www.iFourWinns.com

Does anybody have any opinions of the Four Winns ESP vs. an aftermarket one as such?

Aftermarket:
http://www.swimplatforms.com/258_fourwinns.html

OEM Four Winns:
http://ifourwinns.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=138


Im looking to buy the ESP for my 99 Vista 258. However, part of me wants to go OEM but the other part of me thinks the aftermarket ESP looks 500% better than the OEM version. Any feedback?

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

Go with the FW esp. Its a great improvement. You won't regret it. I wish I would have done mine a long time ago.

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Inboard, outboard, onboard never bored
KUT 'N LOOSE
'99 258 VISTA

Here is Supra's step by step install of his ESP. This is good stuff.

http://www.boatingabc.com/cgi-bin/ultim ... 5/582.html

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Thanks! thats exactly the link I was looking for

However, Im leaning towards the aftermarket swim platform as its actually bigger.

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

I looked into both but I decided on the OEM. Nice fit and works well. I have seen some that mount a non-OEM lower or at the same height as the original swim platform. I think this would be too low and could cause problems if they are mounted that way.

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Scott Wood
1999 238 Vista
Trailer Boating on the Great Lakes

I was able to pick up a used Four Winns ESP this past weekend for a great deal! I had 4.5 hrs to think about while transporting it home and had a few question....

1. Does anyone have pictures of the installation process?
2. What does the ESP look like where it matches up with the hull? Is there a gap?
3. Should I use 3M 4200 or 5200 on the penetrations?
4. Does the cover over the ladder bounce when under way? It seems like there isn't much holding it down other than it's own weight.
5. Does the your ladder cover open towards the bow or towards the port side?

Thanks for the info.

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Thanks,
Ben

1998 258 Vista 7.4Gi Duoprop

I will try and answer a couple of your questions.

2.Here is about what it will look like when installed.



4. The cover will not bounce when under way. It is heavier than it looks.

5. The ladder "cover" should open to the starboard side, definately not to the bow.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Cap'n thanks for your response. For some reason the previous owner changed the hinge location so it opened towards the bow, not sure why I'll have to call him. He lives near Cadillac, MI and has some contacts in the factory, so maybe he had some recommendations from them. Have your bolts/screws on the ladder cover come loose over the years?

Can anyone else comment about what type of adhesive/caulk they used?

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Thanks,
Ben

1998 258 Vista 7.4Gi Duoprop

I guess opening towards the bow would be okay, but it would prevent you from useing the grab handle on the transom when climbing up the ladder And there WILL be times you need to grab that on your way up. Opening to starboard, enables you to not have to step over the door when entering the cockpit, as opposed to it opening to port.

Not sure on the adhesive they used. I would call FW customer service, or ask a couple of dealers what they have used when installing the ESP.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

The ESP on my '04 Sundowner is probably the same design concept.

The ladder cover hinges are on the Starboard side (the hinges on mine are actually recessed into the lid and the ESP, difficult to envisage how they could be moved). However, from memory the earlier ones used stainless piano hinges, which could be easily relocated; I can’t remember which way the lid opened on my ’99 Sundowner. The lid can be put back down when the ladder is out, so it doesn't really matter which way the lid opens.

The ESP is cored where the hinges are screwed on, with no sealant on mine (there is now!)

The lid is heavy as Cap'n Morgan wrote and it doesn't bounce about.

The lid is not gel coated/ flow coated on the underside and looks horrible after 4 seasons (now painted white!)

The ladder is fixed to the ESP using 6 stainless bolts with locknuts. Mine have never come loose, either on this boat or on my earlier 225 with no ESP. They do use thick aluminium washers on the underside, which corrode like crazy in salt water. I changed mine after 1 season to thick polycarbonate ones, or else the ladder would have been very loose after another season. Now, the nuts are very rusty, so maybe those aluminium washers were meant to be anodes! There was a caulk used on the non ESP ladder, I’m just going to remove the ladder now on my ESP to check and rectify it if there isn’t a caulk on it!

There is no caulk I can see between the ESP and transom, there may have been some around the bolt holes. There are 4 x 2” x 1/2" nuts and bolts there. They are not locknuts, there are no spring washers and so I imagine they could work loose. The original ones on mine were mild steel bolts with stainless steel nuts inside the boat! Not a very pretty sight after 1 seasons use in salt water. I changed them to stainless bolts with locknuts ( plus caulk). I hope there is a PU sealant where the stainless supports are screwed into the transom below the waterline!

The only issue I have with the ESP in my boating is that it hides the props/ outdrive completely and means getting into the water to clean the props/ outdrive, not very pleasant in the last few "Summers" here, even with a wet suit on! Another hatch in the middle would have been very useful; there’s no easy way to put one in without it looking very much like an afterthought.

Graham

"Hot off the presses"; I found no caulk sealing the holes drilled through the cored ESP for the ladder mounting bolts. Wet black wood around the holes. There is also a second set of 6 holes drilled throught the ESP where the ladder was mounted, left completely unsealed (presumably they drilled them in the wrong place and just couldn't be bothered to go to the effort of putting a little caulk on them. a very disappointing , poor standard of construction.

Graham

The guy I bought this ESP from mentioned that he applied caulk to the underside and let it dry before mounting. He said that this prevented the swim platform from rubbing against the boat's swim deck. Any thoughts on if this is necessary or if anyone else did something similiar?

_________________
Thanks,
Ben

1998 258 Vista 7.4Gi Duoprop