www.iFourWinns.com

Hi guys,

Newbie here from MD. I've been considering a few boats for a new purchase, including a Vista 298. Other contenders are the Chaparral Signature 300, Crownline 290CR, Maxum 3100SE and (if I could find one) a Formula 31PC. Liked the Doral, too, but I can't bring myself to buy a boat from a manufacturer that is no longer in business (insert FW jokes here). All of these boats have similar sizes, dual I/O's and similar topside and cabin layouts (the port bench seat/lounger and the open mid-cabin are really nice features).

Anyway, this being a FW forum, I totally expect biased, pro-FW comments. And I encourage them! Can you share your experience and opinions on these models, and why you ended up with a FW?

Thanks!

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Steve

Sea Ray 320DA (don't hate - I like the Winns, too!)

In a 26' boat my wife and I could not find a better layout than the 268 Vista.

We are looking to upgrade in a year or so, and it looks like the 298 will be next for us. Again, we can't seem to find another boat of similar size with a better layout.

Happy shopping.

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2004 - 288 Vista
Twin - 5.0 Volvo Penta GXi DP

Previous to our Vista we had a Four Winns 190 Horizon that really impressed us with it's quality and reliability, but when we shopped for a cruiser we looked at all brands for over a year. After looking at a ton of boats it came down to a Sea Ray 280 or a Four Winns 268 and we felt the Four Winns had a much nicer feel to it. The fit/finish,cherry cabinets,lack of glued down carpet, useable mid cabin with easy entry,and having Volvo Penta as a power option brought us back to Four Winns. After 6 season's and 500hrs(600hrs total) of use we're still happy with our choice, and feel the boat has held up very well. Good luck with your shopping!

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

FourWinns is still in business the last time i looked.
Not so much for the Maxum (Brunswick acquired)
Doral (The Quebec builder) filed for bankruptcy in 2012, ( i think)second time in two years.
Are there better boats? No doubt. For the money i think you get way more boat. As long as the drives aren't the XDP (plastic)

We just bought a used 2006 278 Vista and LOVE IT! We looked at all of the comparable cruisers in this size range and none of the others seemed to hold up as well as the Four Winns did over time.

We've been out at the coast with it every weekend since we bought it Memorial Day and have thoroughly enjoyed it and know we made the right choice.

Good luck and do your research. Find that core group of things it must have and narrow your search.

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2006 Four Winns 278 Vista
1994 Stingray 609zp

Go right to the 328

Big swim platform, we have dinghy and Pro Dav davit.

Level all through, one step to helm.

Three ways forward to bow.

Windlass, A/C no genny but we do fine overnighting on battery. Just have to realize your fridge wont stay on, Large cooler for night on the hook.

Nice looking, I bet ours would sell in under a month.

The 328 are great boats but we had to do all the same research.

Maxum-cheap.

Formula-Too high priced but Nice if you can get 2002 or newer was our opinion.

Close friends have Rinker 342 Lots of room

They all have there trade offs.

2000-2002 Sea Ray 360 would be nice but pricy

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-JD, 2003 328 Vista

We are on our third FW's and at this point would not consider anything else. With the exception of finding that they ran too small of a wire to run the frig off of the batteries on our 288, we have not found any issues with our boats over the last 30 years. They are well built, very seaworthy and use quality materials in the fabrication process. Perhaps we will move up in a few years... to what... another FW's of course.....348??? Really enjoying our 288 at this point. With dual Volvo 4.3 Gxi's coupled to duoprops, we are thrilled with the performance and fuel economy. Best wishes in your decision making process.

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"One Moor Time" 2006 288 Vista
"Kalin II" 1995 258 Vista
"Kalin" 1985 Four Winns 215 Santara

The 318 is our 3rd Four Winns and for layouts in the sizes we were considering, hands down they were the best. With young kids my wife always would look at it from their perspective, grab handles, ease of use/safety concerns. We've had a 225 Sundowner, 268 and now the 318. We are looking towards Regal for our next when we decide to upgrade, we'd like to get a bit of a different layout and the V435 isn't in the budget.

Take a look at a 298 and a 318. We looked at both and decided on the newer, more modern styling. It has a bit more floor space in the cabin and allowed us to use a mini pack n play for our youngest. It barely would have fit on a 328, would fit easily on a 338.

