station. Not exactly a prudent idea if you're expecting to pivot this thing while underway!

I can just picture it, racing back to port to avoid rapidly worsening weather and having to dip the arch with wet canvas all over the place. Oh yeah, that'd be "fun". But with proper planning, if it's the only way to work around the tidal conditions, well, there you are.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Unless you've got a fork lift handy (or something else with a crane) you're not going to easily 'drop' the arch on the 345/358. It's four big bolts on each side, wire that's probably strung such that it doesn't have enough slack (or connectors) and then there's the weight. It's hollow fiberglass, so it's not like it weighs a ton, but it's not going to be a job you'd attempt without hydraulic machinery helping you.

I'm likewise impressed with the trailer. Did you wet load it or use a lift crane? Hauling the 15k weight of the 348, is that within tow limits on an F-150? A duelie F-350, maybe... And given the 12' beam you definitely need to obtain a road permit ahead of time. I'm guessing y'all 'skirted the rules' a bit, eh?

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

We wet loaded the boat in the wind of course. It always has to be windy on the day that you pull out. For the weight it is in the limit for the 350. As for permits. They do not look to hard at the end of the season around the lake. If they did look real hard a lot of us would be in trouble. But when our dealer hauled it up. They did not get a permit for a 90 mile drive. They had everything on to be legal. But the paper work.

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348 Vista ( Last Call )
Raystown PA

haha.. Bill not only all that but I'd prolly have 2 ski's strung behind me! But I'm *hoping* that I'd only need to arch it forward on rare high tide occasions. I'm half tempted (since both boats are now winterized) to throw on the wetsuit and jump in the dinghy and go out and take some of my own measurements! As you pointed out, the logistics of the whole ordeal are a little hairy.. I'm just going to have to have a demonstration. Fortunately I'm not a big camper canvas guy.. never once had it on the 248 yet and I even went and had it all redone. That could all change with the 318.

Do you happen to know of a good place that repairs dinghy's locally? I have some leaks in the floor/sidewall seam and I should probably get that fixed (tried glueing it myself to no significant avail) before I go out there..

Brenden,

You never even used the camper canvas? Geesh you don't know what you are missing! I was out boating and it started to pour down rain (no lighting) I had the camper canvas up except for the back, it was like being on a pattio.. I had a guy in a ski nautique come up to my transom and was whining about the rain (I think he half expected I was going to invite him aboard) I was like "I have the camper canvas up and the hook set, I'm enjoying this!

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Brett DiMichele

I also am interested in upgrading to the 318. It seems a logical step up from the 268, but since the 318 was only introduced a few years ago, I have not found many on the used market yet! I am counting on one of you 318 owners to trade up so your 318 becomes available! Come On Guys, that 358 is really a Beauty!

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'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

Yeah Brett, I actually probably just lucked out - there was a few overnight storms but never any really bad extended downpours. The bimini did a pretty good job of keeping the rain out for those light rains. I really wanted to try it out but this season flew by, sept. was shot with weddings and then it was winterized!

And Jim, thanks for your advice on that other boat! It appears the market is flooded with them! I've only found maybe 5 used 318s for sale from the east coast to the mid west great lakes region.

The folding arch is held by a large hinge and held in place with a hex bolt on each side of the arch. It comes with a tool that fits in the hex slot to loosen or tighten the bolt.

I saw the arch down on my 338 when it arrived from the factory. The arch folds down onto the windshield and has a shipping padded wood block to support the arch in the down position. The arch does not appear to be engineered to neatly fold down and be properly supported.

FW is making a big deal over the hinged arch, but according to my dealer it is more of a big deal for them to make shipping easier and not meant to be a customer convenience in the ordinary course of boating. My boat is winterized/shrink wrapped in the up position. The marina said they would lower the arch if I wanted to pay them their hourly rate to do so. They preferred to leave it up for the winter. I did not see the point in paying to lower and paying to raise it.

Watch the tides.

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07 Tiara Sovran 4300
07 338 Vista - SOLD

Sounds more and more like a way to reduce their shipping costs. That does not sit well with me since that's not exactly how it is marketed by FW both online and more importantly in their very fancy 08 brochure.. I'm going to follow up with Riverside and schedule a demonstration. That will be where the rubber hits the road. I'll take plenty of pics!