Four Winns Boats SL 262 - Deck Boat

Four Winns pushes deckboat evolution forward with its SL 262, a 26'6" sportboat that takes the wide chine approach to maximizing forward cockpit space.

MasterCraft first sold us on the utility of this wide chine/broad bow concept a few years ago. Four Winns splits the chine lines about amidships to form a sharp entry inboard while the outboard chines run forward almost in a straight line before curving up to pickle fork tines that bracket a bow boarding platform. The result is a dramatic, slab-sided profile—helped by the slight, elegant dip of the sheer line—that looks great in a dark hull color.

If you’re already thinking tri-hull and pounding ride, think again. You must give the SL 262 a test drive. I tried hard to trip this hull and got nowhere—no hooking in hard turns, no hunting in wakes, and no bashing, though I didn’t run in rough water. On-plane performance with a thirsty 375-hp engine was outstanding and the cockpit is quiet at cruising speeds.

The aft platform is more than 3' deep and just 7" above the waterline, and its soft-rubber surface is easy on the knees. An aft-facing seat is tucked into the port corner, with a starboard walkthrough to a cockpit that looks like a small living room filled with modern furniture. Seat bottoms and backs are smooth, flat, and rectangular. Inwale panels are top-stitched vinyl with chrome and wood accents. Much of that wood is a thin veneer, bonded to an aluminum backing and coated to be weather resistant. It looks beautiful. The port-side bench seat cushions slide inboard to create a large sunlounge. To starboard, a rear-facing observer seat covers dedicated stowage for a carry-on cooler.

The top of the port console lifts on a hinge to create 4'4" of headroom in a privacy compartment finished with cherrywood cabinets. The styling stumbles at the helm, where a flat, gray panel covers recessed, round instruments and just looks plain above the woodgrain of the lower dash. An optional stainless steel arch ($3,846) can be fitted with a hardtop ($1,969) for full-time sun protection and a rakish profile.