2012 Four Winns Website

Mark T · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:32 am

oops forgot link
http://www.boatguideweb.com/makes/four_ ... es/s215ss/

oscar · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:28 am

Cap'n Morgan wrote:

The Euro's really like the S215. Congrats to Four Winns !

right, here cuddy cabin boats are much more appreciated than bowriders, usually if we want an open boat we buy a center consolle open or a walk around one.

hutch9900 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:14 pm **Posts:** 456

There are some things that I like about this boat, being a Cuddy owner. I like the roll up door to the cuddy and also the way that the v birth turns into a bed so quick and easy. I often find that my doors end up getting in the way or becoming knee or ankle scrapers. As for the V birth, I hate fumbling with the boards and pulling the velcro on the side rails late at night in the muggy heat. I also love the sunpad for the bow. The styling is amazing on this thing. Also would really love a windlass, but not really sure that it is really that necessary for a small Cuddy.

As for the things I dont like about the new cuddy, there are a lot to mention. Just a few are, where is the sink?? Why did they go away from the U shape seating that I have?? What about the table?? He pointed to the storage under the V birth as a location for the head, what about the slide away that goes under the cockpit as mine does?? The U shapes seating that my boat has is fantastic. Without this, my boat would feel like a cramped, "older" style cuddy. The cockpit just looks too cramped for my liking. The table is great for playing cards late at night on the water and having drinks. The boat would lose a lot of funtime without it. Having a fill in cushion for the U shape seating is also another benifit for lounging or sleeping at night (which my wife and I did 5 times this past season). Also, maybe I missed it, but I do appreciate the remotes for my stereo at the helm and on the swim platform. These things for me are non-negotiable items on a boat, now that I have had them.

Sea Gar · **Posted:** Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:00 pm

298 Vista wrote:
"The cuddy is not a very attractive boat but it is a very practical boat especially for active families who have small children that need a cabin for down-time. Perhaps a sign of the hard times where young families can no longer afford a small or mid-sized cabin cruiser. Hats off to Gores and Four Winns for bringing this model back"

Perhaps I am interpreting your statement incorrectly, and if I am I apologize . Are you slamming the S215 or Cuddys in general?

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:56 am

Quote:

“We are extremely proud to receive this award,” said Roch Lambert, group president, Rec Boat Holdings. “It is a true endorsement of our renewed philosophy on engineering and design and what it means to our consumers. Producing an award-winning product truly makes our brands stand out from the rest, as the elite group of judges has confirmed through this competition.”

The judging panel, made up of test drivers from seven European nations as well as several journalists, agreed on 25 boats in five categories. Four Winns competed with boat builders from around the world, with the field being narrowed to manufacturers from England via Sweden and Germany to Poland. Many new boats being introduced across several markets made the judging very challenging.

The S215, a 21-foot, 4-inch closed-bow sportboat that features the Four Winns exclusive Stable Vee hull design, offers consumers a versatile, spacious craft for a full day on the water.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:05 am

hutch9900 wrote:

As for the things I dont like about the new cuddy, there are a lot to mention. Just a few are, where is the sink?? Why did they go away from the U shape seating that I have?? What about the table?? He pointed to the storage under the V birth as a location for the head, what about the slide away that goes under the cockpit as mine does?? The U shapes seating that my boat has is fantastic. Without this, my boat would feel like a cramped, "older" style cuddy. The cockpit just looks too cramped for my liking. The table is great for playing cards late at night on the water and having drinks. The boat would lose a lot of funtime without it. Having a fill in cushion for the U shape seating is also another benifit for lounging or sleeping at night (which my wife and I did 5 times this past season). Also, maybe I missed it, but I do appreciate the remotes for my stereo at the helm and on the swim platform. These things for me are non-negotiable items on a boat, now that I have had them.

I think the anwers to all of your questions lie in the the fact that the LOA of the new boat is 21'4" and your boat has an LOA of 23'0". They are now including the extended platform as part of the length they use in the naming designations. The new S215 is actually closer in size to the old 195 Sundowner they made up until 1998.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:33 am

RotaryRacer wrote:

I think the anwers to all of your questions lie in the the fact that the LOA of the new boat is 21'4" and your boat has an LOA of 23'0". They are now including the extended platform as part of the length they use in the naming designations. The new S215 is actually closer in size to the old 195 Sundowner they made up until 1998.

