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I’ve
always thought that the term express cruiser was an oxymoron. Which do
you want to do, go fast or cruise? But because most of us like to have
our cake and eat it, too, express cruisers have become a popular choice.
Well, it’s also my opinion that many owners do neither, opting instead
to use their express cruisers like dockside condos. Boatbuilders know
this, so they typically endow such boats with hulls of Rubinesque proportions,
in some cases bathtubs with berths for six or more of your closest friends.
Sure, most of these boats will run at 30 knots or better, but a lot of
them are about as exciting to drive as a panel truck on the freeway.
This
is not the case with the Four Winns 378 Vista. It’s an express cruiser
that’s really fun to drive. That opinion was formed instantly, as
I nosed our test boat into the channel near Stuart, Florida, and punched
the throttles on the 375-hp Volvo Penta 8.1-liter gasoline inboards. Quick
as a runabout half her size, she jumped out of the hole and was up on
plane in no time. As her tachs passed 2800 rpm, it felt like an afterburner
had kicked in, pressing me against the seat all the way up to a top speed
just shy of 40 mph. A smooth, throaty rumble from the Marine Muffler wet
exhaust was just icing on the cake.
Okay,
the boat’s quick, I told myself. But what about handling? So I spun
the wheel hard over at full speed. Sweet, like a sports car—just
two turns lock to lock had the hull carving S-turns like a slalom skier,
banking comfortably and predictably into each curve with little drop in
speed or rpm.
As we
took our speed, sound, and fuel-consumption measurments, Four Winns’
field-test coordinator Craig Hewett filled me in on what makes the 378
such a good performer. Getting the props right was a big factor, he told
me. Our test boat was fitted with a pair of three-blade propellers with
high blade-to-area-ratios; that is, the area of each blade is a large
percentage of the total propeller disc area. Hull No. 1 had been fitted
with a pair of 420-hp Volvo Penta gasoline engines turning the customary
four-blade propellers, yet our test boat with three-blade props matched
her speed with engines of only 375 hp, according to Hewett. The larger
blade area seems to get a better bite in the water, possibly with less
parasitic (frictional) loss.
Other
factors contributing to the 378’s performance involve basic design
considerations, things like locating the engines in the right spot to
get correct fore and aft balance and making the bow sections a whisker
finer to cut drag. Testing and retesting play a big part in the process,
as does experience gained with the smaller boats in the Four Winns lineup.
The fact that one of Hewett’s hobbies is custom-building drag race
boats that reach speeds in excess of 140 mph certainly brings an unusual
high-performance perspective to the Four Winns design team.
The
late afternoon sun made for an enjoyable run out of Stuart Inlet, where
we found a potpourri of short, steep waves running three to four feet.
Even in this slop, the 378 was sure-footed and stable, while her fine
bow and a 19-degree deadrise at the stern kept the ride smooth and dry.
Even when I was seated at the helm, visibility was good throughout the
speed range.
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