2008 Four Winns V338 Boat in North Beach, MD 20714 US

With its patented Stable-Vee hull, high performance is perfectly integrated with sophistication in the V338. Built to smoothly handle big waters, small day trips and overnighters, a comfortable and relaxing cruise is always in store. At 35', this cruiser is expertly designed with beautiful style lines, curved windshield, triple port lite windows, and a standard hinging radar arch. A canvas bimini top with camper attached to the radar arch is included as standard equipment. A hinging fiberglass arch is standard, allowing for easy set-up, storage, transportation and maintenance. Premium gel coat finish is available in four colors, including all-white. A two-tiered welded stainless steel bow rail is combined with an intermediate lifeline system to provide security in the foredeck area. At the integrated swim platform, Four Winns includes blue courtesy lights and its signature angled, deep-reach hidden ladder with wide step pads for the swimmer's comfort. The spacious swim platform is transformed to a virtual recreation center with all the options that can be selected. Using a center rail mounting system, a table, grill, fishing rod holders and a tube rack can quickly be attached. Showcase patriotic spirit with the flag pole and holder option. There's a hot/cold shower at the swim platform for a quick rinse or to remove sand and debris. And, for an added luxurious touch, Flexiteek flooring is an option for an easy-to-clean and slip-resistant swim platform surface. And in the evenings, the V338s optional underwater lighting creates a beautiful atmosphere with large light fixtures mounted below the swim platform, filling the surrounding water with a luminous glow.

Here is what Boats.com had to say, after experiencing the 338V for the first time...

'It was the second week of 100-degree temperatures in the Lone Star State, and even the water felt as hot as Texas asphalt. A trip to the lake seemed like an inspired idea, but sky-blue Joe Poole Lake near Dallas provided little relief in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave.

Unless, of course, you were racing at full throttle with the wind in your face, which is what I was doing on the 2001 Four Winns 338 Vista, a 35-foot, 10-inch-long express cruiser. Performance testing has its advantages, but the relief it provided was only temporary. The moment we stopped a blanket of humidity descended over us like a down comforter.

It was at this critical moment that I discovered a marvelous feature on the midsize express cruiser - air conditioning. "I think we better go below," I suggested, making a snap decision. "This a cruising boat, and the cabin may be the most important part of the review." I winked, but I was only partly kidding.

Inner beauty

Opening the companionway door and walking down a short flight of stairs, I found myself in a cabin that was tall, roomy and, most importantly, cool. Headroom was 6 feet 2 inches. Three overhead deck hatches and six ports (all with screens) provided plenty of light and the promise of cross ventilation.

The dinette area, located to port, seats six adults comfortably in a U-shaped wraparound lounge. And, interestingly, the air-conditioning unit was tucked away beneath the seats, along with several additional stowage compartments. The life-saving (air-conditioning) unit is optional.

The galley is located across from the dinette. It features a fully functional kitchen with everything you need to feed a hungry crew: a refrigerator, microwave oven, two-burner electric stove, wide sink, faucet that pulls out for spraying, fiberglass counter with a granite finish and cabinets made with a cherry-wood veneer.

Just ahead of the galley is a shelf that hosts a TV/VCR, which is standard equipment. Up front is a huge, queen-size V-berth that's big enough for 6-footers to stretch out and snooze. A standing head compartment is located amidships to port, next to the companionway steps. A Vacu-Flush system and upscale porcelain bowl are standard.

The aft-cabin berth is nice as far as aft cabins go. It has sitting room (as opposed to standing room), lighting, a stowage compartment and an overhead port for light and ventilation.

Outer beauty

Unfortunately, the belowdecks tour was over, and braving the heat, I headed topside to finalize my notes. I'd already gotten a good impression of the cockpit and helm during performance testing, but I needed to check out the foredeck, transom area and engine compartment before meltdown occurred.

Here are just a few of the outstanding standard features:

• Sony multi-disc radio/CD player
• Wet bar with ice maker (or refrigerator) located amidships to port
• Twin-passenger settee to port atop a deep stowage bin
• Radar arch
• Cockpit seating for at least 6 persons in facing bench seats
• Extension piece and pads that turn cockpit seating into a U-shaped lounge
• Fill-ins convert cockpit seating area into sun pad
• Battery-saver panel that's easily accessible on the starboard side of the cockpit seating area
• Deep swim platform that runs full width of the boat
• Transom stowage area for fenders, lines, power cables, hoses, hot and cold freshwater showers and shore-power receptacle
• Danforth compass
• Maxwell windlass and anchor hidden in a bow compartment
• Integrated steps near dash lead up to the bow
• Remote spotlight on bow

Running beauty

The most comfortable cruising speed for the 338 was 27 mph at 3,000 rpm, which felt as smooth as silk. In fact, the hull is so dialed in that using the Bennet hydraulic trim tabs to tweak running attitude is unnecessary, unless you want to adjust the angle of pitch when buffeted by beam-to seas.

The three-person bench at the helm is plush and includes a flip-up bolster at the helm to use as a leaning post while standing. The wheel, by the way, is leather-wrapped and adjustable. It's connected to standard hydraulic steering.

The boat scored high marks in such routine tests as backing down, rotating in its own length and maneuvering in tight quarters around the dock. The rudders are located at the outside of the shafts and several other tweaks were made to the running gear. The intent was to help improve low-speed maneuverability, and it clearly worked.

As befits the Four Winns flagship, the 338 Vista is constructed with Armorcote gelcoat, a top-of-the-line laminate that resists discoloration. For added strength, balsa coring is used in the hull sides and top deck and the stringers are made of wood.