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    <title>Four Winns News</title>
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    <pubDate>Sun, 18 Jun 2006 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
    <description>The Latest news of whats's going on with Four Winns, and Four Winns boats.</description>
    <item>
      <title>GOVERNOR GRANHOLM SALUTES BOAT MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE IN CADILLAC</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/28</link>
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<![endif]-->  <!--StartFragment-->Today Governor Jennifer Granholm joined workers and management at Cadillac-based boat manufacturer Four Winns to celebrate the future of marine manufacturing in Michigan. Local business leaders and state and local government officials, as well as representatives from Four Winns&rsquo; new owner Platinum Equity, met with workers at the plant to mark the beginning of a new era. With the help of a $27.1 million tax credit over eight years, Four Winns manufacturing facilities will grow to accommodate the production of Glastron Boats, another Platinum Equity acquisition. Wellcraft Boats are also now manufactured in Cadillac.<br /><br />&ldquo;We are proud of our work force and our products,&rdquo; said Four Winns President Jeff Olson, &ldquo;and we are ready to grow as the economy continues to improve.&rdquo; By consolidating manufacturing, the number of jobs at the marine manufacturing center is expected to continue to increase.&nbsp; The tax credit package that was assembled by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Cadillac Industrial Fund will help to build even stronger roots. <br /><br />&nbsp;&ldquo;We are excited about the excellent workforce that resides here in Cadillac,&rdquo; said Platinum Equity Principle, Louis Samson, &ldquo;By producing these three great brands in one facility, we have the potential to become the largest boating manufacturing location in the United States. The Founder of Platinum Equity, Tom Gores, and his wife, are both Michigan natives. It was important to them to be part of rebuilding Michigan; we hope this is just the first step.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;re trying to build a new Michigan here&mdash;trying to hold on to the fantastic workforce we have and to grow our industries,&rdquo; Governor Granholm said.&nbsp; &ldquo;We have the potential to add up to 2,000 new jobs and to make Cadillac the center of excellence for boat building.&rdquo;</meta></meta></meta></meta></meta></meta><!--EndFragment--></p>]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/28</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SL222 TOPS TRAILER BOATS' EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN AWARDS</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/27</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>The January issue of <em>Trailer Boats </em>features its 2009 Excellence in Design Awards, and the Four Winns SL222 leads the bowrider honorees. The awards identify, define and celebrate 30 of today&rsquo;s most exciting and innovative new crafts.<br /><br />The <em>Trailer Boats </em>staff selected the SL222 from countless bowrider models. &ldquo;The best of the new models are breaking tired old stereotypes with fresh, progressive lines, while also offering innovations that boost performance in tasks ranging from hardcore watersports to casual entertaining.&rdquo;<br /><br />The reviewer describes the SL222: &ldquo;sophisticated yet edgy, the SL222 is a perfect example of the new trendsetters that aren&rsquo;t afraid to push the boundaries &ndash; even if it means taking chances. Although Four Winns bills it as a bowrider, this boat&rsquo;s roomy, beam-forward design and broad bow swim platform help define the best attributes of a modern &lsquo;deckabout.&rsquo;&rdquo;<br /><br />Highlighting its foremost bowrider feature, the reviewer praises the SL222&rsquo;s Stable-Vee Split Chine hull: &ldquo;Featuring 20 wave-piercing degrees of transom deadrise, the design offers excellent cornering and acceleration, while a special &lsquo;wake chine&rsquo; amidships assures a narrow, clean curl &ndash; just what the wakeboarding doctor ordered.&rdquo;<br /><br />To read more about the Excellence in Design Awards, see the January 2009 issue of <em>Trailer Boats</em>.<br />&nbsp;</p>]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/27</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>BOATTEST.COM DECLARES THE V408 'WINNER'</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/26</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Testers from BoatTest.com are clearly impressed with the Four Winns V408. The November 26, 2008 review sings Four Winns&rsquo; praises for out-of-the-box design. &ldquo;We believe Four Winns&rsquo; new V408 will set new benchmarks for 40&rsquo;+ express cruisers of the future. It has been carefully designed for two entirely different uses &ndash; 1) day boat entertaining, and 2) two-couples or family cruising.