2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

[jungle1074]

All,

I am looking to get a new 19' bowrider for use on Michigan lake. I don't want to go any larger than that because I (a) won't be able to fit it in the garage and (b) don't have a vehicle that can tow more than 5000 lbs. The good news is that it will be used 99% of the time at a lake property, so it is easy to come to shore to change out passengers. Don't need to carry 8 people & gear all day. It is replacing a '86 FW H190 that finally bit the dust.

Usage is primarily recreational water sports - tubing, some simple wakeboarding/kneeboarding/skiing. Given that usage, I'm more concerned with a decent hole shot than top end.

Anyway, if I buy new, I think I've narrowed it down to these 3 options and would love opinions. All seem to be in about the same price range ($30K + frt/prep/tax).

Four Winns H190 - seems to be a jack of all trades. 220HP MPI 4.3L. There are a lot of used FW here in Michigan, and it has a pretty good resale reputation. There is a dealer about 20 miles away from the lake.

Chaparral H20 Sport 19 - looks to be comparable/maybe a half-step up from the H190 in build quality. Dealer is 60 miles away. Good re-sale reputation but not as common. 220HP MPI 4.3L

Monterey 196 MS - haven't seen any reviews at all yet. I like the layout the best (walk through transom looks great as we are constantly changing out the watersports rider) and looks to be a very high build quality. Dealer is 70 miles away. Also, only has a 190HP carb'd 4.3L if that matters much for my use.

Any thoughts on clear winner or loser? Or is this a case of all are about the same, so just pick one?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JimS123]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

No clear choice. The MPI is a plus, and the 20 mile away dealer is a big plus. OTOH I like the Monterey best from aethetics and function.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

It depends on which dealer is 20 miles away. My Michigan FW dealer is 3 miles away, and would drive 20 miles to use another one.
All good choices for boat brands. you could not go wrong with any of them.

Being a 2 time Monterey owner, I would suggest the 196 Montura. You can't find much info since it is a new model for 2014, and they just
started shipping late fall to dealers. The value for your dollar with a Monterey is hard to beat IMO.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

All three are good to very good.

If I were you I would go look at all three, just to be sure. And then you'll probably end up buying the FourWinns. Having the dealer nice and close and the MPI are big pluses.

I would also strongly suggest looking at the used market. As you note FWs are easy to find used in Michigan.

Where in Michigan are you?

 

[jungle1074]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

All three are good to very good.
I would also strongly suggest looking at the used market. As you note FWs are easy to find used in Michigan.

Where in Michigan are you?

I am looking used as well. I'm in SW Michigan (Benton Harbor area), but the boat will be stored on Higgins Lake with the in-laws.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

I am looking used as well. I'm in SW Michigan (Benton Harbor area), but the boat will be stored on Higgins Lake with the in-laws.

Thanks for the feedback.

Talk to Steve Bajtka @ Onekema Marine about the 196MS. Great guy to deal with up north. Or contact Gull Lake Marine for your SW Michigan
Monterey needs. Dealt with them on our current 204FS.

 

[jkust]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

All great boats. My opinion in the conditional tense is I won't own another carbureted power sport or boat ever again. That goes double for anything brand new and not even if you dropped it off at my lake house for free. No more Carbs even if the Montura is a nice hull. That leaves the Four Winns and the Chap. That particular Chap has gotten good reviews over the years but the H2o line is the reaction to the poor economy and is a lower echelon of boat that Chap hasn't delved into for about a decade or so since the last time they made a whole line (not just a single boat) of sub SSI/SS boats. Still a nice boat compared to some other's however but I would seek out an SSI before an H2o.

 

[DB Cooper]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

Out of the boats you are considering, I like the Monterey the best. But, with a carbed engine that would be a deal killer for me in this day and age on a brand new boat. You may also want to consider the Regal 1900, it has a 8'3" beam which makes for a much roomier feeling boat.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

I'd eliminate the Monterey because of the carb. Seems odd that in 2014 that anyone is still putting a carb on a boat. I looked at the 4 Wins and the Chap when I was considering a new runabout instead of the v-drive and I preferred the look of the 4 Wins but either of them would be a winner. Only thing I didn't care for with either of them was how little space there was inside the boat with the way it was laid out, both felt a lot smaller than my bayliner 19 ft due to the way the seating was laid out and the massive amount of space that the platform took up.

 

[jkust]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

I'd eliminate the Monterey because of the carb. Seems odd that in 2014 that anyone is still putting a carb on a boat. I looked at the 4 Wins and the Chap when I was considering a new runabout instead of the v-drive and I preferred the look of the 4 Wins but either of them would be a winner. Only thing I didn't care for with either of them was how little space there was inside the boat with the way it was laid out, both felt a lot smaller than my bayliner 19 ft due to the way the seating was laid out and the massive amount of space that the platform took up.

Remember though the EPA banned carbs in these new engines, boat builders can use their new old stock still. If I was to look at a new boat, I think I'd at least take a peak at a new jet given their large social spaces because of the size and placement of the engines. I think like jeepers up there, you get standard runabout burn out after a while.

