Formula 242 which flavor?
 

Interested in a 242. Really like the styling and the hull design, sort of the classic look and a the quality of formula lends itself to something to keep around. I've found a few twin 350's with alphas and more then a few single 454/bravo setup. I've also found a few projects.... Not sure what route to go...

Would like to be able to have a top end of 65-70 ideally but find settling closer to the 65 mark to start...

Trying to keep the total boat price around 20-22.

Boating in NC at the lake most of the time but would trailer out to the sound/ ocean in outerbanks occasionally. Would like to head south to Florida once in a blue moon and a few other road trips.

Having an f150 I'd rather stick with a 242 over a 271 bird.

Trying to figure a bit long term... To run the speed I want.it seems I need to be in the 500-550hp range. Twin 350's in new condition would get me to about 520. Running alpha drives. But there's obviously the headache and cost associated with upgrading them when I know I'll eventually want to. Seems like a set of stainless marine exhaust manifolds runs about 3k a piece. That's not doing anything else. While the motors are pulled i'd prob try and make a 383 out of them and a few small other upgrades. But then I worry about the drives.

Getting the 454 option by itself I'd already be under powered for the speed I want. There's the blower route and all the accessories and obvious costs associated with that route. Ease of working around the big single is a plus though and less maintenance etc etc.

I'm leaning towards the twins just based on where I'll be boating, I'm already in the speed range I'd be happy with to start, and the sexy factor of twins I just get can't out of my head. Just wondering if I'm just I'm looking at this objectively. Go for a cheaper boat and do a built big block up front? Or go with a more expensive boat in my price range and go for the twin sbc's.

Side note, wife and two kids under 7 for family size reference.

If you are only looking at the Formula 242, then I would definitely go the SR-1 route. That boat with twins handles very nice. It is a bit stern heavy for the size with twins but she will get up to 63-65mph with about 1ft of chop. I had an ‘87 242 SR-1 with the twin 350 mags which I believe were 265/270hp each. Boat had the silent thunder (which I am a fan off on these boats for the look and sound) and the wrap around windshield. May particular boat had captains chairs vs bolsters and had a bit more room to move around in the cockpit. If the boat you look at does not have the independent shift and throttles, you need to upgrade to them, as it makes it very easy to manuver around dock.

the one notable thing with the boat and size with twins was the prop/torque steer. Definilty need need to make the one alpha a counter rotating.

I pulled that boat with a 90 Chevy half ton regular cab 6ft bed. The truck hauled it great. I moved from central NY to Ohio and hauled the boat with truck. The only issue I had hauling is that the truck was too short for the boat..... coming down hill boat pushed truck and I had a bit of wobble.

Excellent boat for the size and unique and a head turner.

Once you go twins, I don’t think you ever go back.

Hope that helps,
Chris

271 and 242 are roughly the same size and if u end up going with a twin 242 then ur deff gonna be heavier than a 271 since they only came with singles. Just touching on your towing statement so you can make an educated decision. From then on u should be deciding between the twin sbc's redundancy and easier docking which are faster initially at the expense of planing speed and handling vs single bbc with easier maint, space, towing, cost, and more aftermarket marine support.

Each has its own Merritt. My advice to you is to get the cleanest driest boat you can afford. Good luck

Thanks! Yea, one of the ones I found is counter rotating but no tie bar so that would be the first thing is add. Agree as well with the throttle upgrade. I'd almost like to find one with captains chairs vs bolsters just so we can spin them around and hang out when anchored off somewhere hanging out. Thanks for the tips!

Thanks! Most of the 271's I've seen have all been twin BBC's and pushing the tow capacity for a 1/2 ton. I think a single 271 would be quite a slug unless it's putting down some upgraded power. I know the formulas are built like a tank and have the weight to prove it.

I'm surprised how many formulas are for sale up in the northeast vs the rest of the country. I don't mind driving for the right boat. Found an interesting one in Wyoming too, but a bit out of what I'd like to spend. Keeping an eye on it though.

I think you might be referring to a 272? I don’t believe they built a 271 with twins. I have a 242 that came with a 502 and that is barely enough power for the boat. 600 hp is really what the hull needs to achieve its potential. I have SS model that affords a little more room in the cockpit and a lounge seat that the wife loves. Good luck with your search.

