Formula 34'

[BrendanS]

Re: Formula 34\'

Interestingly with mine, though it seems counter intuitive, is that in some types of rough water, you have a better ride by opening the throttle rather than slowing down. You ride over the top of the swell or waves, rather than trying to cut through them, Works best in the short sharp Solent chop type conditions

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[DepSol]

Re: Formula 34\'

Next time say something, I think it miht be Karls boat you saw and he would have taken you for a quick spin. Lots of Formulas about these day.

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[Kevin]

Re: Formula 34\'

My experience of this is that as the step hull starts to do its job the pockets of air under the boat smooths the ride of the hull over the water it does seem faster you go over shorter chop better this effect works, if you slow down the air pockets decrease allowing the chop to disrupt the hulls movement over the water, but like you say it is against your natural instinct.

how do you find the slip compared to a normal hull in tight fastish turns? do you find she still digs in well?

kevin

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Formula 34\'

Mine works superbly well in turns, just tuck the leg in as you go in, and you can keep up pretty much near 40 knts after going in at 44knts. It's got some neat little gadgets on the side to help that though - like little keels. It's a bit like driving a Lotus, the handling in a turn is far past what people will expect or try. It's only when you push it, that you realise there is just about zero slip sideways, and that you'd better warn the passengers before you turn hard, as it will just go where you point it. Stunning hull.

A recent MBM review on the latest model, with same hull design, said the hull performance was wonderful. Can't remember exact words, but 'technically superb', or something like that

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[Kevin]

Re: Formula 34\'

shows that when a manufacturer gets it right they are a great asset!

its a shame that other builders see the general idea of a stepped hull put nothing into development and end up with something akin to trying to control a tea tray on a frozen lake!

kevin

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[BrendanS]

Re: Formula 34\'

Ask Plombier. He and his mate Mike took some videos of me playing outside Weymouth a month or two back. It was flat calm, so not a good example, and I wasn't really going for it.

The hull really does perform well, as many in the club will agree. The number of times I've been told how much more comfortable it looks, and can they jump ship to me is without legion. The number of times much bigger boats have not been able to keep up to my speed in rough conditions ( my definition of rough is probably outside most) and if they do they are drenched. It's not down to me being a loon (well not always) just that the boat handles a great deal better at speed than down in the low to mid 20knts where the bigger boats ride.

If it does get really rough, then the deep V front to mid does very well, when I slow down to displacement or semi displacement speeds.

Went digging for some piccies of the hull, but found this instead, which pretty much says what I've done, that the hull skips over waves, and digs and turns hard...
Boating World Magazine:
Stepping Out
The Regal 2150’s superb handling, solid hull, and plenty of extra features make it an ideal sport boat.

Normally, you wouldn’t hear the words “Cape Cod” and then picture a 21-foot sport boat, such as the Regal 2150 LSC, dancing across the waves. Cape Cod tends to be more like something out of “The Perfect Storm,” with its gray water carved up by rip currents and whipped into a frenzy by Nor’easters that batter the coast every month or so.

That is, except during those golden months of summer, when the Atlantic warms up and calms down, when stripers and blues are running, and islands such as Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard are in full swing. Then you see boats of all shapes and sizes: megayachts and bow-riders, ferries and sailboats.

It’s a good day for a boat test in Vineyard Sound, outside of Falmouth, because a stiff 15-knot breeze is throwing up a one- to two-foot chop. The 2150 LSC is a pretty snappy-looking boat, with sports car features such as rearview mirrors, headlights and even taillights. But its FasTrac hull is what really sets it apart from the rest of the sport boat world.

Stepped bottoms were extremely hot three years ago. It seemed like any sport boat builder that didn’t have a step was at a disadvantage, at least in terms of marketing. Since then, many builders have moved away from the step and gone back to a traditional deep-V. Regal has stayed committed to the step and has incorporated its FasTrac design on sport boats in its line from 18 to 28 feet. The hull on the 21-footer is the same as it was when it first hit the water, but the 2150 has undergone some other major changes. This year, Regal added an inner fiberglass liner, a single structural grid that replaces the wooden stringer system, and cockpit carpeting. These additions make sense because the serrated-edge design of the steps cuts deep into the hull bottom, unlike a conventional deep-V hull with no radical indentations, so the liner helps dampen vibration and noise from wave action. It also gives the boat a quieter and more solid ride.

