Formula 311 buyers beware
#11
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Location: Traverse City, Mi
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1986-formula-f311-sr1-103144592
Damn that thing brings back some memories. Only owned it for a short while but it was really nice back in the day and it really sucks to hear of the current condition. The ad lists the motors having under 500 hrs when I believe they were rebuild by the guy that bought it from me and probably have hardly any time on them. Hard to believe that thing is over 30 yrs old. Time sure does fly.
Damn that thing brings back some memories. Only owned it for a short while but it was really nice back in the day and it really sucks to hear of the current condition. The ad lists the motors having under 500 hrs when I believe they were rebuild by the guy that bought it from me and probably have hardly any time on them. Hard to believe that thing is over 30 yrs old. Time sure does fly.
#12
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Perhaps the boat isn't in as bad of shape as the surveyor stated?
Can you post up the details of the survey? It could be helpful for anyone that may stumble across this page.
Generally speaking i do I do not have much faith in surveyors, at least in my experience. I'm not knocking your guy; just making a general statement.
Can you post up the details of the survey? It could be helpful for anyone that may stumble across this page.
Generally speaking i do I do not have much faith in surveyors, at least in my experience. I'm not knocking your guy; just making a general statement.
Last edited by TomZ; 09-27-2017 at 07:06 AM.
#15
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Ya, I wish someone else would have paid for my survey and just handed over all the paper work.........
#16
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I went and looked at it when formula1 was looking at buying it. It shows well. the bilge looks decently clean (some weird rigging things) interior is clean the gauges are not cracked or faded. The bottom was stained up a little but did not look that bad. I did see a stain line in the gel but thought it was just a stain, but from what I understand it is a crack in the hull.
#17
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Perhaps the boat isn't in as bad of shape as the surveyor stated?
Can you post up the details of the survey? It could be helpful for anyone that may stumble across this page.
Generally speaking i do I do not have much faith in surveyors, at least in my experience. I'm not knocking your guy; just making a general statement.
Can you post up the details of the survey? It could be helpful for anyone that may stumble across this page.
Generally speaking i do I do not have much faith in surveyors, at least in my experience. I'm not knocking your guy; just making a general statement.
the whole stringer system and gas tank area AND future transom repairs. But, in the end, it's nice to have an outside source with the right equipment inspecting these old boats. I really had to be talked out of this boat, though. I wanted it BAD, but couldn't get over the
repairs I would need someone to do.
I went and looked at it when formula1 was looking at buying it. It shows well. the bilge looks decently clean (some weird rigging things) interior is clean the gauges are not cracked or faded. The bottom was stained up a little but did not look that bad. I did see a stain line in the gel but thought it was just a stain, but from what I understand it is a crack in the hull.
Yeah, wouldn't that be nice! It certainly would make out of town (internet) boat shopping easier! But then again, I am sure scammers would ruin that setup in a hurry.
#18
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I did kinda wonder about this myself, but the surveyor has a great reputation and after he found the delamination on the bottom, I asked him to check the transom too for the heck of it. And, even though I might live with needing a transom repair, I could not get over doing
the whole stringer system and gas tank area AND future transom repairs. But, in the end, it's nice to have an outside source with the right equipment inspecting these old boats. I really had to be talked out of this boat, though. I wanted it BAD, but couldn't get over the
repairs I would need someone to do.
the whole stringer system and gas tank area AND future transom repairs. But, in the end, it's nice to have an outside source with the right equipment inspecting these old boats. I really had to be talked out of this boat, though. I wanted it BAD, but couldn't get over the
repairs I would need someone to do.
I believe it's been said on this forum as well as on elsewhere on the board that damage such as what's described is a pretty rare thing for a Formula. I'm sure most Formulas of this vintage suffer from some degree of wetness in the stringers around the gas tank, engine room stringers, and transom, but these things are also built like brick sh!t-houses; the boat would have had to have been abused/weathered beyond belief for that kind of failure to be evident. I have seen a 357 that began to break in half just forward of the rear bench seat, but that boat had an incredibly hard life. Left out uncovered for years, beaten to hell and back via an owner that only understood the throttles as being on/off switches, etc. The boat in question doesn't look like that at all. Not even in the slightest.
