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V348/V358 sea worthiness
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Author:  Silver Lining [ Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:06 pm ]
Post subject:  V348/V358 sea worthiness
Hi, new to this board. I am looking at upgrading my 280 Sundancer and am considering either a 358 Four Winns or the 3760 Regal. The 340 DA misses several important items such as walk thru window, no shower, AC compressor under the v berth etc. We take our boat offshore or to the Bahamas several times a year for one or two week cruises. The Four Winns seems to be a well made boat but the cabin and particularly the aft cabin are a bit smaller than the Regal. The Regal seems to have a small advantage for us in the interior space but the Four Winns has a nicer cock pit arrangement and the preferred more conventional arch. But my biggest concern is how is the sea worthiness of the 348/358 Vista compared to the 3560/3760s?

The Four Winns Hunt designed hull seems to have nice hull dimensions but am looking for any first hand info on offshore performance for the 348/358 Vista as compared to 3760 Regal. Thoughts on these boats in 3 to 5 foot beam or head seas, or making way through 2-4 foot seas at 15 to 18 knots. Any comments on personnel experiences with the 348/358 in offshore conditions or rough inlet conditions would be very appreciated. Thanks for any useful guidance.
Author:  Cap'n Morgan [ Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: V348/V358 sea worthiness
Huh, the BoatUS guys sent you over here for opinions, and you have not gotten any. Hang in there, it's the off season for many of us, and not everybody checks in daily. There are several owners of that model on here, most don't use theirs in the ocean, but can give you some idea of what to expect.

Welcome. :D
Author:  Ben [ Wed Feb 13, 2008 2:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: V348/V358 sea worthiness
Silver Lining,

I can't comment entirely on off shore performance. I'm a great lakes boater on Lake Michigan in Chicago. I can tell you that I've had my 358 out in some pretty heavy stuff for us. Heavy around here is 4-7' but a kind of different 4-7' than what you'll see in the ocean. We don't have the benefit of tides or anything to keep the water moving in a specific direction so we tend to get a lot of confused water with big peaks and valleys and lots of surprises.

I've never spent much time on a 3760 but I have spent a season on a 340 dancer. The 358 is every bit as seaworthy as the dancer with all of the benefits you mentioned. Those same issues were among my biggest deciding factors on the 358. You've also noted at least one accurate weakness on the 358, the aft cabin just isn't overly useful. It's small, kind of difficult to manuever in and out of and not well lit. The regal has some nice features including the raisable bow sunpads and nice interior layout. However I've seen many boats with the angled v-berth and can't say that I've ever seen one I liked. The sun lounge on the stern does look pretty nice though. Overall I really don't like the cockpit layout of the regal as well as I like the 358's. The semi-circle port lounge looks awkward to me.

It looks to me like you are choosing between two pretty nice boats and that you are unlikely to be disappointed with either.

Good luck
Ben
Author:  wkearney99 [ Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: V348/V358 sea worthiness
I can second all of what Ben wrote.

I had our 348 out in a thunderstorm (not on purpose, of course) and it handled itself quite well.

When looking at the Regal, take a hard look at the materials used and how well they're attached. I've found the 348 to be superior in both aspects; better cabinetry and fiberglass, and better attachment. The windshield bracing brackets on the Regal really seemed like an afterthought to overcome what should've been dealt with through better initial design.
Author:  BarryBoats [ Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: V348/V358 sea worthiness
My last outing this summer, had us coming home on Long Island sound in 2-3ft wind driven seas. It was a great ride. I kept a steady 18-20mph and watched the waves shoot 20ft in the air. At no time did I feel that the boat was unable to handle it. My family said it was the best ride of the summer. Four Winns makes a solid boat. I realize that the 338 is a little smaller and lighter than the 358, but the quality is there.
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