www.iFourWinns.com

Just got back a few hours ago. I fell in love... but more on that coming soon. Reasonable crowd for opening night, although it seemed like the non-boater lookie-lou's dominated. Certainly fewer boats than last year, particularly bigger boats. Of the brands I knew would be there, I went with a list of six specific boats I wanted to see and four of them were there. For those interested in my take on what I saw, I'll start with my first three stops...

-Happy to see Chris Craft represented, but I went to them first to see the Roamer 40. It wan't there. But the rep who greeted me couldn't have been nicer and was eager to chat about the Roamer. They make a pretty boat - here's their OB Catalina 29:


-Off to Jeanneau next hoping to see the Prestige 42S... it was there. Beautiful boat. Better looking (less radical) in person than in pictures...


Great layout with a deck saloon under a hard top with an amazing full-beam retractable roof...


Giant retractable window aft between the saloon and spacious cockpit. A really great setup for indoor/outdoor living...



Great skylight from the foredeck to the lower salon...


Terrific mid-cabin...


Great helm layout (if you're OK with only one display) - BUT - the BIG problem... the sight lines are terrible. A real disappointment. If you're anywhere near six feet tall as I am, you basically can't stand at the helm and have great visibility and, even worse, there are two huge pillars in each windshield corner. I'm told you get used to it - which is probably true, but it was a big turnoff. Plus a very steep drop into the cabin that would be impossible for the pooch making it a deal breaker...


It was disappointing as I love so much about this boat and the salesperson I spent quite a bit of time with couldn't have been more terrific.

Next it was off to Cruisers to see the 420 Sports Coupe which is essentially the modern, hard-top version of their old 3870, which two of my good friends each own. Apparently this particular dealership had no real interest in a potential customer as the salesman on board didn't even acknowledge my presence. I did my walk-though, sat at the helm to get a feel for it, snapped the following shots and left without even nod from this guy. It's a terrific boat but if I go with a hard-top, full glass-front express, the relatively small retractable sunroof isn't going to cut it. Also, no true door to the forward stateroom which is another deal breaker on my next boat.


Off to Regal next - I have read every write-up on the 44 SC and wanted to finally get on board. It wasn't there! Unbelievable. The Regal guys couldn't have been cooler but it was a great disappointment. It will be at the Atlantic City show.

That's it for now... coming soon, a couple of Brunswick boats and the new object of my affection.

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

Nice to see an actual review and write up of a boat show on this site for a change. Good observations on your part. looking forward to your Meridian review.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Thanks for the write up Sierra. Had I known you were really after the 44' Regal I would have spent quite a bit more time onboard and taken pics, and gotten a review from my friend who owns a 340DA, as well as myself.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Thanks firecade - I'll see one soon enough. I'm not crazy about the lines of the boat in pictures, but I know that can change when you see it in person. From every write-up I've read (and I've read them all), it seems like a lot of good r&d went into its design and it is based on a proven platform, so they're not really working out bugs.

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

O.K…. onto Meridian. Last year, their newly introduced 441 was the primary boat I went to the show to see and, as some of you may remember, I was very impressed. As much as I liked it, over the past year a got a better sense of my target size and have come to the conclusion that it’s more boat than I’m interested in. 40 to 43 feet really feels like the sweet spot. Anyway, based on my reaction to the 441 I have been eager to see their 391. Obviously keep in mind that going to a boat show is much like going to a new car showroom in that you can get a handle on look and feel, fit and finish, livability and quality of craftsmanship in what you can see. While all of this is important, it must be weighed against quality of hull construction, seaworthiness and service reputation as it applies to how you use your boat. And that obviously requires research and actually running the boat. So my comments are simply based on what was apparent.



There is a lot to like about this boat. I think it is a great looking vessel and there is a lot of value there. One of the reasons I am drawn to it is the size of the flybridge. I find the bridges on most American built sedans in this size range to be too small. The Sea Ray 44 (formerly the 42) is a fine boat, but the space on the bridge pales in comparison to the Meridian. I want a bridge to feel like cockpit of an express and the Meridian really accomplishes that… (although the table is tiny)



I absolutely love the helm layout… (although the Captains chair is just OK)



The salon and galley feel very spacious for a boat this size…




It really makes great use of space and feels like a very manageable and livable boat. Here’s what I can’t get away from. After owning Sea Rays, a Formula and a Four Winns, it feels like a bit of a step down in terms of the quality of some of the materials. Not a huge step, but for example… I think the fit and finish in the cabin on my V358 is excellent for a boat in this class. The new Sea Rays have also really stepped up their interior finishes. In the Meridian it feels comparatively just OK. Not bad, but it would feel like a step backwards. I also get that feeling from some of the hardware. For example, in my opinion, Formula and Cruisers excel with their use of top-tier cleats and latches in exterior storage areas. Then Sea Ray, then Four Winns. Meridian is a step beneath that. And then there are the smaller items that don’t determine which boat you buy, but once you grow accustom to something, you don’t want to give it up. One example is the screened hatches in the FW. The Merdian’s forward stateroom doesn’t have one (and it wouldn’t be an easy retrofit). But again, there is a lot to like about this boat. The salesperson I have been dealing with is terrific and the kind of guy I would love to buy a boat from. So it’s not off my list and I will be sea-trialing one soon enough.

A couple of Sea Rays coming next…

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

Thanks for all the great pictures, we have been looking at the 391. We spent a lot of time on it at the Ft Myers show and find the cabin layout perfect for our boating stlye. The fly bridge room is very large and would hold evryone that we normally boat with. Our local Marine Max dealer is going to call if he finds a used one with lower hours they haven't changed much at all since 2006 so I would maybe look at one that old if it shows up.

