www.iFourWinns.com

My wife got hurt at work and had to have her neck fused. We have (and still do) always loved our 1996 238 Vista DLX. But she can no longer go on the lake. A small amount of chop and she is in real pain. I am not willing to give up boating, but the Vista is a lot of work for me to take out by myself (we trailer).

I am thinking of selling and getting a smaller funship that way I can go fishing, I can take my kids skiing/tubing and since we will never stay overnight on the lake again (we did buy a travel trailer for weekend camping trips) I wouldn't be wasting a cabin.

The funship seems to answer all of the features I want in a boat, but wow are they hard to find.

Interested to hear from any funship owners, or previous Vista owners who have downsized. Regrets? Tips? Other options?

TIA,

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Chris and Alicia
Las Vegas, NV
ALTIVA
1996 Four Winns 238 Vista Dlx 5.8Fi

Sorry to hear about the Mrs!

I downsized and haven't looked back.

I've gone from a 225 to a 268 and then a 318. We kept the 318 for 5 years and some days I miss it, most days I don't. It's a heck of a LOT of work keeping a slipped boat a few hours from home. A lot of fun, but a lot of work. I picked up a 240 last year and haven't looked back. There is no comparison. A lot less to maintain, easier to winterize and the kids seem to like it. Just hook it up and go.

I hadn't ever taken out 268 out solo, but like you I trailered that boat. The 318 which lived in the slip I'd take out myself with no issues - when you downsize to the smaller boat like your planning on it'll be a cakewalk compared to what your used to.

No real tips or regrets aside from take your time and find the right boat for you. I've been very lucky and have found that boat every time, either before or right as I sold my current boat.

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

If you live where it never gets cold enough to winterize another I/O boat in the 21-22 foot range would be much less work, but if you have winter to deal with I for sure would look at some of the sport boats with outboards, they cost more up front but are much easier to winterize and live with in general....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Good info but I live in Vegas. Winterization is fairly simple even for the cruiser I have. Drain the water and wait a week until summer comes back.

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Chris and Alicia
Las Vegas, NV
ALTIVA
1996 Four Winns 238 Vista Dlx 5.8Fi

nice! we have 4 months of winter here sometimes and it gets down to zero occasionally.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II