www.iFourWinns.com

Well, after months of anticipation, work, and prep, we had a beautiful weekend on our boat. It was mid 80's here, and clear skies. Hope everybody had a great weekend. Some pics of the boat using the IPS system. All systems worked great, and now comes much more reading to thoroughly familiarize myself with all the systems.







I know, I left the swim ladder in the water! Wife told me AFTER she took the pics!

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2008 378 Vista
"Not 2 SHABI"
IPS 500 Volvo-Penta D6

Previously
'06 318 Vista
'97 258 Vista
'98 195 Sundowner
'87 180 Horizon

Very Nice. Glad all went well.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Lookin good Bob!

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Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

Nice ride

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-Tony
2016 Robalo R200 w/Yahama 200!

Previous boats:
2003 Four Winns 248 Vista - sold
1994 Sunbird Corsair 200 - sold
1980 Checkmate Predictor - sold

Sweet!

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

I will be headed down to our boat on Thursday. I hired the only Volvo Penta IPS certified tech with about 75 miles to come and spend about 3 hours on the boat with me to go over all the systems and trouble shooting tips. I have read the manuals, but it always sinks in when I am able to have personal interaction with a smart person! not too much left to fix, I have to replace a bilge pump, the clips are broken, and I am going to install 2 new Sams Club grp 29 house batteries...the other are about 4 years old. it is over 100 degrees here today, and this weekend is only suppose to make it to low 70's...can figure the crap out with the weather.

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2008 378 Vista
"Not 2 SHABI"
IPS 500 Volvo-Penta D6

Previously
'06 318 Vista
'97 258 Vista
'98 195 Sundowner
'87 180 Horizon

nice! looks good. Bought those same batteries over the weekend!

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Michael Bova


"Swept Aweigh"
2003 Four Winns 328 Vista

Previous Boat
2003 Crownline 230CCR

Good job! what is the accordion device on the bow and what is the tube device on the stern? when you say house batteries do you mean the starting batteries?

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2006 348 Vista
"some days you're the bug and some days you're the windshield"

RJ,
The accordion thing is a "bow to beach" scissor ladder. Here on the Mississippi, it is necessary for disembarking your boat to enjoy the sand bars! The tube thing on the stern (stainless steel I assume), is the factory installed option of a hand rail/fishing rod holder. came with the boat along with the FLEXTEEK Like the hand rail, but not the FLEXTEEK! Anyway, assuming those were the things you asked about. As for the batteries, I am going to replace the 2 house batteries. all of them are 4 years old (including the starting batteries), but the house ones are not holding charge as long as they should. The starting batteries are Optima and appear to still be going strong.
Bob

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2008 378 Vista
"Not 2 SHABI"
IPS 500 Volvo-Penta D6

Previously
'06 318 Vista
'97 258 Vista
'98 195 Sundowner
'87 180 Horizon

Hey Bob - I didn't want to hijack the other thread... I had been wondering the same about you and somehow missed this thread. Not 2 Shabi looks great! And I know you have to be loving the IPS. I continue to marvel at the pod drive technology. The performance is just astounding and it's hard to believe that the fuel efficiency of my 32,000 lb boat is pretty much on par with what I saw in my 16,000 lb V358 thanks to the combination of diesels and Zeus. It's just a bit of a bigger bill at the pump with a 432 gallon tank (but longer between fuelings).

I appreciate you asking and I continue to be thrilled - it is everything I had hoped it would be and more. I really got to enjoy her in Florida over the winter before a Captain brought her north. Among my travels, I took a spectacular ten day cruising adventure from Sarasota to Key West to Palm Beach in every kind of sea condition and was never let down.

I don't know if you saw it, but the soon-to-be-defunct Motor Boating Magazine had an excellent primer on Joystick maneuvering. It's based on Zeus pods but the theories are the same with IPS and it's a worthwhile read.

Continue to enjoy and have an excellent season!

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

Great to hear from you Sierra! I am so pleased that your enjoying your new boat! i was thinking about ever since you posted the partial pics of your new ride. Wow, sounds like a great trip down in the keys. My wife and I hope to do that type of boating after I retire from the Army. Anyway, right now having great time with the 378V. This boat will hold us thru the years, plenty of room, the admiral loves the express cruiser layout, so this boat will become our Great Loop boat, another trip we are planning. thanks for the link to the article, I will definately read it.

Today we had an IPS tech down to the boat. Spent 4 hours with him going thru every system, checking all fluids, inspecting a ton of stuff. He also brought down one of every filter, impellor, etc...that I could ever need, so now I have my floating stock reserve. he hooked up the vodia computer to the engines, and the diagnostics came out super...the engines have never had a fault code, only 195 hrs (5 of them we have put on), and things are very good. It was the best money I could have spent.

have a great summer boating, hope you get to put on 300hrs this summer! I know that I am going to try like hell to!
Bob

_________________
2008 378 Vista
"Not 2 SHABI"
IPS 500 Volvo-Penta D6

Previously
'06 318 Vista
'97 258 Vista
'98 195 Sundowner
'87 180 Horizon

Are you telling me that you beach that beast?

I used to have a keel guard on my 24' deck boat, but wouldn't dream of beaching my cabin cruiser!!!

I remember the deck boat would get moved sideways with the waves. I would have to raise up the stern drive and rock it back into the water.

With the V358 inboards, I'd damage rudders and props if I tried beaching. Unless I'm missing something. Educate me on how you use this ladder with sand bars without damaging anything. (please)

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2007 Four Winns Vista 358

Yeah, I'd be leery of trying to beach anything with in-water propulsion systems like inboard or pods. With stern drives you can at least raise them waaay up to avoid contact with the bottom.

I suppose if you "know" there's a very steep drop off you could nose just the bow into the sand. But the trouble with sandbars is they move, so there's no guarantee it'll be in the same place or condition.

There are a couple of shoreline beaches around the Chesapeake where I could do it. But it's not really worth the potential hassles. I've hit crab pots and run aground once, each time it's at LEAST a THOUSAND dollars to begin addressing the repairs. So I'll stick to keeping the running gear away from the bottom from now on.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Hey Guys, well out boating season is over now...had 5 days over the Labor Day weekend, and sadly she is being pulled this week. As for the "beaching" comments. Here is how it is done on the Mississippi. The Corps of engineers builds these sand bars and coves for their use in dredging operations along the mississippi. They are 100% sand and no rocks (rocks dont get sucked thru the dredge). They are between 25-35 feet deep and drop off from the beach VERY quickly. In fact, from waters edge to the end of my boat, the dept under my transom is 15-20 feet. I can only touch bottom about 1/2 way out and that is about 6.5 feet, then it drops off quickly. So no worries about ruining IPS drives. The only thing you have to watch is your bottom paint can get pretty worn off on the keel. Hope all is going well with you guys.

_________________
2008 378 Vista
"Not 2 SHABI"
IPS 500 Volvo-Penta D6

Previously
'06 318 Vista
'97 258 Vista
'98 195 Sundowner
'87 180 Horizon