I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

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h2odick

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 11, 2012
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194
Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Congratulations, you'll enjoy her I'm sure. The wrap around U-seating in the rear is awesome IMO. ;)

interior5.JPG
 
tazrig

tazrig

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Congrats. :thumb: I'm hoping for an early spring for you! :D
 
S

Slip Away

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Nice looking boat. I do like the older style like your's of the FW boats over the new one's. Congrats and hope you have a great season boating.
 
K

KootenayTime

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Slip Away said:
Nice looking boat. I do like the older style like your's of the FW boats over the new one's. Congrats and hope you have a great season boating.
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I agree, I'm not sure exactly what it is about the brand new models I don't like. Does anyone know exactly when Four Winns got purchased by there current ownership. I'm not concerned about the boat I bought and I'm sure it falls into the new era, I had just heard quality had gone down a little after the buy out. I was curious about the history.
 
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Slip Away

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Platinum Equity bought Four Winns, Wellcraft,Glastron and Ranger boats in 2010 after the Genmar bankruptcy. So your boat is a Genmar product, made prior to the acquisition.
Platinum is known for buying struggling units of Fortune 500 companies and quickly cleaning house, cutting jobs, and honing the company’s products Platinum has a history of usually selling its companies within five to seven years. So we will see in a few years what happens to the brands if they are sold off yet again.
 
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KootenayTime

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Slip Away said:
Platinum Equity bought Four Winns, Wellcraft,Glastron and Ranger boats in 2010 after the Genmar bankruptcy. So your boat is a Genmar product, made prior to the acquisition.
Platinum is known for buying struggling units of Fortune 500 companies and quickly cleaning house, cutting jobs, and honing the company’s products Platinum has a history of usually selling its companies within five to seven years. So we will see in a few years what happens to the brands if they are sold off yet again.
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Great! More good news. I heard someone say once that the newer Four Winns weren't quite as good as the older ones, I'm guessing that statement is subjective and to be taken with a grain of salt but they were probably referring to the post buy out boats. Thanks for the history lesson.
 
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Slip Away

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

No problem. As a former Four Winns owner, I have followed the brand through all their history, since they are made about an hour from where I work and live. I will agree the new boats build quality statement you heard is subjective. I have seen them being built and been all over the 2013/2014 models, and there are some differences in materials used and of course styling from before the bankruptcy. They are still well made boats, but they are going in a new direction under the new ownership, and have changed things across the board in their runabouts to reflect that new direction.
 
K

KootenayTime

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Slip Away said:
No problem. As a former Four Winns owner, I have followed the brand through all their history, since they are made about an hour from where I work and live. I will agree the new boats build quality statement you heard is subjective. I have seen them being built and been all over the 2013/2014 models, and there are some differences in materials used and of course styling from before the bankruptcy. They are still well made boats, but they are going in a new direction under the new ownership, and have changed things across the board in their runabouts to reflect that new direction.
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My buddy had a 1999 190, he made a comment once that the "newer ones" weren't as well built as his......we all know where some of those comments come from.
 
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KootenayTime

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Question, does anyone have any experience with swimplatforms.com ? I have read a few things on iboats and they seem pretty reputable. We can hold off on a tower for our new boat, but one thing I want to do is add an extended swim platform.
 
thumpar

thumpar

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

I have heard only good things about swimplatforms.com. A lot of people on the Crownline forum have them. I would get one for mine but it wouldn't fit in the garage with one.
 
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KootenayTime

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

thumpar said:
I have heard only good things about swimplatforms.com. A lot of people on the Crownline forum have them. I would get one for mine but it wouldn't fit in the garage with one.
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Yeah, everything I've read seems good. I want one because of the age of our kids, they are going to spend a lot more time at this age jumping off of the boat then they are wakeboarding or even tubing. I know they can be pricey, but how else can you add 2 feet of real estate to your boat for $1500.00. I am blessed with a long.........garage, so length isn't a huge issue.
 
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Slip Away

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

+1 on swimplatforms.com great product, good service. Should run you just over $1,000 for your H210. I know at least 4 people that have ordered ESP for their
Four Winns bowrider from them. Everyone was very pleased with the product. An OEM ESP from a dealer will be closer to $1,400.00
 
R

robopath

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May 13, 2013
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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

I own a 2013 and the build quality is superb. I starting considering new boats in 2011 and noticed a drop in quality on the legacy Four Winns designs that Genmar started and Platinum inherited. The all new designs that Platinum released starting last year are quite a bit different. Also having local roots there, I have heard from some employees that they are having a banner year. They have also started to share more tooling, molds, etc across the other brands (specifically Glastron). Now, take this with a grain of salt but rumor is that Tom Gores has no interest in flipping this company, and has more personal ties having grown up spending summers in the area.
Also, they are expanding and adding jobs:
Snyder Recognizes Rec Boat Holdings For Expansion in Cadillac ? CBS Detroit
 
K

KootenayTime

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Messages
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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Slip Away said:
+1 on swimplatforms.com great product, good service. Should run you just over $1,000 for your H210. I know at least 4 people that have ordered ESP for their
Four Winns bowrider from them. Everyone was very pleased with the product. An OEM ESP from a dealer will be closer to $1,400.00
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I'm definitely all over swimplatforms.com, I was quoted $1195.00 US for our model of boat plus shipping. My only problem now is the Canadian dollar is in the toilet, I need to add about 12% to that price just in currency exchange. :facepalm:
 
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moosekoot

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

When you do put it on, please post pictures, I am interested how it will look.
 
onewhippedpuppy

onewhippedpuppy

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Another vote for swimplatforms.com, a friend bought one for his Crownline and it is a high quality part that fits well. We both have young kids, they spend more time on the back of the boat than anywhere else.
 
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Marc Peternell

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Dec 21, 2013
Messages
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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

Congratulations on the new purchase! I have a 1996 Four Winns 240 Horizon and I love the wrap around seating in the back. It is very comfortable and when you have more passengers, it gives more places to sit.

As for the swim platform extention, I would test your boat a lot before deciding whether or not to do that. 1. You are adding weight to the very rear of the boat and I saw in your earlier post where you were concerned about performance problems (which I don't think you will have) and 2. The swim platform on it now looks really sharp and you may not need another one. That said, I've thought of putting one on my boat too though, I think it would be really nice to have.
 
onewhippedpuppy

onewhippedpuppy

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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

moosekoot said:
When you do put it on, please post pictures, I am interested how it will look.
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Here's how it would look: Four Winns 210 / 220 Horizon / H220 ('05-'09)

Pretty darn good in my opinion. Though on that boat it would be even better to have the red color matched side and stainless rub-rail, it would look almost factory.
 
K

KootenayTime

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Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Messages
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Re: I think it's a no brainer, but HELP Cobalt vs Four Winns

moosekoot said:
When you do put it on, please post pictures, I am interested how it will look.
Click to expand...

onewhippedpuppy posted a link to some pictures of the very same boat with the swim platform on, I really like the looks.
 
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