Adding options later?

LUBA · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:32 am

I am looking at buying A four winns vista 268 -298 year 2000 or newer and I was wondering if it is possible to add some options myself. I am new to boating. I am an electrician and I have no problems working on cars/harleys/sleds. The specific options I am refering to are AC/Heat, Generator, windlass, and maybe radar arch. Those are options I want. Are those all doable if I find a boat that lacks them? Do they have to be done when boat is built? I don't know if the arch is feasible? Pretty sure the rest are. Is there any room for a big guy to fit in there to work on this stuff? I am 6' 4" close to 300#. Thanks.

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:41 am

http://www.planomarine.com/pre_owned_de ... eh=2705975

LUBA · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:19 am

Nice boat. That yours? I am looking for something a bit newer. I like the wood interior better. What year did FW switch 2000?

Backdraft · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:21 am

Firstly, congrats on looking at buying your first boat!

I think you are better off purchasing a boat that has the options that you want, that will save you a lot of money and time in the future. The radar arch, genset, windlass and ac/heat can certainly be added later, but will be extremely expensive and will negate any potential savings by buying the boat at a cheaper price.

It'll all come down to dollars and cents and how much time you want to spend adding all of this stuff/changing things around. As a new boat owner myself as well, I think I'd rather be out on the water enjoying the boat!

Good luck on your search... there are certainly no shortage of boats for sale out there right now.

ric · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 11:29 am

I'll be honest, and I'm one of the bigger boat tinkerers on this site. If there's a modification to do, I'll do it. Take my advice with a grain of salt but it comes from experience:

Buy one with the factory options you already want. Don't settle for less. You'll spend more money, time, and effort saving a few grand initially on a boat without AC/HEAT/GEN/ARCH then just buying one with it factory installed. All those things you want, even doing the labor yourself.. will surpass the 10k mark.

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:01 pm

LUBA wrote:

Nice boat. That yours? I am looking for something a bit newer. I like the wood interior better. What year did FW switch 2000?

Used to be mine. I think 2000 is when they switched to wood.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 12:44 pm

http://www.labmarineinc.com/Page.aspx/d ... a-298.aspx

Nice price for a 2004 298 Vista. I would look for a boat that had the options already, such as this one.

SundayDinner · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:24 pm

Reasonable minds could differ on this topic. The only thing in your list that could be easily added later is a windlass. Even if there's not one presently on the boat, most of the boats in this size range come pre-wired for them. If you do it yourself (and there's no reason a guy like you couldn't), then you're probably talking around $1K for windlass when it's all said and done, maybe a little less.

It gets a lot pricier when you start talking about generators, AC and arches. On most express cruisers, the generators are in there pretty tight and it would likely be difficult to get one in after the fact short of some serious leg work and tinkering with the motor itself (removing exhaust manifolds, etc to make room to get the generator in). That's not to mention all the wiring. If you find a boat with a generator, it's going to have the AC/heat. Radar arches can be added after, but they too are expensive. If you get above a 268 in that year range, I think most Four Winns (278, 288, and 298) came standard with the arch. I could be wrong about that.

Congrats on the potential purchase!

LUBA · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:48 pm

Thanks everyone for the answers. Pretty much what I thought. I think I will just look for them factory installed. Cap -that is exactly what I'm looking for. Maybe a wide blue or black hull band. What motors do you guys recommend for a 298 like that? Also what does insurance normally run? Haven't check that yet. Thanks

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 7:56 pm

The twin 5.0L V8's are fine for a V298. 5.7L V8's are even better. Insurance should be about $300 per year for that boat. Boat insurance is much more reasonable than for an auto. Here is a link to info about a 2004 V298, so you can check all the specs, if you have not already.

http://www.fourwinns.com/past_product/s ... 101%29.pdf

LUBA · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:29 pm

Thanks Cap

LUBA · **Posted:** Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:32 pm

I got the spec all printed out. I was dead set on a 268 but I'm thinking 288 or 298 now. I have a 2500HD GMC with the 8.1/Allison I want to trailer this boat sometimes, any problem in MI with the 10'6" beam on a 298? Permit or something?

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 5:31 am

You should "legally" have a permit to tow it.

The 288 is also a nice boat, small galley for it's size, and many have just twin V6 power. For some reason, many of the 288's are priced above other boats of similar size. Here are a couple 288's in Michigan
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/2983370830.html

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/boa/2988055245.html

And another 298 that has been listed for awhile.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/bod/2974365427.html

And since you are looking, a couple of other brands to consider, a bit further away than Michigan, but still
a good idea to look at as many boats as you can, and compare features, and prices.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/b ... 06195.html

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/b ... 33052.html

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/b ... 09195.html

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/boa/3000416710.html

LUBA · **Posted:** Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:43 am

Cap'n Morgan wrote:

You should "legally" have a permit to tow it.

The 288 is also a nice boat, small galley for it's size, and many have just twin V6 power. For some reason, many of the 288's are priced above other boats of similar size. Here are a couple 288's in Michigan
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/boa/2983370830.html

http://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/boa/2988055245.html

And another 298 that has been listed for awhile.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/bod/2974365427.html

And since you are looking, a couple of other brands to consider, a bit further away than Michigan, but still
a good idea to look at as many boats as you can, and compare features, and prices.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/b ... 06195.html

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/b ... 33052.html

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/b ... 09195.html

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/boa/3000416710.html

Yes I prolly will do it legal. LOL. I saw those MI boats adds you listed. That 298 sold the other day. I may look at the other 2 this week. Those monteray and regal boats look real nice-don't know much about them. I was really looking ay FW and Crownline. Didn't care for the Sea Ray layout-well at least when I was looking for a 268 vista sized boat. Now I think I am looking at a 30'. Cap what are your opinions on buying a salt water boat and bringing it back to MI? Are they worth it?

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:12 am

I'm not a fan of salty boats. But, if you have it throughly surveyed mechanically and physically (riser/manifold check, moisture tests , electrical test, etc) and it passes, then if the price is right, it may be worth getting. I would just be doubly careful when looking at salty boats. Often, a problem that is not apparent when you look at the boat, crops up later. Like corrosion of wires, rotting belts & hoses, genset corrosion etc.
Rack stored, or lift stored boats in salt water may look nicer than ones that have been in the water, but they still have been run in salt water, and are usually kept in a humid, salty environment, which can still lead to unforseen problems later.
Sometimes, a low priced salty boat, can end up costing you more $'s and headaches down the road, than a slightly higher priced fresh water boat.

Also, here is a video test of a 2000 298Vista with 5.0L engines. Oldy but goody.

http://www.usboattest.com/test/625/2000 ... vista.html

www.iFourWinns.com

Adding options later?

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