Coast up to a sandbar along popular Torch Lake in northern Michigan in late June and you're likely to see some gawkers. At least a few sets of those wide eyes will belong to Four Winns engineers. They're watching how the trendsetters use their boats, and asking what they'd want in the ideal boat. That's how the H240 came to be, which explains why it's packed with standard features and a forward-thinking design to draw interest in a competitive field of midsize bowriders.

We could tell this model had input from new-school boaters who spend as much time in the water as on it. The center transom walk-through makes it easier to enter and exit the boat in chop, and the aft-facing seat above the swim platform is an obvious beach hangout. The platform is so integral that the rub rail is designed around it. Because the platform is so large, it conceals the outdrive - a nice safety feature for swimmers. Designing deep storage compartments along the transom is smart because skis and wet water-sports gear won't have to be carried through the cockpit, which is too fashionable for clutter.

Our test boat came with the new Frenzy package - stout wakeboard tower, graphics and nonskid platform mat. The skier/rider retrieval is as good as it gets. This makes the boat a genuine option for anyone considering an inboard ski boat, especially those who want more interior depth and a shorter learning curve for maneuvering in tight quarters - Boating life Magazine

Ever marred your boat's fabric with an ink pen? It's a regrettable mistake, because ink is usually impossible to remove. Or is it? We removed an ink stain from Premier's new fabric (it has what they call "nanoblock technology") with the swipe of a cloth, illustrating the user-friendly nature of the 250 Escapade PTX. That fabric comes with a seven-year warranty -- unheard of in the marine industry.

Easy maintenance is a key point for most boat buyers. So is ease of use. We like the commanding view from the helm. It's raised six inches over the deck, giving the driver 360 degrees of clear visibility. The dark mahogany on the 250 Escapade looks great in contrast to the four-spoke stainless-steel steering wheel and seven-gauge Faria instrument panel. Below it is an attractive curved hatch on the console, which can be outfitted with a refrigerator.
Premier always adds extra touches to its boats, like the 11-foot Bimini top that shields all but the far forward seats from the sun and the powder-coated rails that match the upholstery. We also like the look of the tubes themselves, which are dipped in acid to eliminate impurities before being waxed. New this year is a stern-mounted swim platform that's standard on all I/O models.

With a MerCruiser 350 Magnum I/O and Bravo III propeller our test boat topped out at 42 mph. The vinyl flooring forward and near the transom makes it easier to keep the deck dry. For all the standout features on the 250 Escapade PTX, the ease of ownership might stand out most of all- Boating life Magazine