It's hard to believe but even with four wheelers, they are just now transitioning out the last carbed models. While I hate carbs and we haven't started talking about cats.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

Remember though the EPA banned carbs in these new engines, boat builders can use their new old stock still. If I was to look at a new boat, I think I'd at least take a peak at a new jet given their large social spaces because of the size and placement of the engines. I think like jeepers up there, you get standard runabout burn out after a while.

It's hard to believe but even with four wheelers, they are just now transitioning out the last carbed models. While I hate carbs and we haven't started talking about cats.

I wouldn't look twice at a 19-21 ft jet only because of the motor and drive longevity. Basically 1 or 2 jetski setups in a full sized boat. Friend of mine spent $$$$ on a Yamaha jet boat, looks nice but nothing but silly little mechanical problems.

 

[thumpar]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

There is nothing wrong with a carb in good condition but they do require more maintenance so I would stick with FI of some kind. The 4.3l is a great motor but you might want to see if any of the dealers have the 5.0l or 5.7l in a 2013 model that they will give you a good deal on. The extra power is nice and a 19' is the cutoff for me going to a v8.

P.S. Don't rule out a Crownline.

 

[JimS123]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

There is nothing wrong with a carb in good condition but they do require more maintenance so I would stick with FI of some kind. The 4.3l is a great motor but you might want to see if any of the dealers have the 5.0l or 5.7l in a 2013 model that they will give you a good deal on. The extra power is nice and a 19' is the cutoff for me going to a v8.

P.S. Don't rule out a Crownline.

I love FI and wouldn't favor buying a carbed engine today, but if the boat "floated my boat" and had a carb I would buy it anyway.

My towcar and my family boat both have carbs, and range from 30 to 34 years old. In the old days I would consider a carb rebuild to be "normal maintenance" every 5 years or so. However, with the cleaning properties of E-10 I personally don't think "maintenance" is an issue any more.

My 4-BBL V-8 Bonneville hasn't seen a carb rebuild in 20 years, and my 30 year old 3.0 L Merc has never had the carb touched EVER, except for an adjustment. My son's 4.3 Mercruiser is about 7 years old and it hasn't been touched either.

 

[MikDee]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

I like the Montery best. Next the Chapp. Not so much the Four Winns for hole shot, it's probably heavier, & has a deeper vee then the rest (more side to side rocking). Regal makes a great boat, & so does Crownline, I don't know much about them though?

 

[jungle1074]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

Thanks all. Certainly giving me some things to think about...

 

[DB Cooper]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

Carbs work great and have for decades, they have their advantages just like EFI does. I just couldn't imagine spending $30k on a brand new vehicle that still has a carb on it. When buying new you have a choice, that is one of the advantages of buying new vs used. I get it that they are probably discounting the Monterey more because it has a carb, but to me the discount would not be worth it. Spend a little extra money and get the more modern technology. I would get the Monterey and go to a different dealer if that one did not have what I wanted.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

FYI,
The Monterey 196MS is their new entry level boat along with the 186MS. That being said, the boats come standard with the carbed engine to keep the total
price down. 4.3L MPI engines are available. It's a $2K upgrade, or nearly $3900.00 upgrade for the MPI Catalyst engine. For that premium upgrade, you can
see why most dealers order the carbed engine, so the boat can still be considered at entry level pricing. I have seen the 196MS with carb, and trailer priced at $26K, and the 196MS with MPI, catalyst, and trailer for $30K.

 

[jkust]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

There is nothing wrong with a carb in good condition but they do require more maintenance so I would stick with FI of some kind. The 4.3l is a great motor but you might want to see if any of the dealers have the 5.0l or 5.7l in a 2013 model that they will give you a good deal on. The extra power is nice and a 19' is the cutoff for me going to a v8.

P.S. Don't rule out a Crownline.

I can agree and disagree with part of this. My Chap engine has required zero carb maintenance if you don't count winterizing/fogging. Obviously a sample size of one means nothing to anyone but me. (recall MPI came out for model year 2002 and was slow to be taken up on small boats). My Snowmobiles and other past carb machines can be pure frustration especially in below zero winter temps. What I hate about carbs in boats is pretty simple and is the most noticeable part of carbs that work as intended. MPI simply has better throttle response and you don't have to warm up the engine to back away from the ramp. Of course not having the gas smell is nice and unlike carbed engines and especially prevalent on the 4.3....mpi doesn't suffer from run on.

As for the engine size, something that bothers me is that so many new smaller boats have cut out the V8 option completely. For over a decade you could get a 270HP v8 in the 18 foot Chap and now it is maxed out at the 4.3 liter MPI 220HP. They make you go up to the SSi level and a bigger hull to get it and then you are in a new echelon of pricing.


Back up to Jeepers comment about jet boats, I know nothing about them except the articles in magazines about how great they are and the few that I've seen just look and sound like a lot of fun. They could be the worst thing on the water...I don't know.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

I am surprised you didnt mention Larson boat's. There big water boat's and well built..just a thought.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: 2014 Bowriders - Four Winns H190 vs. Chaparral 19 H20 Sport vs. Monterey 196 MS

Unless you are worried about hitting rocks with a LU forget the jet. You need 30% more HP for the same performance. Unless Chapp has severely reduced the quality to get into a low price point they would certainly be my choice. OHhhh and resale on a carbed engine years down the road when they are no longer built is questionable.