&rdquo; <br /><br />Drilling down to the details, BoatTest picked its favorite features. &ldquo;We counted at least 10 innovations on the boat, all features that pack big-boat utility into a 40&rsquo; boat&hellip;.From stem to stern the V408 is full of good ideas and it is clear that the folks in Cadillac, MI have decided to break with tradition in their large cruisers and go for the gold.&rdquo;<br /><br />The mid cabin caught the attention of the reviewer: &ldquo;The aft (or mid) cabin has full standing headroom along the forward side of the double bed. This means you can stand up, put on your clothes, walk into the head, and otherwise be in a real stateroom and not have to crawl into a cabin under the bridge deck.&rdquo;   <br /><br />The bow was also a highlight: &ldquo;The V408 has an opening in the bow pulpit so you can actually dive off the bow. The deck hatch treatments which are the most artistic and pleasing we have seen on nearly any boat are large, round and designed to get plenty of light below where it is needed.&rdquo; <br /><br />The stern gets positive reviews from BoatTest. &ldquo;We like the clear Plexiglas in the locker in the swim platform. Just add underwater lights and you&rsquo;ll have a spectacle of fish darting below at night. The locker is thoughtfully sized for two large fenders.&rdquo; The article continues, &ldquo;an example of innovation is the placement of the electric grill in the transom of the boat. Think of the advantages: no greasy smudge on the coupe&rsquo;s overhead, freeing up room on the bridge for seating and tables, and by folding down the rumble seat you have an ideal-sized food-prep counter. With a flip of a switch you can turn the rumble seat into a sunpad.&rdquo;<br /><br />The V408&rsquo;s hardtop drew accolades with its &ldquo;amazingly large sunroof with electronic adjustment. The expansive sunroof, combined with wide windshield walk-thru steps, allows passage to the foredeck with ease and plenty of headroom. It does this because the sunroof goes to the frame of the windshield. When it is retracted, anyone can stand up and not have to duck when going through the open windshield to the foredeck.&rdquo;<br /><br />To learn more about why BoatTest declares the V408 a winner, see the full review at www.BoatTest.com. </p>]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/26</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>BOATING LIFE MAGAZINE NAMES THE SL222 A NEXT GENERATION SPORT BOAT</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/25</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>The November/December 2008 issue of <em>Boating Life Magazine</em> highlights &lsquo;Next Generation Sport Boats&rsquo; with the 2009 SL222 leading the way. Robert Stephens describes the boat&rsquo;s 22&rsquo; 7&rdquo; length and 8&rsquo; 6&rdquo; beam and remarks, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s a bowrider, with passenger seating for 10 and, with a 300 hp engine, a top speed in the ballpark of 50 mph. How many times have we seen all of the above numbers on a boat test? The numbers in this case are not only deceiving, they&rsquo;re an injustice.&rdquo;<br /><br />The test proved impressive thanks, in part, to the SL222&rsquo;s generous interior space. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have the interior square footage of every 22-foot boat on the market, but we&rsquo;re willing to argue that the SL222 blows them all away when it comes to floor space.&rdquo; Stephens continues to describe the many benefits of &ldquo;an extra 6 &ndash; 8 inches of usable lateral space&rdquo; throughout the boat.<br /><br />Despite the SL222&rsquo;s great appeal to the wake sports crowd, the article also acknowledges the boat&rsquo;s more fuel-conscious attributes. &ldquo;While they were reworking the whole foundation of the 22-foot sport boat, Four Winns also considered how boaters&rsquo; behaviors are changing in this fuel-conscious era. They went with a living-room set-up in the cockpit, with angular components and sloped backrests.&rdquo; Stephens also notes, &ldquo;The SL222 has one of the most inviting transom hangouts we&rsquo;ve seen, with stereo speakers, the wide platform and a dedicated seat molded in next to the sun pad. The whole idea is that you can be boating while sitting still.&rdquo;<br /><br />To catch up on all the details of this &lsquo;Next Generation&rsquo; review, check out the November/December 2008 issue of Boating Life Magazine.<br /><br />&nbsp;</p>]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/25</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>FOUR WINNS' H310 AMONG BOATING LIFE'S LONG-RANGE BOWRIDERS </title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/24</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<em>Boating Life Magazine</em> selected four bowriders that have the &ldquo;elegance of upscale overnighters, but the practicality of an open-deck day boat.&rdquo; The Four Winns H310 made the cut for its space and style in the October 2008 issue.<br /><br />The <em>Boating Life</em> staff writes, &ldquo;Four Winns was one of the first to figure out that there&rsquo;s enough room forward of the windshield to design in a usable day berth. It makes sense, because a boat with a 130-gallon fuel capacity is bound to be out all day.&rdquo;]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/24</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>POWER BOATING CANADA SELECTS THE H220 AS A FAMILY-FRIENDLY TOW BOAT</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/23</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<em>Power Boating Canada Magazine </em>Editor Brad Roberts handpicked the Four Winns H220 for the short list of family friendly tow boats. To make the cut, the H220 had to excel as a tow boat, and do double duty as a &ldquo;family friendly fun machine.&rdquo;<br /><br />Showcased in the summer 2008 issue, volume 23/no. 3, the H220&rsquo;s notable features include its large integrated swim platform with storage, bow and stern boarding ladders, Stable-Vee hull, unique stern seat system, and its Sony am/fm/cd stereo with iPod/MP3 ports.]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/23</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>BOATING LIFE MAGAZINE PICKS THE FOUR WINNS H210SS AS A 'HEAD-TURNER'</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/22</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[&ldquo;It&rsquo;s easy to notice the muscle-car qualities of the H210SS: the color scheme, matching helm, black windshield frame, through-hull exhaust and all-out speed,&rdquo; notes <em>Boating Life Magazine&rsquo;s </em>Robert Stephens in the June 2008 issue.<br /><br />Calling attention to what&rsquo;s &ldquo;beneath the glitz,&rdquo; Stephens explains, the H210SS &ldquo;rides on Four Winns&rsquo; Stable-Vee hull, with a specially designed Deadrise and aft running surface, to maintain a planning profile in hard turns. So, though the boat looks edgy, it&rsquo;s actually safe.&rdquo;<br />]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/22</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>GO BOATING DESCRIBES THE SL262 AS A "SPORT LUXURY" HYBRID

</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/21</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[For its March 2008 issue, <em>Go Boating</em> was clearly impressed with the Four Winns SL262. The <em>Go Boating</em> Test Team opens the article praising the new Four Winns design. &ldquo;The SL262 is a departure from &lsquo;traditional&rsquo; bowrider designs in that its new Stable-Vee Split Chine hull allows for a beamier bow area and more seating forward.&rdquo;<br /><br />Citing the SL262&rsquo;s many unique amenities, the article explains the boat&rsquo;s broad appeal, &ldquo;part bowrider, part deckboat and part ski/waterboard boat, Four Winns&rsquo; new SL262 would best be described as a &lsquo;sport luxury&rsquo; hybrid.&rdquo;<br /><br />The team gauged the SL262&rsquo;s performance with great success. &ldquo;To test its rough-water ride on a fairly glassy lake, we had to cross over our own wakes, but they were no match for the SL262&rsquo;s deep-V hull and extended running surface. The ride was smooth, dry and quiet over the wakes, and cornering was predictable, even at speeds of over 40 mph.&rdquo;]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/21</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>"IDEAL BOATS FOR FAMILIES WHO FISH": BOATING LIFE MAGAZINE PRAISES THE FOUR WINNS H183
</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/20</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[&ldquo;The H183 has the familiar operations of a small bowrider, with fishing features that do not impact an attractive price,&rdquo; explains Robert Stephens of <em>Boating Life Magazine</em> in the February 2008 issue. This issue features boats that are ideal for families who fish, and the Four Winns H183 is clearly a stand out for its fishing essentials, manageability, and affordability. Stephens describes it as &ldquo;a model that keeps the investment in the low $20,000 range. That would make the payments about as easy as operating the boat.&rdquo;&nbsp; <br /><br />Spelling out the H183&rsquo;s benefits as a ski boat, <em>Boating Life</em> notes, &ldquo;it makes retrieving a fallen skier or rider much easier than in a big heavy boat.&rdquo; At the same time, it gets its dues as a fishing boat thanks to its pedestal fishing seats, livewells, dedicated tackle storage, rod holders, and a standard fish finder.<br />]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/20</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>THE FOUR WINNS V338 IS POSITIONED AT THE TOP OF THE LIST IN BOATING MAGAZINE'S "SHOOTOUT"  </title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/19</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[The January 2008 issue of <em>Boating Magazine</em> features an express cruiser &ldquo;ShootOut&rdquo; in which the 2008 Four Winns V338 earns top marks against competitors&rsquo; 35-footers. Author Kevin Falvey credits the after-pods incorporated into the Stable-Vee hull for the V338&rsquo;s stellar performance: &ldquo;This boat lifted onto plane more smoothly than the rest, with little noticeable hump and no loss of forward visibility.