Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 vs Four Winns V305 2013 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 or the Four Winns V305 2013?

The Four Winns V305 2013 is the longer of the two at 30,4 feet overall. The Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 comes in at 28,0 feet, making it roughly 2,4 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 or the Four Winns V305 2013?

For trailering, the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 has the edge at 71 lbs dry weight versus 108 lbs for the Four Winns V305 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 people can each boat hold?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 is Coast Guard rated for 8 passengers, while the Four Winns V305 2013 is certified for 1. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Four Winns V305 2013 measures 122" wide, compared to 102" for the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Q: Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 or the Four Winns V305 2013?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 12 gallons on the Four Winns V305 2013. That 73-gallon difference translates to roughly 219–365 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Q: Are the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 and Four Winns V305 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 and the Four Winns V305 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 2007 vs Four Winns V305 2013

Four Winns

Four Winns 278 Vista 2007

2007

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Four Winns

Four Winns V305 2013

2013

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 vs Four Winns V305 2013 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 vs Four Winns V305 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 2007 at 28,0 ft versus Four Winns V305 2013 at 30,4 ft. At 71 lbs and 108 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Four Winns V305 2013 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 28,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Four Winns V305 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeFour Winns

Model278 Vista

ModelV305

Model Year2007

Model Year2013

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.59 m)

Beam10 ft. 2 in. (3.1 m)

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Meters3.1

Beam - Inches102

Beam - Inches122

Deadrise17℃

Deadrise18℃

Draft [drive up] - Detail22 in. (56 cm)

Draft [drive up] - Detail30 in. (76 cm)

Draft [drive up] meters0.56

Draft [drive up] meters0.76

Draft [drive up] inches22

Draft [drive up] inches3

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 - DetailWith Engine: 6,880-7,100 lbs. (3,120-3,220 kg)

Weight - Detail10,300 - 10,800 lbs. (4,670 - 4,900 kg) with engine

Weight - kg3220.5

Weight - kg4898.79

Weight - lbs.71

Weight - lbs.108

Length - Meters8.64

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet28

Length - Feet30.42

Length - Inches4

Length - Inchesnot available

Length overall - Detail28 ft. 4 in. (8.64 m)

Length overall - Detail30 ft. 5 in. (9.27 m)

Length overall - Meters8.64

Length overall - Meters9.27

Length overall - Inches34

Length overall - Inches365

Bridge clearance - Detailnot available

Bridge clearance - Detail9 ft. 9 in. (2.97 m) with arch (excludes electronics)

Bridge clearance - Metersnot available

Bridge clearance - Meters2.97

Bridge clearance - Inchesnot available

Bridge clearance - Inches117

Height - Detailnot available

Height - Detail11 ft. 10 in. (3.61 m) with arch (excludes electronics)

Height - Metersnot available

Height - Meters3.61

Height - Inchesnot available

Height - Inches142

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typenot available

Hull typeDeep Vee

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standard5.7 Gi/DP 280 hp Volvo Penta

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail85 gal. (321 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail120 gal. (454 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Liters321.76

Fuel tank capacity - Liters454.25

Fuel tank capacity - Gal85

Fuel tank capacity - Gal12

Fuel typeGas

Fuel typeGas or Diesel

Drive typeI/O

Drive typeI/O - Twin

Engine makenot available

Engine makeMerCruiser or Volvo

Trailer Info

Trailer - Weight1,741 lbs. (790 kg)

Trailer - Weightnot available

Operational Info

Headroomnot available

Headroom6 ft. 4 in. (1.93 m)

Water capacitynot available

Water capacityPotable: 36 gal. (136 l)

Maximum peoplenot available

Maximum people1

Holding tank capacity - Detailnot available

Holding tank capacity - Detail28 gal. (106 l)

Holding tank capacity - Litersnot available

Holding tank capacity - Liters105.99

Holding tank capacity - Galnot available

Holding tank capacity - Gal28

Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 vs Four Winns V305 2013 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 or the Four Winns V305 2013?

The Four Winns V305 2013 is the longer of the two at 30,4 feet overall. The Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 comes in at 28,0 feet, making it roughly 2,4 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 or the Four Winns V305 2013?

For trailering, the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 has the edge at 71 lbs dry weight versus 108 lbs for the Four Winns V305 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 people can each boat hold?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 is Coast Guard rated for 8 passengers, while the Four Winns V305 2013 is certified for 1. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Four Winns V305 2013 measures 122" wide, compared to 102" for the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Which boat has the larger fuel tank — the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 or the Four Winns V305 2013?

The Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 has the bigger tank at 85 gallons, versus 12 gallons on the Four Winns V305 2013. That 73-gallon difference translates to roughly 219–365 nautical miles of additional range at cruising speed, depending on motor, load, and conditions.

Are the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 and Four Winns V305 2013 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Four Winns 278 Vista 2007 and the Four Winns V305 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 2007 full specs ← Four Winns V305 2013 full specs