Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

I am considering the purchase of a new go fast. Here is my wish list: 30-32 hull length (not including swim plat), No porposing, keel sway or chine walking, 496 Merc power,
gentleman's boat - with windshield, some amenities (encl head) but no a/c, superior build quality and fit/finish, terrific factory support. I don't need the fastest boat on the planet and it must be a v bottom, 8ft beam. Formula was leading the pack but I test drove 2 Fastech hulls (31/35) and they both porpoised. Sonic 31 has no windshield (has a fairing) and no local deal support (NY Metro). Suggestions please.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Contact Sunsation. They are running a special right now on their new 32 Dominator with 6.2's for 99,999. Upgrade to 496HO's for about 16K....116K for a new 32, seems very reasonable to me. I'm in the market for this same size boat so I'll be interested in seeing the results. Good luck in your search.
Dave

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Just curious about your previous experience with other boats. What have you liked in the past?

You can make boats porpoise, and you can correct porpoise with correct drive trim to trim tab balance. Usually you can get away with a conflicting tab to drive setting when it's kind of choppy, but when you hit a calm spot it will start to bounce.

My point is not to tell you how to run a boat, but to say it's a coincidence that both of those Formulas happened to porpoise.... and to suggest that if it's even a remote possibilty that you didn't have enough seat time to get things balanced out during the test ride. I mean because every boat is different, not because you don't know what you're doing.

I don't want you to pass up a boat that would otherwise work fine, if the porpoising is really just a trimming out tweak.

Just my .02 because I had some porpoising with my 26 until I learned what combinations made it worse or better. I used to say my boat porpoised. Now I say that I was the one porpoising. The boat stopped doing it after my learning curve with that particular vessel improved.

I would happily trade my 26 for either Formula (31 or 35) :D

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

If you're not looking for new, try a 31' Cig Bullet. You wont' be disappointed in the ride.

John
www.sunriseuph.com

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

All I can think of is Formula.
You could always look at sunseeker or Cobalt.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

I had a 31 Scarab Viper with 365's that did not exhibit any porpoise, chine walk or keel sway. No matter what I did with trim and tabs, I couldn't get that boat to exhibit any bad handling characteristics. I've had plenty of seat time driving these boats..The dealer claimed the porpoise was due to an imbalance inherent to any ventilated/stepped bottom
design.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

I have also looked at the Formulas but have not had the opportunity to drive any of the FasTechs. I assumed you are looking at new boats and not used? I have a short list of boats I am interested in based on the $$ and both Formula and Sunsation are on my list.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

No wonder the dealer didn't close the sale.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Allroad, had a 98 Formula 312 w/ 502's and it liked to "bounce" at mild cruising speeds. It liked to run fast. Have a buddy that had a 99 312 w/ 454's and he experienced the same thing. I had a 2000 353 w/ 500's and it ran great. Have talked w/ other 312 owners and they also thought that the 312 was not one of Formula's best efforts. Probably why they don't make this model anymore. Good luck, Wrink

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Check out 320 Velocity, I hadd two of these with 496 HO's ran mid 80's pretty muck rock solid no step very stable great quality

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Wild Child from NJ? ... Is this a name name change from 'Lets Rock' And if so, guess that means you sold her? :) Any Pics / Details on 'Wild Child'?? :D

Sorry for temporary hi-jack allroad .. I like Formulas with your criteria ... I think you should try again.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

HANDS DOWN 31 Sonic; most bang/boat for the buck. Pick one up 1-2 seasons used, and all the gremlins will be worked out for you. Only thing you will need support for is Mercury warranty.

Its easy to add a higher windscreen to the Sonic, and keep a clean sleek look.

