www.iFourWinns.com

Well the season is about half over up here in MN, and was going to share some of my more memorable boating mistakes this year!
1. Sweating my a$$ off in 90+ degree weather, get the bright idea to clean the sea strainers (not really that dirty) for the GENSET and AC. Turn off sea cocks to both, then realize I wanted to use my mini-wet vac to empty water and suck out the slime, so thought I would do the AC first, turned on the GENSET and ran it for 4 minutes forgetting to turn the sea cock back on...NEW Imepller on that one!

2. Backing into our new slip for the first time, extremely confident with our IPS, no worries, even a CAVEMAN can do it! Yep, my dock neighbors looking on, and me yelling to them "Watch this!" No help needed...then I hear the unfamiliar sounds of fiberglass cracking and the WHAP WHAP WHAP of me forgetting to lower my VHF antenna and snapping it off at the base! Yep...no help needed here!

Do you have any good stories this year?

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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

Not this year, but I did the same thing with my antenna last year.

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2001 328 Vista

Previous Boats:
2004 Sea Ray 220 Select

Not any this year, but my friend did a good one a month ago:

Putting his Velocity speed boat on the trailer, was plastered drunk, ended up slamming the boat into the trailer. Wiped out the prop, cracked the transom, and damaged the nose. The water cops were of course on hand (sunday evening very popular ramp) so he got a BUI. The best part is... Geico refused his insurance claim due to the BUI. It was an older velocity valued around 15k on the used market.. ended up selling it for $3000 damaged last week. Just enough to pay the lawyer/court fees.

Now, he's not rubbing pennies together so all's good. He should be in something 28+ft and twin engine by next month. He wasn't happy with the performance of a single 454 (around 65mph).

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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

I had a close call. I was filling my trailer tires up with air and by happenstance I grabbed ahold of a lug nut. Found it, and three others to be completely loose. Same thing on the other side. Less than finger-tight. Was just getting ready for a 180 mile trip.

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Forgot to put my oars in the hold. First time out (this year) I launch the boat with my wife, my friends and my dogs on board. Park my truck/trailer and walk back down to find them using water skii's as oars (dead battery). Such a heavy wind that they fnally had to throw me a rope so I could pull the boat ashore....

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2003 Horizon 240 With 5.7 Volvo Penta

Earlier this year I was pulling the boat out. I looked back and noticed the boat was listing on the trailer (still submerged). So I backed up a foot, readjusted the boat (as I backed it up far enough to get it floating), pulled forward a foot and same result. Took me a good couple of minutes trying to ponder the physics of the situation before I realized I was just being a dumb @ss.

Felt quite lucky I am always hyper paranoid on the ramp and keep my eyes behind me. Could have been a real issue if I had blindly driven away.

So, he's going to be back ion the water in a boat capable of 65mph ++ with a record of driving a boat whilst drunk ? Will he do it again; maybe not immediately, but eventually! Scary, things like thet make me thankful I don't boat in the US !

We've had a few fatalities here in LI already where BWI was an issue. Lets hope the new boat gives him unending trouble and he never gets to take it out. I have no patience for that kind of human dirt.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I'm with LouC. Dont get me wrong, I love my beer but never operate a vehicle or boat under the influence. I did when I was young and stupid but smartened up in my late twenties. I'm glad I did.

I always say now;
Water on the water,
Beer on the pier!

John

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07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

With the fact that boating is a recreation, the laws should be very strict IMHO....get a BWI, and you don't get to own a boat anymore. (or at least for a long time...10 years or something for maturity to set in) You should have to be screened for a BWI on record just like you get screened for things before buying a gun.

they have talk about adding breathalizers on cars that prevent them from starting if you blow DUI, boats would be a PERFECT place to try out that technology.

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2012 H210--First Boat! Woo Hoo!
2013 Ford F150 Eco-Boost V6

Ric, your buddy is an idiot.

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Current: SL 222 2010 - AQUAVIT
Previous: 180 RX 1997 - BATTEN

Already shared my reversing the wiring on my two batteries. No alcohol involved but a very hot mid day sun and a long morning of boat cleaning, etc. $450 is a hard lesson to learn but not as bad as several grand. I try to be hyper vigilant about everything with the boat as a simple slip up can cost hundreds or even thousands and I want progress to be forward ever, backward never

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Fun2bethad
1999 F.W. 238 Vista
"Don't Panic!" (upside down of course)

My best mistake was taking off and getting the prop tangled in the anchor chain. Almost sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan when I finally got the prop off and I didn't want to let go of it. Ended up getting towed 22 miles back to St. Joe, Mi that night, when a simple swap of props would have solved my problem.

Next best was when I put the swim platform on. Took the batteries out so I could have better access to the stern of the boat. Forgot to re-connect one positive wire (the one for the fuel pump) Boat would turn over, but not fire. Took boat back home ( 80 miles round trip ) and the next morning discoverd the wire not connected. Boat fired right up.

3rd best ( and lucky nothing happened ) was on maiden voyage, drove home 25 miles without the tie-downs on the rear of the boat on. Boat just dangling on the trailer winch strap, which by the way busted on me this past weekend when taking the boat out of Torch on our way to Charlevoix. Either one could have been real mess and you would be reading about me in the paper.....

4th best ( again lucky nothing worse happened ) had a buddy help me connect the fish finder. He hardwired it to the battery as opposed to an open fuse. Next day went back to boat to finish up and smelled burning plastic. Wire had melted some of the side wall fabric and had started to singe a roll of paper towels it was run over on a temp basis. Wire he used was way to small of a gauge as well. Building the boat was in has my uncle's old car collection in....

Can you tell I am a rookie !!!

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1994 235 Sundowner w/351 Ford

So I am a newbie as well, just Bought a 1996 Four Winns 238 Vista DLX from a boat dealer (consignment) It has no extra chain or strap at the winch and no transom tie downs...the mechanic told me the boat was big enough that it didn't need them it wasn't going anywhere...was he not telling the truth? Should I go put some on there right away?

TIA,

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Chris and Alicia
Las Vegas, NV
ALTIVA
1996 Four Winns 238 Vista Dlx 5.8Fi

My mistake was boating in Pigeon lake with all its unmarked or uncharted rocks. $635 for new prop, + $260 to repair old prop, I now have a spare prop and an expensive lesson

I just dropped off the boat to the FW recommended shop to fix a few gelcoat blemishes too.

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop