Formula 311
 

Need to sell 1988 311. Repowered, with new EMI Thunder, new carbs, new everything. Bravo drives with Imco showers. Alluminium swim platform. New cabin uppoltery (I can't spell) new Imron paint, 1996 Fastload triple axle trailer , garage kept and in excellent condition, boat looks much newer than it is. $48,000

Call Dan @ 609-314-7193 or email ( see profile )

I'm redoing my 1991 311 , can you send me some pics. I need them to see how the swim platform looks. and also may give me some other ideas. thanks. I will ask around and see if anyone is looking for a formula.

Wes,

I hate to say it but I don't know how to send pictures. If you email me your address, I will send you some real photos. It will be faster than me getting someone to help me post pics.

Dan

You Dumb ass!!!!! :D :D :D now get back to work.

I am currently looking at a 1988 SR1 311 w/TRS drives and 420HP 454's. Could you guys gimme some advice, as to your likes and dislikes on this boat. I am currently running a 96 Outlaw, but I want to switch to twins.
Any problems with the boats I should know about, do they still make parts for the TRS drives?
What can I expect for performance etc?
ps. if you have any photos to send,, I would appreciate that too,
Thanks guys
Bryan Price
[email protected]

I love my TRS drives. I know they get lots of bad press but running 420's through them should be no problem. My buddy is running 750hp through them on a 38 Cig. Top Gun and they have been fine. There are some parts that are not available from Mercury but there are however PLENTY of used parts that are out there as these drives were VERY popular. I would look closely at the transom of the boat and make sure it is solid. Not that this is so much a problem with Formulas but any boat that old if the owner did not install things correctly over the years then there could be problem.

Jon

in '88 the Formula 311SR1 was offshore boat of the year.
they (all Formulas for that matter) are timeless. i have a 272 and a 311 will be my next boat. my friend JUST bought a 311 in mint condition with 420's and trs. prev owner claimed 70mph on gps. we saw 65 in flat water with a new (him) driver. so I think 70 is possible in the right conditions.

go for it. if you don't like it, sell it to me:D

in very good condition, they are selling $40's to close to $60k in the Michigan area, with trailer.
most mint ones are getting in the 50's still!!! and they are out there because formula owners take care of their boats!!!

right??!!

Thanks so much guys,
This particular 311 is selling for $55K CDN, the owner just spent $20K on the motors and drives, apparantly the interior is a little worn,,but it's a 14 year old boat. So that is to be expected.
I am heading out the door as soon as I am done here to check it out.
I will keep you posted.
Bryan

How 'bout an update?????

I went to check the 311 on Saturday, and apart from needing a good cleaning,, the boat was pretty solid, the sunpad needs to be redone, and the carpet in the cuddy needs a steamclean,, but other than that, a beautiful boat.
I can't believe the amount of room in the cuddy!!!
There was also a 277 there, garage kept, mint mint mint.
I am taking my outlaw up for an appraisal this weekend, to see what the difference will be on a trade.
I am getting him to run some numbers on the 277 aswell.
I am hopefully water testing it this weekend also.
My friend Kingpin and I are water testing the lightening he is looking at too.
I will keep you posted!
BP

One more tacky selling effort here............

Willing to deal this thing away:

www.vxi.cc/312

$65K will take it, and yes, it is as good as it looks. :D :D :D

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You're killing me Nort! If I were ready for the big one I'd be all over your rig. I can't believe you can't find a buyer out there for that price.:eek:

I’ve had my F311 for a little of 3 years now. We purchased it with an amazing 200 hours on it. It is super clean, especially since last night when the whole boat has been compounded and waxed. These are timeless, solid boats. I have the 420 package with the borg and warner transmissions (avoid the merc’s if you can) and the TRS drives. Totally solid setup. I run a solid 68mph (gps) most days with 3 blade 23p QS props. Motors spin at 5200 WOT and it goes through gas like the Exxon Valdese. But that is part of the fun right. It has run 40mph in 10 footers and 60 in 5-6’s. Loaded with an inverter, tv/vcr, mirco, 2 anchors, water, bedding, coolers an everything else I can cram in it. Sh*T, this weekend we even have 2 boxes of firewood stuffed down the sides for camping. Absolutely love the boat. Just wish it were a little faster. We paid $86 Cdn with the trailer and put about another 10 into it to make it what we wanted. Stereo, subs, ams, toys, bimini, full cover etc. You will not be sorry if you find a good one. By the way, it now has 707 hours on it.:p

Wild Horses..................

and another

doh!

