www.iFourWinns.com

Went out today for the first time in the 230. I bought the boat used with 50 hours, everything worked including all the gauges, I was really happy!!

Easy to launch, easy to drive, serious responsive power. The 5.7 Duoprop seems to like running around 3 grand cruising at about 25 mph. On some flat stuff I opened her up and hit 40 and she still wanted to do more, but It was foggy and I was in unfamiliar waters so I held off of going for a top speed run.

As far as my feelings on the hull design in rough water, I am still not sure. Being the first time out I was not yet confident with the handling of the hull and its personality. My first impression (coming from a big white water boat the last 7 years) is that she feels like a nice lake boat. Inside Salem harbor with just the wife and I, with really small chop she felt very stable and crossed boat wakes with ease. once I got out into the Atlantic it was a nice day with only 1 foot or so head seas. I was a bit nervous to go really fast due to my lack of experience and confidence in the hull but she would do 25mph all day pretty comfortably. We went 1/2 way towards Gloucester and then turned around and the ride back the opposite direction was smooth as silk by comparison. I did notice that I ws going faster than several boats larger than us.

I think I need more time at the helm to feel out the boat, take some good size waves and build my confidence in the handling of the boat before I can let loose and see what she can do in some heavy chop. It was a great time on the water and the Admiral is ready to do it again so win-win!

That's today's report.....

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2005 Horizon 230 5.7 GI/DP 280-HP
2005 Suburban "The Battlewagon"

Great report! Sounds like a fun day.

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

I have to say, I am told that the "water is different here in Aus" they say different, I say better however I am very surprised to here that some people don’t like how the FW handles in the rough. I think you may have experienced some very good hulls if that’s the case. Last year I bought my H210 the same time my father bought an outboard Cruise Craft (fishing specific boat manufactured here in aus) it is well renound as a great riding boat and my FW puts it to shame. I can go faster and with the kids in the same water which would be up to .9mtr chop. I would feel safer in the FW then in the Cruise Craft until the waves became really big. That’s only because the CC has a fibre glass half cabin which can obviously take water without filling the boat up.

I would have only thought the boats got better as they get bigger, I don’t have any trim tabs, and I can’t say I would really need them except once or twice I thought I wonder how they would go.

I have found that if you get the boat humming it will ride on the back and the stepped hull / pods act like a pillow on the landing. I have had the boat fully airborne including the prop 2 times by accident, I usually have it worked out so the hull is out but the prop stays in the water. Performed well brings a really satisfying smile, lifetime warranty hey....

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2008, H210, Volvo Penta 5.7ltr, 300hp, SX Drive