www.iFourWinns.com

A recent study that lists the top 10 boat builders that prospective buyers search for when
looking for a boat. This study was conducted for a 24 month period from 8/1/08 thru 8/1/10 by
North American customers only. These are internet searches only, and not a highly scientific
study, just what the numbers came out to be over 2 years.

Any guess's as to what the 10 brands are ? You might be suprised at a few of them. I'll post the
list if and when there are a few responses. Give it a try !

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

In no particular order...

Bayliner

Sea Ray

Glastron

Larson

Tahoe

Crownline

Four Winns

Rinker

MasterCraft

Chirs Craft

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

I'll try (In no particular order...)

Bayliner

Sea Ray

Cobalt

Baja

Tahoe

Crownline

Four Winns

Rinker

MasterCraft

Malibu

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Norris Lake, Stardust Marina, Andersonville, TN
2005 Four Winns 230 Horizon 5.7L Volvo Gi/DP
2001 Maxum 1900SR 5.0L V8 (Sold)
2011 Nissan Armada Platnum

Ok, I'll play...........

Sea Ray
Cruisers Yachts
Bayliner
FourWinns
Carver
Regal
Viking
Rinker
Doral
Larson

Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

I think that Sting Ray could make the list as well. I see a lot of advertising for that brand in Trailer Boats magazine.

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Scott
2008 Horizon 210 Frenzy Edition
Volvo 5.7L Gi

I'll play too, since we have -11 degree days now, with 24 inches of snow on the ground and summer never getting here!

Sea Ray
Crownline
Baja
Cruisers
Formula
Ranger Boats
Rinker
Glastron
Lund
Larson

Hows that?

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2008 378 Vista
"Not 2 SHABI"
IPS 500 Volvo-Penta D6

Previously
'06 318 Vista
'97 258 Vista
'98 195 Sundowner
'87 180 Horizon

Thanks for giving it a try, good guesses ! here is the list in order.

1. Sea Ray

2. Bayliner

3. Mastercraft

4. Baja

5. Boston Whaler

6. Ranger

7. Malibu

8. Chaparral

9. Wellcraft

10. Grady-White


I was suprised no Four Winns, Regal or any Pontoons.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Dang, I should have stopped guessing after my first three picks.......I would have had two out of three right.

Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

I kinda thought that Four Winns would not be on the list. For people that do not know boats already, it is likely not one that they think of ... it seems.

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

I'm surprised Wellcraft was on the list. Otherwise the list makes sense to me. Honestly, I'm ashamed with my attempt.

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

I agree, most people dont think about Four Winns if they dont already know someone who has one or has ever seen one, but when they do I bet it hits the top of their list. I am also shocked about Wellcraft, but for some reason their name has been popping up on the used boat market a lot lately, in fact I lost two sales for my 298 to Wellcrafts, older models in fact. I think there must be an influx of used ones on the market, I do know they had some major stringer issues a while back so its possible they are going for real cheap, I wish we knew if they were people searching for new boats or used boats...That may show what the perceived resale value of used boats are and the perceived new boat quality is.

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1999 298 Vista [color=#FF0000]Sold!!!
twin Volvo 5.7GXI

Woody: Pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Alright, but stop me at one...make that one-thirty

Boattrader re-visited the search for boats topic this month. These are searches done on Boattrader.
Four Winns is not even listed. I think that says something about the brand. Not exactly sure what though.
Also no Rinker, Monterey,Ebbtide, but Regal did just slip in on this list.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I think what is says is that people are just not interested in the direction FW is going. Especially the Euro
design it seems to be trending to. Customer support and word of mouth go a long way as well.

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2011 Bennington 2075 GLi
2012 Key West 211 DC
2005 Four winns 180 Horizon LE
1997 Horizon QXsold
2000 248 Vistasold
2002 Key West 2020WA sold

I find it interesting that Regal just slipped in. I put both Regal/FW on par with each other.

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

I think it might be interesting to know what the approximate number of new boats that each manufacturer produced in the last say five years or so?

Maybe Ranger, Boston Whaler, Mastercraft and Baja produce many more boats than some of the other boat manufactures? I don't know, but the more boats out there of a specific brand likely influences the general publics knowledge of the brand name, eg SeaRay and Bayliner.

Also I'm just guessing, but I'd think there would be more searches done for boats under say $100,000 than above $100,000.
Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation