Chris

a 311 to a Cafe' would make a lot more sense than a 311 to a bullet. been on both and not sure the ride difference would be significant enough to want to make a move. IMO, a café is a lot more boat than a 311.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

Maybe you should ask a financial advisor if it is worth it? Seriously, does anything we do in the high performance boating hobby make sense? The only person you should be asking is you. Are you starting to lose interest in what you have? Can you imagine selling it with no love loss? Is cleaning and maintaining it starting to seem more like a job than a hobby? Do you "wish" you ha a different boat? Are you in a financial situation to upgrade without hurting? If you can answer yes to any of those questions maybe it is time!

For me (and many others) 5 years is about as long as I can own a boat before I lose interest to the point that getting it ready is no longer fun or desirable. The new toy always gets more attention, and gets to go more places without the burden. Don't let your boat become forgotten and stay in storage until July 1st, or miss a season completely.

As far as the ride between the 311 and the Bullet I can't really comment, however for the vintage, technology and heritage (Don) I can't think that there would be some HUGE difference either. Cigarette is simply Cigarette. Snap on tools, Zerox, Kleenex, Rolex, Mercedes.......the best?? Some will argue, but no one can argue the "brand" and from the sounds of it you have been bitten. So buy one if you can, you deserve it. Enjoy your new toy (its like having a new girl friend) take her out more often, take her to new places to show her off, always make sure she is best dressed, and don't be caught looking at fountains when you are with her......or talking about the ex!

Full Force

iTrader: (5)

Lol make sense! Depends where you boat too as far as ride difference... Buy a 353 Formula for calmer water and speed, nicer boat and still affordable

donzi matt

iTrader: (1)

Honestly, I run the snot out of the Formula, and I enjoy it. It goes out every single weekend and usually a couple of nights a week. But Formulas are EVERYWHERE on my lake. Seriously, I think they hatch here or something. I haven't lost interest in the boat at all, and I am really pleased with it, but I do have the bug for a Cig and have for quite some time.

To be honest though, I have never actually ridden in one, so it has a certain mystique to me. There in lies the rub, if I sell my Formula and buy a Cigarette and find they ride and drive extremely similar, then I will feel like a schmuck, hence the reason I want to find out if there are much in the way of differences. Having just built a new house this year that ran over budget by about 100 grand or so, I am pretty sure I will be rocking the SR-1 for another year or two anyhow.

Full Force

iTrader: (5)

Honestly I spent lots of time in both and they do not ride the same unless you are on spit flat water, if you don't get I to water bigger then 2-3 ft chop don't bother it's not worth the upgrade... U less you just want a cig the 311 is one of the best all around boats built in my opinion

Nauti Kitty

The 311 is a nice boat. I owned one for a while and replaced it with a cafe. The bullet will ride better though no faster. The build quality is good on the formula but they have more features that rattle if you ever boat in rough water.
No comparsion with a cafe. Far superior ride
Good luck
NK

jbraun2828

I think older cigs are kind of a waste on smaller inland lakes. They porpoise like crazy and need 1-2 ft chop to stop. It's when you get them in bigger water that you realize what you have. Don't know what you have now but it takes about 450-500hp to run 70 in a bullet.

s022mag

Wow! Upgrade? A lot of Cig fans chiming in. I had a 311 and honestly loved it for the year it was. I was just tired of not being able to stand up in the cabin. I don't know a lot about cigs so I'm not gonna say one is better then the other, with that being said don't feel like staying with your formula is settling either. If your lake has a speed limit and doesn't get to hairy then really it's just going to be personal preference. I personally think formulas are one of the better built boats on the market, new or used.

Just out of curiosity where do you boat?

Rick G

Matt my first offshore was a 302 Formula ls great boat , my next boat was a 43 Scarab Thunder , my current offshore is a 38 Cigareete flat deck. I can speak from experience, the Formula was a great family boat handled any kind of water we threw at it but as with all formula's the deck flexed and she rattled at speed . the Scarab was a beast and a good friend of mine now owns it , miss the boat ,it was just too big . You will not regrett a Cig handles any kind of water and is solid . Do not think about it make the move you will not regret it . Don't waste your time with the Bullet , great boat just not 35 feet long . Size does matter .
jump in the water is warm.
RG.

donzi matt

iTrader: (1)

This advice resonated with me more than anything, and I realized I was just ready to try something different. Better to let somebody who really will enjoy the boat use it than keep it and be bored. That's when stuff starts getting neglected.

It is off to a new owner and I am off to find the right Cafe for me and see how I like owning one of them there Cigarette boats.

Thanks for everybody's input.