www.iFourWinns.com

Actually I'm in Stockholm Sweden. Here's a decent aerial of what it can look like. 10.000+ islands to choose from, all within 2hr ride. It often is gusty and winds from all kinds of directions sweeping around the islands.

Hi

Finalised position today (I think). Measure ten times, have a beer, sleep on it, then make the cut...is my philosophy.

Here's what it looked like whilst measuring:


And here in red is where the tunnel will be. The red circle is not really representative of the size, its a bit smaller than the real hole will be:


I could find the center of the tunnel from outside without drilling as I used two small button magnets, one inside taped to the X that marks where the pilot hole will go and the other outside.

Mike

Hi,

I'm watching this with a lot of interest as I have a 2009 278.

I noticed your 258 is on a trailer. Do you tow it on the road in Sweden ? The weight of a 258 + trailer is very close indeed to the 3,500 kg allowed in Europe, even without fuel, water, anchor, gear etc ! That's why I didn't buy one, I was resigned to the fact that a bigger boat than my 245 Sundowner could not be towed home here on it's own trailer in the UK. The 278 I bought, on the lightest trailer would be over the 3,500kg "empty". Is there flexibility in Sweden and it is just the UK that blindly conforms to the EU regulations ?

I can tow if I want. The Q7 I have can pull 3500kg technically according to Audi. The trailer howeveer goes under a special class here for "slow" vehicles, so max 30km/h. I don't tow it though...it stays at the club, 100m from the ramp. It feels VERY high when I do trailer it around on the grounds...it really needs a wider trailer to be more stable. The reason I have it like this is flexibility, I can out it when I want to in the autumn and put it in when I want, normally the club arranges a crane three weekends sequentially for in and out and you have to fit those windows. That equals stress...so this is quite relaxing

As for the other question, trailer rules...that is such a mess where to start? With the Q7, legally on my license I can max pull a 750kg trailer, but with our smaller car (the wifes) I can pull 1250kg I think, despite the fact that the bigger car is the better vehicle forbthe activity.

I believe there is some kind of limit that for these "slow trailers" the trailer plus load should not outweigh the vehicle. Not sure, the regulations are too complex for anyone to figure out.

At least you guys can register "fun" vehicles under your SVA and low volume manufacturer thing like a Noble or any of the other small makers...

Having a launching trailer that stays at the club/ marina a good idea, a lot more flexible.

"Mess" is a bit of an understatement as far as describing the EU towing regulations is concerned !

Hehe

Since you are electrics interested, another project for this spring is to switch over the 120V sustem to 240V...fridge will gonon 12V only, stove to be replaced, micro out (never use it anyway) and charger is to be upgraded and the only thing left is the AC, and for that I can use the existing 240-120 transformer, just placing it "later" in the system hierarchy. Cables can stay. Indicator lights on the panel need to be changed to something else and I will add a new pre-system ground fault breaker.

Got some work done today.

First off, more cover and protection inside for all surfaces:


Then, protection gear:


Assemble the jig for the milling-like portable drill and scribed a mark:


Mill/file away...not sure what to call it. Not a drill, not a milling machine, and no saw...it just sort of acts like a milling machine but is portable. Left a few bits on both sides to give full stability:


Off the piece comes. No going back now...


Testing of the tunnel, it fits and is just the right length.


Sand away the gelcoat around the opening, a bit more here to go, gotta get to the fibreglass underneath:


Do the same on the inside, smoothen the surface and grind away the like "fatty" surface so the new plastic going on will grip really well:


Tomorrow hopefully if it stays warm enough I will do the inside glass work (family permitting) or I will if the time for work is too short start looking at some of the electrics for this project and planning that kn more detail.

Man oh man, it takes big balls to cut a hole like that in a perfectly good boat.

Looks like you are doing a great job.

_________________
2004 - 288 Vista
Twin - 5.0 Volvo Penta GXi DP

I don't think I'd have the courage to cut such a hole (pair of holes) under the waterline ! I was really concerned when I cut 3 x 125 mm holes to get access to something in the cockpit. Good to see from the bits you removed that the hull is so thick there.

If you have a factory windlass, the cabling is pretty big ( something like 50mm2), Probably enough for a bow thruster, as it's unlikely you'd use a bow thruster the same time as the windlass.

The battery positive and negative cables on my diesel 278 are 2/0 ( OO), 70 mm2. Some cables behind the switch panel in the same circuit were smaller though ( 35mm2 !). 72" battery cables when 36" were plenty long enough.

Thanks guys.

It's not like at work (I'm in IT) where there are multiple test environments, here it's for real. Measure twice, cut once! I think this way: others can do it - thus with enough study, I can too.

Is that solid fiberglass? I thought our boats were cored or is that just on the bigger Vistas? Also, I wanted to add that given you are in Sweden where gas is about twice the cost of what it is here in the US, a bow thruster makes sense economically because it is a heck of a lot cheaper than feeding twins (I thought you were nuts when I first read this thread).

_________________

Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

Totally solid fibreglass. No bubbles or other imperfections, extremely robust...

Yes gas prices...it is about twice the price or just over. Twins requires diesel engines, to not feel like every minute running isnt draining the account with a swirl... and swappiing twins gas to diesel is a hefty 50-60k....which basically you never get back on resale, it's a tough equation. Staying this size makes a lot of sense and this project is a way of staying with the boat for a few more years I hope. Eeither way the money I put in here I get back if I sell, as letting a pro do it, which is what people normally do would be about $4-5k and I put in less than half, so wont get the time back, but at least the parts cost. AND I get the satisfaction of doing it myself and knowing it is done to my ambitious specifications

Anyway, today the tube got glassed in roughly 7 hours work. There are 4-5 layers of 450 and then 4 layers 350 grams/m^2 tying it down. The challenge is that on the rear face the motor mount goes, so I cannot fully glass that area. It is a weak spot but hoping that the overkill on the other areas makes up for it. Will compensate with a bit more than recommended on the outside.

This is totally appropriate here

_________________
2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

As a matter of interest, what is the tube made of ? Does it make sense to drill the attachment holes for the motor/ gearbox before it's fitted to the hull ?

My 278 is diesel powered (European D4 +DPH). I won't be going to a twin engine boat due to fuel costs here. Either diesel or gas. I can't comment on economy as I have done less than 1 engine hour since I bought it in March 2014; problems with the EVC-C system that basically boiled down to a faulty shift actuator that precipitated unexpected "no gear/ limp home " selection mode at the worst times. Some other bizarre issues came to light as well that Volvo Penta seem to accept can't be solved ! Like the drive trim that will not work via the trim button on the shift lever "as it doesn't like sharing the same low voltage power supply as the throttle" ! A separate trim panel had to be fitted ( that wires in to another part of the EVC circuitry). Very strange, I didn't argue as it was covered by some sort of warranty. Doing it myself, I would have wired a separate 12V supply to the trim switch and a couple of relays.

The system is basically; standard up/ down trim switch; to EVC black box; to standard trim pump/ relay assembly. Likewise the shift; electronic F-N-R shift on lever, to EVC black box, to shift actuator: which is attached to a shift cable !!!!!

I also find it a strange omission that they didn't fit a freshwater flush inlet on the inlet pipework to the raw water pump; the American VP engines have had such a thing since ca. 2003.

The next concern is corrosion of the Nibral props; isolated from all anodes. Hopefully the ACP system I fitted will help, the LEDs showed it was working at maximum capacity but there was some corrosion already (some sources claim the props last less than 12 months in saltwater !). I'm wondering about fitting bonding wires between the props and inner hubs, maybe doubling up on anodes.