This is correct. They discontinued the standard seating profile and do the "Sunsport" only now, along with integrated swim platforms instead of it being an "add on feature".

Let's take for example my 2000 H180 with standard seating. To purchase a 2012 Four Winns with the same amount of interior room, I would need to buy a H240. The 2012 H180's leg room is half of the older boats.

I do not see a problem with this. In the older boats they sacrificed storage for leg room. You know where my cooler sits? On a seat. Between my snap in covers, life jackets, cleaning supplies, magma grill, tool and fluids kit.. I have ZERO storage space left. I've actually considered spending the $800 to convert the helm seat folding seat to a swivel so I can fit a bigger cooler behind me. That would work out amazing. The 2012 H180 can store twice as much as that, and fit wakeboards in the locker, and has a cooler built in. Worth every penny. I imagine the new S215 has less leg room then the older Sundowners, but I bet it makes up for it in storage.

Sure, it's 2012 Cuddy of the year have you seen the other brands?? Yuckkkkkkkkkkkkk.... but I'm with you guys. The mid 2000's model is better.

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:18 pm

Actually Ric, some of the older FW models, were both bigger than current models and had less wasted space. And in addition they were lighter as well.
For example, my old '88 200 Horizon, is 20'9" long, about as big as a current 210. The current 200 is 19'8", over a foot shorter. Yet my 88 is about 400 lbs lighter.
Then there is the design of the rear sunpad/seating, on some of them it wastes space, and if you don't use the big sunpad, it's not that much of a benefit. My boat has the sunsport seating and it has a lot of storage on both sides of the engine. I don't need a big swim platform, or a big sunpad, but the sunsport seating gives the storage to stow a big cooler, and the bow and cockpit covers when underway.
To get a boat as big as the one I have now, I'd have to go to at least a 210.
Imagine how big that new cuddy would seem, if they got rid of the sun pad, put in a Euro Transom with a small swim platform and went to outboard power. It'd be as big as a 23 footer no doubt, but not as expensive and lighter and cheaper to operate. This is what boat companies sometimes do not comprehend. The auto industry has offered more space efficient and lighter products, because the market wants that. I don't doubt that boaters would go for it as well.

Graham R · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 5:43 pm

All the ESP on my 2004 245 Sundowner does is to cost me more mooring fees in the marina ! Sorry, wrong, it also prevents me from checking the props/ outdrive without getting in the (14 deg. C/ 57 deg.F max in the last 5 years) water and amplifies the sound from the exhaust; I'm not a big fan of it.

I really don't see anything (yet) in the FW range I would change the boat for unless I go for a cruiser with a diesel engine (then that's big money).

Graham

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:47 pm

Right there on the ESP, I would not want a boat that I can't hang off the stern and change a prop without getting in the water. Plus it makes doing the drive R+R a head banging pain in the butt.

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:59 pm

Sea Gar wrote:

298 Vista wrote:
"The cuddy is not a very attractive boat but it is a very practical boat especially for active families who have small children that need a cabin for down-time. Perhaps a sign of the hard times where young families can no longer afford a small or mid-sized cabin cruiser. Hats off to Gores and Four Winns for bringing this model back"

Sea Gar wrote:

Perhaps I am interpreting your statement incorrectly, and if I am I apologize . Are you slamming the S215 or Cuddys in general?

Is a station wagon as attractive as a sports car? No, but practicality outweighs looks when it comes to a cuddy. Again, I think it is a good idea to bring the cuddy back because not every young family can afford a small to mid-sized cruiser anymore. Slamming the cuddy? No way.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:38 pm

I'm a divorced 29 year old and I find a cuddy very attractive...

BUT...

The new S215 is around 75k out the door with a decent engine and the right options.

I can go anywhere and pickup a beautiful '99 V238 for under 20k that's 10x the boat and with around 5k of modern upgrades it's freaking sex on the water that makes me look like a dot com playboy. BUT, here lies the problem. My HOA limits me to around a 22ft boat and I live on a lake where a Vista would make me tool bag of the year so I'd have to get a cuddy if I wanted a cabin. I do want a cabin, but I'll never spend 25k for a 2005 Sundowner without headroom when I can get a 99 Vista for cheaper that has shower, kitchen, full bed.... So I stick with my Horizon and just dump money in that. I randomly see late 90's 205 Sundowners for under 10g's but it's basically my boat without bow seating and a coffin for a cabin.

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