1994-1998 Four Winns Fling Specs and Review [Video]

The sporty Fling was the only “PWC-like” mini jet boat ever made by Four Winns. It utilized a small 14-foot hull and housed a 2-stroke, V4 OMC jet engine rated at 90 or 115hp depending on the model. Four Winns manufactured this model from 1994 through 1998 without any significant changes.

In this post, we’ll review the vintage Fling mini jet boat and its factory specifications.

Four Winns Fling Review

Hull and Top Deck

Four Finns manufactured the iconic Fling from 1994 through 1998, during the OMC era.

This factory mini jet boat was built on a smaller version of the company’s award-winning “Stable-Vee” fiberglass hull.

The key advantage of this moderate-V hull design was its extended running surface on its aft section. This unique architecture ensured faster acceleration and less porpoising.

Also, its relatively shallow 18-degree deadrise made this tiny jet boat highly maneuverable and playful.

In terms of dimensions, the Fling measured 14 feet 2 inches in length and 6 feet 4 inches in width. Its draft was only 8 inches while its bridge clearance was 2 feet 6 inches.

The dry weight of the Fling was only 940-950 pounds alone, so you could expect its loaded trailering weight to be in the ballpark of 1400-1600 pounds.

Thanks to a small lightweight construction, the Fling was very easy to store and tow even by a car.

Its completely open top deck featured a sleek sporty design. It was designed with a rear sundeck above the engine bay, a three-seater bench seat, and a removable padded “fill-in” bow sun pad.

The latter could be transformed into a large sun lounge with optional cushions, which were covered with a fade-fighting “Armorcote” finish.

Keeping safety in mind, the deck had plenty of grab handles and a self-bailing system that drained water into the bilge.

Under the rear sun pad, you could find the engine accompanied by the battery and oil tank, as well as storage spaces and a little cooler.

Engines

The Four Winns Fling was available with two power options, the standard 90hp, and an optional 115hp JE/V4 OMC TurboJet engine package. Both of these were based on the same cross-flow V-4 powerhead derived from Evinrude’s outboard division.

As one may expect, the latter was far more popular despite its $400 surcharge.

Released as the most powerful OMC jet engine package, this 115hp OMC TurboJet was a 2-stroke, oil-injected, 99.6 cu.in., V-4 marine engine that produced a remarkable 680 pounds of forward thrust.

In a nutshell, the key features of this engine were as follows:

• Architecture: 4-cylinder, cross-flow V-4
• Displacement: 99.6 cu. in.
• Induction: Carburetors
• Intake: Reed valve
• Lubrication: Oil injection
• Starter: Electric
• Reverse: Manual

This Evinrude-based engine was paired with an axial-flow jet pump utilizing a stainless-steel impeller and a special easy-clean feature. The latter included two clips on the sides of the pump assembly, which ensured easy access to the inside of the pump housing.

It was a game changer when the propulsion system sucked up some debris or weeds since they could be cleaned out while the boat was still in the water.

The propulsion system and the engine were isolated with a special vibration coupler, while the quarter-weave resonator helped reduce sound emissions.

The pump was fitted with a simple manual reverse bucket. It produced 190 pounds of reverse thrust, which was several times the industry standard.

Features

The Four Winns Fling came standard with a plethora of standard features, including:

• Bilge blower
• Bilge pump
• Cleats
• Stainless steel eyes
• Fuel fill
• Fuel tank, built-in 16 gallons
• Navigation lights
• Self-bailing fiberglass cockpit
• Passenger-assist handles (5)
• Under-bow seat storage
• Rear sun pad
• Three-across bench seat
• Integrated swim platform
• Custom Four Winns Sure Load trailer

Optional features of the Fling included:

• Fill-in bow sun lounge cushion
• Bimini top
• Cockpit cover
• Mooring cover
• Cockpit carpet
• Ski pylon
• Floor storage locker
• Retractable swim ladder
• Radio, AM/FM stereo
• Fire extinguisher

The Helm console came with a simple instrument cluster and features, including:

• Speedometer
• Fuel gauge
• Blower/Bilge Switch
• Naw/Anc. Switch
• Ignition Switch
• Emergency Stop Switch
• Dash Eyebrow
• Steering Wheel
• Cup Holder
• Throttle Control

Riding Experience

Vintage mini jet boats offered an unbeatable, “PWC-like” riding experience, and the Four Winns Fling was no exception.

Thanks to its special Stable-Vee hull design, the boat had great maneuverability whether at low or high speeds.

It was very nimble and ensured thrilling rides, especially with an experienced captain at the helm.

The claimed factory top speed of the Fling was 35-39 mph with the base 90hp engine and 38-42 mph with the optional 115hp power source.

Sure, the performance of this tiny boat was heavily dependent on the load as well as environmental conditions.

Riding at WOT, the fuel consumption of the Fling was 12 gph with the 115hp engine. This could be decreased to 4 gph at the cruising speed of 18-20 mph.

Problems

The Fling was a very attractive sport boat at first glance, but it suffered from poor reliability and durability.

Its outboard-derived 90 and 115hp powerheads not only made the boat slightly underpowered, but they were also known for overheating.

On top of that, they didn’t prove to be reliable in the long run.

Also, the Fling was often criticized for its poor rough water performance, which was a common issue on vintage mini jet boats.

Four Winns Fling Specs Charts

For your convenience, we’ve listed the specifications of the Four Winns Fling:

Dimensions and Capacities

Overall Length	14’ 2” (4.32m)
Beam	6’ 4” (1.93m)
Total Height	39” (99cm)
Bridge clearance	30” (76cm)
Cockpit Height (forward)	24” (61cm)
Cockpit Height (helm)	21” (53cm)
Draft	8” (20cm)
Freeboard	18” (46cm)
Fuel Tank Capacity	16 US gal (61L)
Dry weight (w/90hp engine)	940 lb. (427kg)
Dry weight (w/115hp engine)	950 lb. (431kg)
Passengers	4
Maximum Capacity	560 lb. (295kg)

Engine Specs

Engine (Optional)	OMC JE/V4 TurboJet 115hp
Number of Engines	1
Type	2-stroke
Number of Cylinders	V-4
Displacement	99.6 cu. in.
Performance	115hp (86 kW)
Supercharged	No
Lubrication System	Oil injection
Induction System	Carburetors
Number of Carburetors	4
Intake System	Reed valve
Staring System	12V Electric
Cooling System	Water cooled

Discolaimer: These specifications are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.

Looking for a Four Winns Fling for Sale?

Even though it was discontinued before the Millennium, this vintage boat still appears on the used market.

If you are considering buying one, you may find some Four Winns Flings for sale on Craigslist, classified boat sites, or online jet boat forums. The asking prices average between $1,000 and $5,000 depending on their age, condition, and engine option.

But let’s face it, when it comes to buying a vintage 2-stroke jet boat, the Fling is not the best choice.

This model was always known for its poor reliability and durability, which is why it was phased out without a successor.

If you are looking for something more powerful and reliable, you can’t go wrong with a Yamaha or a Sea-Doo mini jet boat.