www.iFourWinns.com

Ok...just posting this because I'm proud of myself. After about 10 trips on the new to us boat with the wife, friends, family or some combo of the above, I docked the boat completely on my own with no assistance from anyone this afternoon for the first time. I used to do it all the time with our old 24' Chaparral but this was the first time on my own with the Vista 298. Felt good.

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'01 Vista 298

Good for you. I bought my boat in the dead of winter and it took me 13 trys to get her in the first time. Congrats.

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

The best part was I nailed it on the first attempt. Of course the next time I go out we'll have friends on the boat, a crowd at the marina, and it will take me 5 attempts to get her in and I'll hit the dock a few times in the process. Such is boating

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'01 Vista 298

Funny you say that....I've often competed the perfect "back in the slip" manouver and had more than a few compliments on it. I ALWAYS say that boating has a way of making you pretty humble pretty quick . Just when you think you've got it 100% figured out you'll have one of those days and feel like you need to start all over again

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Kevin
'06 V278
8.1 L Volvo
"Heart's Content II"

Yeah, as Han Solo told Luke, "Don't get cocky, kid!". Moving from our single engined SR270 to the 298 Vista with twins, I found docking much easier than ever before. My boat transporter talked me through the first backing in, and the next several went smooth as silk. Durn it I'm good.... Then the next three were horrible.

I started shifting too fast, and coming in too close to the slip. After making that diagnosis I went back to doing it better. Now at the beginning of the season, when I get her cleaned up for the first outing, I take her out and into a big area near the fuel dock and use the throttles to spin her slowly one way, then another and then go put her into the slip at least 3 times telling myself, "slow but sure".

I've not even kissed the slip more than once since this.

Practice and consistency is the key.

Congrats!!!!

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1999 Four Winns Vista 298, 5.0 VP DP
Goosepond Marina
Lake Guntersville
Scottsboro, Alabama

I am new to this site. I really love it. I have finally found a group of people who love boating as much as me.
Nice job with the 298! It seems we always do our best work when no one is there to appreciate it. Conversely, the more people there to watch the more likely we are to make mistakes. I have been backing in with my boat for over ten years and I still get out of shape from time to time. Remember, using docks, spring pilings and any other ‘docking aid’ is legal.

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Current Boat: 1994 278 Four Winns Vista

My 9 year daughter humbled me today. She passed the MD boating course earlier this year (with a 93%) and has her official state issued boating certificate so she's legal to drive now. Scary, huh? Anyway, I've been teaching her how to manuveur with twins by going around channel markers and buoys using only the throttles and other basic things. We've done this a few times now and she's a natural. Well...today the wind was calm, the water was flat, and the docks were empty so I decided to let her approach the dock on her own with me giving directions and ready to take over if needed. That wasn't needed. She made a perfect approach. I thought, ok, let's see if you can actually dock the boat. Same deal...with me giving her the throttle commands I let her approach and gave her the spot on the dock to aim for. She nailed it perfectly the first time and just barely kissed the dock with the rubrail. Beginner's luck...right? Nope. She drove it off the dock complete with the proper rotation to get away from the dock without hitting anything swung out and came back in again on the other side of the boat...perfectly. Keep in mind that this is a 5 ton boat that with the swim platform is 31' long and she brought it in there confidently, no panic overcorrecting, nothing. I was floored. I may have her give my wife lessons since nothing good can come of me trying to teach my wife how to dock.

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'01 Vista 298

I know how it feels, the stress of coming back from a trip and having to maneuvre in the wind is hell.....but when everything goes well it's a good feeling.

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Denfor
Oakville, Ontario
Bronte Outer Harbour Marina
2009 V358 (Deb's Den)

After my first season (2007), I dropped the fear of taking out the V358 on my own. I paid good money for those rub rails and I'm getting my dollars worth. Truth is, most re-entries into the slip are completely uneventful. Occasional use of the pilings is okay. I've actually learned to use them to my advantage during windy conditions. I'd rather enjoy the day on the water than sweat the docking!

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Transcendence II
2007 Vista 358