You might assume that this boat wouldn’t be up to any kind of wave action. After all, a stepped hull in the traditional sense has more to do with gaining top end than a smooth ride. But this FasTrac isn’t traditional — all in all, it’s a pretty radical-looking design.

So how does it work in the real world? Pretty darned well. The test boat is equipped with a 190-hp, 4.3L MerCruiser with Alpha drive, the base power on this model. Regal offers 10 different motors on this boat: five Mer-Cruisers and five Volvos — ranging from the 4.3L to the 5.7L. According to the company, the boat can reach 59 mph with either a 260-hp, 5.7L MerCruiser EFI with Alpha drive or the 280-hp, 5.7L Volvo GSi with SX drive.


The 4.3L MerCruiser proves to be plenty of power. In the chop, the 2150 goes from 0 to 25 mph in 5.9 seconds and hits a top end of 47.2 mph. According to Regal, the boat should be able to reach 51 mph with this motor. In ideal conditions, with flat water, no wind, and the best-pitched prop for top end, it probably would. But this is not an ideal day. Still, the boat handles nicely in the chop. It doesn’t pound or bounce over the water when running hard but rather skips across the top. It’s a solid ride with no hint of chine-walking.

Most impressive are the turns. Gunning it hard and jamming the wheel right, the FasTrac digs in and pivots sharply, rather than sliding through the turn. Ditto on the lefthand turn. This is a nice surprise, because some stepped hulls have the reputation of blowing out in tight turns. But despite this reputation, it proves to be inherently stable.



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[Kevin]

Re: Formula 34\'

Hi

Ive always been a fan of the regal hulls, havent had great deal of experience in them but they do seem to know what they are doing, and they make some fast boats!

the fibreglass backbone is a good addition, Formula use these on their hulls its like a human backbone with strengthening along it with arms that lead to out to the sides of the hull makes for a strong boat, and no wood to rot! The regals always seem to give a ride that is above their size, again in my limited experience of them.

It is funny how many people see the American boats and boat builders making purely lake boats when when they go for offshore they have a lot of harsh conditions to allow for, Miami bay area gets mighty choppy even on good days and the west coast has a few days also. Its a shame when some boats are labelled Lake boats purely from the location of their factory! Ive always thought that what the Americans do well - other than eat! is when they set to do something they always go to extremes, like their cars used to be and boats, if they make a fast boat they make them fast not sort of inbetweeny and when they go for a solid construction they do go over the top. Many people seem to think that the UK is the only place that has offshore conditions and thus manufacturers building to that spec. Like Benny said early in thread some of the UK 'offshore' boats fairlines, sunseeker do have a lightweight feel and a bang and a crash about them, thats not knocking them but it does surprise me that they dont build them 'heavier' to give a softer ride.

Kevin

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[BrendanS]

Re: Formula 34\'

Agree, too many use the lake boat argument, and it is not justified. You only have to go to Chicago and watch the water conditions (you can't see the other side, even from the top of a skyscraper, then look at a map and take in the real extent) there to understand that some 'lakes' are a lot worse than our 'sea' is on occasions

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[ArthurWood]

Re: Formula 34\'

Kevin- I've never ridden in a Fountain, but I think they look great and they do hold several world speed records probably on flat water!! Formula always impress me with their finish and style, but I don't like the interior layout of, e.g. the 41/42. Nice boats all the same.

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[Kevin]

Re: Formula 34\'

Hi

I agree with you on the 41PC I think that they could have used their imaginations a bit more on the layout on what is a fair sized boat, Formula arent always at the cutting edge of design style! traditional and retsrained are words that spring to mind!

wasnt knocking Fountains but it is a shame they look so good but cant seem to live (IMVHO) up to it. speed records yes respect where respects due!

Kevin

 

[MadMat]

Re: Formula 34\'

Oooo!!! Formula's, my favourite subject.
I've got an '89 292 sr1, a few pics of it are at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matthew.yorke/gallery.html?category=formula

Unfortunately all the 'on the go' shots are a bit on the slow side, but you get the idea.
Cheers
Matt




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[jon_bailey]

Re: Formula 34\'

I am sure that I saw / heard distant rumble the other day whilst at our mooring on the Itchen. The photos clearly show the VT sheds that are now being dismantled ready for the new development, so everything ties in nicely.

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[MadMat]

Re: Formula 34\'

Quite possibly. That's the trouble with a fairly distinctive boat, yah can't get away with anything. ;-)

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[Col]

Re: Formula 34\'

You own distant rumble?? Can't get your pics to display for some reason

If so I have driven that boat a few times and know a fair bit of its history.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/colspics> Cols Picture Album</A>

 

[MadMat]

Re: Formula 34\'

Sorry, the gallery doesn't work with all browsers.

Anyway, so much for the low profile (See my previous comment). I'd be interested in what you know, I've got some of it's history mapped out, but it'd be cool to fill in the gaps.

Here's a direct url to a couple of the recent shots:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matthew.yorke/images/formula/ryde.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/matthew.yorke/images/formula/flypast 4.jpg

Cheers
M



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[Benny1]

Formula 292

If it's the boat I am thinking of then I know a little bit about it's early history.

In the late 80's the Formula importer was Abersoch Land & Sea (it then moved on to a couple of other dealers in N Wales - but was basically the same guy).

I remember your boat when it was brand spanking new in 1989. It was pretty much the biggest boat in Abersoch a the time - until a 311 SR-1 arrived about a month later that is! - as Pwllheli Marina was still under construction. I was just a wide eyed teenager at the time and I really wanted one the big Formulas, but my old man would sadly not oblige!

It was kept on a trailer - not sure if you still have it - it was abig triple axle jobbie.

Also it's first name was "Another Toy", but I think this was just while it was a stock boat at the dealers.

It was sold on to one or maybe two guys in and around abersoch over the next couple of years, before it went elsewhere. Being a saddo though, I think it might have gone to the Lakes next as it made a brief re-appearance in Pwllheli with Lake Windermere registration numbers on her side...or did she go straight to the South Coast?

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[MadMat]

Re: Formula 292

Cool!!

I know it must've had a pretty big hit on one of the drives at some point, the props are different ages, there's some damage to a skeg and 1 drive shaft is very slightly twisted. It's also had the port engine replaced with an automotive rebuild, which I've had to replace again after it lunched itself. I believe the starboard engine is still original though, unless you guys can tell me otherwise.

It spent 2003 at Port Solent while Dave Simkins owned it (Navigator for Roy Smith, 2 litre world champ). At some point it's also been stored at calshot, the trailer still has the stickers on it, I believe that may have been when it was owned by a guy call dave cromby. I've been told that Dave still regrets selling it, but that's just a rumour.

I don't have any evidence of it having been to windermere or anywhere else, but obviously that's not to say it hasn't been. I dry store it now in sarfampton and spend most of my time trying to get ahead of all the jobs that need doing on a 15 year old boat. It's cool though, it'll still outrun most things despite it's age. How fast do you chaps who drove it reckon it went? ;o)

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by MadMat on 05/08/2004 16:07 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[jon_bailey]

Re: Formula 292

No wonder it has different aged props if Col has driven it. (In joke)

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[Kevin]

Re: Formula 34\'

Hi Matt

I couldnt get any of the pictures to open. So yours will have twin 7.4 litre engines lovely boat got to be good for 65/70 mph I would have thought. Ive seen distant rumble somewhere. There is another in Brighton Marina I think.

If you go to formulaboats.com and click on 'owners community' and then at the bottom 'brochures' they have all the brochures online for boats back to when the Porter family took over the company in the early 70's, its really interesting you can download etc.

Kevin

 

[MadMat]

Re: Formula 34\'

Yeh, mine is exactly the same colour & spec as the 1989 brochure, it's a turquoise kind of colout. Lovely boat, oh, except for the fuel bill. LOL!
M

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