&rdquo; <br /><br />There are plenty of kudos in the Cruiseability category as well. &ldquo;Standard cockpit icemaker and refrigerator help you be a great host and provide extra cold stowage for cruising.&rdquo; Falvey also compliments the V338&rsquo;s flexibility: &ldquo;Folding arch gets you in where others can&rsquo;t go.&rdquo; <br /><br />The ShootOut sites the V338&rsquo;s &ldquo;swanky d&eacute;cor include(ing) glass-fronted cabinets and grainy leather upholstery&hellip;;&rdquo; as one of several high points. Plus Falvey notes it &ldquo;handles well at all speeds,&rdquo; and the &ldquo;bowrail features a mid-height safety rail per ABYC.&rdquo; <br /><em><br />Boating </em>sums up stating, &ldquo;We think an express cruiser should possess style, luxury, performance, a long standards list, and dollops of practicality. Which model does all that? The Four Winns V338. Put it at the top of your list.&rdquo;]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:58:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/19</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>ACCORDING TO BOATING LIFE MAGAZINE, THE &#8220;HULL TRUTH&#8221; IS THAT THE FOUR WINNS SL262 &#8220;HANDLES LIKE A SPORTS CAR&#8221;</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/17</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[For the January 2008 issue of Boating Life Magazine, the SL262 was the subject of a case study on the boating industry's most unique hull designs. In particular, the writer focused on Four Winns' Stable-Vee Split Chine hull. &quot;Most runabouts have chines (those big lips deep in the hull upon which the boat lifts) just not so big. Here's the kicker: The SL262 doesn't ride on them. They're out of the water when the boat's on plane.&quot;<br /><br />The study goes on to explain &quot;the actual running surface is the award-winning Stable-Vee hull that Four Winns introduced 15 years ago, and which many others have tried to mimic.&quot; The split chines allow wider interior space, especially in the bow.<br /><br />So, the Four Winns Stable-Vee Split Chine hull provides a spacious interior and a running surface that &quot;keeps the boat from banking in turns. It handles more like a sports car - with all four wheels firmly planted on the pavement.&quot;]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:31:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/17</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>TRAILER BOATS MAGAZINE PRAISES THE FOUR WINNS SL262 FOR ITS STYLING AND HULL THAT &#8220;DEFIES CONVENTION&#8221;</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/18</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[Thrilled with his test of Four Winns&rsquo; new SL262 for the January 2008 issue, Jim Hendricks of Trailer Boats Magazine sings the boat's praises: &quot;The SL262's &quot;Stable-Vee Split Chine hull allows for a broader beam forward than a conventional V-hull. The result is one of the biggest bow areas we have seen.&quot;<br /><br />Describing the boat&rsquo;s interior, Hendricks declares, &quot;It&rsquo;s clear that Four Winns set out to create seating on the SL262 like you&rsquo;d find at home. The two-tone vinyl cushions are thickly padded and offer plush leg and back support. You&rsquo;ll find armrests on either end of the L-shaped cockpit lounge. A &lsquo;watersports seat&rsquo; is located behind the helm seat.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;The SL 262 maintains a luxury motif in its helm design, which features burlwood veneer panels and an aircraft-style switch panel, as well as a built-in compass.&quot;<br /><br />Summing up, Hendricks proclaims, &quot;...Four Winns is blazing a surprising new trail with the SL 262. The hull, interior layout, unique amenities, and combination of sport and luxury elements are not only inventive, but executed with quality and great attention to detail. But then again, if you know Four Winns, this kind of innovative thinking is no surprise.&quot;]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:31:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/18</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>BOATING MAGAZINE PRONOUNCES THE FOUR WINNS SL262 A &#8220;WIDE GLIDE&#8221;</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/16</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[&quot;Keeping it fresh&quot; is how <em>Boating Magazine</em> starts its write-up of the 2008 Four Winns SL262 in the January 2008 issue. It goes on to say &quot;Four Winns pushes deckboat evolution forward with its SL262, a 26&rsquo;6&rdquo; sportboat that takes the wide chine approach to maximizing cockpit space.&quot; Describing the ride with the Four Winns signature Stable-Vee Split Chine hull, the author notes, &quot;I tried hard to trip this hull and got nowhere &ndash; no hooking in hard turns, no hunting in wakes, and no bashing...