2002 Four Winns 260 Horizon???

Volffas · **Joined:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:43 pm **Posts:** 5

Hello everyone, we are looking to upgrade our current 1989 Carver 2157 and get a bowrider. I have found a 2002 Four Winns Horizon 260 that looks like it could meet all of our needs/wants.

Is there anything that I should be on the lookout for? This model has a 5.7L Volvo Penta Duoprop, would that supply enough power to get on plane with several people on board? And would it be enough power to pull a water skier?

Thanks in advance!

Andy

scotchwater · **Posted:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:59 pm

The 5.7l depending if it's the Gi or the Gxi is either 280 HP or 320 HP which translates roughly to 45-50mph top end. With the duoprop, you'll be able to yank the tale out of an elephant and have no problem getting multiple skiers up. My 260 has a much bigger engine but I can load it full of people and still sit right down on plane and top out at 55-60 mph. Yours will actually be about 2 feet longer as back then they added a swim step and loa was a bit over 28'. Yours is rated for 14 folks and you would have no problem getting them in there if you had to. As far as handling, mine handles better than the last 20 footer I had. Also, for a big boat, they're pretty fuel efficient when you're not always running at top speed.

You're a boat owner now, so look it over for obvious problems and take her for a spin and if at all possible have a mechanic look at it to be on the safe side. Also, check boat trader for comp prices to see if you're getting a good deal.

Volffas · **Joined:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:43 pm **Posts:** 5

Thanks for the reply. Another question I had was about towing. I see you have a 1500, will that haul the boat around fairly easily? I have a 2005 Ford F150 4x4 with a 5.4L gas engine. It hauls our current boat pretty well, and this boat isn't too much heavier, so I'm not thinking it will not be too big of a change.

Thanks!

ric · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:47 am

The boat and trailer are around 6500lb. Your trucks towing capacity is 6300, so it's right on the edge. I'd add a HUUUGEEE transmission cooler and I wouldn't do 85mph on the highway.

Awesome boat. The performance data of that engine on that size boat is about equal to my Horizon 180 with a 3.0 liter. 5 people in my boat towing a wakeboarder I'm still on plane in 2 seconds. Doesn't slow it down a bit. With that duo prop setup you'll be standing still as you rotate the earth under you, they don't fool around.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:44 am

I respectfully disagree. In the 260 I would want the 8.1, especially if having more than a few people on board with tubes & skiers.

As to towing, my 230/240 is 6,500# actual wet, the 260 should be more. The '05 F150 will certainly be able to tow it, but if you tow long distances and/or across steep terrain I think you'll be much happier with something bigger. There's more to towing than published capacity.

Take a very careful and thorough look at the condition of the trailer as well as the boat.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:22 am

230 Mike wrote:

I respectfully disagree. In the 260 I would want the 8.1, especially if having more than a few people on board with tubes & skiers.

I regularly drive my buddies wakesetter with 350hp inboard and sure... it has POWER but there isn't anything he can do with his boat with 350hp that I can't do with my 135.

If you need more power with that 5.7 DP.. tune that bad buoy up. Heck, just slap a set of aftermarket heads and marine cam. You can get a set of high performance iron heads for $1000 plus a few hours of labor to install that will instantly bump you up 50-80hp.

I really doubt you can find a 8.1L H260 that's only $2000 more.

scotchwater · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:41 pm

Actually, 230 Mike is pretty spot on. If you can get the 8.1, all the better. I wouldn't (and didn't) settle for anything else and was thankful from the first time I turned the ignition on. However, as far as weight, your boat is rated at 4270lbs for the boat and engine and Mike's is 4600lbs. Assuming like trailers and loaded similarly, you'll pull pretty close the same as he does. I towed mine from Utah to Lake Mead going up and down elevations up to 6,000' and although it was a real bear and I wouldn't want to do it again, I made it without slowing down (4-5 mpg!). Around town with normal inclines I have zero problem so depending on how far you're towing to the water and what kind of terrain, you'll do just fine. My family's from Kansas where Mike's at and we have bigger speed bumps in California than the things they call hills in Kansas....

As for the engine, a test drive would be worth a thousand words. The 5.7gxi is not a bad engine.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:51 pm

scotchwater wrote:

...we have bigger speed bumps in California than the things they call hills in Kansas....

