www.iFourWinns.com

This idea carried over from another post...

Does anybody have any regrets with either, getting into boating, upgrading, downgrading, modifying or whatever with their boat?

I do not regret ever buying my first boat last year... It gave me an outlet away from my work that I truly required.

However, I find myself second guessing why I made such a large jump in boat size... At the end of last season we wanted a washroom (she), extended swim platform (us), more storage space (us), larger motor (me), tandem trailer, more room for when we have guests (us), bimini cover (us), camper canvas (us-did not get though) and something slightly newer (she didn't really care). We bought our H260 at a very reasonable price and I did a few mods over the winter.... But then the $hit weather hit and the fuel costs have risen sharply and whenever I am not using the boat I am wondering why I upgraded.... A simple turn of the key and all regrets are forgotten though!
The reality is:
-the washroom is too small for anybody but our three year old.
-the cockpit space is not that much larger than the H200 due to the entertainment center and L-shaped Lounge.
-there is so much storage room that we couldn't possibly fill it with all the "stuff" we would like on the boat.
-Both boats will do 50 mph
-The 7.4l (454) uses an average of about 8 gallons per hour (currently about $40)
-We enjoyed our camping trip with the boat and now my wife thinks she would like to look at a cruiser! Previously we had decided that we liked our airconditioned house, comfortable beds and hot showers too much to be bothered with the "cruiser lifestyle"
-The guests seem to be few and far between unless we beg them (Last years excuse was that we didn't have a washroom!) We enjoy socializing and thought our boat would be the place we could do alot of it.
-we keep this boat slipped and I have to pull it out every three weeks for a hull scrub. This is time I won't get back!
-my docking lights install was a waste of time, they are useless and are just there for "bling" (and to be in the way when I polish)

Am I the only one or is it just "bad taste" due to the horrible season?

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Here's my story:
I had just turned 26 last year when I bought my boat and was doing really well financially. I was laid off a month later and 3 weeks after that my house flooded with about 2 feet of water and of course I did not have flood isnurance. FEMA did step in and give me about $600 bucks, which covered about 2% of the cost to fix. I had to do a complete remodel so ended up having to move in with my parents while the house was being remodeled...contractors have no sense of urgency plus it rained almost the entire summer so I didnt get back into the house for about 2.5 months. During June, July and August when I had no job and nothing to do just about every local lake was closed due to high water so I couldnt take the boat out. By th end of the summer when lakes reopened I was lucky enough to find another job...but I spent about 85% of my time in Southern California so again there was no time to use the boat. But like you said, when you turn the key and start the boat you immediately know it was worth it. I did end up selling it this summer, but you can bet your ass I'll be in another money pit by the beginning of the next summer.

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2007 Four Winns 220SS (Sold!!)
2006 Toyota Tacoma

My only regret is not enough time... I have teenage sons that play competition tennis and basketball on Saturdays which only leaves Sundays free. I travel overseas a lot for work 2 weeks at a time - leaving on a Sunday and getting back on a Sunday so that knocks out quite a few weekends also.

Luckily I live on a 2,000 square kilometer bay so there is usually somewhere I can go boating if the sun is out - worst case I can cruise the river through the centre of the city if it is too rough on the bay.

But you are right - once you turn that key and get underway all the difficulties are forgotten. The kids love wakeboarding and tubing, but don't bring their friends along as often as we anticipated, so really glad I got the 190 and not bigger.

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

This year I went from an '06 180 to my '07 220 and enjoy the extra size and space every outing.

I looked at a 240 but had the same feeling as MNG that the 'head' was only good for kids and I couldn't see craming myself in there even in the most dire situation.

Going from a carbureted 3.0L to the injected 5.7L Gi was like night and day. Fuel ecomomy seems to be about 30% worse than the 180 but when you are in 3+ footers it really doesn't seem like a bad compromise. I wanted a trailerable boat to be able to run Lake Ontario, visit local back lakes and run up the Rideau Canal. The 220 fits the bill perfectly.

No Regrets...Yet. Maybe that should be the name of the new boat

Bottom line - It's a Boat! There is always a better use for your money than a boat but we enjoy them so head down to the filling station and put in another $100 just to remind yourself how much fun you're having.

Steve

I sometimes regret not getting the walk through doors, when I ordered the boat. (Of course I know that they can be added later.)

I regret that the hull is seemingly not compatible with trim tabs. (Figure I'd just have to find an expert to glass in parts of the hull and do the install - read big $$$.)

I regret not getting the camper canvas. (Although for the life of me, I can't figure out when I would have used it.)

All in all, not too many regrets!

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

I regret being so lazy and leaving my boat in the water for the last 2 months and the ring that wont come off now. I dont deserve this fine boat.

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2008 H210:
- Two tone Navy Blue, Silver and Yellow
- 5.0GXi/SX 270hp
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 5.9 Laramie

No regrets here. We got in last year by purchasing ours used and ended up using it 2-3 times per week while being out the entire day. This year, weather has been off, but we've still been getting out in between rain showers and have only 3 full days. We threw in a couple weeks up north and had awesome weather, so it was used 4 days in a row both times.

I gave my son the option of going to Six Flags, or taking a couple friends on the boat tubing and they picked tubing...worth every penny

While we couldn't have picked a better way to start, but I find myself looking out for slightly used in the 220-240 range. I'll probably be more serious in a year or two since I'd need to upgrade the tow vehicle also.

For next year, I'm looking into possibly renting a slip at one of the local lakes. The wife expressed an interest in using the boat while I'm at work and while she can launch the boat, would prefer not to. The only downside to that is the extra cleaning.

I couldn't find a better way to spend entertainment dollars. Forecast for this weekend is favorable, may be a 2-fillup weekend at the pump

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

I regret having a day job so that I can't spend more time on the water!

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+1

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

Wait I'd like to change my regret to having the day job as well.

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2008 H210:
- Two tone Navy Blue, Silver and Yellow
- 5.0GXi/SX 270hp
2006 Dodge Ram 3500 4x4 5.9 Laramie

Me too..!!

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

No regrets about the boat. Wouldn't change a thing.

I regret not owning stock in oil before the summer started. Picked the boat up new on Feb. 23rd this year, have used it 12 times to date.

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H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum

I regret not having more time, and assuming all 3 of my kids would love boating when in fact one of them hates it, and is at the age where she can dictate what the rest of the family can or cannot do.

No regrets about the boat itself. I wish the bimini was easier to raise and lower by myself, and definitely wish I had someplace to store it at home, but I knew going in that wasn't going to happen.

If I had known gas - and the cost of living in general - would go so high, so soon, I can't say with certainty that we'd have done exactly what we did. Maybe bought smaller, maybe bought used, maybe not bought - but do I regret doing what we did? Absolutely not. The four of us who do like boating are looking forward to being able to do it more as the "anti-boater" spends more time working and being more independent, and my wife & I look forward to boating with just the two of us later on. And as of now we plan to do it all with the same boat. I figure a cane would make a pretty good boat hook .

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

So far no regrets the new 224fs is really a good boat, using it as much as possible.

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Tony

2008 FS 5.7ltr 300HP DP
2007 Yukon Denali
2008 Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ
1995 Polaris 650

Do some future husband a favor and BREAK THIS BAD HABIT.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista