www.iFourWinns.com

Hi All

I hope I am not doing this wrong its my first post and first time Fourwinns owner. Great boat BTW even for a ruff day on Lake Michigan.

Okay so here is my problem, when the boat is underway 25mph or so water starts to leak out under the helm by your feet. Its not just a few drips its a good amount of water an inch or so will build up and soak the carpeting and start running down the aisle. I can't tell if its fresh water or lake water yet. I think it would be hard to be lake water as the helm is so high from the water line. We have not had any rain all summer and I only quickly hose it off once in a while. I do leave the A/C running to keep the cabin at 79 degrees. I did remove the cup holders and look down to see some of the wires with water on them but could not confirm the source. Windshield? Anchor Locker?

Any idea's

Thanks

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Home Port: "The Point on the River" Milwaukee, WI
1999 268 Vista
1991 Supra Comp ts6m
1990 Bayliner Capri

Welcome to the forum - no issues with your first post.
The helm is way too high for the usual water leak suspects. The anchor locker would leak in to the forward bilge. Have you considered the pitot tube that runs from the leg to the speedometer? Is the speedometer working? (At best, it doesn't work until speeds of 15 mph+ are reached.) The black rubber tubing picks up water which eventually pushes against air and a diaphram in the speedo head. A good place to check although I assume the speedometer wouldn't work if there was much wrong with the tubing.

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John
2006 Four Winns Vista 278 (sold)

I too am willing to bet it is from your speedometer. I have the same problem but only at wide open throttle. I don't travel that fast too often as I usually have a bow full of kids.

I have yet to come up with a solution. As I can't see exactly where the water is coming from. ( It is too hard to get a good look at WOT). I am pretty certain it is coming right at the attachment point to the speedo though.

Curious to know what others did with this problem.

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

I haven't had any problem with my speedometer apart from once having to unplug the water pickup point on the leg. I read in my manual that if a boat is stored for the winter in a cold climate, the pitot tube should be blown clear of water at the end of the season. I boat year round in a place that doesn't freeze so that is not relevant to my situation but in the northern States a pitot tube or the bellows inside the speedometer could be damaged by freezing. Apparently it's not unknown for pitot tubes to fall off the barb at the back of the speedometer or develop a crack or kink somewhere. By pulling the dash forward the speedometer is readily accessible and then there's nothing much more to check than a rubber tube from the speedometer to the stern/leg.

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John
2006 Four Winns Vista 278 (sold)

Interesting you say the speedometer it was not working that day. I did pull the dash back but did not think to look there. I will check that tonight.

Thanks for the quick response I love this forum. Anyone in the Chicago,Kenosha,Racine, Milwaukee area stop up we have great transient slips downtown Milwaukee with many restaurants, museums and events accessable by boat.

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Home Port: "The Point on the River" Milwaukee, WI
1999 268 Vista
1991 Supra Comp ts6m
1990 Bayliner Capri

Thank you All!! I pulled the dash and found the speedo tube disconnected. I must have done this when I changed a bulb in the Dash.

_________________
Home Port: "The Point on the River" Milwaukee, WI
1999 268 Vista
1991 Supra Comp ts6m
1990 Bayliner Capri