Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns V355 2012 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 or the Four Winns V355 2012?

The Four Winns V355 2012 is the longer of the two at 35,0 feet overall. The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 comes in at 28,0 feet, making it roughly 7,0 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 V355 2012?

For trailering, the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the edge at 68 lbs dry weight versus 1 385 lbs for the Four Winns V355 2012. 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 V355 2012 carry?

The Four Winns V355 2012 has an official capacity rating of 11 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 V355 2012?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 2 gallons on the Four Winns V355 2012. That 83-gallon difference translates to roughly 249–415 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 V355 2012 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 and the Four Winns V355 2012 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 V355 2012

Four Winns

Four Winns 278 Vista 2005

2005

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Four Winns

Four Winns V355 2012

2012

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns V355 2012 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns V355 2012 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.

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Four Winns V355 2012 measures 35,0 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 7,0 additional feet of deck space compared to the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 at 28,0 feet (2005). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Four Winns V355 2012 tips the scales at 1 385 lbs — 1 317 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 V355 2012 at 35,0 ft is the right call if deck space, comfort, and entertaining are top of your list. The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 at 28,0 ft wins on trailering ease, likely lower purchase price, and simpler docking — a solid choice for a buyer who wants more boat for less money.

General Boat Info

MakeFour Winns

Model278 Vista

ModelV355

Model Year2005

Model Year2012

Measurements / Dimensions

Bridge clearance - Detail7 ft. without arch

Bridge clearance - Detail10 ft. 2 in. (3.1 m) with arch (excludes electronics)

Bridge clearance - Meters2.13

Bridge clearance - Meters3.1

Bridge clearance - Inches84

Bridge clearance - Inches122

Deadrise17℃

Deadrise19℃

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

Draft [max] - Detail40 in. (102 cm)

Draft [max] - Meters0.99

Draft [max] - Meters1.02

Draft [max] - Inches39

Draft [max] - Inches4

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

Weight - Detail13,300 - 13,850 lbs. (6,030 - 6,280 kg) with engine

Weight - kg3084.43

Weight - kg6282.25

Weight - lbs.68

Weight - lbs.1385

Length - Meters8.64

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet28

Length - Feet35

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

Beam11 ft. 6 in. (3.51 m)

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Meters3.51

Beam - Inchesnot available

Beam - Inches138

Draft [drive up] - Detailnot available

Draft [drive up] - Detail28 in. (71 cm)

Draft [drive up] metersnot available

Draft [drive up] meters0.71

Draft [drive up] inchesnot available

Draft [drive up] inches28

Height - Detailnot available

Height - Detail12 ft. 2 in. (3.71 m) with arch (excludes electronics)

Height - Metersnot available

Height - Meters3.71

Height - Inchesnot available

Height - Inches146

Length overall - Detailnot available

Length overall - Detail35 ft. (10.67 m)

Length overall - Metersnot available

Length overall - Meters10.67

Length overall - Inchesnot available

Length overall - Inches42

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Detail85 gal. (322 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail200 gal. (757 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters321.76

Fuel tank capacity - Liters757.08

Fuel tank capacity - Gal85

Fuel tank capacity - Gal2

Drive typeI/O

Drive typeI/O - Twin

Engine modelnot available

Engine modelMerCruiser or Volvo

Fuel typenot available

Fuel typeGas

Operational Info

HeadPorcelain with holding tank

Headnot available

Water capacity25 gal. (95 l)

Water capacityPotable: 45 gal. (170 l)

Water heater capacity6 gal

Water heater capacitynot available

Holding tank capacity - Detail20 gal. (6 l)

Holding tank capacity - Detail30 gal. (113 l)

Holding tank capacity - Liters75.71

Holding tank capacity - Liters113.56

Holding tank capacity - Gal2

Holding tank capacity - Gal3

Headroomnot available

Headroom6 ft. 8 in. (2.03 m)

Maximum peoplenot available

Maximum people11

Body / Hull

Hull materialnot available

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typenot available

Hull typeDeep Vee

Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 vs Four Winns V355 2012 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 or the Four Winns V355 2012?

The Four Winns V355 2012 is the longer of the two at 35,0 feet overall. The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 comes in at 28,0 feet, making it roughly 7,0 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 V355 2012?

For trailering, the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the edge at 68 lbs dry weight versus 1 385 lbs for the Four Winns V355 2012. 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 V355 2012 carry?

The Four Winns V355 2012 has an official capacity rating of 11 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 V355 2012?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 2 gallons on the Four Winns V355 2012. That 83-gallon difference translates to roughly 249–415 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 and Four Winns V355 2012 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Four Winns 278 Vista 2005 and the Four Winns V355 2012 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 V355 2012 full specs