I’m a huge fan of what your shopping for and have come close a couple times.

Theyre killer boats but heavy meaning you’ll need every HP you can get to be close to your performance target.
The positive on the weight thing is they are killer in rough water, for their style/size.

I am a master at towing w/marginal tow pigs and a good 1/2 ton should do it if you’re not towing through the mountains.

sounds like your confusing 271's and 272's. Comp diff boats. 271 only came singles and are the newer design with the platform built into the hull. 272's are the same generation design as 242's and came with either twin sbc or twin bbc. 242=271 272=292 old vs new gen hull designs

You are correct sir I did have them mixed up in my head, sorry about that.

A single engine 242 with an HP 500 502 should run close to 70 (67-68 or so) depending on how in tune it is.

Working on the single engine boat will be much easier. The two small blocks in a 242 are pretty tight plus you have two of everything that can break. In this sized boat, the single engine is preferred (in my opinion).

If you can find one with bolsters, I’d grab that over the captain chairs. The bolsters really make you feel planted in the boat. Mine had captains chairs and I never felt secure in it after its power was upgraded (I had a blown 454 in mine).

Great boats for their size. Be mindful of stringers, bulkheads, and the transom. The grind under the subfloor can hold water. It’s is not fully glassed inside and the wood will eventually rot. 271s do not suffer as much though transoms can still be an issue.

Happy hunting!

Go with twin small blocks my 02??

Found one with a new 383 mag stroker in it and a bravo outdrive that's been recently gone through and redone up in new england. While not 100% where i'd like the power numbers to be.. thinking the captains chairs will make for a much more family friendly cockpit when hanging out. The 383's seem like they would be open to taking a 177 blower with low boost as well if I wanted to go down that road in a few years. A few pictures from the owner, hopefully talking with him tomorrow or the next day with some questions I have.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...4776f264f9.png
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...edab12a9e1.png

Thanks! Was not aware of the inside not being fully glassed. I'll keep an eye on them. I agree, I feel like bolsters would work way better when running especially in rougher seas. I do also think the twins sound great but once crap starts wanting to upgrade/break/repair I think I'll wind up hating myself, haha.

For anyone following along, made an offer on the boat above, trying to get up north in the next 2-3 weeks to see it and close the deal. I know the shop that did the work on the motor install so I'll give them a ring but assuming it checks out I'll hopefully be the new owner in the next several weeks. So stoked!

Outstanding!

Good luck and keep us posted.

Sharp looking boat. Good luck with the inspection.

fyi..... I think someone had a set of bolsters for sale in northern Ohio (full force I think). So if u wanted to have them on standby.....

Haha thanks! I'm toying with the idea of just swapping the driver seat for a bolster but we'll see.

It’s going to be slow with a small block. I wouldn’t use one in anything over 22 ft with a single engine. Adding a supercharger to something not built for it is asking for headaches especially with a family oriented boat.

A 330 horse 454 will run in the low 50’s. But do not let the horsepower figure fool you. The 330 builds more torque and at lower rpm than a marine-spec’d small block. The 242 is heavy and is seriously underpowered with a single small block.

Not trying to rain on your parade. That’s a nice looking boat. Just trying to set expectations.

Fair enough, I do think the twin small block setup would have given me a better time in the speed department for sure. I didn't want to mess with a 7.4 330hp 454 though which is most of what I was finding. Kept trying to find a decent 502 or 454 mag motor but only saw one out in Wyoming worth looking at and was a bit more than I wanted to spend. I could have also went faster and got a lighter hull in something like a checkmate, Baja, wellcraft etc but knowing I'll be out in some rougher water I reluctantly gave up a bit of speed and performance for the 24 degree hull and weight knowing what it'll do to the power numbers.

I just want to get it rolling, lol... Been fawning over boats like this for 20 years so chomping at the bit.

Find a good big block boat and then build the engine that suits you once you've had the boat a while.