&quot;<br /><br />According to the article&rsquo;s &quot;high points,&quot; the SL262 is praised for its large swim platform: &quot;It's not an aft platform, it's a back porch.&quot; Other notable high points: &quot;Translucent top brightens interior of head. Under-seat stowage is finished and clean. Price includes a top-quality trailer.&quot;]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:30:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/16</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>THE FOUR WINNS SL262 MAKES BOATING LIFE MAGAZINE&#8217;S CUT AS A BOWRIDER CATEGORY HIGHLIGHT.</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/15</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[Boating Life Magazine heralds the 2008 Four Winns SL262 as a highlight of the bowrider category in the November/December 2007 issue. <br /><br />The author writes, &quot;From water level you'd swear the new SL262 is a big deck boat. But when it's on plane, the outer chines lift off the water, leaving the V-bottom as the only part of the hull touching water.&quot; The praise continues, &quot;The advantage of split chines is all up top, where the interior spreads out unlike any bowrider to date.&quot;]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:28:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/15</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>BOATING MAGAZINE MAKES THE CALL ON FOUR WINNS&#8217; V458: &#8220;WITH ITS GREAT PLATFORM, GREAT PERFORMANCE, AND GREAT PRICE, YOU GOTTA CHECK IT OUT.&#8221;</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/14</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[As described in <em>Boating Magazine's</em> November 2007 issue, the Four Winns V458 is a great value in its class and a &quot;joy to run.&quot; Read the article here. (we are authorized to post the .pdf of full article provided by Boating)<br /><em><br />Boating Magazine</em> authorized the posting of the above article. For Four Winns&rsquo; purposes, the article is intended for online viewing only. It should not be reproduced or used for mass distribution. Thank you.]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:56:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/14</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
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      <title>TRAILER BOATS MAGAZINE DECLARES THE FOUR WINNS H220SS &#8220;SIZZLING&#8221;!</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/13</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<em>Trailer Boats Magazine</em> devoted plenty of ink to the Four Winns H220SS in the August 2007 issue. Writer Rebecca Stone begins her narrative noting the boat's impressive styling: &quot;She is a strikingly sporty-looking craft - her 22-foot length adorned with sweeping, bold SS graphics.&quot; Upon testing, Ms. Stone explains &quot;the H220SS is built with the company's Stable-Vee hull. This design features steps in the hull that reduce drag and an extended running surface meant to enhance lateral stability. All the while, the boat rides through turns as if on rails.&quot;<br /><br />As many boaters note Four Winns Extra Value Features, <em>Trailer Boats</em> concurs: &quot;Four Winns Signature Series offers numerous standard features that come as options on other boats. The two-tone, leather-wrapped helm boasts topstitch detailing and is decked out with an array of Faria gauges with polished bezels, push-button controls and a compass.&quot;<br /><br />The article concludes stating, &quot;The sportsters in your crowd won't be disappointed. With good performance and a treasure trove of extras on board the Four Winns' H220SS, you'll be hard-pressed not to feel like a winner in your quest for ever-expanding boating horizons.&quot;]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Aug 2007 12:56:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/13</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
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      <title>FOUR WINNS RECEIVES EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AWARDS</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/11</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[July, 2007, Miami, Florida &ndash; Four Winns Boats has received Awards for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction in four categories: Sterndrive Cuddy and Express Boats, Sterndrive Bowrider Boats, Inboard Express Cruisers, and Deck Boats. The award was presented as part of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Recognition program. <br /><br />The National Marine Manufacturers Association developed the Marine Industry CSI Program to elevate the importance of customer satisfaction programs and recognize industry best practices. &ldquo;We embrace the spirit of the CSI Award as a critical piece of our mission at Four Winns,&rdquo; says Rick Fulmer, Vice President of Sales &amp; Service. &ldquo;Designing and building superior quality boats is certainly a primary goal for our company; at the same time, we strive to create and maintain customer satisfaction.&rdquo; <br /><br />The 2007 CSI Award marks the company&rsquo;s fifth year of receiving honors.]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 01 Jul 2007 20:18:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/11</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
