Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 vs Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 or the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 is the longer of the two at 28,0 feet overall. The Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 comes in at 26,0 feet, making it roughly 2,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 or the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005?

For trailering, the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the edge at 68 lbs dry weight versus 445 lbs for the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 or the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 65 gallons on the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005. That 20-gallon difference translates to roughly 60–100 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 and Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 and the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 are built by Four Winns. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 vs Four Winns 278 Vista 2005

Four Winns

Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005

2005

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Four Winns

Four Winns 278 Vista 2005

2005

View full specs →

Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 vs Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 vs Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 at 26,0 ft versus Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 at 28,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 tips the scales at 445 lbs — 377 lbs more than the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 at 68 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

Bottom line: The Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 and Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 are closely matched on the specs that matter most. Test-ride both on the water you actually use, check current dealer pricing, and factor in long-term service access before you sign.

General Boat Info

MakeFour Winns

Model245 Sundowner

Model278 Vista

Model Year2005

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59)

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches102

Beam - Inchesnot available

Bridge clearance - Detail6 ft. 3 in. (1.9 m)

Bridge clearance - Detail7 ft. without arch

Bridge clearance - Meters1.91

Bridge clearance - Meters2.13

Bridge clearance - Inches75

Bridge clearance - Inches84

Deadrise20℃

Deadrise17℃

Draft [max] - Detail36 in. (91 cm)

Draft [max] - Detail39 in. (99 cm)

Draft [max] - Meters0.91

Draft [max] - Meters0.99

Draft [max] - Inches36

Draft [max] - Inches39

Weight - Detail4,170 - 4,450 lbs. (1,892 - 2,019 kg)

Weight - Detail6,800 lbs. (3,084 kg)

Weight - kg2018.48

Weight - kg3084.43

Weight - lbs.445

Weight - lbs.68

Length - Meters8.2

Length - Meters8.64

Length - Feet26

Length - Feet28

Length - Inches9

Length - Inches4

Length [over all with swim platform]26 ft. 9 in. (8.2 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]28 ft. 4 in. (8.64 m)

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Detail65 gal. (246 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail85 gal. (322 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters246.05

Fuel tank capacity - Liters321.76

Fuel tank capacity - Gal65

Fuel tank capacity - Gal85

Drive typeI/O

Operational Info

HeadPorta-Potti

HeadPorcelain with holding tank

Water capacity12 gal. (45 l)

Water capacity25 gal. (95 l)

Maximum capacity2,500 lbs. (1,134 kg)

Maximum capacitynot available

Holding tank capacity - Detail3 gal. (11 l)

Holding tank capacity - Detail20 gal. (6 l)

Holding tank capacity - Liters11.36

Holding tank capacity - Liters75.71

Holding tank capacity - Gal3

Holding tank capacity - Gal2

Water heater capacitynot available

Water heater capacity6 gal

Trailer Info

Trailer - DetailSee Standard Features

Trailer - Detailnot available

Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 vs Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 or the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 is the longer of the two at 28,0 feet overall. The Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 comes in at 26,0 feet, making it roughly 2,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 or the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005?

For trailering, the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the edge at 68 lbs dry weight versus 445 lbs for the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 or the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 65 gallons on the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005. That 20-gallon difference translates to roughly 60–100 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 and Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 and the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 are built by Four Winns. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Four Winns 245 Sundowner 2005 full specs ← Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 full specs