Second choice, 32 Sunsation. I have no experience with Suns personally, but never heard a bad thing about them on the board or any of my friends with Suns.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

At least ride the Sunsation 32....good performance, nice standard items, excellent price, custom paint with many options that are standard, something for all the family and rides excellent. cb

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Troutly has some good experience with Formulas, hopefully he'll chime in here. I've not heard of that characteristic in Formula hulls before.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Has anyone driven the new Cobalt 34? It may be a great choice. The local dealers here do not have any in stock.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Maybe.... Power Quest? I hear they have good support, Family type boat. but i have never been in one. Just a thought.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

32 Velocity..good speed/handling w/stock power...nice amenities with the newer ones also...
:cool:

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

As a FORMULA owner since 1979 and having owned a 312 FASTech and currently own a 353 FASTech, the dealer must not have known how to operate the boat. FASTechs are designed to need very little trim and your experience would tell me the boat was over trimmed. If you were beyond 3 - 3 1/2 on the trim indicator, you went too far. The FORMULA's are rock solid.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Check these threads on info for the Cobalt 34.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ight=cobalt+34

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ight=cobalt+34

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

A good friend of mine has a 32 Sunsation and the boat is a great value!!!! Excellent ride and performace for the $$$$. Fit and finish are also excellent. Factory support,as well as dealer support have always been good.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

I've heard all good stuff about Sunsation. Anyone know approx. speed for the Sunsation 32 with 6.2's or the 496 HO's?

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

The Sunsation is light.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

The Sunsation is small. Your Formula salesman is an idiot for more than one reason. :rolleyes: The 353 has no bad habits at all. I've got to work pretty hard to make mine porpoise.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

I clocked one this summer at 72ish against my boat and gps this summer w/6.2's(owner claimed boat would run 80),Smitty

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

My friends will run a legit upper 70's real close to 80. Hee doesn't have a gps speedo, but I have run side by side with him in this range.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

What you are describimg is a PowerQuest.
Go look at thier 30 & 34' models.
I am sure you'll be quite happy with what you see.
They make a damn good boat.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

the most important part of the equation is missing... what sort of money are you looking to spend?

secondly, what sort of speed are we talking about? because i've had people saying that they didn't want "the fastest boat in the world" and then reject anything less than 100 mph.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

I agree with Powerquest. I'm thinking the 34 Vyper would be the boat. You can get it with a windshield. Great support and build quality. I own a little one:)

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Donzi has a new 35ZR 496 power runs 84mph, Or a leftover 33ZX all the amenties 74mph 496 power

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

Yeah, what's your budget? What is your speed goal?

The Cobalt is a typical Cobalt, except it is faster than any previous Cobalt. Exhibits no bad habits even with a clueless driver.

The FasTechs I've driven could ALL be MADE to porpoise, but I agree that the boat you were testing was not trimmed properly (or even CLOSE to properly) and further agree that they need very little trim in the normal range of operation. Some people are afraid to use the tabs, but that is what they are for. Neutral tabs (not UP, and not down) is where they need to start out and tweak from there.

Formula, a windshielded Donzi, Cobalt, those all sound like what you are looking for.

A ventilated hull having inherent instability? Not a FasTech. Not a Donzi ZR. That's BS unless that individual hull has something wrong with it.

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

496 Sunsation 82mph.....6.2 Sunsation 70mph. You can try one any time you like with a week notice here in Ft. Lauderdale. cb

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

That's what I was kind of getting at. Turning a ventilated hull with air under it is one thing... porpoising is a different animal.

Unless it isn't of high enough "pedigree" a Formula is really sounding like the ticket.

I would be thrilled to have a 312 or a 35, but then again, I boat purely for fun. Having the most expensive boat on the lake holds no interest at all, and it would cut into other budgets like having a nice home the other 9 months of the year.
I just want to be on that lake.

If anybody lives in a warm climate and has a Formula, I would be more than happy to come take it for a "walk." :D

Re: Some advise please on new boat purchase..
 

I just bought a 98 312 formula w/ 502s this weekend and had the dealers driver take us on a ride. Apparently he has raced performance boats for some time. The ride was great in smooth water and the boat turned on a dime! We experienced no problems with porpoising or and other bad characteristics. I noticed the tabs and drives were not trimmed all the way out and we ran 77mph on the speedo (not GPS). I had to leave the boat in NY since my trailer was totaled on the way to pick up the boat from VA. All this info has been great so I'll be ready once I can get the new trailer here and go get my new toy.