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    <item>
      <title>FOUR WINNS FOUNDER FEATURED IN JUNE 2007 MICHIGAN BLUE MAGAZINE</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/12</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<em>Constructed over the site of a former marina, a Charlevoix residence on Round Lake houses nostalgic nautical keepsakes, open views of blue and a lifelong love of boating.</em><br /><br />By Lisa M. Jensen<br /><br />Today the Little Miami, a tributary of the Ohio River near the southwestern edge of the state, is fringed by a series of scenic parks. Bike trails wind aside abandoned rail grades flanking the river. Having grown up along its banks with his two brothers and parents in a cabin built by his dad, John Winn remembers the mud.<br /><br />&ldquo;It was an awful river,&rdquo; he said with affection. &ldquo;But we water-skied on it, and we had a row boat, and a canoe. Our grandmother, who lived near us too, bought us a little used boat &ndash; a 16-foot Trojan. I remember the gentleman who delivered it for us, how he backed it down and put it in the water. <br /><br />&ldquo;I was in the third grade, and for me that was the defining moment I knew I wanted to be in the boat business.&rdquo;<br /><br />A few years later, the family moved to Greenville, Michigan, and a few more beyond that, John graduated from Western Michigan University. Seeking a sales position, he only knocked on the doors of boating companies. Early in his career &ndash; along with his brother, Bill Jr. &ndash; he began representing Saf-T-Mate Boat Company in Cadillac. When his boss, George Spicer, decided to sell the small fiberglass production outfit, he made an offer the Winn brothers couldn&rsquo;t refuse.<br /><br />&ldquo;George said, &lsquo;You either buy this, or you&rsquo;re fired.&rsquo;&rdquo;<br /><br />So John and Bill Jr. called up brother Charlie, then based in Lansing in the securities business, and father, Bill Sr., executive vice president of Triumph Motorcycles out in California. Underfinanced but fueled by their enthusiasm for boating, the family purchased the small company in 1975. Three years later, a fire all but wiped out the burgeoning business. Only a few parts of finished boats had been rescued from destruction.<br /><br />The Winns were at a crossroads.<br /><br />&ldquo;We got a couple of SBA loans and sold our homes &ndash; the guy who bought mine offered me an extra $15,000 if I left it furnished, just took my clothes and photos,&rdquo; John said. &ldquo;By the end of that day, I didn&rsquo;t own a fork, toaster or towel. We sold everything we could, rolled the dice, put it all back in the business, and in 1979, constructed a new manufacturing warehouse and facility in Cadillac.&rdquo;    <br /><br />President Jimmy Carter threw the next curve ball in 1980: &ldquo;He proposed a boating ban on weekends to save gas,&rdquo; John said. &ldquo;While it never passed as a law, it scared the public out of making marine purchases, and 40 percent of the boating manufacturers went under that year. His announcement had come out in national news the day after we had picked up 14 deposits at the Milwaukee Boat Show. We ended up giving every deposit back.&rdquo;<br /><br />While the industry floundered, the Winn brothers set to work designing new fiberglass boats for families. They introduced their Catalina line of tri-hulls, Santara cuddy cabins and Candida deck boats. &ldquo;Slowly we began to grow, and then, later in the year, really began enjoying phenomenal growth,&rdquo; John said. <br /><br />Last year, Four Winns celebrated its 30th anniversary as an international leading producer of recreational marine products, including innovative Stable-Vee Hull Design engineering in 1993; Four Winns is also one of the first manufacturers to offer the Volvo Penta Inboard Performance System (IPS) &ndash; joystick controlled, ground-breaking docking technology &ndash; on its 378 Vista cruiser. Dealerships for the company can be found throughout the globe.<br /><br />John, meanwhile, continues to celebrate his love of boating a little closer to home.<br /><br /><strong>The Boathouse</strong><br /><br />Throughout the years, John Winn has collected boats. <br /><br />It hasn&rsquo;t mattered whether they were canoes or antique wooden runabouts, classic motorboats or racing vessels. He loves them all, and along with them, every kind of nostalgic, nautical paraphernalia that can be found or imagined. <br /><br />&ldquo;I have a nickel Coke machine, and a boat that rocks back and forth like the penny horse at Meijer, for the kids. There are lake maps and signs from old boating companies and engine dealers. We have a whole row of square cushions, the kind that were once legal as life preservers. And along with a lot of antique paddles, probably 60 or so that I bought new, unfinished, from a company in Oregon. I finished those off myself, with nostalgic logos.