Hi Wes-

Thanks for the Info! I would have found that out this weekend when I was working on the boat. Did you just replace the wood or did you replace the foam too? Just curious?

Don

Instead of plywood, could lightweight delron work? No fear of rotting, and may save pounds.

Just the wood . was very carefull to not damage the foam .

Can replace the wood on the sundeck with a variety of light weight coring material. A nice benefit of the multi-section design on the sundeck of the older Formula's is that in event of a cut or rip in one section, you only have to replace that section. i have seen examples of (1)piece construction that got a rip/tear-owner's had sticker shock on cost to replace.

Dgduck13 - In a different thread I saw you were taking the rails off your 311 - are you interseted in selling them? I'm looking at an '87 311 that has a bent bow rail but otherwise is very nice boat.

Wantsa311

I am talking the rails off of the back end of the boat. The front rails are too handy to take off. Sorry.

Don

If you are concerned about weight, you may want to do the foam as the "stock" foam is like a sponge and stays wet. I am replacing mine with reticulated foam like they use on new boats. Water just passes right through it, and you probably know how heavy that hatch can be if you got caught in the rain. I already put it in the back seat last season, and it worked great. Seats dry out very quickly.

Rear Hatch
 

A new board product I recently heared about is called King Starboard. It suppose to be very good and quite possiable what Formula is useing now. The name of the company is King Plastic Crop. ph. 941-493-5502, www.kingplastic.com This along with that high tech foam mention earlier would be a very nice set up for your new hatch. I warn you, the Starboard is VERY EXPENSIVE but only the best for our Birds. Propwash

Starboard may well be a branded label for Delrin or Delran or some similar spelling. Check with a local plastic's supplier house before buying Starboard. Even if there are some differences, it may still be acceptable for your use. One possible downside is strength. I think the plywood in our sundecks (assuming your 311 is like my 302) provided some of the ability to walk on it without damage. It would be bad to get a waterproof weaker material but not be able to have the Swedish bikini team dance on your sundeck.

Another thing, the delrin machines like wood, holds screws and staples well, but not glue. I was going to have a small boat builder's upholstery shop make bolsters, and they used a ss tube frame with delrin screwed to the tube for the upholstery staples to hold to. Overall a McLeod quality bolster, but they went under before getting to my work, and disappeared. Ah, the joys of boat maintenance and contractors.

Thanks for the info
 

Looking at the same model boat and was wondering about a fairing. If I get this boat ......it will be updated as well,........... dash, guages, controls, interior, paint, TRAILER <naturally> etc.

Keep the photo's comming of the progress.

Bill-

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one that likes the fairing look. Right now I am in the process of fiberglassing the fairing and pulling the interior and dash getting it ready for paint. I was also planning on finishing the trailer also. It is aluminum so the main I beams will be polished. The one problem I am having though is finding Polished stainless fenders that will bolt onto my trailer, any suggestions? I will keep posting pictures and progress continues.

Don

Don
 

looking forward to seeing the finished fairing.

Polishing the trailer looks awesome. We do a few a year to the mirror polish. It is ALOT of work -- but looks great when complete. That is prior to building so easier. Bottom line... worth the effort and easier to keep looking nice.

We can get polished Stainless fenders..... There are expensive (about $120.00 ea - our cost) but look great.
I am ball parking the cost of the fenders because it depends on size naturally. Eddie at Extreme in CA buys him unpolished but polishing stainless is tough. To me.. its not worth the saving vs the labor cost to do them in house.

Email me when you get ready and we will get you some fenders at cost or see if there is a local distributor in your area --- which may end up being cheaper with shipping figured in.

Bill-

Thanks for your help I really appreciate the information. You said that you are looking at a 311. What year is it? Power? Color? If you have pictures that would be cool too. Where is it located?

1987 FORMULA 31', , twin 454's, rebuilt 1999, 150 hrs., TRS drive, rebuilt 2002, new paint, new fuel tank, shore power, refrigerator, sink, fresh water tank, enclosed porta potty, new fitted cover, Bimini top --- Yeahhhhh I know...... the dredded Bimini.....

Also looking at a 302

Hi Y'all

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with pictures but I have been away on work trips. Here are some pictures of the fairing and the boat that I pulled out of storage today. Let me know what you think.

Don

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Looks really good, that's the same basic paint scheme I have with some very minor changes. Plus I've got "OUTLAW" on the hullsides.

Think about painting your hatches white and either painting or replacing the rubrail with white. Makes a big difference. White bowlight is a nice touch too.

Sorry, the photo is "scanned"....but you can still tell the difference.

Outlaw-

That makes a huge difference. I am planning on painting the entire boat with a custom paint sceme. I know it will be all white with some graphics that tie the interior to the rest of the boat. I will also be painting the rubrails and hatches. The boat will be going in for paint in a few weeks. Thanks for the comments.

I am planning on going over the "magenta" with yellow, and redoing the upholstery in basically white. I just may go over the magenta upholstery with that vinyl dye for now. Depends on cost. I like the Palm Beach graphics, I just want it to be a little different. The letters in Outlaw start at the bottom in black, intermix at a changing "level" and ends up teal at the top. The graphics shop did a great job on them and was very reasonable.

That looks real good man. Nice job. I am still a little ways away from paint on mine. :( Work is killing me and it may get even worse :(

Jon

Jon, what year is yours?

she looks good Don,... can I have her back ?

Nice new pics, I love the new windsheild instead of the glass.

Wes-

Sorry, but I think I am going to keep her, well for at least a year or two. Anyways, you are looking for a Cat? I thought that this thing was too slow for you!

Mine is a 1979 302. Well the hull is 79.... The stringers, floor, transom, and about everything else is 2004

Jon

The fairing looks very nice. have you had her out yet? I'm curious as to how well it keeps the wind off of you. I almost wish the window on my 357 was taller. I'm 6'3" and usually drive standing up and get blasted by the wind.

bford1-

I have not had it out yet. I am in the process of preping the boat to be painted in the next week or so. Also I could care less if the fairing is functional I just wanted the look of the new 382 with the fairing. The way I see it if you are cold when you are driving, were a jacket!Form over function. Also I am 6'1" and the wind never bother me when I was standing up before the change in windsheild so I know it won't bother me after.

It sure looks cool! Thanks

Well the time has come to bring the boat to the paint shop. We will be working on it all weekend and hopefully we will be done by the end of sunday.:D

I will post pictures of the completed boat on Monday.....

Don

Good luck!! I hope to be putting mine in paint in the next two weeks. Just hired my brother to do some of the harder areas of flatwork that I keep messing up and also paying his worker biatch to sand it all down. If I tried to do it all myself it would not be done ever.......

Jon

Jon, Fred says it's all over "but the cryin' ".:D :D Russ

Dude I hope for his sake he wins. All he had to do what put drives and motors in. I had to build an entire boat. He has employees to do all his work. I have to work then work on the boat. So HE BETTER WIN!!! :D If not he is a supream Slacker. I do however HIGHLY doubt he hits the water this weekend. :D:D

:D We'll have to watch him carefully, he might try to set up a lawn sprinkler and claim victory. :D

On a more serious note, I am totally impressed with the work you have put in your 302. Talk about a "labor of love", or maybe serving pennance for some past deed. All of us can't wait till it's done. Keep the faith you'll get there. :)

Well after a long weekend we finally finished painting the boat. it took us 30 hours with 6 people working on it non stop. This is what it looked like as we pulled out Friday night.

The boat was gutted before we left.