The HD Series from Four Winns is all about high-class deck boats that offer sufficient luxury and features to make the most of the internal potential offered by the range’s beam-forward designs. And in an unusual twist, the range itself is every bit as straightforward and streamlined as the design concept. The HD fleet comprises just three hull lengths from 22 to 27 feet and each is available either with sterndrive or outboard propulsion. That makes six models in all and while the 220 OB enters the fray as the new entry-level model, it’s very much designed to reflect the overriding ethos of the HD Series as a “top-of-the-line” deck boat.

See the First Look Video of the boat below.

Advertisement


Quality cockpit


When you step into the cockpit of the Four Winns HD220, the layout looks pretty formulaic for a compact, open, fairweather dayboat. It makes the most of its 2.55-metre beam with a pair of rotating helm seats, a port console that doubles as a compact heads compartment and an L-shaped seating section to port. There’s an additional seating pod aft of the helm seat that can be specced as a compact wetbar but in either case, the use of cut-out angles in the cushions is a useful means of guiding you up the two starboard steps to the walk-through transom without banging your knees. And there’s a similar degree of design thoughtfulness elsewhere…

For instance, the lids for the storage spaces beneath the various seats and hatches all hinge in quite creative directions, enabling them to be lifted with one-hand on sturdy gas-struts, without the removal of any cushions. The cockpit table also uses a side-mount bracket to avoid getting in the way of people’s legs - and in a nod to its versatility, that same table can also be relocated at the bow or even on the aft swim platform. In addition, the HD220 uses lavish, thickset cushions with classy fabrics, plus flush-mount cleats and stainless steel grab rails; and the helm station is also a treat, with a two-tier dash, a fully adjustable offshore seat and a very exclusive looking, six-spoke sports wheel. However, while the cockpit is indisputably comfortable, uncluttered and user-friendly, the best bits of this new Four Winns are undoubtedly to be found at the bow and the stern…

Four Winns 220 OB full speed

The 220 OB is the new entry-level HD deck boat.



Four Winns 220 OB spec

The 220 can be specced with either outboard or sterndrive propulsion.


From bow to stern


The only real difference between a bow rider and a deck boat is the fact that the latter takes the beam much further forward, thereby eradicating the restrictive forward taper and replacing it with a broader, more spacious and more versatile entertaining space. That at least is the theory, but in the case of the Four Winns HD220, it really pushes home those natural advantages.

It comes not just with extra internal capacity, but also with a pronounced forward swim platform to supplement those at the stern. It also offers a bow ladder for easy reboarding, alongside forward-facing sun loungers so you can put your feet up and relax in genuine comfort. Beneath the forward-most cushion is a space to install a coolbox and, again, beneath the side sections are generous ram-assisted storage spaces that can be accessed one-handed without the need to remove any cushions or hold the lid open.

There’s also a second dining table with a clutter-free side-mount bracket and a selection of infils, both for the central zone and the aft screen gap, that enables you to cordon off the area and use it as a safely contained playpen for your kids. It is in all regards a triumphant use of the space and an object lesson in why, for most recreational applications, a conventional bow rider is never quite as effective as a well-conceived deck boat.

However, while the natural advantages of the deck boat might be less pronounced back aft, the arrangement at the stern of the HD220 proves just as versatile as the bow. With the outboard option in place, the space beneath the aft bench (where the sterndrive unit would otherwise be) makes a suitably vast supplement for the regular under-deck and seat box storage compartments; and the positioning of the engine means that the swim platform remains complete and intact from port to starboard, without any prohibitive cutaway section. Better still, this watersports-friendly space is equipped with an aft-facing bench built into the back end of the forward facing unit, which comes complete with armrests and cupholders. That means you can sit side-by-side with a friend, facing back at the water for a spot of angling, without ever having to get in the way of the cockpit occupants.

Four Winns 220 OB cockpit

The cockpit is formulaic but well appointed.



Four Winns 220 OB lounger

With coolbox, loungers, table, ladder and all-round infils, the bow is superbly versatile.


The price of ‘Premium’


The Four Winns HD220 might be the baby of the range but it’s a distinctly superior deck boat. With three authentic dining areas, it offers a degree of leisure versatility very rare on a platform of this length; and as befits the top-of-the-line HD series, it also comes with a comprehensive equipment list, plus a quality of build and a level of finishing that feel very satisfying indeed. In fact, the only potential issue for the HD220 is the price. A quoted figure of 84,000 Euros for the 200hp package at the Dusseldorf Boat Show (or around £72,000 according to current exchange rates), is well into the territory of some very serious cabin-equipped 25-footers. If that figure proves to be accurate when the boat lands on UK shores, that will inevitably restrict its appeal, but however it fares in the British market, this remains one of the most convincing examples of compact deck boat design you are ever likely to see.

Four Winns 220 OB bench

The aft-facing bench is a lovely touch but it all comes at a price.


Four Winns HD220 specifications


LOA: 6.76 m
Beam: 2.55 m
Weight: 1,928 kg
Deadrise: 20°
Fuel capacity: 167 litres
People capacity: nine
Price: 84,000 Euros
Contact: Four Winns

For other examples of the Four Winns range see Four Winns V255 review and Four Winns TS222 First Look Video.

Written by: Alex Smith
Alex Smith is a journalist, copywriter and magazine editor with a long history in boating and a happy addiction to the water. He’s worked on boats, lived on boats, bought boats, sold boats and – when he’s not actually on board a boat – he can generally be found in his Folkestone office, tapping away at the computer and gazing out to sea.
Advertisement