Question:
Does anyone know what happened to Winner Boats? They went out of business
in 1989. It appears to me that they had a ramp up in quality in the last
couple of years (my perception comparing older winners with later models)
then they went belly up.
I have a 1988 22' Winner Brougham with a 2280 hull. Anyone have one of
these? Do you like it? Any issues with it? It appears to be very well
constructed with much attention to detail. Not at all a "cookie cutter"
boat. But it may be TOO well constructed. I heard rumor that it was this
very boat that caused their demise. That it cost too much to make and they
lost greatly, financially, on the hull. I think the almost 4" thick transom
and the excessive layers of glass make thew hull a little too heavy. Sure
makes for a smooth ride though. I'd love to know if this mold or the
construction technique (fiberglass stringer system) is still in existance.
Anyone???
Answer:
The Bass Boat hull design was sold to Fiber Sport and rebadged under
the name "Sprint". The new company improved the hull to make the
craft even more rigid but kept the Winner Hull Shape. I own a '91
Sprint 286 Bass boat with a '91 175 HP EFI Black Max. I can tell you
the boat is quality through out. No problems after many seasons of
HARD use on the boat punishing Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, no
rivits to pop or loose screws, no electronic problems of any kind.
