Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 vs Four Winns H260 2012 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat - the Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 or the Four Winns H260 2012?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 is the longer of the two at 28,0 feet overall. The Four Winns H260 2012 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 278 Vista 2006 or the Four Winns H260 2012?

For trailering, the Four Winns H260 2012 has the edge at 4 820 lbs dry weight versus 7 100 lbs for the Four Winns 278 Vista 2006. 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 H260 2012 carry?

The Four Winns H260 2012 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 2006 or the Four Winns H260 2012?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 75 gallons on the Four Winns H260 2012. 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 2006 and Four Winns H260 2012 from the same manufacturer?

Yes - both the Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 and the Four Winns H260 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 2006 vs Four Winns H260 2012

Four Winns

Four Winns 278 Vista 2006

2006

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Four Winns

Four Winns H260 2012

2012

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 vs Four Winns H260 2012: Same Brand, Different Boat

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 vs Four Winns H260 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.

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department - Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 at 28,0 ft versus Four Winns H260 2012 at 26,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 tips the scales at 7 100 lbs - 2 280 lbs more than the Four Winns H260 2012 at 4 820 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 2006 and Four Winns H260 2012 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

ModelH260

Model Year2006

Model Year2012

Measurements / Dimensions

Bridge clearance - DetailWith arch: 9 ft. 7 in.

Bridge clearance - Detail5 ft. 4 in. (1.63 m)

Bridge clearance - Meters2.92

Bridge clearance - Meters1.63

Bridge clearance - Inches115

Bridge clearance - Inches64

Deadrise17℃

Deadrise20℃

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

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

Draft [max] - Meters0.99

Draft [max] - Meters0.91

Draft [max] - Inches39

Draft [max] - Inches36

Weight - Detail6,880 - 7,100 lbs. (3,140 - 3,220 kg)

Weight - Detail4,580 - 4,820 lbs. (2,080 - 2,190 kg) with engine

Weight - kg3220.5

Weight - kg2186.31

Weight - lbs.7100

Weight - lbs.4820

Length - Meters8.64

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet28

Length - Feet26

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] - Detail19 in. (48 cm)

Draft [drive up] metersnot available

Draft [drive up] meters0.48

Draft [drive up] inchesnot available

Draft [drive up] inches19

Height - Detailnot available

Height - Detail6 ft. 4 in. (1.93 m)

Height - Metersnot available

Height - Meters1.93

Height - Inchesnot available

Height - Inches76

Length overall - Detailnot available

Length overall - Detail26 ft. (7.93 m)

Length overall - Metersnot available

Length overall - Meters7.92

Length overall - Inchesnot available

Length overall - Inches312

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardVolvo Penta 5.7Gi/Duoprop 280 hp

Engine/s standardnot available

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

Operational Info

HeadPorcelain with holding tank

Headnot available

Water capacity20 gal. (76 l)

Water capacityPotable: 12 gal. (45 l)

Holding tank capacity - Detail21 gal. (79 l)

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

Holding tank capacity - Liters79.49

Holding tank capacity - Liters11.36

Holding tank capacity - Gal21

Holding tank capacity - Gal2.6

Maximum peoplenot available

Maximum people14

Body / Hull

Hull materialnot available

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typenot available

Hull typeDeep Vee

Trailer Info

Trailer - Detailnot available

Trailer - DetailSure-Load? custom-matched, tandem axle with tandem disc brakes

Trailer - Heightnot available

Trailer - Height7 ft. 11 in. (2.41 m) 8 ft. 8 in. (2.64 m) wakeboard tower down 11 ft. 4 in. (3.45 m) wakeboard tower up

Trailer - Weightnot available

Trailer - Weight1,505 lbs. (683 kg)

Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 vs Four Winns H260 2012 - Common Questions

Which is the larger boat - the Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 or the Four Winns H260 2012?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 is the longer of the two at 28,0 feet overall. The Four Winns H260 2012 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 278 Vista 2006 or the Four Winns H260 2012?

For trailering, the Four Winns H260 2012 has the edge at 4 820 lbs dry weight versus 7 100 lbs for the Four Winns 278 Vista 2006. 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 H260 2012 carry?

The Four Winns H260 2012 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 2006 or the Four Winns H260 2012?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 75 gallons on the Four Winns H260 2012. 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 2006 and Four Winns H260 2012 from the same manufacturer?

Yes - both the Four Winns 278 Vista 2006 and the Four Winns H260 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 2006 full specs ← Four Winns H260 2012 full specs