www.iFourWinns.com

Will do. I've got the boat all stripped down right now for a good cleaning. Most of my cushions were in pretty bad shape and I have decided to take a chance and "dye" them rather than reupholster this year. So, I have been working on prepping everything for this process.

Here is a question for you all- my dash has a large green covering on the flat part of the dash. Its cracked and flaking around the edges. What is this material and how do I get it off cleanly? So far, adhesive remover and a plastic scraper have only been minimally successful.

Brian

Nice looking Coast Runner! My setup is similar, I have the two bucket seats and two "cooler seats" where your live wells are located. Also the previous owner of my boat had the pedestal stems made longer so the seats sit higher for better visibility. If you remove the walk through cushion for swimming, be careful the remaining rear cushion doesn't come dislodged from the pegs and collapse. It happens easily if someone is sitting on it with the walk through removed. I run a zip tie around the pegs each season after I install it to keep it in place. We never swivel it down during the season.

Sharp looking boat!

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Mannix2
Hyde Park, NY

1997 Four Winns 203 Coast Runner-150hp Ocean Pro Evinrude
"BONA 4 TUNA"
1986 19' Bayliner Capri 125 Force

Thanks for the compliment! Its starting to shape up nicely. It was by far the nicest boat that I found within 200 miles for my very meager budget. She was just dirty and needed a little TLC. Once I finish the interior upholstery, the pedestals/seats are next on the list. I cant believe how low the seats are stock. We spend most of our time standing.

I just have the cooler seats as well- just had the cushions off for the picture. I did discover this afternoon that there is a power lead for a livewell right behind the rod holder panels, so it seems like they would be pretty easy to convert. Removing those panels gives really easy access to everything. The two options I wish I had: bow cushions for the wife and ski tower for the boy. Both are easy enough to fit custom though.

Now it just needs a suitable name....

Need a little help as I am not the swiftest with electrical systems just yet....

On the bilge pump switch- which way is "on" and which way is "auto"?

The previous owner really mucked up the wiring and after installing a new pump last fall its still not right. I found that the pump harness was switched so that the hot wire was going to the pump all the time. Switched those back. Wouldn't work. Found that the ground on the backside of the dash switch had popped off. Popped it back on and I have some functionality. When I plug in the harness by the pump it comes on right away. With the dash switch pushed in on the top, its a low pitched sound from the pump. When I push in the lower part of the rocker switch, the pump gets higher pitched, so I am assuming that its running faster?

The pump is an Atwood T800 with a non-mechanical auto switch attached. Any help is appreciated!

I can tell you how my Coast Runner is wired for the bilge pump, which I believe is factory. The pump is wired to always run if there is a battery attached in the boat and the float switch level engages it. This "auto" is wired hot at all times and bypasses the dual battery switch. My switch on the console has two positions, down or off and Up or on. In the down or off position, the pump is still hot and controlled by the float switch. The up position turns the pump on manually. I assume this would be necessary if the float switch was faulty. So unless your bilge had enough water to engage the float switch, the pump should not run when the switch is in the down position.

I can't think of any scenario where I would want to disengage the float switch from pumping out water from the the bilge. If the pump operates at different speeds when you engage the switch, I would think there is a wire crossed somewhere, or a loose ground still.

Also you mentioned your boat was wired for the livewell pump, that wasn't included with the boat. I don't think these wires were run on all boats, as mine does not have any wiring for a livewell. Also I noticed you had a through hull fitting for a discharge hose on the starboard side of your boat, I do not have that fitting, so if it is factory, your boat probably had the factory livewell on the starboard side.

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Mannix2
Hyde Park, NY

1997 Four Winns 203 Coast Runner-150hp Ocean Pro Evinrude
"BONA 4 TUNA"
1986 19' Bayliner Capri 125 Force

Thanks for the help, mannix. Factory wiring is exactly what I needed to know. I used some contact cleaner and cleaned up the switch ground real well and there is no longer the speed difference at the pump. When I plug the pump harness back up, the pump ran for about 10 seconds like it is supposed to, then shut off, like it is supposed to. My concern has been draining my battery with a pump that won't shut off.

