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PostPosted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:24 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:31 am
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Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Tough call, but I'd go camper top, then windlass if you have the extra cash. A good canvas shop could probably make you a camper top to fit on your existing bimini for $1,200 - $1,500, then you could use the extra cash to install a windlass. The nice thing about a camper top is that it takes the sting out of an unexpected rainy day or night. It's nice to wake up and stretch your legs without having to towel dew and bugs off the back of the boat.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:20 pm 
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Location: Austin, TX
Being that I live in Florida and keep my boat in the lake, a camper top on my H180 would be quite amazing. Quite a many times we've huddled under the small bimini during rain storms and I always have to carry gallons of bug spray. I would pretty much just leave it up 99% of the time.

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Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:29 am 
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Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 11:15 am
Posts: 682
acguy wrote:
Wet Doggg wrote:
Swimplatform for sure. We will be doing the same thing come spring. Received a quote of $1,750 for one from swimplatforms.com. Not sure I want to install it myself or not at this point. I also called the local Four Winns dealer. Price for a new platform from the factory for my boat is $3,200...and that did not include install :shock:


That seems kind of high. I paid $1650 for the factory one for my 97 Sundowner. I like the factory one better as there is no step down to the next platform


The OEM one is out of the question due to price but was not shocked by it. Places like Four Winns do not want to make parts for a boat as old as mine unless someone is really willing to pay for it...so they price it accordingly.


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:55 pm 
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Starfish

Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:12 am
Posts: 50
Location: Bexley, Ohio
SundayDinner wrote:
Tough call, but I'd go camper top, then windlass if you have the extra cash. A good canvas shop could probably make you a camper top to fit on your existing bimini for $1,200 - $1,500, then you could use the extra cash to install a windlass. The nice thing about a camper top is that it takes the sting out of an unexpected rainy day or night. It's nice to wake up and stretch your legs without having to towel dew and bugs off the back of the boat.


I think this is a good call. Last summer, I had to use a brown tarp and clamp it in about 10 places so the wind wouldn't take it off. I was the poster boy for hillbilly boating :) It did keep the rain off but I looked RIDICULOUS! Didn't even think about the dew and the bugs until you mentioned that. That was a big issue last year as well. The boat is in inside storage all winter and I can't pick it up until mid April so perhaps I should line up the canvas shop first and bring the boat over as soon as it comes out of storage.

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 3:06 pm 
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Just got a call from my dealer. They have a "scratch and dent" OEM swim platform from Four Winns. They say it is just in the S&D section but is brand new.

Costs are:
1,660 for platform and parts
$340 install
$100 tax
$2,100 total


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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:10 pm 
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Starfish

Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:12 am
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Location: Bexley, Ohio
Youch! $1,660 seems like there is still plenty of meat on the bone. I'd like to see what the "scratch" looks like!

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 2:36 pm 
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fun2bethad wrote:
Youch! $1,660 seems like there is still plenty of meat on the bone. I'd like to see what the "scratch" looks like!


Just stopped and looked at the platform today. They list it as a :scratch and dent" but the platform is actually brand new with zero scratches or dents.


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:45 pm 
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Shark
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Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:29 pm
Posts: 147
Location: Hudsonville, MI
Not to hijack this thread, but here are some really inexpensive ways to build a camper top. I wish I had some better pictures, but these are the only ones that I have right now.

Initially, I found this mosquito netting "thing" at Gander Mountain to just slip over my bimini. I believe it's intended to slip over an air matress and have it tied up in the trees. It actually works pretty well just slung over a bimini top and certainly keeps the bugs out. I use plastic clamps to hold it in place and the bottom has elastic, so it's a pretty snug fit. I believe I paid $50 for it last summer.

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The best part is how little space it takes up when stuffed back in it's pouch.
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If you need some privacy and to keep the morning dew off, you can just borrow the wife's sewing machine and whip out one of these. I bet I only have $100 in material here. The hardest part was figuring out how to attach it to my bimimi top without adding additional snaps or zippers to the bimini itself. So I just added a roof panel so that the entire enclosure just slips over my bimimi (like a sock) and snaps onto my existing cover snaps on the deck. I certainly wouldn't use it if heavy rain was in the forecast, but it does just fine for light sprinkles and the moring dew.
Image

Image]

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:11 pm 
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Starfish

Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:12 am
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Location: Bexley, Ohio
Really cool ideas Sting Ray!! I'm in awe of your sewing abilities. I'm not much good if it's bigger than sewing a button on. I will DEFINITELY check out the mosquito netting. That's a great lead. Thanks!!

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"Don't Panic!" (upside down of course)


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 4:21 pm 
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Location: Austin, TX
that mosquito net idea is PERFECT! I'm going to pick one up this weekend

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold

Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:04 pm 
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Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 9:49 am
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Location: West Michigan
Very clever solutions to some unique problems when owning a bowrider. Nice thinking Berger !

Leave it to a Wolverine fan to come up with such great ideas :D

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:36 pm 
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Starfish

Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:12 am
Posts: 50
Location: Bexley, Ohio
Placed my order with Backcountry.com this afternoon for the mosquito net. $46 which includes shipping. Good stuff!

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1999 F.W. 238 Vista
"Don't Panic!" (upside down of course)


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:55 pm 
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Shark
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Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2009 9:29 pm
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Location: Hudsonville, MI
Great. A word of warning on the net. The top of the "box" will likely be a little larger then your bimini, so you will need to tie up the slack with the cords that are attached used to hang it from the trees. However, once you have it all sized up, it should just slip over your bimini top fairly easily. Good luck and send some pics once you have it up!

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2007 H210 Volvo 5.7 Gi/SX (sold in 2012)
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:41 pm 
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Clownfish

Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:48 am
Posts: 49
Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
I think it depends how you use the boat. I would chose a camper top first, although the swim platform is a very close second. If you keep your boat in the water, and do overnights, the camper top is a must. It makes your boat so much more usable. The swim platform is great for the afternoon while you are going on and off the boat swimming, but the top is good morning, noon, and night!

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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:15 am 
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Starfish

Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:12 am
Posts: 50
Location: Bexley, Ohio
Found a canvas guy local who is waiting for the boat to come out of winter storage so he can sew my camper top. Several decades of experience and he thinks he can get it done for around $1,000. Also says I'll need to be patient as he's a bit of a perfectionist. All good signs to me.

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