www.iFourWinns.com

I agree. I'm sure I can, just need to dig into it a bit. Quite the shock when I got the quote from FW on a whole new bimini, but your right, should be able to just get new poles or even just new ends for the poles.

With 115 hours, she's ripe to be a keeper! Aside from the 318, my trend has been every other year. But as I found when I bought this boat, its nearly impossible to find "that boat" these days, unless your willing to go new.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Never seen a Bimini forward like that, it looks a little odd. If it was on a smaller boat, it's good for getting in/out of and not having to go under/around it... pretty boat, love the red, just not the work it takes to keep red.

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Current:
2000 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer "still Livin the Dream"

Past
2002 268 Vista 5.7 GXI "Livin' the Dream"
1996 Rinker 192 Captiva. "The Simple Life"
1999 Yamaha XLL 1200 Waverunner.
1976 Mercury Marquis tri hull 120 hp

Where's your adventurous spirit? This red will be a piece of cake, 268 was a LOT of blue to keep looking good. 225 Green wasn't too bad, nor the black on the 318.

Look at that shine!



Finally had time to get the bimini turned around and new mounts installed - looks good. The red is really growing on me.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

It's not my adventurous spirit, it's I dread the labor, and what seems like the inevitable fading.... thus the white 268 with a couple tape stripes

by the way, looks beautiful!

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Current:
2000 Sea Ray 380 Sundancer "still Livin the Dream"

Past
2002 268 Vista 5.7 GXI "Livin' the Dream"
1996 Rinker 192 Captiva. "The Simple Life"
1999 Yamaha XLL 1200 Waverunner.
1976 Mercury Marquis tri hull 120 hp

How much was the new trailer? It looks great.

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

Thanks, I've had two boats with the Four Winns factory trailer and there is no comparison. Add in the fact it would be a 9 year old trailer - I hit the jackpot buying this boat with no trailer. The trailer ran about $4500 and is fantastic. Barebones is about $3500 and plenty of options to add on.

http://www.loadmastertrailer.com/

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Thanks for the pics, why didn't you opt for electric over hydraulic since it was custom built?

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

I'm afraid I agree about fading of red gel coat ! My 2004 Sundowner had some red gelcoat , my 278 has red gel coat as well. When the Sundowner was at home, the stern faced West. I used to cut/ polish it fastidiously every year, starting at the stern. I swear that by the time I'd worked round the boat to be at the stern again some 6 hours later, the red there had already faded ! There was also a strange demarcation that appeared when it was faded; invisible when newly cut/ polished. I can only assume it was due to 2 different lots of red gelcoat used in production, which had different UV stabilizer levels.

How often did you wax it? I've been twice a year on my 318 and the black looked great.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Cost versus simplicity I guess. Surge brakes are very simple and the boat can barely be felt behind my F150. If the boat was bigger I may have opted for it, I can't recall how much that upgrade was.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

I used to cut it pre season and wax the same day, followed by another wax application the day before launch. Once on the water it'd be something like 2 weeks later I'd apply more wax, but the fading would be evident already.

This is/ was on the red gel goat above the rub rail. The red gel coat on the vertical hull sides below the rub rail never faded on either boat . This must be something to do with the incidence angle. Above the rub rail the gel coat is virtually at right angle to the incident rays. I noticed your Vista had white gel coat above the rub rail. Your Horizon has red gel coat there !

+1 My 278 had the blue gel coat above the rub rail and it was a nightmare to keep looking nice. The blue below the rub rail was perfect. I absolutely will never have a boat with color above the rub rail again unless it is Imron. I did that on my 278 and it looks awesome and I only wax it. I hated the compound buffing constantly.

Good luck with the new boat! It looks very sharp, but can't believe you sold my future boat that quick

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2006 Vista 278
First Boat:
2005 Sundowner 205
Columbus, OH

Not doubting you, but what wax did you use? I know Four Winns at times used some not so good gel, my 268 blue shined great but it was a PITA to match for a scratch repair. I never buffed my 318, she sat out in the sun all season. Looked as good, if not better when I sold it versus when I bought it. Starbrite Marine Polish w/ PTEF in the spring and fall.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

My '01 248 would get a cut and wax each season, and needed it. I was planning on the same for my '08 318, but made the gametime decision to just wax as it seemed to be more than good enough. The only exception was a few spot compounding areas, like just under the through hull water outlets, which had some scale. It didn't really buff out too well and I'll have to come up with something else in the future to brighten it up.

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2008 V318



previous:
2001 248 Vista

Going to be at Marina Shores this coming weekend. Hope to see your new boat Fire!

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2006 Vista 278
First Boat:
2005 Sundowner 205
Columbus, OH