2012 Four Winns Website

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:36 am

It's finally up. But not exactly complete yet......

http://www.fourwinns.com/

ric · **Posted:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:49 am

An SS cuddy cabin?!?! BRB, gotta go change my underpants

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Jan 06, 2012 4:42 pm

Nice to see the cuddy back. Now they need to learn something about space efficiency, and re-design it, without all that wasted space. My old 200 has much more room in the cockpit. I know the windshield is further back on a cuddy, but for a boat that size there is less room than some 18 foot bowriders.....

ric · **Posted:** Fri Jan 06, 2012 5:23 pm

LouC wrote:

Nice to see the cuddy back. Now they need to learn something about space efficiency, and re-design it, without all that wasted space. My old 200 has much more room in the cockpit. I know the windshield is further back on a cuddy, but for a boat that size there is less room than some 18 foot bowriders.....

In 1988 a boat was just that... a boat. It had a job to do... be a boat.. and that was it. In 2012, that's not a boat's job. A boat's job is to display the style and class of the owner. A boat is a status symbol. Owning a boat tells the world you are successful. Four Winns is the Italian car of the boat world. It's about style, class, and luxury and they will be the leaders of the pack of all 3 categories. The new Bayliner 2012 BR185 is mid 1990's Four Winns styling. It looks like a piece of junk next to a 2012 FW H180. Heck, a 2005 H180 out classes it in design, styling, and innovation. Probably still costs more too.

If you want space and utility, there's manufacturers out there that design and sell such boats. Four Winns isn't one of them. Four Winns sells status symbols. If you want more space, buy a bigger boat. If you're on a budget you're looking at the wrong brand.

LouC · **Posted:** Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:27 pm

I still think they are going in the wrong direction Ric, a person will buy this, it looks great, and has nice materials. But when they live with it for a few years, for what it costs, there is not much room in it. Boating is an expensive hobby to start with, why should you have to buy a bigger, more expensive to run boat, because FW wants to sell image and not make their boats practical. I'll bet this one stickers at 55-60K.
I'll get a outboard powered Dual Console next time. More room, less weight, better performance, much less maintenance and here in salt water, much better resale. Salt water is the great equalizer, if something is made with cheap materials, and is high maintenance, it will look like it here in a few years time.

Walt · **Posted:** Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:41 pm

I'm not a big fan of the cuddy, but the 215SS looks sharp. Similar to the stingrays and others IMO. Still don't care for the "cut-off" stern on any of them.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Actually I don't see fw as any status symbol at all. If that is what I was after I would a bought a Chris craft. I think its more about getting into a boat rigged like you want it. The motor and drives are pretty much the same on all small craft unless your getting a jet model. I had a bayliner 2050 SS 5.7 L for 10 years. It was a hellofa boat and would climb out of the hole faster than my h210ss, which has more HP due to efi. The bay was more agile but lighter, less free-board. The fw is smoother in rough water and has a higher top end.

I found my fw used and saved a ton. Most boat for the money in the br arena is the bayliner. If I was to buy new I would get the bay with the sport package and tower and stainless upgrade and biggest varooom they offer. I've got less accessible storage in my fw than the bay did. When you frequently head out with 6 to 8 folks who want to ski, wakeboard, tube, kneeboard, eat and drink then storage is huge. I am very happy with my fw, but I would go another route if I gave a tinkers damn what somebody else's judgement of my status may be.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:33 am

The Euro's really like the S215. Congrats to Four Winns !

Quote:

Four Winns S215 Wins European Boat of the Year Award
American Builder Beats Out Four European Brands to Win in the Under 25-Feet Category

American boat builder Rec Boat Holdings was awarded a European Boat of the Year Award in the powerboat under 25 feet category for its Four Winns S215 model. The award was presented by Boote Magazine at the Düsseldorf Boat Show in Germany on January 21

powellcrazy · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:05 pm

the euros can have it......I dont like it at all.

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:15 pm

The cuddy is not a very attractive boat but it is a very practical boat especially for active families who have small children that need a cabin for down-time. Perhaps a sign of the hard times where young families can no longer afford a small or mid-sized cabin cruiser. Hats off to Gores and Four Winns for bringing this model back.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:53 am

The S215 is perfect for me. Not everyone lives on the Great Lakes. I would look like the toolbag of the year riding around on a 30ft cabin cruiser on a lake that's 16ft deep and 2x4mi.

chrisvs · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 7:55 am

Here is a video tour of the new cuddy. For anyone interested in how Four Winns tackled the access to the foredeck, look at about the 5:50 min point in the video. I'm not so sure I like the solution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_iZ627TJ-Q&context=C371a7deADOEgsToPDskJ7mF7kE4gHKHpyNRu_9tZ_

The only other disappointing issue is the lack of a regular hatch in the cuddy. I don't like not having a second means of egress (no way I would slide through one of those narrow side windows, even if you greased me!) but also to access the anchor, rather than having to go up on deck.

On the plus side, I do like the new squared lines, layout, and choice of finishes. The rest of the boat looks good in my eyes.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:27 am

Built in iPad dock?? Wow!

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

298VISTA2000 wrote:

The cuddy is not a very attractive boat but it is a very practical boat especially for active families who have small children that need a cabin for down-time. Perhaps a sign of the hard times where young families can no longer afford a small or mid-sized cabin cruiser. Hats off to Gores and Four Winns for bringing this model back.

I have a 5 1/2 year old and 3 year old, and we don't need a cuddy, a bowrider is fine.

I would like a cruiser just to make the boat more than just a "day boat", but I can't see my kids enjoying cruising. They are too hyper for that.

Mark T · **Posted:** Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:30 am

Keep in mind, this is from a guy that just bought a 1994 235 Sundowner back in late October and has not even had it in the water yet. So here are my thoughts on the new one, just keep in mind I am a rookie in the truest sense...

I like the idea of the cuddy, however, the leg room behind the captains chairs seems awful small. I'd like more room to stretch out while cruising and/or more room when you are bouncing around all over the place. The dash looks kinda boring. Where is the stereo on/in the dash ?? I could not tell if there was a flip down panel or Is it just below deck ?? All the hidden storage areas seem good, ours has some side storage areas in the cuddy area, which should come in handy, this one did not.

I did find this picture and review, and it looks pretty cool here so I would disagree that it is not an attractive boat. I just would want something a bit larger. It says it can carry 7, but 2 are always below deck so only 5 get to see what is going on. Ours has seating for 8 above deck with 2 more below.

I'm with Ric on this one, I don't want a big cruiser. We wanted something we can take on the big lake ( lake Michigan )when the waves aren't too big, but also tow to some of the smaller Michigan inland lakes ( Gull, Diamond, Torch, Elk, Crystal etc ). I would not buy this boat, but would reconsider if they came out with a S245SS as long as it could hold 6 fatass adults comfortably.

www.iFourWinns.com

2012 Four Winns Website

Who is online