fastech69

Considering the purchase of a 2005 Sonic 386 after owning Formula's for many years. Would like to know peoples opinions on this boat. Will be running it in Lake Michigan. How is quality, ride, resale value, etc on this boat?

Statzman

I just took my 42 SMS out for the first time. I also used to have formulas. F311. We bought a sonic for the cabin headroom and space in the engine bay. The boat is really a rock solid ride. Almost boring. The fit and finish can't compare to the formula but its a well built boat structurally. I think the formula 382 is a great boat but too hard to get in the bathroom or work on the engines.

mikebrls

great boat, just check out the strength of the deck " if you walk on it and it wobbles like a trampoline look for the next one " . I had a 2004 and was one of the first boat's to be vacuumed infused and they went light on the deck and it would flex a lot in 6 + footer's and got stress crack's from the bow to windshield area . it handles the water great just that the deck on my boat flexed alot . I would buy another one as long as the deck was stronger .
I would assume they fixed the problem after a few boats but not sure when they figured it out about the weak deck .
they started the infusion process in late 2003 . I no before 2003 they where heavy and built like a tank

GO4BROKE

iTrader: (1)

My '02 deck is solid. Before the "infusion" process. That said the boat does flex more than my 31 did, but I think thats just a factor of the extra length and weight. The 31 had no flex, the 386 has a little in very rough water (4' and up) I have had mine on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, It eats up big water nicely. You won't be passed in rough water by much. Resale is about average I think.