www.iFourWinns.com

I went to the boat show here in GR on Wednesday night. As expected attendance was pretty light....both by buyers and dealers/manufacturers. There was a distinct lack of big boats. The biggest were a 31' Cobalt and 30' Regal.

Halls Sport Center was there representing Four Winns. They had at least one of everything in the H and SL series up to the H260 and SL262. They had one or two F series boats. Many of the boats were 2008s from what I could tell. The only "cruiser" was a V248. All the prices seemed to be in line with what I have seen for left over models out there.

In comparsison to last years show which featured a lot of new models and bigger boats this show was quite different. Many of the dealers had 2008 and 2009 boats they were trying to get rid of. It seemed more like a last ditch effort to sell some of the old inventory than a show to feature the latest and greatest.

The Cobalt A25 was there. The is the boat with the hydraulic swim platform. It is a nice boat for sure, but for the money....there is a lot more boat to be had out there. The swim platform seems to use Mercruiser style hydraulic rams which act as part of a 4-bar linkgage. I guess I can sort of see the appeal for those that spend inordinant amounts of time at the sand bar or rafted up.

A local radio station did an extreme makeover on a Vietnam vets old (1974) Sea Ray. The boat looked really nice once they were done with it. He apparantly is a nice guy that helps everyone and hasn't had the time to finish his own project.

The show was still an overall postive experience. It was nice to think about summer and spending time on the water.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Glad you made it to the show.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Heading to the boat show this weekend too. Did you see the HO tube sales? What do you think of their prices? I heard that they are really just another attraction supported by Action Sports.

I honestly didn't even look at the tubes. I saw them there and all, I'm just not in the market for one so I didn't stroll through the area to look at the prices.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

As RR said, most dealers brought 2008 and 2009 models. FW sold almost all their H180's and a few other bowriders, All the Glastron bowriders were sold except one, Sea Ray brought all 2010 model boats with the exception of one 2009. As of Sunday, the SR dealer had sold about 15 boats at the show, and had follow up calls to make for 30 more interested parties.
We did not spend much time at Regal, Cobalt , fishy boats or the pontoons, so I don't know how well they did. All dealers I spoke with said it was one of their best shows (for sales and leads) in two years. That is encouraging.
The admiral found our next boat, and it's a good thing I was there, or we may have been a two boat owner yesterday. Not the boat I would have thought, but it's a possibility we may be able to work something out. We will have to order it however, as the price for ordering one new, was the same as the discounted show prices, which ends this Friday. Glad we went to the show. Both the admiral and I had an idea what boat we wanted, but needed to "try them on for size". What we both originally wanted, did not end up being to our liking. So it's good we went and looked at least.
Nice to see Wet Doggg and his beautiful family at the show too, as well as having lunch with them afterwards.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Glad to hear boats are selling. Especially in Michigan that has been hard hit with this economy. Maybe things are looking up.

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2003 268 Four Winns Vista
F-350 King Ranch Diesel (Tow)
1990 Four Winns Fredom 180

Which one didn't sell?

That new dealer repo 17fter with the 90 HP E-Tec had me thinking....at $11k or whatever the price was it could make a nice little boat.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

This GLS195 was not sold. Priced at $19K with 305 V8 stern drive, it would have been a peppy boat for sure. My wife really liked it. Me not so much.


Yeah, that SSV170 was a neat little boat for sure.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

It was a good show. We went on Thursdsay night and it was pretty dead. Had a nice conversation with Harold from Halls. He is HAPPY with the new changes at 4W. $ is starting to flow back to the dealers, no worries about warranties, and he is excited about their future.

The Cobalts were nice and I like the Regals too. Nothing I had to have at the show, but my buddy wants to borrow my kid and push around the stroller just to troll for chicks!

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2001 Horizon 260 - 7.4 Volvo GSI DP