Four Winns isn’t a familiar name in the wakesurf world yet, but this first surf-minded model goes a long way toward establishing the legacy brand in watersports enthusiasts’ minds. Despite its relatively small factory-ballast capacity, the TS 242 throws a fairly large wave with more push than you would think.
The face can’t be considered to be entirely clean, but the wave makes up for its lack of aesthetics with nice drive. The shape is a compromise between steep and mellow, with just enough vertical face to accommodate airs and lip tricks. It also has a gradual transition that will keep the nose out of the water for bigger boards with bigger riders. The pocket is relatively long for this small ballast capacity — and probably more typical to this long boat than some of its competitors using forward-drive propulsion.
The Lenco trim tab controls at the dash are slightly confusing. Your driver will figure it out, but first-time drivers of the TS 242 will need a little more time to get it dialed. The boat’s surf system has no trouble creating a wave on one side or the other without needing to move ballast or people throughout the boat. At the time we tested the TS 242, the Lenco system wasn’t capable of transferring from side to side while riding — there was too much latency in the tab movement.
The TS 242 is powered by Volvo’s new Forward Drive system, which puts the boat’s propulsion safely under the hull, so you’re never going to grab a handful of prop while surfing. The system has higher top-end speeds and better fuel economy than a typical inboard, but when surfing, there’s a little bit of prop wash thrown by the Forward Drive to deal with. It’s not too bad though, and it’s easy to navigate, surf and have fun behind!
Top-Notch Trait: Four Winns has one of the only onboard bathrooms available on a 24-foot boat. The head is a completely enclosed porta-potti, so there’s virtually no reason to halt a full day on the lake.
Stat: Four Winns originally started out as the Safe-T-Mate Boat Company in 1962 and was bought by the Winn family in 1975. How many family members bought in? You guessed it: four. The company is now one of the leading and one of the largest powerboat manufacturers, with almost 50 models.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Length | 24’5” |
| Beam | 102” |
| Dry Weight | 4,660 lb. |
| Fuel Capacity | 58 gal. |
| Seating Capacity | 14 |
| Standard Ballast | 1,800 lb. |
| Max Factory Ballast | 1,800 lb. |
| Standard Power | 350 hp |
| Maximum Power | 380 hp |
