CPC - Formula Factory Tour pics
 

On behalf of the directors of Chicago Powerboat Club, I would like to thank Vic Spellberg, Scott Smith and Jeremy Porter for a wonderful weekend. Vic is the mastermind behind the planning and made it great for us. Thank you Formula for the raffle prizes for our party at the Back 40 restaurant and goodie bags from the tour. I want everyone to know because I won the big raffle prize, I donated 1/2 of the money back to the wonder staff as an additional tip for such great service. I would also like to thanks the members and guests that joined the tour.

The first impression of the plant reminded me of IBM World Headquarters. Huge reflective glass curtain wall as a grand entrance. Huge facility and advanced equipment makes it the most impressive facility I have ever seen.

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Back 40 party and start of tour.

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pics

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pictures

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Every boat factory should look like that!!!

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Fastec ribbing and cruiser framing.

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ribbing and test pools for hulls and decks for leaks.

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CNC multi tool equipment.

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Volvo new drives
Hydralic swim platform
Roger1

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Fastec and test props for the pools.

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Our tour guides Jeremy, on the left and Scott on the right.

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A few pictures taken in the lobby before the tour started.

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A few more.

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Jeremy and Scott.

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A few more taken during the tour.

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I`m on it. :D

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Here Ya` go..

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Pictures taken during the tour..

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Those were all I had of the interior shots and rigging.

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It`s been a long day so that`s all for tonight.

Roger

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Nice pics! Wish I could have gone. They sure do make it look easy. I'll take the paint scheme on this one :drink:

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Good pics Rog

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I want to thank CPBC and Formula for letting my dad and I go thru the plant. It was nice to meet everyone that was there, now I just wish I had a bigger boat to join you guys on Michigan. Hopefully I'll meet you guys again but on the water.

Thanks again.

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How many boats do they build per year?

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I thought they said about 800-900.

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impresive

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Nice!
Thanks.

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Nice ..
I applaud formula for being innovative but I wonder what those fastech stringer systems will look like after years of abuse ..It doesnt look like you would be able to repair any of it easily.. Its my understanding they epoxy it to the hull :eek:

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Looks strong as hell ..I saw them bonding the stringer system on discovery channel ..they used a large epoxy syringe and ran a bead on all the mating sufaces and just glue it in.. Couldnt imagine ever having to grind out the whole piece :eek: :eek: No more wood though , i like it :D

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makes my proud to be a formula owner :D

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I'm sure alot of cad/cam and structural analysis went into this setup.

I don't see the Porter's doing anything half-azzed, short-lived, or less than solid for the years to come. There are ALOT of older SR1's (and other Formulas) still on the water....quite an act to follow in terms of durability and life expectancy...

I'm sure the homework was done. ;)

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I wonder what the ratio of FasTech to Crusier to Sun Sport is.

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The tour was great!! Very interesting, and I learned alot.
My thanks to CPC and Formula for taking us on the tour.

It's pretty amazing what they are doing there - the way they are building the boats, they are "hand-made", but they have a very high level of "consistency", or repeatbility.

It was good meeting everyone up there, wish we could have stuck around for dinner and the pub-crawl (all one of them...)
I just might have to head up to Chicago this summer to jump in on one of your runs.

Great Pics guys!
Although I'm in a few too many of them - I usually try to avoid that sort of thing, might end up arrested, or with a child I didn't know was mine :eek: when photo's show up in public. J/K :rolleyes:

If anyone ever tells you Decatur, IN is in the middle of "No Where" - they lied. It's slightly North. :D

Hey, Mark - do you have Scott's E-mail?? I have a few questions I'd like to ask him related to the operation, to compare to my own work place. Thanks, good to meet you up there.

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Joe - I didn't think to ask that ?, but to me it looked like FasTech and Cruiser (or Yacht) were about the same, and SS was a little more.
But, that's only a one day snapshot - and I'm sure they are all moving through the factory at different rates of completion.
It was a really good tour - If you get the chance, TAKE IT!

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did someone ask Vic why he jumps on his customers painted decks with his shoes on :mad:

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http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/a...hmentid=202464

My wife asked me why they put the "self-bailing" Beer cooler all the way at the Bow.

Hard to get to if you're on plane :drink:

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A few more shots

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More

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The Formula tour was a great time. A big thanks goes out to Scott Smith and Jeremy Porter for taking time out of their busy weekend schedule's to show us the factory. It was a very informative tour. For those thinking about taking the tour be prepared to walk. The facility is huge. Lots & lots of boats in all stages of production including the storage yard with shrink wrapped boats ready to be shipped. Annual production is over 900 units.

Thanks to Vic Spellberg & Mark Smith for setting up the tour. It was a fun weekend.

It was nice to meet OSO members Stuck & Bouyhunter. Hope you guys can make some of the events this year. Just watch the weather forecasts and pick days with south westerly winds at 5mph or under and the Lake becomes a big Bathtub. North winds make things interesting! :D The Poker run DVD was a North wind day. Luckily it wasn't blowing that hard.

I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

Dan

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J. Scott Smith
Marketing Manager