I've never surveyed mine, but I'd have to be really naïve to think that my boat is bone dry. I know that when I went over the boat to check for issues, everything on the outside seemed like concrete, and none of my hammer taps were dead/hollow inside and out. Good enough for me, but I also wasn't shelling out nearly $30K for a 31-year-old boat either (not even half of that... deal of the century for me). I also knew the previous owner, and how well he cared for and treated the boat over the nearly three decades of owning it.
Anyway, just making conversation.
Last edited by TomZ; 09-27-2017 at 03:16 PM.
#19
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How did the surveyor know the entire stringer and grid system was bad? Was there a certified and tuned FLIR image taken that could see inside the hull to show stringer delamination? The crack that's mentioned; was it for sure a crack, or was it a stain? I'm trying to understand how a statement like that could be supported unless there was indeed a crack in and/or evident blistering of the hull, and further evidence to go with it.
I believe it's been said on this forum as well as on elsewhere on the board that damage such as what's described is a pretty rare thing for a Formula. I'm sure most Formulas of this vintage suffer from some degree of wetness in the stringers around the gas tank, engine room stringers, and transom, but these things are also built like brick sh!t-houses; the boat would have had to have been abused/weathered beyond belief for that kind of failure to be evident. I have seen a 357 that began to break in half just forward of the rear bench seat, but that boat had an incredibly hard life. Left out uncovered for years, beaten to hell and back via an owner that only understood the throttles as being on/off switches, etc. The boat in question doesn't look like that at all. Not even in the slightest.
I've never surveyed mine, but I'd have to be really naïve to think that my boat is bone dry. I know that when I went over the boat to check for issues, everything on the outside seemed like concrete, and none of my hammer taps were dead/hollow inside and out. Good enough for me, but I also wasn't shelling out nearly $30K for a 31-year-old boat either (not even half of that... deal of the century for me). I also knew the previous owner, and how well he cared for and treated the boat over the nearly three decades of owning it.
Anyway, just making conversation.
I believe it's been said on this forum as well as on elsewhere on the board that damage such as what's described is a pretty rare thing for a Formula. I'm sure most Formulas of this vintage suffer from some degree of wetness in the stringers around the gas tank, engine room stringers, and transom, but these things are also built like brick sh!t-houses; the boat would have had to have been abused/weathered beyond belief for that kind of failure to be evident. I have seen a 357 that began to break in half just forward of the rear bench seat, but that boat had an incredibly hard life. Left out uncovered for years, beaten to hell and back via an owner that only understood the throttles as being on/off switches, etc. The boat in question doesn't look like that at all. Not even in the slightest.
I've never surveyed mine, but I'd have to be really naïve to think that my boat is bone dry. I know that when I went over the boat to check for issues, everything on the outside seemed like concrete, and none of my hammer taps were dead/hollow inside and out. Good enough for me, but I also wasn't shelling out nearly $30K for a 31-year-old boat either (not even half of that... deal of the century for me). I also knew the previous owner, and how well he cared for and treated the boat over the nearly three decades of owning it.
Anyway, just making conversation.
#20
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By the way, my first Formula purchase was a six year old 242ss with a 454 in it. When I got it home from the dealership, I noticed there was water between the gas tank and the bulkhead. So, unable to find a drain or water passage on that bulkhead, I called Formula and they
recommended that I drilled a couple 3/8" or 1/4" holes in the bulkhead so the water could drain out. Amazingly, there was alot of water that came out. So, this 311 could have had the same situation going on for many years. Stored in a barn or not, once the water was trapped.
I was surprised and extremely disappointed at the outcome.
recommended that I drilled a couple 3/8" or 1/4" holes in the bulkhead so the water could drain out. Amazingly, there was alot of water that came out. So, this 311 could have had the same situation going on for many years. Stored in a barn or not, once the water was trapped.
I was surprised and extremely disappointed at the outcome.