Considering buying a used Four Winns... looking for some advice

[flipnello]

Hi Everyone,

I've been looking at a 1987 Four Winns 190 Horizon. It has sport seating, and the 205hp V6 mercruiser with an alpha one outdrive. I just went for a test drive today, and it ran smoothly. Cruised around the lake for about 20 minutes at full throttle, and also sat with it at idle for a while too. Turned it off and restared it a few times... engine seems solid.

The only thing that doesn't currently work is the blower. It has power and turns on, but just makes a squealing noise, as if a belt is loose or something. I assume that wouldn't take a lot to fix?

The only other thing that I am hoping someone can chime in on is regarding the hull. Overall, it is in great shape and seems very solid. The only blemish I could find was on the keel, about 4 feet from the stern. There is a patch roughly 2 inches in diameter where the gel coat has been rubbed or chipped off. It looks like it might be from trailering, as there is roller very near to that spot. I can see the fiberglass and it looks good, but I am wondering if I should be concerned about this or is it just cosmetic? Obviously if it is just cosmetic, I won't care given that it is on the bottom of the boat.

If it is an issue, would it be expensive to have someone repair the gel coat in that spot? Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Considering buying a used Four Winns... looking for some advice

The blower can be replaced easily and at a low cost. You can buy them right here on iboats for under $30. There are a ton of threads in the restoration section about repairing gel coat. The guys on here can walk you through that step by step and let you know the costs.
Good luck!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Considering buying a used Four Winns... looking for some advice

Blower is required to work . . . an easy replacement.

With a boat of that age (25 years) the biggest thing to look for is rot in the structure - floor, stringers, bulkheads, transom. If there is rot in some of those area, then you have got a nice project boat. So, that would be the things to check.

 

[rickryder]

Re: Considering buying a used Four Winns... looking for some advice

Being a Four Winns owner I can tell you they did a poor job below deck with the glass work..... I love the boat now after the rebuild! Look closely at the ski locker area,soft spots in the sole,and around the seat bases.... If you have any place water can get into the foam read my resto link below to see what my be lurking below the sole..

What kind of price tag does it have?

 

[flipnello]

Re: Considering buying a used Four Winns... looking for some advice

Asking price is $3500. I was able to look at the transom and a little bit of the stringers through the engine compartment, and they looked very solid. I almost thought maybe someone had already done a rebuild, as the wood still has a golden shine that shows through the glass...

I poked around the engine mounts, transom and stringers with a screw driver and couldn't find any soft spots.

Also, when we took it for a test drive, we were out on the lake for about 40 minutes, and during that time, the bilge didn't accumlate any water at all... I thought this was a good sign, as the last couple of boats I've owned (one was a Four Winns) always had at least some water to drain out after being on the lake.

The guy selling it has owned it for 8 years and said he hasn't done any rebuilding or restoration, but couldn't say 100% either way whether the previous owner had or not. The only minor thing he replaced structuraly was the piece of wood that covers the gas tank area. He said that it got soft a couple years ago and he put a new board in. The rest of the floor feels solid when you walk on it.

 

[rickryder]

Re: Considering buying a used Four Winns... looking for some advice

Sounds like a solid boat....If it all checks out and runs well and you happy with it 3500 sounds fair