I think the key is finding a good candidate first, i.e. no structural issues. Unfortunately, these boats are getting really old. And if previous owners weren't careful with keeping water out of them, the issues accelerate. Formula's way of building them left them with issues that cannot be avoided - foam around the tank with exposed wood in the stringer grid. The tank sweats, the foam takes on water, the stringer grid absorbs the water and rots. Now, most of what is used for the stringer grid is not as structural as you may think - the strength around the tank is really in the glass (how much strength are you really going to get from 1/2-inch plywood?). But once it gets enough moisture to enter into the cabin wood, things really get bad. This may not be a huge thing on the smaller boats, but a 311 or 357 will end up with some serious flex.

If you're looking for turnkey and reasonably fast, a 271 in the end could be a better option for the money. The stringer grid is glass, and the only wood used is in the transom (that's a for-sure statement for the FasTech models... not absolutely certain on the SR1... a call to Formula would clear that up).

Just my opinion from having spent some time with these boats.

where is the 242 with twins that you saw? Can you send a link?

I'll shoot you a dm with the link, one is in Missouri, the other is in NY, lol. I've pretty much scoured the entire country about a dozen times for every 242 out there.

I think if I were you, I’d look at the Missouri boat. It looks good And appears to have th counter rotating props already and Kplanes which is really rare but needed on that boat.

Don't taunt me, lol. I'd love the twins but the utter lack of room in the engine bay and the double amount of maintenance costs has me concerned.

I have been following this thread as I am a lifelong 242 fan and that size/style of boat in general.

I would say all advice so far is spot on.

In general, the smaller the hull, the more weight helps in rough water.
A 242 will do better in chop than almost anything in its size/class.

The double edge sword is, the more weight, the more power required.

And, as already stated, torque is king in a single that size.

Id say, healthy big block n Bravo as min.

As to the twins, I’d add that I think the 242 is the only hull in that size/class that can pull it off.

Twins look tight to you, but look acceptable to me.

A healthy big block, 450 Hp+ would be the only other option I’d consider.

As one who weekends in his cuddy, the single would pay you back HUGE, w/added storage space compared to twins.

Good luck w/your shopping.

Timeless, gorgeous design!

Lol.... I think most will always say once you get into a boat you will always wish you went bigger or more power. I grew up with a single engine boat. Worked at a Marina and got use new boats as demos as wanted. Then I bought my 242 with twins. I said it once..... once you have twins nothing like it in a boat.

As Gary said, the design is timeless. There were not many twin engine 242 made. I sold mine I guess 18 years ago for the same price they are selling today.

I frankly would not worry about the maintenance. Unless you are beating the crap out of the boat, you will only have fluid changes on it for years to come, after you make your initial assessment and investment to make sure everything is 100 percent, ie bellows and impellers, tuneup.

If you could test drive them both it would be worth it. They are heavy boats and not quick already. Not sure how a single small block would move that boat.... would need the specs on it to see torque.

anyway.... sorry to rant. They are sharp boats.

This may shed some light.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...8a25f0d07c.jpg

Definitely agree with you, and I'm sure I would enjoy the twins. I'm also sure I'd be cursing it out Everytime I had to change plugs, update parts on the drives, flush them etc. If I'm doing my math right, I'd need about another 80-90 hp out of the 383 stroker to equal what the twin 350's do. Which I'm sure the only way to get there would be to pull the motor swap pistons, heads and drop a blower on.

Specs on the 383 if it's the right one are:

Horsepower: 350hp @ crankshaft
Torque: 390 lb/ft @ 4,200 rpm
WOT Operating Range: 4800-5200 rpm
Engine Configuration: GM Small Block V-8
Displacement: 383 ci / 6.3L
Compression Ratio: 9.0:1
Idle Speed: 600 rpmForged crankshaft1.6 roller rockersIron headsAluminum Pistons

So essentially pretty close in specs to a 454 mag setup from a hp standpoint. I know the torque curve and numbers will definitely be different from a BBC. But it's also saving 945lbs of weight vs the 2nd 350 in it.

Wrong. The ‘88-up 454 Mag makes 450 lbs ft of torque throughout the majority of the operating range. a cam change and exhaust will bring that figure to 500 lbs ft. The 383 is not going to touch that. Good engines for what they’re made for; a heavy 242 single engine isn’t one of them.

