It's on the water- S235

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 11:59 am

I will be brief. I like the swim platform.

ric · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 12:00 pm

blue dragon wrote:

NiagaraChillin wrote:

ric wrote:

No toilet.

but the trend seems to be huge sunpads on the rear of boats...

I hate that wasted space too, I'd much rather have interior space

nothing about that boat is designed for overnighting. Too bad cause brands like Monterey have cuddys in the same LOA that blow this out of the water. The 224fsc is superior in every aspect, even in looks. You done us bad four winns. bad.

ric · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 12:01 pm

Cap'n Morgan wrote:

I will be brief. I like the swim platform.

Pretty gelcoat? :lol:

LouC · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 3:56 pm

The style and appearance of the boat is good, the interior looks to be very high quality. I think if they are going to insist on keeping the big sunpad, then they should offer the old school alternate seating arrangement of the jump seats on either side of the engine. Unless that whole rear seating area tilts up or is removable, the engine access is shockingly bad. I can't imagine getting at the drain plugs for the block working in that little hole. If you ever have to change a starter, better get a mechanic who is 6'5" and weighs 140 lbs, LOL. If they used the jump seats they could make the engine access a lot better. I know you will all say that no one who buys one of these new will maintain it themselves but they will get sick of the price of service because it's so hard to get at everything.

The funny part is at the end the boat seems to be drifting off with him holding on to it not tied up to the dock. Know anything about boating.....
NOTE to FW...these vids would be much more interesting if done in Fla, or Ca, in the summer, with young ladies that are dressed for boating. This guy is just plain BORING....

JohnnyMarlin · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:29 pm

Very.........Comfor-table! :mrgreen:

Graham R · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:44 pm

As an "European", the market where cuddys are important for FW, I think it's horrible ! I'm not really an "European" though. I'm British, I still think it's horrible. Do FW even think about about what their existing customers, their potential new customers want, or do they just go for the "bling" factor to attract new boaters? We Europeans/ British do not always appreciate American tastes, but this is not an anti American post !

EvilZ · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 5:08 pm

Seems like most of the Americans don't appreciate the "American tastes" either, in this case.....

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 5:46 pm

LouC wrote:

I know you will all say that no one who buys one of these new will maintain it themselves

I'm with you Lou, I like to work on things myself. No better way to get to know your machine than doing the maintainence on it. Granted, I'm not talking about pulling the engine every 6 months, but just trying to change the impeller on that would be a huge PIA.

Bring back the U-Shaped seats!!! :evil:

ric · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 6:13 pm

I'm going to beat a dead horse here..

Where the hell are the windows? Seriously. And that cuddy area in a 24ft boat is 5ft x 6ft at best. Any other boat in that class can easily sleep 3 inside. That can barely sleep 1.

JeffLW · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:38 pm

I had flashbacks to the 1992 225 sundowner!

Is it just me or have they gone backwards in their interior designs?

The 2005 225 was WAY better than this new one.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:32 pm

To piggyback on Graham and Evilz, look at what Cobalt is doing with their cuddies, amazing! Same "European" styling that FW's is going with, but such a stark difference in layout and utilization of space. The Cobalt 243 is a great design, and the 273 is unbvelievable! Hello? FW? Look at these:

Love how the head is separate to the side, great design!

And this is a comparible size boat to the new SD. Don't get me wrong, I love FW, but they had better start with innovations like above if they wanna stay competitive.

ric · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:36 pm

WINDOWS!!! With a nice table, seating. Feels like a nice airy boat, not a cave. Love the private bathroom. The wrap around seating is always the best seating you can ever do on a boat.

chrisvs · **Posted:** Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:43 pm

Well, at least they put another hatch in it. Too bad they didn't make it big enough to fit anybody through it.... o.k., maybe a small dog.

No, she's not quite cutting it for me either.

I was on that Cobalt 243 at the Toronto boat show.... absolutely stunning!

Graham R · **Posted:** Fri Oct 26, 2012 2:47 am

I actually prefer the exterior styling of the FW over that of the Cobalt; the windscreen in particular.

The engine access looks really shocking and the lack of windows is really surprising; I find leaving a couple of them open very useful for ventilation ( whilst not letting rain in) when the boat is moored up or over the Winter. Without them, that cuddy is going to get very musty unless the door is left open. Incidentally, for some reason (cost saving ?) the 1997- 1999 Sundowners didn't have opening windows in Europe, they did in the US !

The interior of the Cobalt is very nice; how do the 2 doors work though ? If the door to the cuddy is open ( slid to the left) , is it impossible to get in/ out of the head compartment...........and if the head compartment door is open ( slid to the right) is it impossible to get in/ out of the cuddy ?

rpengr · **Posted:** Fri Oct 26, 2012 9:17 am

Graham R wrote:

The interior of the Cobalt is very nice; how do the 2 doors work though ? If the door to the cuddy is open ( slid to the left) , is it impossible to get in/ out of the head compartment...........and if the head compartment door is open ( slid to the right) is it impossible to get in/ out of the cuddy ?

That looks to be correct. And that private head looks nice, but takes a lot of room from the cabin.

I don't like the way the bow curves down so much at the front (like early Bayliner). Do you need mountain climbing ropes to go out and check your anchor?

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It's on the water- S235

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