www.iFourWinns.com

First of all, boy am I glad I found you folks...after much searching throughout the vast reaches of the interwebs, I believe I have finally found the proper forum to get some solid advice. Now onto the business:

We have never owned a boat before but I have spent much time on several friends' over the past 10 years. We recently bought a home close to a couple of lakes outside of the Raleigh, NC (Holly Springs) area and one of the main reasons for moving to the area was close proximity to the lakes. Some of our friends live in the area and are boat owners and we have fallen in love with the area and ability to put in so quickly from home on a regular basis. We came very close to pulling the trigger on a brand new 2009 Crownline 210LS 4.3 F/I Merc late this summer but figured it best to wait until the colder months and look for some deals. We want a boat that we can put in and out easily and without much fanfare but I would like to be able to take it on trips to the coast from time to time, put in in the ICW, sound, or maybe even take it a mile or 2 off coast and renew my lost hobby of scuba diving. Keep in mind that trips to the coast with the boat would likely consume MAYBE 5% of the usage, but I would like to have the ability if at all possible. I have been looking and reading up for over a year and tend to be a little over the top when it comes to research and analysis when making large scale purchases (though I think it better than the other end of the spectrum).

Fast forward to now....I have happened upon an '04 FW 214 Funship with Volvo Penta (270hp) with under 100hrs, front and rear shower heads, sink, porti potti, double axle matching trailer etc...seems to be fully decked out. Now keep in mind I have yet to see the boat in person other than pictures, but it appears to be a decent deal at $18,900 from a private seller. I would assume I could get it to $17,900 or lower, but for the sake of this inquiry, lets just assume the full asking price. I like the looks of the boat and the specs, but for the life of me cannot find ANY review, test, or objective thoughts on this model anywhere. I understand the risk/reward of buying new -vs- used when it comes to warranty and I have already called around and spoken to some local shops re: routine maintenance and the like. Basically I am hoping to get some feedback on what the consensus is on the boat itself and of course if the board thinks this is a decent deal. Feel free to come in guns blazing as I have an automotive background and when folks ask me about vehicles and the like, I tend to pull no punches.

Thanks to everyone ahead of time.

Regards,

- ebnflow

What's your regular lake size? A deck boat won't take large chop quite as well as a bow rider. Not horrid mind you...just that a bowrider cuts the waves better.

If the 270hp is the 5.0L engine you may get a few owners telling you to look for a 5.7L engine for a boat that size.

At first glance the price seems decent. Don't be afraid to search multiple states and dealers for deals. I'm sure all of us on here would vouch for the FW quality.

_________________
2005 Horizon 210, 5.7L Volvo

We very nearly bought that same boat new, except an '05 (exact same boat). We liked it a lot with the 300MAG/BravoIII package. I would not have it with anything less than a 5.7L. FW boats are a bit heavy (which is one reason for their reputation for good ride quality), and the Funships are the heaviest of the non-cruisers.

In the end we wound up with the 1-size-larger 230 Horizon (now called the 240) because 1) during the 214 sea trial I discovered the top band of the windshield cut right across my field of view no matter how I adjusted the seat, and 2) the 230 is longer with more floor space and is virtually identical in weight, which was important to me since long tows are the norm here.

But - if it hadn't been for the visibility issue, we would likely own that boat right now.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

^^ The main lake is not a large one by any means (Harris Lake in Holly Springs, NC) though we would likely be going just down the road to a larger one from time to time (Jordan Lake). Re: engine size, that was a concern of mine, knowing the boat tends to be a little on the heavy side. However, we are not into water sports so much as R&R and cruising so I don't know how much of an issue it would be in the long run.

^Thanks for the input on field of view and thoughts.

One thing to consider when buying a boat is even though the engine package may meet your needs, if its an undesirable package...it may cost you in resale down the road. If you like this boat and are able to "buy it right"...you may not care either way.

_________________
Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

As an FS 214 owner, I'll add the following thoughts:

I prefer the 5.7 as others have suggested but one thing you didn't note was whether or not it has a duoprop. With a duoprop, a 5.0 may be just fine.

The Funship does "OK" in choppy waters, but not great. I boat in the ocean frequently and even up at the lake I boat at, it can be a drag on big-chop days. The FS tends to slap into chop rather than cut through it.

I love the size and functionality of the FS 214 - it is very family friendly and is a great multi-purpose boat. The porta-potty is good for chicks and kids and having showers at bow and stern is nice also. The swim step is awesome for hanging out or to get a ski/wakeboard on.

It is kind of heavy and not the easiest boat to launch and retreive solo. Being somewhat taller than the Horizon boats, the FS has a bit more windage so on windy days you may tend to get blown off track when retreiving.

I have been very happy with my FS 214 as my first boat. Now that I have had it for 6 years or so, I have a better idea of the type of boating and watersports that I do. When I do it again, I'll likely go for a Horizon 200 or 220 for rougher water handling, but I know that I will miss the spacious interior of the FS.....

_________________
2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

I have a 08 224 funship with the 5.0. We love it. It is family friendly, roomy and comfortable. We boat on a large lake (27 Miles long). We have little issue with the chop. It is not smooth, but not bad. We moved up from a 19ft bow rider that we had to sell because the lake chop was killing us.
Good luck