I would give up any notions of making a single small-block work with the 242. It will be really disappointing based on your initial post projections. I’m not trying to be a dick about this… I just know the boat really well.

5 people that have/had 242's (Some in the 70-80 mph) have shared their thoughts, Can't wait to read his posts in late June. Some people "Just Know" and ask questions hoping some will tell them Good Idea.
Good Luck-Happy New Year

Never said it was the same..only from a hp standpoint.. I also said the torque and torque curve was different from that of a BBC... Your saying I'm wrong and then agreeing with my point with facts that I already agree with. I understand you're not trying to be a dick... Just trying to say I know what you mean and agree with you.

And just for the record I'm not trying to say a 383 vs a BBC... I'm trying to compare a 383 and a bravo vs twin sbc's and alpha's.. I haven't found a decent BBC paired with a bravo yet except a bunch of 7.4's and alpha's.. Ideally I'd pair it with a 502 And a bravo and call It a day. I did have someone offer up an 89 with a bravo and no motor but he wants a pretty penny for a it without a motor.

I have a 86 242 that I swapped in a 350 Mag MPI in and it will tickle 50 with a bit of chop (48 gps) also, my passenger seat will swivel around But the driver seat will not. Newer models may be different.

Oh, I absolutely love how this handles big waves. I boat in the Great Lakes and it can definitely get rough.

Torque, torque, torque…

For the record mine originally had a 420hp bbc when i bought it and i cant imagine it with any less and be able to enjoy it as a comft perf boat

Not a Formula but definitely a nice boat! A friend of mine has for sale a really nice 97 Scarab (ad says 2007 - a typo). Maintained by one of the best down here in Hampton Roads. It may be worth a look if you can’t find a 242.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...31409436f.jpeg

For what it’s worth I have an 89’ 242LS with 502 mag mpi. With my wife and 2 teenage boys boat will always run 60 (on gps). Sometimes faster depending on conditions and fuel, but always 60. We run Lake Michigan and boat handles very well.

We have captains chairs which are nice for keeping head below windshield and out of wind when running, but like others have stated, hard to brace yourself when running in rougher water.

One other problem these boats have is the ST platforms in those years. The “bolted on” platforms have been known to have problems with rotting. I read threads on here about them, removed mine this past fall, and yes, mine was rotted out where it meets the transom. When I took platform off it revealed exhaust stains and cracks in gel from hot exhaust. To make a long story short, my transom was refinished this past fall and now we are in the process of fabricating an aluminum platform for her.

We absolutely love the boat and am confident you will as well.

Good Luck.

Definitely ditch the silent thunder platform... unless they're consistently removed and maintained/sealed, they ruin transoms. My 242's transom was ruined by the platform via leaks from the mounting points.

Thanks for the tips! I've seen a lot of folks mention that platform as well. I actually like the look of the aluminum tubular platform so I'll probably wind up going that route as well. It will definitely be one of the things I check when I go take a look at it. Hoping to get up there in the next week or two. Thinking about having it dropped off at MD performance on the way home to have it all gone though and refreshed or any repairs needed ahead of time since they are in the way back and seem like a great shop.

My friend just repowered her 242 with this 383 mag MPI. It’s a cool motor! I’ve been looking for the cam duration specs if anyone knows them? Basically they are available right now and big blocks are harder to come by.

It previously had a 454 mag 365hp that came stock.

It’s spinning a quicksilver mirage 48 13702 A41 21P. It’s only pulling 4500-4700 when I trim it way out, hitting 54mph. Only me in it. It can also cavitate the prop a bit out of hole. Rated RPM is 5200 and I believe this could rev out to 5400?

Im going to have some pitch taken out of this prop, and maybe add some cup if they can effectively do both at the same time. Or I’d like to find a 19P of this prop and cup it or get a bit more diameter on it.

This current prop is 14.75” dia? Can someone confirm?

I think this boat could run in the upper 50s on the right prop but 60 would be a stretch.

Their silent thunder gasket is blown out. They’ll likely fix it. I don’t think I could convince her to switch it as she’s a bit of a traditionalist.

The weight reduction of the motor is nice. And it should get far better fuel economy than the carb 454.

Would be a really cool repower for a smaller twin too.