www.iFourWinns.com

.... that I really wasn't looking for.

Out cruising yesterday at the end of our lake where there is a passage called the stepping stones that leads to another smaller lake. Well there are stones there alright.

There was a bunch of kids swimming right in the middle of the channel off the dock at the launch, so I kept my distance from them, favoring one side of the channel to give them plenty of clearance, and felt the dreaded thud. Thankfully we were only just puttering along at no wake speed. To add insult to injury, when i stopped the boat, I stopped it next to another rock just below the surface, and before I could do anything the hull gave it a little love tap as well.

I somehow managed to stop the carnage, and got us out of there without further contact, and went to the local island hangout so that I could get in the water and feel around for damage. It seems like my skeg did its job, as I can feel some scraping along the bottom half of it, and a little chunk out of it as well. No big deal there as the prop came out of it without a scratch. On the hull, there is about a 2' scrape on the chine on the starboard side, and that was all I could feel. It feels quite minor, but I am going to pull the boat out of the water for a better look anyway to make sure it didn't go deeper than the gel.

So, how does the saying go? There are two types of boaters, those that have hit rocks, and those that are going to. All part of the fun I guess. At least I don't have to worry about putting that first scratch on the new boat anymore...

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

I put my bass boat into White River in Indianapolis about 10 years ago, which is a pretty risky move. I fished and ran around for hours, then headed for the ramp. I'd done a great job all day of avoiding shallow areas. About 100 yards from the ramp, the fish finder indicated a depth of about 8 feet. I trimmed down a little, just to where it wasn't making so much turbulence. I was going really slow, and then, BAM! When I pulled the boat out of the water, the prop was chewed to rubbish. That's the only time I've ruined a prop, but I did it in a truly glorious fashion. I wish I had taken pics!

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1999 234 Funship
5.7 GSi

I took a closer look today at the damage by getting in the water with a mask. The scrape on the hull is just that, a very shallow scrape. So shallow that I can probably get most of it out with wet sanding.

The skeg is also minor, with a very small chip out of it at the very bottom, and some scraping at the leading edge that extends about half way up it's length. Again, easily filed and repainted.

So it looks like I dodged a bullet..... Whew!

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Hey chris!

I'm also from north bay... was out on trout lake yesterday!!

Where did you hit this rock... I just bougth a brand new four winn H180 that im picking up this afternoon.... id like to avoid that rock as much as I can lol!

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2010 Four Winns H180BR

Tow - Pretty much changes whenever I feel like it. (Used Car Lot - lol)

Chris

You should have known better afterall it is a new boat and requires that initial ding eventually!

Glad to hear taht it ended up being nothing serious.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

I got into some sand yesterday and roughed up my skeg and prop a bit. I'm not as concerned about the prop, as I planned on getting a SS one soon anyway. It is purely cosmetic damage only, but it drives me nuts nevertheless. I would like to repaint the skeg to get it looking like new again. Where would I pick up some paint (volvo outdrive) and what is all involved in the prep work? I'm assuming this is a pretty easy job, but wanted to get some advice so I can get it right the first time. Thanks

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http://youtu.be/-4ckF7u1iNk
2003 PowerQuest 260 Legend SX
2014 Lund WC 14

2007 H210 Volvo 5.7 Gi/SX (sold in 2012)
2007 H180 Volvo 3.0 (sold in 2009)

That is what you get for being nice. Same thing happened to me except there was some moron in a houseboat fishing in the middle of the channel. I thought I would be nice and keep my distance and hit rocks where a marker was temporarily down. I should have just cut his line.

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

No way, you need to find it the hard way!

Down at the far (east) end of the lake, the passage way to turtle lake called the stepping stones. It is an area best learned in a 14 ft aluminum or kayak, or canoe, or any other boat that is shallow draft or that you really don't care about. There are some very defined areas where you " have to be" or else.... rocks show up really fast (and it is all rock back in there).

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310