www.iFourWinns.com

The one other helpful item(s), is a lantern or flashlight(s). Playing cards at night or checking things out, it is good to have some light. There is nothing better that waking up in the morning, in a cove, and having a nice cup of coffee a watching the world wake up around you.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

oh sleeping on the hook is nice...except when you have been partying all day at our fav island with 3 or 4 hundred boats...and just when everyone is going to bed ..some one on a big boat that has had a nap during the day feels it nessary to crank the music and try to party t 1 am....but hey...ill get over it

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2000 [img][img][/img][/img]248 vista 5.0 gi dp
orillia ontario canada

[quote="powellcrazy"] Finally have realized, don't stress, whatever happens will happen and enjoy the experience. Use to stress about scratching boat, bought current boat used with scratches, now I can enjoy boating!!!!quote]


That is sooooo true. Since we ran (softly) aground the first time and slapped (a bit less softly) into the neighbor’s dock the first time, stress levels have gone down and enjoyment is soo much better...

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Richard - FL - 2005 Vista 248

We put out two anchors from the bow, set the GPS anchor drag alarm and had a good night in the V-berth with a nice breeze from the overhead hatch. In the morning, I found that we'd accumulated six or so complete circles, so the two anchor lines were well twisted at the bow. I don't recall how I undid that - 10 years ago. I suppose I just drove slowly around the bow.

Had I tied one anchor line from a stern cleat that wouldn't have happened, but we'd lose the nice draft through the boat when the breeze shifted. What's "right"?

Tom

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Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

I grew up sleeping on the water on the East coast (canada), my dad always had sailboats and we'd go out for a week at a time twice each summer.

My wife however is an Alberta girl and like most Albertan's lakes are a daytime passtime... every nice day 300 people line up to launch thier $80000 ski & wakeboard boats 3 hours in line.... 4 hours on the water... 40 gallons of fuel and another 3 hour wait to pull out.

We had an old and I mean old (1977) excel 17' speed boat and would leave it on the dock all season (not like anyone was going to steal it) then after spending 80% of our summer spare time in the little beat-up brown speed boat (aka mud-duck) and having to navagate home in the dark at the end of a water day we decided enough was enough...

Searched a 700 mile radius of edmonton and found our still un named 238 vista in Penticton BC.

First night on the anchor we were rafted with a 24' bayliner....as stated by others NEVER AGAIN, the creaking of the bumpers damn near drove me batty and I'm not a tequila guy, there is not enough beer out there to shut that out....

Next night just us on anchor, held firm, slept like babies, even the wife....

anchor pulled after we woke up in stong winds.... then the boat would not start so we ended up on shore in the weeds anyhow...go figure.....

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I treat my children well because I want the good diapers when I'm old....

4 kids, 2 dogs, 2 horses, 4 acres, an amazing wife, a boat and no time....

It's easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

We spent our first night on the hook two weekends ago. The Honda EU2000i did well keeping up with the A/C. Mild vibration / noise.

I put out 200' of rode in 19' of water. The biggest surprise was when I woke up the next morning to make my coffee. We were facing the opposite direction. The wind had changed from south to north overnight.

Good experience overall. I'd be more comfortable if I were to throw out a stern anchor I think. The swinging around kinda bothers me.

Craig C.

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2003 Vista 248, VP 5.0 GXi-C, DP

We sleep on the hook several times a season though I think if we had a bigger boat we'd do it more often. A family of 4 on a 24' cruiser can feel pretty crowded. The first time out there the kids slept great buy my wife and I barely slept. Now we're used to it and sleep great. Plus the kids love it as it's an adventure for them. My daugther loves laying on the foredeck and staring at the stars while we're in some secluded cove far away from city lights.

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'01 Vista 298

The trouble with stern anchors is it raises the risk of swamping the boat. Swinging around on anchor is normal and to be expected. It keeps the bow of the boat pointed into the wind. Anchors are designed to re-set themselves when the boat turns. Although with a firm set it might not move at all. When you force the boat to stay in one position it becomes possible for winds to start pushing waves up onto the stern. Granted, it's pretty likely the noise will wake you up before sinking is a problem. That and other boats around you may not know you have a stern anchor out. This can lead to a collision when they swing around and you don't. Don't assume just because it's empty around you when you go to sleep that it'll stay that way. I've woken up more than a few times to notice several new boats had shown up later the previous night. Some closer than I'd have liked.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Thats quite a bit of scope!

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