Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns SL262 2013 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 or the Four Winns SL262 2013?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 is the longer of the two at 28,0 feet overall. The Four Winns SL262 2013 comes in at 26,5 feet, making it roughly 1,5 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 or the Four Winns SL262 2013?

For trailering, the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the edge at 68 lbs dry weight versus 559 lbs for the Four Winns SL262 2013. 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: How many passengers can the Four Winns SL262 2013 carry?

The Four Winns SL262 2013 has an official capacity rating of 14 people. Capacity data wasn't available for the other model in this comparison — verify directly with the dealer.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 or the Four Winns SL262 2013?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 75 gallons on the Four Winns SL262 2013. That 10-gallon difference translates to roughly 30–50 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 and Four Winns SL262 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 and the Four Winns SL262 2013 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 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns SL262 2013

Four Winns

Four Winns 278 Vista 2005

2005

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Four Winns

Four Winns SL262 2013

2013

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns SL262 2013 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns SL262 2013 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 278 Vista 2005 at 28,0 ft versus Four Winns SL262 2013 at 26,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Four Winns SL262 2013 tips the scales at 559 lbs — 491 lbs less 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 278 Vista 2005 and Four Winns SL262 2013 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

Model278 Vista

ModelSL262

Model Year2005

Model Year2013

Measurements / Dimensions

Bridge clearance - Detail7 ft. without arch

Bridge clearance - Detail5 ft. (1.53 m) 7 ft. 4 in. (2.24 m) with arch

Bridge clearance - Meters2.13

Bridge clearance - Meters2.24

Bridge clearance - Inches84

Bridge clearance - Inches88

Deadrise17℃

Deadrise20℃

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

Draft [max] - Detail33 in. (84 cm)

Draft [max] - Meters0.99

Draft [max] - Meters0.84

Draft [max] - Inches39

Draft [max] - Inches33

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

Weight - Detail5,380 - 5,590 lbs. (2,440 - 2,540 kg) with engine

Weight - kg3084.43

Weight - kg2535.58

Weight - lbs.68

Weight - lbs.559

Length - Meters8.64

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet28

Length - Feet26.5

Length - Inches4

Length - Inchesnot available

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

Length [over all with swim platform]not available

Beamnot available

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Inchesnot available

Beam - Inches102

Draft [drive up] - Detailnot available

Draft [drive up] - Detail17 in. (43 cm)

Draft [drive up] metersnot available

Draft [drive up] meters0.43

Draft [drive up] inchesnot available

Draft [drive up] inches17

Height - Detailnot available

Height - Detail6 ft. 3 in. (1.91 m)

Height - Metersnot available

Height - Meters1.91

Height - Inchesnot available

Height - Inches75

Length overall - Detailnot available

Length overall - Detail26 ft. 6 in. (8.08 m)

Length overall - Metersnot available

Length overall - Meters8.08

Length overall - Inchesnot available

Length overall - Inches318

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Detail85 gal. (322 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail75 gal. (284 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters321.76

Fuel tank capacity - Liters283.91

Fuel tank capacity - Gal85

Fuel tank capacity - Gal75

Drive typeI/O

Engine makenot available

Engine makeMerCruiser or Volvo

Fuel typenot available

Fuel typeGas or Diesel

Operational Info

HeadPorcelain with holding tank

Headnot available

Water capacity25 gal. (95 l)

Water capacityPotable: 15 gal. (57 l)

Water heater capacity6 gal

Water heater capacitynot available

Holding tank capacity - Detail20 gal. (6 l)

Holding tank capacity - Detail2.6 gal. (9.8 l)

Holding tank capacity - Liters75.71

Holding tank capacity - Liters11.36

Holding tank capacity - Gal2

Holding tank capacity - Gal2.6

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum capacity2,400 lbs. (1,089 kg)

Maximum peoplenot available

Maximum people14

Body / Hull

Hull materialnot available

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typenot available

Hull typeDeep Vee

Trailer Info

Trailer - Detailnot available

Trailer - DetailColor-matched, tandem axle with tandem disc brakes

Trailer - Heightnot available

Trailer - Height7 ft. 11 in. (2.41 m) 8 ft. 1 in. (2.46 m) wakeboard tower down 10 ft. 3 in. (3.12 m) wakeboard tower up

Trailer - Weightnot available

Trailer - Weight1,968 lbs. (893 kg)

Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns SL262 2013 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 or the Four Winns SL262 2013?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 is the longer of the two at 28,0 feet overall. The Four Winns SL262 2013 comes in at 26,5 feet, making it roughly 1,5 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 or the Four Winns SL262 2013?

For trailering, the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the edge at 68 lbs dry weight versus 559 lbs for the Four Winns SL262 2013. 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.

How many passengers can the Four Winns SL262 2013 carry?

The Four Winns SL262 2013 has an official capacity rating of 14 people. Capacity data wasn't available for the other model in this comparison — verify directly with the dealer.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 or the Four Winns SL262 2013?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 75 gallons on the Four Winns SL262 2013. That 10-gallon difference translates to roughly 30–50 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 and Four Winns SL262 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 and the Four Winns SL262 2013 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 278 Vista 2005 full specs ← Four Winns SL262 2013 full specs