The 353 that wasn't (boat search part duex)
 

Ok, who can decipher this?

Easy: I think.... :D The trip started 24min and 52 second prior to the end. The average of the total trip including when the boat was not moving is 52MPH. The average when moving for a totall of 19min and 40 seconds was 65.8mph. The max speed was 109 and the time that it was not moving is 5 min and 12 seconds..... How is that :D

Jon

actually the times were hours and minutes, they involved a 1295 mile road trip from New York to Michigan to look at a 353 that wasn't all it was advertised to be. The search goes on..............

Here is my 03 and it is showroom condition. 80 hrs on a triple axle aluminum trailer. Color Garmin 172. Full mooring cover,full enclosure and bimini.

OUCH! I'm sorry to hear that 5P. :(

There's alot of smoke and mirrors out there Mike. That's why at the time I kept coming back to mugging somebody out of a new one. ;)


You certianly understand then how one of the ingredients of staying put myself was not wanting to deal with such time consuming, nerve wracking, pissing me off BS when I have a known commodity on fantastic terms in my garage. Ask Dianne what those couple months were like. Stressful...
Also it's with these things in mind that I think we both knew a couple extra bucks for mine was legit, and I appreciate your recognition of that.

Now's the time to see Robert about that Sport he has. It's everything you want. Brand new boat- no question of condition, FormulaGuard, the best terms on something new, and judging by recent comments here...the man is ready to sell some boats. I know he wants to see the Sport sold as I had priced it myself...you never know, the fantastic pricing he gave me 4 months ago may be just a little bit sweeter now??

Insurability, economy, warranty, and potentially 1000 hour engines...

I think I know a little bit about what you're looking for...I have it :D

I think as close as you're going to get to replicating any of that is to...

Call Nelems and be done with it. It's almost April man!


:eureka: :drink:

There's a Fountain on traderonline right now where the owner says "like new, spotless" in his add. In one of the photos' you can very easily see that the rear starboard corner of the boat is crushed, literally! Didn't know they left the factory with a corner smashed in! I have flown several times to look at boats and upon first looks at it, I knew I was only there for a very expensive boat ride. If it was really $hitty, I would even sometimes ask them "where is the boat that is in the photos?" A lot of people send you pictures from when either 1) the boat was new, or 2) the day they bought it, prior to them destroying it! One in particular that stands out in my mind was a 336 Formula that I flew to Cape Coral to look at about 7 years ago. Looked like rats had chewed the vinyl interior, one engine was so far gone that when I started it, it blew the dipstick out! The owner said the boat was in excellent condition, ran 65 mph (I still drove it anyways and it woudn't even break 50 mph on the happy speedometer), and the pictures nowhere even resembled the POS that was sitting at the dock when I arrived. He had actually put white latex caulking in the rips in the vinyl, trying to hide them :rolleyes: I wonder where the boat in the pictures was? Not all boat people are dishonest, but boating seems to have more than its fair share, that's for sure!

I don't like to call dishonesty other than in rare cases. I've been buying and selling power toys since childhood. As much as everybody has different tastes, priorities in life ect....
I chalk most of it up to one man's excellent is another man's beat-to-he!!
Now, can I fault the guy?
Most of the time not because they really believe it! Those are their standards. We speak a different language that's all.

am I correct in thinking you hit 109? :eek:

In the truck? I thought they were limited to about 103. :(

not that I've ever hit that limit in any of them...:p

Ahhh....That would have been me at the wheel. :D


Dave

I just can't believe people drive like that out on the road. :evilb:

simply shocking to the more conservative amongst us, like myself :eek:

Bird here,
They wern't driving the truck. :p

HaHa....but we weren’t towing anything!


Only one word to describe the boat we looked at, disappointing. The interior had a layer of something on it which gave it a brown/ yellow tinge to it. We tried cleaning a spot, but it was imbedded in the grain. No way was it coming off all the way. The deck looked like there had been a stripper with 10" pumps on it doing a dance. Scratches everywhere, and in need of a GOOD wet sand and buff to MAYBE get it back to acceptable.

Really a shame. I'm sure it USED to be a great looking boat. As a comparison to my boat, not even close. Rip's boat would look like it just came off the assemblyline at Formula compared to this one.

Dave

Hijacking Mike's sign on?

Dave

Right you are. Mooching pizze and wings right now. Too bad the boat didn't turn out as desired. But, there's standards and there's standards. some people have no clue as to what NICE is!!

How true!!

Say Hi to Mike and Lori for me!


Dave

:D :D


there are very few low hour for age boats, or demo's most certainly that get the kind of care a SERIOUS BOATER or OWNER gives. Demos are usually the biggest diappointment. Often the low hour ones are only out for "special occasions" read: parties and or a crowd, many times of non-boaters on board...and we all know how careful they are of the boats finish.

tanks...:doggy:

True and accurate statement Rippem..........Those Demo's are truly brutalized. I agree with you 100%..

Hey stud muffin, I have been waiting for you to reply in some form.......I assume the only way to get you to reply is by having Bird Speak with you......YOUR loss. sooo anyway

Love.......
Birds love slave
Laurie

Sounds like an endorsement.
Do I get to run for T.I.B.B. office now? :D


Ragged and I have seen that up close a few times. ;)

Dave, I think 'Birds' running on you...:evilb:

Rippem, You have been radiated far too long, Dave gave up on boys years ago........Plus Girls haven't the need for big toys

Laurie

at least not when they're with me :crazy: :evilb:

VERY nice:drink:

Can't wait to meet you.......you sound like a ball
Laurie

Hey Laurie,

"Bird's Love Slave"? I thought that was my title? LOL

Hope to see you and your hubby this summer more often!

Dave and Gail

Senator........Mayor wants you to know you will maintain the original title.
Mike and I hope to see you more too.......as we are tired of feeding the bird.......running out of corn.

that is so ripe given the context...

but I have scruples. Ask anybody. :p

Eric, what d'ya trying to save this thread from the toilet?

TIBB crew is like a disease...once the thread is infected, forget it. :evilb:

What might your definition of scruples be?

What disease are you sharing? :evilb:



Dave

OK. I'm on my own puter now and can defend my honor. Ms. ext was about to run me into the ground.



But,,,,,,,,,,, she fed me :D :D

amazingly enough....none of my own. :cool:

but more to the point is what the Boathouse Bu!!$hit Crew can do to a thread in record time. :D

............. and you're one of the biggest instigators.:p

Yes He is!!!!:D :D :D :D






But.....................That's what He does!


Dave

So. I've been drinking all afteernoon, blind testing cabernets with friends....... I was amazed to see all the replies to the thread. This search has been painful at best. One 353 in Texas where the private owner turned out to be a major A'hole. I had high hopes for the Michigan boat but on personal inspection the boat was NOT wat was advertised. :( The pics I got were taken in '04 and were not representative of the current condition of the boat. This was from a dealer where I would have expected better integrity. I want to thank all the Formula guys who have provided insight into helping me with my search.

right back at 'ya sweetheart.

amazingly enough nobody felt that way in the 14 years before you started spreading the word.


hmmm...wonder how the masses are at math...

As Rip said, we've all been there. Supposedly "cherry" boat turns out to be a POS. But, you never know 'till you check it yourself.

The search goes on,,,,,,,,,, but that's half the fun.:D

and most of the reason to reach for the Paxil.

Right Mike?

I guess I should have said my 03 is for sale and it is alot closer than michigan.

I have a used 2000 353 w/500 Volvo DPX drives. I will have to go look at it before I can tell you what condition I think it is in.