Formula 34'

[capnbirdseye]

Formula 34\'

Whilst in Guernsey I saw quite an amazing boat, just wondered if anybody here has seen/heard it, quite impressive. Formula 34 with twin 850HP supercharged 8litre chevy's, apparently it will top out at 105-110knots, splendid. Superchargers only running 4psi of boost, each engine has apparently been built to cope with 1500HP. Nice

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[BrendanS]

Re: Formula 34\'

You sure you've got the right model? Formula 34 looks like this

and doesn't look like it's going to be happy at 110knts

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[PhilF]

Re: Formula 34\'

be kind

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[jfm]

Re: Formula 34\'

You are kidding brendan....? The late Mr Aronow would wobble in his grave at your post......

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[BrendanS]

Re: Formula 34\'

He can wobble as much as he likes, but I suspect the boat would too at those speeds!

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[capnbirdseye]

Re: Formula 34\'

dropped 12" sorry

one of these with some proper engines
http://www.boatquest.com/Power/Formula/Express/Length/1632/Feet/USD/1/boats.aspx

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[BrendanS]

Re: Formula 34\'

Now that's a bit more realistic. 110+ knts is going to give a hell of a bashing to any hull

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[longjohnsilver]

Re: Formula 34\'

Well the one in your link "only" has 350HP engines, is there even room for twin 850s?

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[jfm]

Re: Formula 34\'

Yeah but the link is a recent boat 1999. Aronow was widely known to build one offs for "persons delivering goods", then faster stuff, for the law enforcers, then faster still for the delivery guys, in an everincreasing vicious/virtuous (delete as applic) circle. Indeed that's generally ocnsidered the reason he got murdered. I dunno for sure but seems to me entirely plausible he got to twin 850bhp. Certainly these customers weren't in the slightest interest in poxy twin 350s

Yes 100 knots pounds a hull, but that was hardly what these guys were interested in. When you're tryner outrun feds with $8m of drugs in the lazzerette, you're hardly gonna say to your throttleman "oooer not so fast, you're bashing the hull, and the Volvo warranty might be breached", are you?

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[Benny1]

Re: Formula 34\'

Hi, we used to have a Formula, but only a litle 26ft one.

Would love another one day, but would only have it as a second boat and cannot afford that at present!

They do still make new ones with mega big, supercharged MerCruiser engines, but not sure about 110 knots.

Where we boat in N Wales, one of the dealers used to be the UK importer for Formulas. In the late 80's and early 90's he imported quite a lot of them, including a few of the 30ft plus (but only 8ft wide) fast ones.

They did used to look and sound business though, but some of the colour schemes were an acquired taste.

I had a few runs out on some of the 35ft ish ones and they really were something else...we used to go from The Warren beach in Abersoch to the Islands and back (about 6 -7 miles) in under 5 minutes, was really quite good fun! That journey would take circa 15 mins in our Targa now.

Not sure if they have a UK importer anymore though...

All in all they were/are a grat boat, fantastically built and very soft/quite riding (lots of the hull cavities are filled with some funny sealed foam, which cannot get waterlogged and really deadens the sound. We went from that boat to a 35ft Sunseeker and it was very crash bang by comparison.

They also have the best quality upholstery I have ever seen on a boat and the seats are largely one peice plastic mouldings, so no crappy wooden components to rot and fall apart.

Sorry to rabbit on...

Ben

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[jhr]

Volvo warranties

I love the image that this evokes.

Man of suave Mediterranean appearance enters room, accompanied by two Neanderthals:

Man: "Me an' de boyz wanna discuss sometin' wit' you - we ain't happy about da qualidy of da enginz you supplied. Dey went bang! de udder evening"

Volvo Agent: Oh dear; how unfortunate. Are you sure that you carried out the correct service procedures at the stated hours? What about the valve clearances - were they checked after 200 hours? What rpm were you operating at when the incident occurred? I fear you may have invalidated the warranty. We're happy to carry out a repair and routine service for you but I'm afraid that it will cost $$$$$$$$$$"

Man: "Jesus H. Christ! You guys is bigger crooks dan us..............." (cont'd page 94 etc)

<hr width=100% size=1>Je suis Marxiste - tendance Groucho

 

[jfm]

Re: Volvo warranties

ROTFLMHO!

I hope it happens

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[jfm]

Re: Formula 34\'

Fabulous stuff Benny

They are beautiful boats. But a bit like Frari 360 Spyders etc, nice to have as a boyztoy but you need to keep in a garage and only take out now and again, and you need another boat as your main boat... which is a bit impractical, expensive and susceptible to SWMBO veto

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[Benny1]

Re: Formula vs Ferrari

Agree, very similar, but boat sounds better (well that's subjective) and more relaible.

