Four Winns holds unique customer boat show

Mardi Suhs | Cadillac News Darren Dimma of Eaton Rapids test-drove a Four Winns Horizon 240 Friday at the inaugural customer boat show. He was impressed with the quiet ride and handling.

CADILLAC — Thirty-one boats in the water and ready to go — that’s what the Four Winns Michigan boat show offered their customers Friday and Saturday at the test center on Lake Cadillac.

In addition to boat rides, a grilled picnic lunch was served in large tents surrounded by boat displays.There was even a chance to win a new boat.

The show was designed to give potential Four Winns customers something they won’t get at any other boat show in the nation — a chance to get on the water in any one of the models.

“You’d never go to a boat show and see this complete lineup of every boat we make,” explained Andy Lindsay, national sales manager. “It’s astronomical what they’re getting — a real personalized viewing. They can see it run, sit in it, take it out and talk to people from the manufacturing floor, the engineer and sales staff.”

Darren and Silvia Dimma of Eaton Rapids, owners of a 2003 Horizon 190, came to take a look at the 2008 models.

“We are very happy with the Horizon and we’d buy another Four Winns over anything else,” stated Darren.

The Dimmas took a test run in a new Horizon 240.

“We have to get rid of our boat now, it’s too noisy,” laughed Darren as he enjoyed the quiet ride.

The couple was impressed with the aft shower and enclosed head, the foldout sun deck seating and the large storage area for skis and wakeboards.

But most of all, they loved the boat’s performance. And driver Joise Kennard, a supervisor at the cruiser plant, gave them a fast paced “tilt-a-whirl” ride out on the lake.

Kelly Cater, director of human resources, greeted customers as they arrived for the show.

“We sent out 18,000 invitations all over Michigan,” she said. “All of the Michigan dealers were invited, their customers and prospects. So far the comments have been enthusiastic.”

On Saturday, Rick Fulmer, vice president of marketing, summarized the two-day event.

“We’ve had so many customers say how much they appreciate this and that they’ve never seen anything like this. Usually at a boat show, the boats are on land and you crawl up by ladder.”

Fulmer reported that four boats were sold Friday and that on Saturday “a number of deals were cooking. The dealers are happy.”

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