We've had no issues with the fit/finish or build quality. Four Winns builds a solid boat. I grew up boating on an '87 215 Sundowner...so I guess it's no surprise I've had 3 of my own!

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Business in the burger world must be good !

We bought a 268 Vista many years ago, and just like several others have stated, the layout of the 268 was way ahead of anything we looked at. Still holds up in
todays' market as a good choice for it's size.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

And that right there is creepy....

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Great tips here, thanks!

Trust me: I've looked at pretty much all of the companies still in business. Regal, Rinker, Crownline, etc., etc. I really like the layout with the portside lounger (or at least a wider seat), the galley table that is rotated lengthwise with the boat, the "open face" to the midcabin (not a cave), and the walk thru windshield. Twin engines, too. The 298 fits all of these and my budget, although a Sea Ray 280DA and a Chaparral Sig 300 do, too. Except the 280DA has the cave-like mid cabin.

One thing I've heard somewhere on this forum is that a Vista 298 is a "wet" ride. Being as I will be in the Chesapeake Bay - known for 3-4' chop - this is something to consider. Do you agree with the 298 being a "wet ride"? Is that a function of this boat, or the size? Would any 28-30' experience the same, or is it something unique to the FW? Obviously, larger would be drier, but larger is outside my price range. I settled on 30'-ish so I can handle the chop from a violence (ha ha) standpoint. But I didn't think about being wet. I'd hate to be out on a nice cool October day and get drenched...

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Steve

Sea Ray 320DA (don't hate - I like the Winns, too!)

The Vista 298 is a wet ride on the Chesapeake I just got soaked yesterday in fact! It also depends on how much chop and the direction you going in relation to the waves. It was probably 1-2 foot chop out yesterday.

Here are the negatives I have found with my 298 after 8 1/2 years of boating with her.

Wiring tends to be undersized.

The engine compartment covers are a real pain to get off, the front cover has to be completely removed to access the forward part of the engine compartment. In order to access the rear area of the compartment, the rear cover has to be completely removed as well.

The hot water heater is jammed into the rear corner of the boat and cannot be removed in one piece if you have a generator.

If you are buying a boat with Volvo's, depending on the engines you may have issues with paint peeling from fuel pump assembly and fouling your fuel system.

I personally will not buy any boat again with stern drives if I am storing it in the water. I get tired of the yearly sanding and painting of the drives.

I don't like sleeping in the aft cabin and I would have preferred a boat with a front berth that is not angled like the 298 but I'm not sure you will find any boat in the same class that has a full sized front berth. A 320 Sun Dancer comes to mind as the smallest boat I've seen that has a front berth that you don't have to crawl over your partner to get out of bed.

I also owned a 250 Doral, it was a nice boat.

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2004 Vista 298
Twin 5.7L Volvo Penta GXi-E

Hello,

I have owned both a FW 298 (loved it except for the small engine hatch) and my current FW 378.

As far as I am concerned FW build a boat on par with SeaRay, Regal, Cruiser etc.

I believe (and I admit that I am partial to the FW brand) that FW have some of the best cockpit and salon layout's on the market today and by far; the best usage of storage space.

There you have it from a loyal FW owner.

Best of luck with whatever buying decision you make.

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Clayton
2005 - 378 Vista
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I guess I could ride with the canvas up? Lol. Shoot, yesterday was gorgeous. I would hope to be open cockpit on a day like that or I could never be open!

I don't expect much engine room in a boat this size. And while I love the 320da layout, they are rare and most are outside what I want to spend.

All great advice, though! Keep it coming!

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Steve

Sea Ray 320DA (don't hate - I like the Winns, too!)

I have a V298, and love it, she rides and corners like a dream.
As for getting wet, down in my parts, we don't have 4 foot waves, so no worries for us.
Here are the negatives.
Wiring undersized, especially the refridgerators.
The forward v-berth, impossible to get a good night sleep if your 6 ft tall, the same goes for the stern quarters.
I sleep on the top deck that converts into a sofa/bed.
The engine hatches..... Pain in the @#$ to remove, just makes checking your oil before you leave a pain..... just a bad design

Everything else, is more than what I expected

My 2cents

Collin

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Funtastik
Gatineau, Qc. Canada
2000 298 Vista
http://village.photos/members/Funtastik/Funtastik