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2008 318 Vista "Ka-wai-ola"
350 MPI/BravoIII DTS Seacore
2006 1500 Key West -70 Yamaha
Previous Boats
Key West 2300CC
Pacemaker 270 Sport Fish
290 Sea Ray

You guys need to slow down! You both have nice '08s! Wait 10 years or so before you upgrade. A 318 is on my short list in about 10 years!

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Having owned a motor yacht in the past , you can't beat the view and the lack of noise from the fly bridge. The only downside to owning a sedan or motor yacht, is all the steps involved. It wasn't bad when I first bought the boat because we had only one child but by the time we had four, the steps were a killer due to all the trips I had to make. However, the view and lack of noise from the fly bridge overrides the step issue IMO and that aspect of motor yacht ownership is something I definitely miss now that I am back to my sport cruiser. Great reviews and good luck with the purchase.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

Alright, off to Sea Ray. I actually wasn't going to even look at em' this year as they don't have a boat on my radar to potentially own, but the Meridian dealer rightly suggested that we hop on board the 44 Sedan Bridge right after seeing the Meridian. It was a good idea in confirming my feelings about the Meridian's larger bridge and general use of space over the SR, but it reminded me of some of the quality differences as well (in favor of Sea Ray). The thing is, when I walk by a brand new model that I've been reading about, of course, I have to check it out. So I boarded the new 450 Sundancer...



This is the one with the "media room"...




The interior finish definitely shows where Sea Ray has caught up with the times and it is definitely yacht-worthy...



No helm pictures, but again, I was disappointed with the headroom and the sight lines when standing. It's got a sunroof, but it's pales in comparison to other brands' full-beam, retractable roof offerings. This boat is for a very specific buyer. The media room is certainly a cool concept and may appeal to some, particularly the floating-condo couples, but it's nothing I would want on a boat in this class (and I'm an audio/videophile). It is a lot of space to sacrifice on a single stateroom boat. A great boat in many respects, but not for me. And for a boat that retails for around a million bucks (not the market I'm looking at anyway), there are a LOT of other choices where you can get a lot more quality boat bang for your buck.

Then, I saw the successor to one of my favorite Sea Rays of all time, the 48 Sundancer. Meet the 500...



No sight-line issues here. That windshield is a massive wall of glass. Fantastic in every way for a boat in this class...



No surprise it has been such an enduring design. It actually used to be on my radar as there are deals to be had on preowned 48's, but it is now more boat than I am interested in. And no large, retractable roof! But what a beauty.

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

Did Four Winns have any boats there at all?

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07 Tiara Sovran 4300
07 338 Vista - SOLD

No....Four Winns was not there. One of the Glastron sales people said FW almost went bankrupt. Not sure if that is true. I know the dealer here on Long Island stopped selling the brand. I thought the NY Boat show was small last year, this year even smaller. The recession really hit the manufactures hard.

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2004 230H 5.7 Gi DP - SOLD!

Glastron said FW almost went bankrupt... ha ha - that's funny...

Four Winns has remained profitable throughout all of this crud. They cut inventory, pulled back production - and played it safe. Unfortunately, it was most of Genmar's other brands that sucked the milk out of the cow.

I wouldn't touch a Glastron with a 10 foot pole. They use 10 year old hull designs on some of their boats -- Four Winns hand-me-downs actually...There's a thread or two on here about that.

When I was at the factory, they had a smaller horizon and had been experimenting with some VEC technology. They weren't happy with the results -- it just didn't hold up to stress.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Now, onto the latest object of my affection. The Best In Show, in my humble opinion. I love a beautiful express cruiser, I dig a sharp sedan bridge, but the longer I've been boating, the more I have begun to appreciate classic lines - a forward sheer and a vessel that screams seaworthiness but still possesses that undefinable "cool" factor. When I read about this boat I thought it would fit the bill except I sensed it might feel too old school/conservative for my tastes. Fortunately, it was at the show and I couldn't have been more wrong. I will say that the pictures don't do justice to the feel of this boat when you're on board. I just felt at home right away and can't wait to run one (and again, the dealer insisted, with no pressure, that I come for a ride soon - even in the dead of winter). This is the new Sabre 40 Sedan.



I've always appreciated the Down East style, but never thought it was for me because it always appeared to be too enclosed, and I'm not ready to give up the breeze in my hair. The beauty of this design that so appealed to me is the almost full-beam sun roof and the helm station door - virtually unheard of in this class and style. You can run with the door and windows to the cockpit wide open, the sunroof and helm door wide open as well as the salon windows...




The helm is perfectly designed and the salon is framed in what feels like walls of glass. It's like the salon in a bridge boat without the bridge (although you can get the boat in a flybridge version, which I am eager to see).




The spacious cockpit was another thing that drew me in with forward and aft facing benches, something most sedans lack...



The galley is another big winner as it's neither a "galley up" nor a "galley down." It's more of a mid-galley with great light and views without removing the galley user from the salon or interfering with the helms-person's sight lines. A really neat design. One step down from the galley to starboard is the guest cabin/dinette/office. It has full standing headroom, complete privacy with sliding pocket doors and can be ordered/configured in several ways...



The master has a lower-than-normal berth for easy egress and more headroom. The woodwork is more traditional than my tastes but it is so well-crafted and stately that I found it very appealing. The head also employs a very smart use of space with a circular shower enclosure and plenty of room...





I can't wait to take it out and, of course, will report back with full details. It is a Zeus boat, which has its pros and cons, but it really is an exciting design that caught me completely by surprise in terms of how much I really liked it.



So that's my report. If you couldn't make the show, I hope the virtual tour was a worthy alternative.

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

I'm in LOVE with that boat. Thank you for the great report and pics!

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

Solid teak wood does that to you. What a beautiful yacht.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY