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PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 9:32 am 
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Location: Freeland, MI
With this radical of design it is going to take awhile for the wow factor to come around. trying to be totally open about it, there is a few interesting new ideas to like IMHO.

I like the idea of a taller windshield that you can see thru, we have ours up most of the time anyway.
I like the no camper top poles to deal with.
I like the concept of the galley up, we eat up most of the time. But i need to see more photos to be sure

There are few few things i cant seem to get past.

The side profile view isn't very appealing to my eye, I'm not fond of the hard lines. I know that is somewhat an oxymoron, but the rub rail starts to sweep down, then at half way it goes horizontal. The transom seem a bit to squared off to me. The sweeping pipes that support the windshield seem to clash with the hard lines around it. Even the cushions in the salon have the hard lines.
I don't like the bolt on swim platform looks like an after thought or something


Its like everything else, if we would have seen some of the new cars of today 10 - 15 yrs ago we probably would have said the same thing.

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 11:22 am 
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Location: Millhaven, ON
The Kid wrote:
We have already seen the proposed redesign of this boat... bye bye tall windshield and Avatar antennae and hello normal windshield and hard top. Also cabinet doors added down below with a light wood or dark wood option. The boat was designed to meet both the Euro and US market. It hit some points well but some are just a little too far fetched for the US. Our lead designer is from France.. you have to expect a little more Euro look... can't wait to get our hands on the new looking one!


I think they may be listening to the feedback. I like the concept of the layout (although it needs to gain some more comfortable looking seating!) If they loose the tall windshield and replace it with a Makrolon (sp?) insert so the visibilty is maintained and remove the white bars, they will have a very marketable boat. I applaud the moving of the galley up to the cockpit afterall that is where most of the action happens anyways. When I was looking at lots of different boats, the main criteria was a large cockpit! Fortunately, the Chap met the criteria and the rest is history!

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 11:54 am 
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Location: Indiana
Glad to hear they are listening. We love our cherry cabinets!

What's the ETA on a sale date for this boat.

What are they going to do with this unliked prototype?

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 2:09 pm 
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Location: Central Falls, RI
This boat, like hull #2, will be sent to Europe where it is liked :D This boat is supposed to be available in January but I think it will be after that since changes have to be made. And the dark wood option is not cherry... its DARK!! Looks like the dark wood in the newer V series when the two tone wood is selected.

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PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 2:28 pm 
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268 Vista

Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 9:49 am
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Location: West Michigan
The Kid wrote:
And the dark wood option is not cherry... its DARK!! Looks like the dark wood in the newer V series when the two tone wood is selected.


Like this Fire........

Image


I'm sure one of the boats is already in Europe, as it will be at the Paris Show this Saturday 12/4.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:31 am 
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268 Vista

Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 9:49 am
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Location: West Michigan
The pictures of this abomination (V305) are generating quite a stir on the message boards. Sometimes creating a
buzz about a new boat is a good thing, in this case it is a bad reflection on Four Winns and the first new boat
under the new ownership. Most comments have been negative about the styling, some can't even be repeated.

My fingers are crossed for two things.
1. They remove the giant windshield and add a traditional one.

2. Four Winns fires that french designer and he ends up at Sea Ray.

Nuff said, let's see what they can do to put a band aid on this boat and hope they can make it work/sell.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:04 am 
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Nauti Luv

Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 9:55 am
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Location: Little Elm - Lake Lewisville TX
Funny thing...message boards are typically a 10% real reflection of the particular items actual population. Think about how many real members are here vs the number of Four Winns boats out there. We are intense about our hobbie/boat and somewhat nerdy about it in many aspects.

I work for an Acura dealer...then the 2009 TL came out it blew people away...total change in the looks, size, etc....guess what...the internet boards were saying how crappy it was, etc...MOST of the negative buzz was armchair quarterbacks that arent in the real market for a TL anyway...

Guess what....its still our number 1 selling vehicle.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 10:40 am 
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268 Vista

Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 9:49 am
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Location: West Michigan
Agreed, take message board chatter with a grain of salt. But at this point, that is all we have to go on as far
as public response to the boat. It has only been seen by 10% of the boating audience, and that 10%, whether
armchair quarterbacks or not has not accepted what they have seen with much enthusiasm.
Also, my company had 4 salespeople, 20 distributors, and 30 customers at the Fort Lauderdale Show.
I have heard and talked to several of them over the last few weeks, and asked their impressions of the V305
that was at the show, not one of them thought it was a winner. So there is another bit of "real world" feedback
about the boat.

After a thorough re-design, this boat may be more appealing to the boating public, but unlike the Acura
comparison, this boat is being re-designed for obvious reasons, wheras the Acura did not. I think that indicates
that FW made a mistake with the V305 prototype. Both in design and introduction to the public in it's current form.

See it in Paris tomorrow if you can get a flight.......

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:50 pm 
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Location: East Tennesee
Cap'n Morgan wrote:
Image


I think FW may have been trying to make their new boat look like the other one in that picture. From the profile pics the FW looks way out of propoertion, granted its on plane and a shorter boat. I like the tall windshield but the whole thing looks very awkward to me, I didnt like the square seats when I seen them in the newer 248s either. I realize thats what may be popular in other parts of the world but I dont care much for it, my opinion shouldnt matter though since about the last thing in the world I can afford right now is a brand new 30' cruiser.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 5:11 pm 
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Location: New Hampshire
Hmmm ......... Sometimes form does not follow function all that well.

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 10:03 am 
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Location: massachusetts
IMO
This V305 need a total overhaul. From the hideous windshield to the interior layout. I
can't tell from the pictures, but I don't think it has 4 through hull windows like on the
288. If that's the case its a sad excuse to save money on production costs. Once again
someone is trying to re-invent the wheel, there was nothing wrong with the 288. Let the
Europeans have this one and their designer. I want the 288 back.

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 3:01 pm 
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http://flic.kr/p/8RQJpT

http://flic.kr/p/8RTLEQ

http://flic.kr/p/8RTN99

http://flic.kr/p/8RTV4b

here's a couple of great shots of the interior.... Very well done

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:33 am 
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I may be the odd man out, but I like everything about that boat. She's sporty looking and has an incredible layout (both the cabin and cockpit). Moving the galley to the cockpit area was an excellent idea and it was about time. As for the windshield, make it an option. Great design and look for the other boat manufacturers to follow suit.

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:13 pm 
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Cap'n Morgan wrote:
Quote:
That 30.5 sure looks like a 23-25 ft trailer boat with 3 foot of bow pulpit and 4-5' of swim platform...
Layout in the back looks nice... big windshield sucks.


Ok, who has the specs on her? She does look short but those cabin pics lead me to believe that she is at least a 30 footer without the platform.

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 06, 2010 7:23 am 
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268 Vista

Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 9:49 am
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Location: West Michigan
French V305 Spec sheet.

Is the sock monkey an option ?

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Last edited by Cap'n Morgan on Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:33 am, edited 2 times in total.

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