Ah, but we travel to southern Missouri, with some of the most underrated hills in the country. :mrgreen:

It sounds like the pre-'04 models were a little lighter than the '04-up, so the towing weight may be closer to mine than I was thinking it would be. From an engine standpoint, though, you're still pushing more hull area through the water, and that hull is more likely (potentially) to have more people in it (the 230/240 is also rated for 14 people, but if you tried to put that many in there they'd have to stand on each others' shoulders; it's a more realistic number for a 260, though IMO 8 adults is about the limit for either model). From a towing standpoint, if I towed in the mountains any more frequently than I do, I would have to have a bigger truck even though I tow in the flats with no trouble at all. So that may get down to what kind of terrain we're talking about.

scotchwater · **Posted:** Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:55 pm

Been there too.... just bigger speed bumps

Volffas · **Joined:** Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:43 pm **Posts:** 5

I live in the Northern part of Kentucky, just south of Cincinnati, OH. The hills aren't too bad, and we would mostly keep the boat at a marina on the Ohio River. Occasionally we would like to head south to Norris Lake and Lake Cumberland and other big Lakes in south and western Kentucky. I think the truck could handle the hills fairly well. According to this website, http://www.fordf150.net/specs/05f150.php the towing capacity of my 5.7L would be 8,300 or 9,300 pounds depending on gear ratio, so it shouldn't be too big of a problem.

It sounds like a very nice boat, and I know Four Winns has a reputation of building good boats. I guess I was just curious to see if there were any known problems with that year model boat.

Thanks for all the good advice so far, and keep it coming!

St. Louis Dave · **Posted:** Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:32 pm

IMO- and I think it's valid cause I have one (01 and 02 are sister boats), I'd be REALLY cautious of the 5.7. IF it's a GSI or GXI maybe, but I'd want a pretty complete sea trial. I've got the 7.4 GSI DP which is rated at 385 HP. I LOVE my motor and would ONLY have a big block in this boat. I've had 14 people on board (10 is max comfortably unless its' all kids) and had no performance issues.

You need to make sure you know what kind of boating you want to do. If you are just going to cruise up and down the river at 30 MPH and not pull toys and not worry about the few trips you need to do at 50+, the 5.7 will propel the boat. If you want some performance, acceleration, toy action, and just plain ole fun, find the big block.

As for the boat, incredible amounts of room. The old hulls had MUCH more room in the seating area (no big sun platform). I have the U-shaped seating and all my guests love being able to have room to lounge. It's the perfect boat for two couples to play on for the day or for a family with a bunch of kids with friends.

Under $20K with the 5.7 is a great deal.

How many hours? Any toys on it? Pix?

What else do you want to know?

Optimus Prime · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 11:52 am

Ok, so here's the scoop on weight on my 2007 260H. On a registered truck scale I have 2700 lbs. this is with trailer, full tank (75 gals.) of gas, and toys on board. I was taking it out of storage so the batteries were not in it. My 2007 Avalanche (it is coincidence that it is the same year and no I did not go on a spending spree in 2007...) is rated at 7900 for towing. With the LTZ and HD towing package I can pull the boat fine but have to be fully aware and not speed. Pulling over the pass between Eastern WA and Western WA is (shall we say) interesting. but do-able. BTW, neither toy can be changed out as my wife loves the 260H and my M-i-L loves the Avalanche. I have the "high-output" 8.1 which has been "tweaked" by Mitch and Mark Evans (if you are into hydros and "sled" racing you will recognize the names). I would think a 5.7 could do ok in the boat but you will always be pushing it to do more and wishing for a big block.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:32 pm

Optimus Prime wrote:

Ok, so here's the scoop on weight on my 2007 260H. On a registered truck scale I have 2700 lbs. this is with trailer, full tank (75 gals.) of gas, and toys on board.

260H , trailer, fuel and toys only weighs 2700 lbs ??? An H180 by itself weighs about that much. Possible Typo ??

scotchwater · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 1:19 pm

Typo or broken truck scale. I'd buy 6700#'s, but unless you take out the engine and strip the insides, you'll never get it under 3,000. The trailer alone is 1500#'s!

Graham R · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2012 5:35 pm

The UK (admittedly non FW) trailer for my 245 Sundowner is about 680 kg ! 246 litres of fuel, say 200 kg, that's about 880 kg; that's close on 2,000 lbs before the boat weight ! My boat + trailer+ fuel is about 3.4 mt ( 7,500 lbs); the towing limit here is 3,500 kg. I can maybe imagine the weight of a H260 plus trailer to be 2,700kg (6,000 lbs) , but certainly not 2,700 lbs unless it's a special lightweight kevlar or carbon fibre version plus a titanium trailer!.

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2002 Four Winns 260 Horizon???

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