www.iFourWinns.com

Hello everyone. I've been reading the posts over the last week and I wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I am Gary from Worcester, MA. My wife, Diane, and I have been boating for many years, and after a five-year time away from it (due to career change) we are happily back into it. We've always boated Lake Winnipesaukee in NH, spending several years with my boat slipped in the town of Alton for the summers. We just signed papers on a used 96 Sundowner 245, and will be slipping it at the marina where we purchased it, Lakeport Landing in Lakeport/Laconia, NH. The boat seems in very good shape, so i am hoping for a terrific spring so I can get her outfitted with all the upgrades I am thinking of, and then get her into the water.

I have noticed that the 245 is not a common boat. I am thinking it was the size that caused this? I find plenty on 205 and 215, and some on 225 and newer 285, but not that much on the 245. My guess would be that if you were buying a 24' cuddy, maybe people went for the 248 vista for more room. Don't know.

I look forward to reading more about projects and comments on your boats. I look forward to posting pictures of her on the water, come spring.
Thanks, and take care,
-Gary and Diane Lockwood

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Gary & Diane
1996 Sundowner 245
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Welcome. You will find that the 245 was a very popular boat. Why you don't see that many, is people keep
them because they do so well for their intended purpose. Day boat with ocassional overnighting, and big enough
to pack some people on and handle rougher conditions.

There are lots of 245's here in Michigan, just not alot for sale. And, overall, cuddy cabin boats were not a big seller
for Four Winns, that is why they no longer make any.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

And, overall, cuddy cabin boats were not a big seller for Four Winns, that is why they no longer make any.

I see. I would have though they would have been great sellers, though my wife was always partial to the Horizons and I always wanted the Vistas...hehe.

This Sundowner shoule be the perfect boat to get us back into boating, and help us decide whether to move up to a full-summertime live aboard, or buy a place to live near the marina and just use the boat. We are not getting younger or smaller, so I will be anxious to see how my wife survives the summer aboard a cuddy again.

Where I really saw the lack of 245's were in image searches though google, yahoo, flickr and videos through you tube or the like. I am going to hopefully make some nice videos this year with the iphone and post them. Makes, what we called PMS in motorcycling, better. I guess that would make it PBS here...Parked Boat Season. I used to pull up videos of motorcycle rides and watch for as long as I wanted, but in boating, I ran out in about 10 minutes, and every video had nasty wind issues in the audio. Winters are terrible when you are an outside hobby person.

Thanks for the quick reply.

-Gary

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Gary & Diane
1996 Sundowner 245
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Welcome! Another 245 owner here, we love our boat for the previous mentioned reasons.

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Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

The 245 Sundowner is almost the same as the 255 Sundowner. I has fewer creature comforts than a Vista, but costs one heck of lot less and is easier to tow. As to popularity, Cuddy cabin boats appeal to older folks (like me) who cruise around and look at stuff instead of frolicking on the water. Cuddys comprise only about 5 percent of the boating market, so they are somewhat rare.

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2006 Sundowner 255, 5.7 GXi, 320 hp
"Simply Irresistible"

We had a Chris Craft Scorpion 230 limited cuddy previous to this Four Winns. I am trying to give my wife everything in life, while still having enough free time to enjoy it all. She is retired, so she has all the free time she needs. I am an oncology nurse working 12-hour shifts, and when I put them together, I get my days off together. I alternate between 3-on, 7-off, 6-on, 5-off. This repeats on a three-week cycle, so I get a bunch of time off. The cuddy allows us to hit the water, enjoy a nice cruise speed, and then retire for the night in relative comfort. The cost savings is substantial enough between the cuddy and cruiser, in purchasing price and usage costs that I do not have to work my life away, and we also get to use our motorcycle and other hobbies. I think the Sundowner is going to give us quite a few years of enjoyment.
-Gary

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Gary & Diane
1996 Sundowner 245
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Congratulations and welcome back!

We have the 205 and have found out that the FW cuddies are great boats. We would like to have a few more feet to this one but we love it anyway. It is great at watersports, rafting out with our friends, and camping on it for long weekends. It is a very versatile boat.

Hope you enjoy yours to the fullist!

Joe

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1998 Four Winns 205 Sundowner

TV: 2011 Toyota Tundra/2002 Chevy Tahoe

Welcome! We have the 255, and are extremely happy with it. On the coast of Queensland near Brisbane, we're often out on the bay with the family, or an overnighter with fishing mates. The cuddy is ideal - wouldn't be without one, but then I'm 'old school' too!

enjoy
Brian

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2006 Sundowner 255
Volvo Penta 5.7L GXi 320HP DuoProp