The noise is hard to describe - they have a strange patented exhaust system, which is much less harsh that straight through exhausts, but still reassuringly meaty - think Mercedes SL55 AMG, but even more beefy, then times it by two (or even three in the 419) and you are about there - they sound especially good when at idle and the two engines are not quite in sync.

Makes them sound a bit more cultured when compared to Cigarettes, Fountains Donzi's etc.

No cheaper to run than a Ferrarithough - £700-800 per weekend in fuel, and thats if you are just basting around, never mind going anywhere!

That's another reason to buy one, it will piss off all the namby pamby greenies. Even most yachties quite liked them - they made a much nicer noise than a truck like diesel!

However, they will depreciate like a Ferrari and cost about the same to buy new as well, so very similar really!<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Benny1 on 29/07/2004 11:25 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Kevin]

Re: Formula 34\'

Hi

You are right of course they are about the best built boats about, once you have one wouldnt go back to anything else. You see 20 year old boats that look like they are out of the showroom.

They are the stuff of myth and legend! the link is not the biggest Formula fatsech they make, the 382 with 1100hp is (as you mention they used to make a 419 41 footer with triple engines) that are often stripped of their creature comforts like beds, microwaves head compartments, air con etc and poker run and race. One out of the box recently beat the Sunseeker 2000XS record around the isle Of white with 4 on board, it was a family owned boat! and although timed no one will sanction it as it wasnt been driven by a qualified racing driver and they dont want to promote people going out o break speed records on sunday afternoons. As for the hull taking a beating all formula hulls are built to offshore race spec their hulls handle far more than anything the user can throw at them even at 90mph! you wont see a Formula with stress fractures if you did and told formula the builders of that particular boat would be unceremoniously taken out the back of the factory and shot!

the great noise comes from the high performance exhausts which are electronically controlled so that it can be switched to 'silent' mode which equates to other boats level of noise- so not to annoy people near by, and then switchable to ultra noise when miles away from anywhere.

I can understand why people think they are all huge petrol gusslers, thats where their reputation was built but they do many cruiser models with Cummins, Volvo diesels like many other manufacturers but their name was made on performance boats, they make the most beautiful cruisers and it is all still family owned by the Porter family since early 70's. They even make a 50 foot 'yacht' that shows the UK makes what style and quality really is!

Depreciation is tiny on these boats much lower than most other makes Often it is cheaper to buy new in Europe than secondhand from the States and a 10 year old boat over here is going for more than they were when they were new.


I hate the Ferrari link Ferrari road cars are noisy, ill manered, totally impractical , unreliable and annoy the driver after about 30 mins and IMHO lack ability, the Formula has the smooth ride to match any boat, huge ability, built as well as anything thats ever been on the water and never tiresome to drive!!! what you have to bear in mind that a boat designed and built to hit 90mph with 24 degree of deadrise just how smooth and comfortable it is at 40/50 miles an hour- joyous!

all the above IMVHO


Kevin

 

[capnbirdseye]

Re: Formula 34\'

I wish I had taken a picture of said boat whilst over there, at rest it rises 15-20degrees and looks very much built for a purpose, nice custom engine cover that raises pneumatically to reveal concourse standard engine prep, no such thing as silencing to speak of, it is for sale, approx £40k I think. Not sure of year or any other history, but anyway, you would need some serious wallet performance to use it I fear.


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[ArthurWood]

Re: Formula 34\'

Prefer Fountain meself. Now they will do >100kt with ease.
http://www.fountainpowerboats.com/Products/products.htm

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[Kevin]

Re: Formula 34\'

Fountains in my experience are nice boats but the ride is awful and will throw you out of the boat in anything other than flat water. Its ok having a high straight line top speed that looks impressive ( thats all Fountain cigarette, etc focus on to sell boats) but its another thing building a boat that can actually make use of it. They produce stepped hulls whose only function is to lessen drag to give the fastest top speed they can to go in their adverts they are also made far too lightweight for the performances they are expected to do ( have alook at a few older ones they have so many stress fractures around the high stress points.). In the poker runs I go on as soon as a swell shows its head they all start to fall back with the drivers being knocked around and the boats truely unsettled. Not knocking the Fountains good for what they are- straight line lake speed merchants, poorly made though.

all IMVHO of course
Kevin

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Formula 34\'

Nothing wrong with stepped hulls if properly designed, and can take more than flat water with ease. Can't speak for the Fountain, never tried one.

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[Kevin]

Re: Formula 34\'

Hi

that was my point they can be designed well that aids top speed and allows for safe secure handling and others which are designed purely for top end speed which looks good in brochures, which is the case with alot of the straight line speed merchant boats. If designed and built properly they are great asset.

Mine has stepped hull so i agree they are great when done properly. Some USA high performance boats pure danger just to say that they can do such and such a speed in brochures.

Kevin