Boomerang

I have a 1995 296 and like you have considered an extended swim platform.. Advise you consider the integrated stainless swim ladder and its cover on the port side of the existing platform. To install the extended platform you couldn't use lag screws in that area. After looking at this I decided not to go with the extension.

I'm looking for someone who can tell me how to access the thru hull fitting for the toilet from inside my 1995 296 cruiser. Apparently the fitting or the hose is leaking and filling my bilge. The leak is fairly small right now, but I know it will only get worse. I am sure that this is the problem because there is only this one below water fitting on the boat. I have removed the fridge, looked under all cupboards to no avail. There is not a hatch in the main cabin floor and the hatch to the V berth shows nothing as well. I know there should be access to the shutoff but I am unable to locate. I do not want to take the boat on any trips until this problem is solved. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Mike

We have a Lewmar 700 on our 296 and it works great. The unit is smaller in size than some other winches which is nice if you place it in a bow anchor locker. This unit will handle both chain and rope Advise that you have the electrics installed by a pro, because you will need circuit braaker at least 50amp as well as wiring to your up/down switch. Our switch is mounted on the helm dash. It is very important to have the proper size wire cable from your battery to the breaker and then to the winch. Consider that you will need 2 cables (+ & -) The reason I'm saying this is we watched a boat catch fire last year while pulling in their anchor. Turns out the cable wasn't of proper size and they did not have a circuit breaker. Good luck.

Don't forget to check the fuse in the power line attached to the back of your stereo unit. Remove the screws and slide out the stereo unit to check the in line fuse.

We named oiur 1995 296 "Boomerang" because it always comes back to its home dock in the Fraser River. The waters around Vancouver B.C. can be very unpredictable with wind and tides, but the 296 handles it very well.

Our 1995 296 has a Lewmar 700 windlass and it works great. We have a dedicated battery and 50 amp breaker. Never had a problem with this setup. When pulling up the anchor I just put the boat in forward motion for about 2 seconds then hit the up switch on the windlass and it pulls the boat without effort to the anchor. We changed the wire to the anchor locker using std. battery calble. It's expensive to do this but eleminates to possiblity of overheating the wiring.

Here is a tip some fellow boaters gave me on the plastic windows----use Lemon Pledge spray the furniture polish, it works like a wonder. My windows were not only starting to yellow, but also getting somewhat stiff. Clean the windows with soap and water, then dry. Spray on the Pledge on both sides and rub until clear. The other advantage is that it repels water while under way and elimenates water spots. Happy boating Boomerang

I am willing to bet that your problem could be a dirty flame arrester/carb filter. It could be that your engine is starved for air. If you have been getting bad gas mileage this could also be the problem. It is amazing how much particulate gets into the flame arresters from standard wear of the engine belts. Mike

I have a 296 CR and changed the flooring in the main cabin to laminate,even if I say so myself it turned out great and is much easier to keep clean. I only did this on the steps into the cabin and the main floor area. I did not do the dining area or the mid cabin as those areas were not a problem. I have 4 pics that may help you. Note: all the laminate is glued down. We are in the Vancouver area. Email me Mike