&rdquo;<br /><br />He also loves Michigan. While his brothers opted to head south during the state&rsquo;s less amiable seasons, John and his wife decided to make Charlevoix their year-round home in the early &lsquo;90s. The bustling summer activity of picturesque Round Lake drew them to the location.<br /><br />&ldquo;We have three kids &ndash; a 19-year-old boy, a 17-year-old girl, and a 15-year-old son,&rdquo; John shared. &ldquo;It was only a few years after our youngest son was born in 1991 that we realized he would probably never walk, and the house we were in wasn&rsquo;t conducive to a wheelchair. I was fueling up the boat one day at Bellinger Marina &ndash; Round Lake is mesmerizing in the summer. I thought, what a spectacular spot. And I turned to Bill Bellinger and asked if he wanted to sell his marina. He said, &rsquo;Do you want to pump gas?&rsquo; I told him, &lsquo;No. I want to build a house here &ndash; this would be a great place for my son.&rsquo;&rdquo;<br /><br />Andre M. Poineau has been designing and building waterfront homes in northwest lower Michigan for 23 years; he has approximately 30 designs on Lake Charlevoix alone. In particular, Poineau specializes in unique projects &ndash; including complex, high-end boathouses. <br /><br />&ldquo;These projects require special circumstances and extensive permitting,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;But the outcome of this exhaustive preparation and detailed design work results in the ultimate connection between a family and the water.&rdquo;<br /><br />Following the appropriate environmental studies, due diligence and demolition of the marina, Poineau designed a speculative boathouse. &ldquo;John and I used it as a learning experience toward the end goal of designing the ultimate boathouse for a man whose life has been boats,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />The result is a Nantucket-style residence designed to be an integral part of this boathouse. &ldquo;Warm, darker tones of the home allow unhindered views into the boathouse from extensive windows,&rdquo; Poineau noted. &ldquo;The project functionally displays John&rsquo;s museum quality collection of classic craft, as well as memorabilia collected from a lifetime in the boat business.&rdquo;<br /><br />Among it are memories of three brothers growing up along a muddy river, a used motorboat, and the woman who brought them together. What surrounds him now is only, John considers, a ripple effect of his grandmother&rsquo;s early influence, and her greatest gift.<br /><br />&ldquo;She gave us our opportunity to love boating.&rdquo;<br /><em><br />Lisa M. Jensen is the editor of Michigan BLUE. </em>]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2007 20:36:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/12</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
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      <title>IN ITS GLOWING REVIEW OF THE 338 VISTA, BOATING MAGAZINE DESCRIBES THE MANY FEATURES FOUR WINNS INCLUDES TO SET ITS 33' CRUISER APART FROM ITS COMPETITION</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/10</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[As seen in <em>Boating Magazine</em>, May 2007<br /><br /> In its glowing review of the 338 Vista, <em>Boating Magazine</em> describes the many features Four Winns includes to set its 33' cruiser apart from its competition. &quot;The Four Winns 338 Vista has a knockout combination that includes bow access via sidedecks, a split windshield, and a folding radar arch, convenient if there's a low bridge between your berth and open water.&quot; Concluding the Boat Test, the author notes &quot;... the 338 Vista is a top contender in what's shaping up to be a slugfest of high-end express cruisers.&quot;<br /><br />  For the full story, see pages 86 through 88 in the May 2007 issue of <em>Boating Magazine.</em>]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 01 Apr 2007 21:34:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/10</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
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      <title>SIGNATURE SERIES: IT'S GOT "STYLE" WRITTEN ALL OVER IT</title>
      <link>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/3</link>
      <description>
        <![CDATA[<p>Shrinking violet? Not this boat, baby! It's red (or yellow) and it's as hot as chili peppers! It's a sport boat with an attitude, including an all-new look that says, &quot;lead, follow or get out of my way!&quot; Discover it for yourself. <a href="http://www.nmma.org"></a><a href="product.php?model=21055" class="arrows">&raquo;</a></p>]]>
      </description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 18 Jul 2006 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>http://www.fourwinns.com/2009/news/index/3</guid>
      <author>Four Winns</author>
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