www.iFourWinns.com

Went to the Toronto show yesterday, and they had a V305. Advertised price was 125k, but the boat as outfitted sat at 175k complete with joystick control











aft cabin

front berth

cockpit galley

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2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

Good job on the pics. We toured the V305 around 12:00 noon on Saturday. While waiting to get on the V305 we were reading the boats spec sheet that was on the display board at the transom of the boat. People had a chance to view this spec sheet while waiting to board. Kinda funny they had listed the V305's beam as 8'6". We advised the sales gal that this was a boo boo and she took the sheet away to have it corrected but brought it back unchanged and but it back up on display. We suggested just use a pen and correct it. Don't know if its still wrong?

We didn't care for overall design of "V" berth. That is really a one person bed at best.

As a side note, got a heck of a deal on Interlux VC17 bottom paint at the Boat Show . Bought 8 quarts for $39.00 each.

Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

Thanks for sharing, to me, it doesn't look like a FW. If thats the way FW styling is heading..... I dont think I like it.

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2000 248 5.7L DP
'92, '94 SXI 750, '08 STX 15F, '12 Ultra LX 300
Videos

Thanks for the pics. Did it have a genset for that price?

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

Thanks for the pics. Looking forward to the Miami boat show next month. IMO I cant stand the v305 design. There is so much going against it. Makes me wonder what is going on at Four Winns.

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2002 Vista 298
Video of boating from The Florida Keys, to Miami, to Bimini/Bahamas

They hired a French designer!

You'll have to take pics of the lower windshield...its supposed to debut at Miami.

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

Well I'm kind of glad they didn't write on it. I was promised they would ship that poster to me when they are done with it! I like some features of the boat but don't really see this as a family cruiser.
Also I do believe that the boat is pretty much fully loaded including the gen set.

_________________
2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

I think they should of corrected that error in beam on their spec sheet A.S.A.P. A lot of people shopping for boats in that length range may be under the impression that beam "makes all difference" and I, everything else being equal would agree. 8' 6" beams are more in line with the 24' - 27' express cruisers. 30 footers normally are in the 10' beam range.

Interestingly a couple looking at the 305 before us were in discussion seemingly confused that this boat was only a 8'6" beam. I'll bet I lot of other potential buyers may be confused, while assuming the spec sheet to be correct.

No big deal, just a small oversight by someone..........

Mike.

_________________

Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

I found it strange that Four Winns didn't have their 2011 product book there. What a turn off that was! They gave me one from 2009 what's that all about!!

_________________
2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

He's been with Four Winns for a few years now. He came from Doral.

He is behind the SL boats and the V475 and V435. He was director of Engineering and is now VP.

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Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Thanks for the pics and info. I'm surprised The Boat Warehouse missed that beam correction. Says something about their attention to detail IMO. Curious, were the aft storage lockers able to be locked on the V305?

The You Tube video posted on another thread seemed to sum up, IMO, what was being attempted with this V305. By listening to Frenchy, my overall take (because he said it so many times) is that they did this design so they could be "the only ones in the industry with this in a 30ft. boat" like the AC/Heat in cockpit. galley in the cockpit, queen bed in the mid cabin, huge windshield etc. They were not thinking of practicality and how most boaters in the US will use their boats. More about "look what we have" mentality. IMO, that is not the way to design and sell a boat in North America. It seems to be catering to the Euro market, and Med boaters than anything else. It's a design that fits a much larger boat better than a 28-30 ft. cruiser. The boat as a whole just looks out of proportion.

I wish we had a show that nice closer to home, I found myself looking at all the cruisers in the background of the V305, than I did at the boat itself. Looks like it was a good show as far as number of boats on display.

Nice price on the VC-17 also ! You will love that bottom paint.

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Hey Cap'n when I get a few more minutes I will start another thread. I have loads of pics from the show. My favorite boat was a 33' Rinker which seemed to have an excellent layout

_________________
2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

What was the pricing like for accessories? GPS, Fenders, Lines etc...

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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

That would be great ! Ahh, yes, the Rinker 310EC (LOA 33'3" LOA) ? That boat has one of the best cockpit and cabin layouts of any 30 to 33 foot express cruiser I have ever seen. Especially with only a 10' beam. Looking forward to your new thread !!

As far as the V305 goes, did anyone get to check out the engine accessability ?

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

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I didn't get a chance to check out engine accessability on the V305. I really just went on board to try and form a general opinion of what I thought of the boat. Most of the major boat manufactures with boats over 28' had line waits of about 15 minutes or longer to get onto their boats. So we were always mindful of others waiting in line.

The Toronto Boat show is an excellent show to purchase your boating accessories. The show has a very large area with many different vendors. Example the VC17 bottom paint I purchased ranged from $54.00 quart to the $39.00 a quart.

Many different electronic vendors. I try to purchase my VHF fixed mount and handheld units at the Toronto Show when I can as the vendors complete against one another in price. Lots of clothing, floating docks, canoes, kayaks, inflatables, outboard engines etc.

My wife wanted a kayak to get some execise with and paddle around our marina. We purchased a 10' Kayak from the show so we can place it on our swim platform to take it with us on our 328. Many different vendors to chose a kayak from.

I also have to laugh when we get back to our hotel and and you can tell the boaters who come walking in with their $10.00 West Marine boat hook(s) in hand. I gotta admit, I have purchased a couple of these $10.00 boat hooks myself over the years as they normally sell them at each years show.

Mike.

_________________

Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation