www.iFourWinns.com

Four Winns V-438 article from Boattest.com with pictures. (For those of you who are like me and don't like to read.)
http://www.boattest.com/Resources/view_ ... NewsID=351

Beautiful boat/yacht.

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

I know what my next boat is........

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Brett DiMichele

I wish I had 3/4 of a million dollars laying around to spend on a boat! It is beautiful!

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

It's not a lot of money.. If you haggle, figure out the door price will be around $500K so that's a cool half a mill. If I finance that for sixty years, I still won't be able to make the payment.

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Brett DiMichele

It certainly does look nice, but I can't understand why anyone would spend that kind on $ on an Express Cruiser in that size range. Other than the sleek lines they (large express cruisers) have nothing on many many other styles and offerings out there. For example, the Nordic tug 42 we looked at. $580K turnkey ready to cruise,very very well equipped, with the ability to stay out there exploring far longer than any Express cruiser in it's size class. More spacious, better sea keeping ability, true staterooms, etc. I guess that's must be why there are so so many Express Cruisers on the market.

Okay,blast away... At 45 I'm not getting to be an old boating fuddy-duddy am I? I guess I'm just looking for a boat I can actually enjoy to use...not $100/hr to operate in fuel cost.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

I guess the V438 represents the Sleek and Fast Crowd! It sure is a beauty, and it is nice to see that 4Winns is keeping up with the competition! After going on almost 15 years with 4 Winns it is good to know that it is a strong brand that folks will be talking about for some time!

Having said that, we also have moved to the Nordic mentality! I agree with you that it is by far one of the most comfortable, seaworthy and functional recreational boats out there! That Pilot House is incredible!!!!The 42 is a favorite of ours ever since we were invited aboard a relatively new one a few years back! Realistically there will be at least one more boat inbetween our current 268Vista and something like the Nordic 42! Right now it is a toss up between the Four Winns 318Vista and the Mainship 34Trawler! As you can see we are right on the fence. Time will tell which way we tip!~ The 318Vista with twin gas DP's flying out to Block Island at 30knots, or the 34Trawler with the single deisel slowly cruising along at maybe 12 to 15 knots just taking our time sitting up on the flybridge, sipping that dry martini???? I guess it's more a decision of lifestyle that will decide which way we go with our next move!

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'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

Trawlers look ooogley to me.. Why not make a concession between the sleek euro cruiser and the trawler and go with a 36' Silverton Salon Flybridge! Now there is a gorgeous hull, with lots of practical space!

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Brett DiMichele

i still think that swim platform resembles a picnic table top that looks like it was bolted on. is that measured in the length?

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2006 348 Vista
"some days you're the bug and some days you're the windshield"

We looked at the boat. The Admiral liked it, however, there is way too much carpet in the boat. We are looking for something that is easy to maintain. Figure two kids and a dog on the boat with us for a three week cruise. All that nice light colored carpet would look pretty ragged quickly. Sunbrella carpet runners are an option, but I would rather have a teak/holly sole with a throw rug that is easy to clean and will look new for many years. The options for wood decks was limited to the companionway and the galley if memory serves.

It is a nice looking boat without a doubt.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

If I may say, I love Four Winns Boats. I can honestly say that (more than likely) as long as I am into the express cruiser style boat, I will probably only ever own a Four Winns.

I say that, however I do have to complain that as a company, Four Winns does probably one of the worst jobs of marketing their fine product as any company I have ever seen. I live in the midwest, Indiana to be exact, and you hardle ever see another Four Winns. Even when we venture to Lake Michigan, again, we almost NEVER see another Vista. Why is it that you will see 10 Sea Ray's for every Four Winns? They are very comperable quality, performance, and priced boats.

The reason I bring this up is that after watching the Boat Test clip on the new 438, I flipped over to the Four Winns Website and they don't have ANYTHING on it. Nothing, Nadda, zippo. Like it doesn't even exist!!

What a shame. Such a great boat (all Four Winns), great customer service, by enlarge a great dealer network, and absolutely horrible market share.

ugghhhh.. So frustrating. If anyone from Four Winns Corporate is reading this website (which a good marketing dept. would be), contact me, we need to talk about a new marketing directive for your company. I am not a fan of cold weather, but I would be willing to move to Cadillac, MI.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Like I said, it really a matter of lifestyle, and at 54 we are somewhere in between the Express Cruiser and the Trawler lifestyle. We still like to do the occasional Waterski and Tubing thing, but we are more and more using the boat for extended liveaboard's. If we get a Trawler, then we would have to get a Jet SKi to do our running around with!

The Silverton is a Great Boat! My friend at the marina has a 2006 Silverton 38 Convertible, with the twin 8.1 Inboards! What a Beauty! The difference for me is that a similarly sized Mainship Trawler for example, has a more spacious Salon, with Much Greater Open Views and a much larger Flybridge. Also, I have been on both in a Chop, and the 38Silverton still slaps the waves, while the Trawler cuts thru them!

Having said all of that you are right on, Silverton would be on top of my list also!

Interesting thing is that both Mainship and Silverton are made by the same company, The Luhrs MArine Group! If I were a fisherman, the Luhrs would be on top of my list also!!

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'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

Why not get one of each? An express cruiser for the weekends and the tug for the extended trips! Problem solved.

Heck, while I am at it, I might as well get the Luhrs for when I want to go fishing!

Meanwhile, getting back to the V458, that Video is pretty cool! I have to agree with Woggy. You would think with a beautiful boat like that , Four Winns would have a "What's New" section on the website to preview the New Vista 458! I sure would love to take a ride in that boat out in the open ocean, and then try to dock it with those IPS drives!

1NiceHarley, thanks for the link!

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'04 FW 268Vista "Andiamo"

I don't know if I will EVER be old enough to enjoy a trawler or aft cabin/Carver style boat. They do offer great living space, and some offer decent economy. Cruising speeds of 12 to 18 knots is just too damn slow.

I would rather burn a little more fuel, and get to my destination faster in an express cruiser. EC's can go "slow" if you want them too.

Good Job Four Winns !

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Captain,

Yeah but can you "afford" to run an EC at non displacement speeds for distance? A guy at the marina has a 30 something foot EC with twin 496 Magnum EFI's and for him to run 75/100 miles it's a $600.00 bill.

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Brett DiMichele