268DA and Weekenders

I took off Friday with the intentions on going to the boat races but with a no wake I finally decided to go to Lake Geneva Thursday night. It was $22 to launch we went to Fontana for some thing to eat. The biggest problem is Docking; The bars up there rent all their slips out so you have a hard time finding a place dock. We over nighted at a Public pier but they have restrictions there, The Abby is $75 for an over night slip and the same for the public pier in Lake Geneva. We went back to Lake Geneva for lunch Friday and they charged $10per hr to dock there. The best thing there is the water it is so clean you can see about 20' down.

lv2bunderwater said:
Daddubo,

We were out on Saturday even though the Chain is No Wake. We got out about 3pm and stayed until around 9pm. The lakes were smooth as glass.

Hope you are well,
lv2bunderwater
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We love Lake Geneva! My wife and I were married there. Clean and deep water. A lot different than the Chain.

Pack a couple of coolers next time and drop anchor in Williams Bay.
 
The wife likes walking the town going to the diffrent shops. A lot of people anchored out at Big Foot Beach. I guess the docking is set up to keep the riff raff out.:lol:

quote=lv2bunderwater;380987]We love Lake Geneva! My wife and I were married there. Clean and deep water. A lot different than the Chain.

Pack a couple of coolers next time and drop anchor in Williams Bay.[/quote]
 
Send me a PM with your contact info. I will let you know the next time we are out. It will be a week before the "no wake" is lifted. If not more...
 
Hey guys, new here to CSR, saw this thread and figured I'd stop by!
I have a 1988 268 Sundancer, 'The Storm II', pictured below:
 
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harv72 said:
Thanks for the pictures Daddubo. It helps seeing the boat in action to get an idea of the size. I'd still like to hear from somebody with the cockpit dimensions on a 268 Weekender. They are pretty rare around here, so I don't have any to check out.

Thanks.
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I don't have dimensions but I do have a little experience with both models.

I love the WE lines! Great boat for day trips or an overnighter, especially for a couple. The galley offers a place for lunch and the cuddy is a great place for a nap if cool enough. Good dayboat with kids or overnighter without. Lots of room up on deck. Accessing the bow is a PIA though. Good for tubing, swimming or just hanging out.

The DA is hands down best for a family, especially if you stay out on the water for a weekend or week like we do. Not much room on top (26' long with the 8' beam) but enough. All the usable space is for stowing all your gear, preparing meals and sleeping/napping. Can still tube, etc but no speed demon.

The layouts, dimensions, accessability etc changed some in '83.

Having a 240 WE and a 260 DA I THINK I'd ideally like a 270 or 300 WE...
 
Hello all
I just bought a 1988 268 weekender. When going at a very slow speeds she tends to waddle. Once I get moving she drives like a charm. The trim tabs are doing their job. What would cause this left to right waddling. She has hydralic steering and is easy enough to correct. As long as I don't over correct. Any solutions or thoughts ???
 
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That is the nature of the beast all I/O's do that. The trick is not to over compensate and make small adjustments. The longer you drive it the better you will get at handling her.

rookiecapt said:
Hello all
I just bought a 1988 268 weekender. When going at a very slow speeds she tends to waddle. Once I get moving she drives like a charm. The trim tabs are doing their job. What would cause this left to right waddling. She has hydralic steering and is easy enough to correct. As long as I don't over correct. Any solutions or thoughts ???
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Bump!
 
Well the mrs. And I looked at a 89 268 DA today. She really liked it. So hopefully we will get the seller down to a reasonable price and purchase it. We had looked a a few 270's but for some reason they didn't really appeal to the mrs. I found a really nice 220DA and we both liked it but another buyer got it before we did. Course then we saw it out on the lake today. But in all honesty.... I think the 268 will suit us the best for now. 315 hrs on 4.3l twins with alphas, full camper package, windless, all the galley upgrades avail that year and a trailer. Needs to be polished up. But the interior, cockpit, engine bay and bilge are immaculate! Wish us luck on the 268!
 
Daddubo,

What happened?
 
I mistakenly put a 180 t-stat in instead of a 160 when I got it ready for the spring. I should of put my glasses on. :smt021
As it turned out the 160 was to warm also so I have a 142 in it now that seems to keep it at 160 to 170.
That twin screw you are looking at sounds like a nice set up. I think for these heavy boats it is the way to go. :thumbsup:
Firerooster said:
Daddubo,

What happened?
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I am really curious as to why the 160 was not cool enough? I have the 454 in Excessve Green and she runs all day at 170. I run her here in AZ with air temps in the 110-115. She has the Bravo 3 however. I wonder if the alpha just doesnt have enough fresh water pressure to supply the 454.... have you back fulshed the entire fresh water pick up system? I wonder if there is some blockage in there.... Just a thought.
 
I think the biggest problem is the Alpha where it comes through the hull it reduces down to around 3/4" or less. I rebuilt the pump over the winter so that is all new. I had the lower unit off and replaced the pick up hose so all that is clear. I think yours has an external pump so better flow. I know on my Formula the raw water pump had a 1” pick up hose.
 
Do you beach your boat? how silty is the water that you boat in? THe reason I ask (I know you are pretty good with a wrench so no insult here) with the raw water systems, if you beach or have a lot of crap in the water....That stuff all gets caught up in the rear chases in the block and causes poor water flow and the back 2-4 cylinders will run significantly hotter. I am assuming when you had the heads off you would have seen that kind of build up and cleared it all out. Sorry just brain storming a little
 
Block is clean and clear heads were clean and the Manifolds are clean. The water I boat in is pretty muddy due to being shallow. I went to Wisconsin on a clean spring fed lake with a depth through the middle of over 100' and had to change props to make the boat perform I believe due to the water not being as dense. I have only beached the boat once not sure about the P.O... On the hose it will run at 140 but it is well water and being force fed. When I get it running I will see how much flow is coming through the pump by feeding the engine from inside and with the hose disconnected from the out drive and muffs on the lower unit. I think Merc wen to the bravo w/the BBC in 88 or 89.
My Formula 242LS was an 84 and it had the 330 and a TRS W/a Velvet Drive now that was a sweet set up.
 
Firerooster, if you get a 268 and plan on overnighting in it I would get a Genny and A/C not much air movement in these things. We don't get as hot as you do and it gets pretty uncomfortable. I bought a 12V fan from west Marine and that helped a lot. One thing I would check would be for rot in the bilge along the 2 side shelf’s and the transom. But that might not be an issue where you are. Good luck with your purchase.
Firerooster said:
W. But in all honesty.... I think the 268 will suit us the best for now. 315 hrs on 4.3l twins with alphas, full camper package, windless, all the galley upgrades avail that year and a trailer. Needs to be polished up. But the interior, cockpit, engine bay and bilge are immaculate! Wish us luck on the 268!
Click to expand...
 
Cool, thanks for the tips! We are in a holding pattern at this moment. The owner hasn't accepted our offer as of yet....:(. Broker says he wants the full asking price. Well if that's the case then the wife and I are about 500.00 short of the purchase and unable to also pay a surveyor, and have about 2000.00 above that for issues that may arise right after the purchase etc. And momma and I agree doest matter how much we want it. No financing! So if he turns down our offer, then we will have to just pass on it. Hopefully it will be there in a few months when we get the extra cash saved. It's fine tho.... I have a great boat for now. Did you get the temp issue with yours sorted out?
 
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