The more I dig up under the dash, the more frightened I become as it seems that various folks have added and subtracted equipment over the years and not all of them knew what they were doing. My horn doesn't work, so I am working on that next. It looks like the factory horn was replaced by two large FIAMM horns. At least I am assuming that they aren't factory?

The starboard thru-hull is for the other cooler/fishbox to drain. Maybe someone had it set up as a livewell at one time and the other side as a fishbox.

Again- thanks for all the help as I try to get this thing back in good running shape!

My Sundowner had a FIAM horn or equivalent that went stopped working. Replaced it with a FIAM, sounds the same.

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Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

Thanks- thats good to know. Maybe this one is stock, which would make figuring out the circuit a bit easier. I think I just need a new button as this one seems jammed.

All the vinyl is redone and back in the boat! All rusty hardware removed and replaced with new! Bilge pump is working as expected! Engine fired right up on the muffs! Plug inserted! Please forgive the enthusiasm...but I have spent lots of time on this tub and its finally almost ready!

Looking forward to getting her wet this Saturday (and many more after that).

Coast Runner check-in!

Mine survived my rookie season of ownership and was just rewarded with some needed maintenance by a master technician. Looking forward to a great boating season.

My Coast Runner is still under the winter cover. Temps still dipping below freezing at night in Columbia County, NY. Hope to make a trip to open her up this weekend, get batteries installed, switch out winter cover for snap on cover. Hopefully just general cleaning and maintenance to get her in the water. Going to paint the outboard, it's peeling and chipping in some spots.

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Mannix2
Hyde Park, NY

1997 Four Winns 203 Coast Runner-150hp Ocean Pro Evinrude
"BONA 4 TUNA"
1986 19' Bayliner Capri 125 Force

We had a remarkably mild winter, even by Southern standards. I was fortunate to find a local marine shop that really knows the older 2-stroke motors very well. For my own piece of mind, I dropped off the Coast Runner with them for about 2 weeks to get all deferred maintenance items up to snuff. They verified that my motor is in great shape with great compression, but was having a fueling problem. Turned out to be an issue with the primer bulb and fuel/water separator (which had not been changed in a long time, apparently). After they swapped those out, the motor fires up much, much faster, hot or cold. Although I could have eventually gotten around to all of this, I feel much better knowing that someone with 45 years of experience has given the boat a once-over. Should've done that a long time ago, but it took awhile to find the right guy.

Hi
I just got a 203 coast runner and was wondering if anyone is still following this thread. It’s been quite a few years since the OP. This boat is in pretty good shape for 20 years old. Some minor maintenance that I’ve found so far in going through it.

Questions if anyone’s still following...

What are the dimensions of the factory Bimini? I measured 73” across but I’d like to order the correct height. I’m 6’2” so I’d like to be able to stand under but I’d be interested to know what OEM was.

I have the rear bench seat but the hinges used to hang the seat are whooped and I can’t get the seat on right. Any guidance on how you’ve maintained that

I’ll stop there to see if this is still active before I go through other questions.

I'm the OP and I still have my 203 Coast Runner. Mine is a 1997 with the 150 Evinrude. What year is yours? The rear seat trick is to grease the pegs and once you get it aligned I put cable ties on it to keep it seated fully which avoids it backing out and warping.

I can get you the dimensions of the bimini this weekend. I actually have a gently used red bimini and full camper canvas. The original owner of my boat boat an extra set of both and only used it a few times.

I love this boat, it's been a pleasure to own. Glad to answer any other questions you have.

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Mannix2
Hyde Park, NY

1997 Four Winns 203 Coast Runner-150hp Ocean Pro Evinrude
"BONA 4 TUNA"
1986 19' Bayliner Capri 125 Force

Wow! Looking at the pics of this Coast Runner has me wishing we had found out about this model when we looked for our H180 OB. This would have been a much better setup for us.

We were specifically looking for an open bow with an outboard that could be used for both pleasure boating and fishing. And since we fish along the TX coast, the higher gunwales would be a welcome benefit for deeper water!

Nice looking boats y'all have!

I too love my Johnson 130. I never run a drop of fuel without some Seafoam, and this motor has never failed to start!
(And you have to love the winterizing procedure: trim down, walk away!)

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1999 180 Horizon OB Fisherman Pkg
2013 Grand Cherokee 4x4 w/ 5.7 Hemi
San Antonio, TX