Formula 402sr1
08-09-2014 | 01:31 PM
#13
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 11,332
Likes: 73
From: chicago
I owned a 402. IMO, they are mediocre. I chased one down because I always liked the looks, big cabin, etc. Few things i didnt like about it
Not built all that well. The deck and hull were not glassed together, just glued and screwed. The cabin structure, with all the wood cabinets, was starting to crack and fall apart. There was pretty much no mid cabin bulkhead, to help the long structure of the hull. Simply put, I bought it for its size and rough water ride. However, in rough water, it rattled and $hit came loose alot. Therefore, I avoided going out in rough water.
They take a ton of power to get moving to respectable speeds.
They are very heavy. With a steel trailer, around 17k lbs.
The cockpit depth is somewhat short. The windshield is very low, and while running it was a very wind noisy boat.
The bilge is pretty tight for a 40ft boat. Working on stuff in there was a pain. Esp with the generator mounted in the bilge center section.
What i liked about the boat
Classic lines
Cabin was very roomy.
IMO, Formula was going all out with the 402 when they released it. However, I dont think they had enough experiance back in the early 80's, on how to build a large boat like that, and make it strong. They should have took a lesson from what the guys at Cigarette, apache, Excalibur, and some others were doing during that era. I can take my much smaller 36/38 Fountain out in rougher waters then I did with the Formula, beat the heck out of it for the day, and come back to the dock intact. I think Formula makes a good boat, just kinda got in the big offshore market a bit too early with the 402.
Not built all that well. The deck and hull were not glassed together, just glued and screwed. The cabin structure, with all the wood cabinets, was starting to crack and fall apart. There was pretty much no mid cabin bulkhead, to help the long structure of the hull. Simply put, I bought it for its size and rough water ride. However, in rough water, it rattled and $hit came loose alot. Therefore, I avoided going out in rough water.
They take a ton of power to get moving to respectable speeds.
They are very heavy. With a steel trailer, around 17k lbs.
The cockpit depth is somewhat short. The windshield is very low, and while running it was a very wind noisy boat.
The bilge is pretty tight for a 40ft boat. Working on stuff in there was a pain. Esp with the generator mounted in the bilge center section.
What i liked about the boat
Classic lines
Cabin was very roomy.
IMO, Formula was going all out with the 402 when they released it. However, I dont think they had enough experiance back in the early 80's, on how to build a large boat like that, and make it strong. They should have took a lesson from what the guys at Cigarette, apache, Excalibur, and some others were doing during that era. I can take my much smaller 36/38 Fountain out in rougher waters then I did with the Formula, beat the heck out of it for the day, and come back to the dock intact. I think Formula makes a good boat, just kinda got in the big offshore market a bit too early with the 402.
08-09-2014 | 11:44 PM
#14
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 144
Likes: 6
I've heard similar observations about the 402's build quality, strange bilge proportions, and cockpit depth. I remember asking Formula years ago what they thought about tweaking the 402 design and making it a Fastech. They said the 419 was disappointing and soured them on further development of larger offshores.
Mild: was your 40 Hawk a Bill Farmer hull? How did it contrast with the 402?
I've always thought an early 40 Hawk had a lot of potential if the X were raised a bit and the TRS swapped to 3As or equivalent.
Formula was building a rediculous amount of different boats in the early '80s; everything from a 16' runabout to the 402. HQ was in Decatur, and the factories were in Florida and Califonia. They didn't specialize in offshore like many other companies, and 30+ years later, it really shows.
Mild: was your 40 Hawk a Bill Farmer hull? How did it contrast with the 402?
I've always thought an early 40 Hawk had a lot of potential if the X were raised a bit and the TRS swapped to 3As or equivalent.
Formula was building a rediculous amount of different boats in the early '80s; everything from a 16' runabout to the 402. HQ was in Decatur, and the factories were in Florida and Califonia. They didn't specialize in offshore like many other companies, and 30+ years later, it really shows.
08-10-2014 | 11:34 PM
#15
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: Bay City, MI
Last edited by Fischan; 08-10-2014 at 11:41 PM.
08-11-2014 | 06:51 AM
#16
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,356
Likes: 0
From: Deeee-troit!
08-28-2014 | 07:38 AM
#19
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Fort Walton Bch. FL.
08-29-2014 | 07:16 PM
#20
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,860
Likes: 793
From: St. Pete Beach, FL
I think the insurance rates are tanking the value of the old trip straight bottom boats. Aren't the rates significantly higher? Are the later boats build quality better than what mild mentioned?
