New to me 1986 Formula F3LS (long)
 

I purchased this boat in august of this summer from a craigslist for 9K. The boats pristine but hawk232 helped me out by pointing out were to look for problems. I checked the compression, transom, stringers, bulkheads, everything. The only thing I could find was some very localized very small cracks around the port exhaust thru hull area. That will need to be tended to at some point soon before I find myself replacing the whole transom. I put my not so inconsiderable weight on the swim platform and outdrive and there is no flex. None. The boat has spent the last 25 years with the same owner. In the summer it was rack’n launched and in the winter it stayed in the garage next to his first car. The bottom has never been painted. He used it to drive from his parents house on lake St Clair to his vacation house on Harsens Island. The condition of his property and vehicles is part of why I paid what I did for an old boat.

The boat had just over 500 hours on it but somehow I put over 100 hours on it less than three months. I went to Kelley’s Island (25+ mile run one way) and to anchor bay on two separate weekends. That 80 gallon tank comes in handy. I will say that it’s a small boat to be taking out in the lakes. I can’t really stay on plane with more than 3-4’ chop.

I played with the two propellers that came with it. (a quicksilver 48 89800 A5 19P and a quicksilver 48 16316 A5 19P) and have settled on the cleaver because it helps the boat hold plane at 2300 rpm. I have a top speed so far of 48mph@ 4050rpm on the cleaver with a full tank and my heavy self onboard.

This winter I’m replacing the bellows, water pump, impeller, throttle cable and some other stuff. Future projects will start with sealing the thru hull exhaust area from transom rot. I also want to get a fuel flow gauge and a GPS. I don’t really trust my dead reckoning skill at night. At some point I would like to put a basic roller vortec engine in there but nothing crazy. At the rate I’m putting hours on this thing it may need a new engine in a couple of seasons. Lets hope gas does not go up.

Here are some lame cell phone pics.

Bringing it home.
http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/...qu/photo-7.jpg

Got three different kind of covers for it. This is one.
http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/...qu/photo-6.jpg

http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/...qu/photo-5.jpg

At Kelley's Island. What a great time that was.
http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/...qu/photo-4.jpg

good read and a really good looking boat!!! hopefully you will catch any problems around the exhuast before its too late!!! Glad I was able to be of some help!

Cool boat! That last picture looks familliar...

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforum...compressed.jpg

Where do you boat out of? Hopefully we can get together at the lake next summer.

That must be a Formula dock.

They only put the best out front ;)

That sure is a nice '86 and with only 500 hours you got a real good one. Looks clean clean clean.

Here is my brothers. He bought it used about 20 years ago. Has well over 2000 hours on the boat (he lost count) and is on the third engine. His three kids grew up tubing, skiing and just having a blast in that boat. He loves it and just doesn't see a need to change. It's a great boat.

The second pic is my Formula, my brothers and my Dad's Formula 20CL he bought new in 1978.

I keep the boat in Gibralter MI. That picture is great. LMFAO. Nice boat BTW.

4mulafastech that is a nice family fleet. Does your brother have a good fix for the floppy windshield?

Thanks. Hopefully we will see you up there next season! If we are not at Portside, we can be foud on B-dock at PIB.

speaking of windshields... does anybody know what the deal is here? mine is an 86 also, but my windshield is totally different...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...a/3c2e0a03.jpg

hawk232, I WANT YOUR WINDSHIELD!!!