Wild Horses,,
when you say it goes thru fuel like the Exxon,, just how bad is it??
For an hour of cruising at say 3000-3500rpm?
4000rpm?
would you class it as worse than a 502 mag?
I run a single 454magMPI now and it's reasonable, so I figured that the 420horse 454's would be about 1 1/2 the fuel I burn now.
But it sounds like your saying the fuel would last longer if I punch a hole in the bottom of the fuel tank!
Like you say though,, its all part of it!!
I would just like some idea,, so I know what I'm getting into

ps my buddy KINGPIN and I are heading to the Orillia in water boat show tommorow, are you stopping by??
we will be there around 10ish at Jim Earle Marine, if your near call my cell 705-627-0429 by, I would love to see the Formula first hand.
thanks
Bryan

I run 502 mag carb motors (410hp) and get around 35 gph apiece at WOT. Cruise at 40 mph is more like 16 gph each.

I'd imagine the 420/454's would burn about the same on both counts.

Sorry... just saw the post this morning.

We were in Orillia on Friday night but never made it to the show. We then headed up the Trent to Fenlon Falls for a three day vacation. So, lets put it into prespective. We started with a full tank and went from the lower end of Simcoe, to Orillia. Nice cruize, 3200 rpm, 45 minutes. Then all the way to Fenlon Falls on Saturday. Some WFO where we could but for the most part, just doing the Trent. Went to Coboconk then to Balsum Lake Provincial Park, WFO flybys the beach, then cruized back home via the Trent (5 hours) and across Simcoe at about 4000rpm (50+ mph) and back home to the dock in Gilford. Fuel was at about one quarter of a tank on the return (150 gallons fills it). Oh, 725 hours now. :o)

So all in all not bad, but once those 4 barrels open, look out.

Cheers,
Trevor

Thanks so much for the info Trevor.
So many people are scarring me with horror stories of the gas guzzling 420s, but if you only spent $450ish for 10-12 hours of running,, that's pretty cheap in my books.
I'm $60-100 per hour on a single 454 at 4000rpm+.
I have yet to test drive this one though. I think they almost have it ready to hit the water.
thanks again
ps if you ever hit Geo Bay let me know
Bryan

Well hold the presses..... seem we burned a little more than we thought. Last night the wife and daughter took the car to the dealership in Keswick for service so we figured I would pick them up with in the boat and have dinner out in the bay. Crossed the bay (5 km) picked them up at Crates Marina went back out into the bay for a very short blast (1 minute) and one engine popped and died. I still had a quarter tank of fuel so we had dinner. I then checked out the carb and no fuel. The other would still run so I figure it was the pump.

Started idling back to shore… “Say it ain't so Joe” … the other died. Out of gas and a bad sender. Duh! Had to flare in a ride to shore, bug a buddy, thanks Smokin, borrow money, borrow a truck (my keys and wallet are in the boat), borrow a can, get gas, get a ride back out. What fun. So our estimates were a little off and we did the trip with about 2 gallons to spare I figure. 148 gallons minus the trailer factor to Orillia, Fenlon Falls and back to Gilford. Lots of idling in the Trent, WFO etc. So all round well used and a fun three days.

What is the trailer factor you ask. Well it seems that once you fill this baby up on the trailer, it is not really full. If you drop it in the water it will take about another $75 right away. My guess is there is an air pocket that will not permit total filling on the trailer.

Where about in Georgian Bay are you?

LOL,,, We've all played the gas gauge guessing game!!
As for the trailer factor,, my checkmate used to be the opposite, another $50+bucks on the trailer. Once you looked at the way the boat sat in the water, it made sense. The big block made the bow point to the sky.
Even with burning a full 148 Gallons, that's not too shabby!
That's a $500 weekend of non-stop running at all rpm.
I burn $250 just goin to Parry Sound and back, and that's only an hour up the shore!!
I boat out of Doral Marine Resort, the old Wye heritage. It's 5 minutes down the shore from the cottage, so it works great for me.
Thanks again,, you are helping me lean very seriously towards the formula!!!

Priceline......nice boat...when's the testride?

I figured we would set-up a dual test drive day,,
You in the 35 lightning bolt and me in the 311,, that way I could show you who's boss!!
but on a lighter note,, you working this weekend?

I think the Lightning would be faster in calmer conditions. The Bird would rule in heavy seas. Funny thing is that the 35 is the same length in the water or shorter than the F311.:D

Hey WildHorses, ThirdBird here! I'm new on this site. Read your bit about fuel consumption and thinking you still had a quarter left in the tank after your ride. I had the very same, exact same experience. I have the same boat as you except for 454 mags with bravos. Took a long cruise, WOT sometimes, mostly just cruise at 35-40 mph. Got back to dock with a quarter tank. Out the next weekend, feeling kind of cheap, figured I had enough gas for the beach and whatnot. Took short cruise - one engine died. Other still running at idle. Checked everything out, can't seem to figure out whats wrong. Then.........the other engine just quit. OHHHHHH, I figured it out then, dry as a pocorn fart in my tank. Had to be towed in by my buddy with crowds laughing at the "go-faster" dude with no fuel. A bit embarassing. Fuel guage sender hangs up at quarter tank. It's a float inside a stainless tube. Had to replace one on a 223SS I used to have. Funny story man, so much the same as mine.

Nice boat - shes pretty.