So I've been trying to hunt down a clean Formula 311 w/ bravos for a few months now and unfortunately I haven't had much luck. I either just miss them, they sell before they are listed or they don't even come close to the condition of my current 272. I still have my heart set on a 311 but I'm thinking I should start looking at other boats. My question is what is comparable to a 311 in terms of both size/performance as well as value?

Boat shopping is supposed to be fun but its only been disappointing & frustrating so far! haha

did you see the 311 in Long Island c list? Looks clean from pics. May not be the colors you want. But it’s something clean to work with.

https://longisland.craigslist.org/bo...117512370.html

I seen that boat the other day actually. It does look very clean. Only real downside is that it has the standard 330's. For close to 30k (which is on the high side for these boats) I would be a lot happier with 454 mags or some other upgraded power. From what I have read the 330 motors dont leave much to build from with their cast bottom ends. The colors arnt my absolute favorite but not a show stopper.

Maybe I'm being to picky and impatient Haha

I got a 31 Team Scarab and I like the hull design. It's got an 8'6" beam so it provides a little more room onboard compared to the many 8' Scarab designs. Great boat in the rough and this boat for sale in Minnesota is a 1992 Composite-Alloy laminate boat, so it's very good quality for a Wellcraft. If this checks out in a survey I believe it should be a sweet boat. Has been for sale since last summer, so there might be room to negotiate the price, even though the asking price has already come down slightly.

https://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/60488

https://duluth.craigslist.org/boa/d/...108616678.html

Sister boat in Florida:


Boating Magazine test of the model when it premiered in 1989.

Link:
https://books.google.com/books?id=7y...t%2031&f=false

Dont get in a hurry right now. With the economy the way it is I think boat prices will stop dropping again. Anyway what price range are you looking at?


Chris

Chris Craft 312 Stinger for 14000.00 with trailer. 330’s and Velvet drives. St. Louis craigslist.

Interesting comment on boat pricing and the economy. Just trying to understand your logic behind "don't be in a hurry", "prices will stop dropping again". Please don't mistake this question as a challenge to your point of view I'm just trying to understand the comment. Crazy times we're in!

I think he meant prices will drop again.

Not sure how things took place in other parts of the country at the last economic downturn, but here in California the pre-owned boat prices had an immediate drop of about 30% on high quality boats and more on mass-produced boats. After this the prices kept dropping slightly on the high-end boats, mainly due to high inventory in the market. The most interesting high end custom boats and high quality boats came on the market first, and most of these sellers were like Jim, they knew what they wanted and were experienced boaters. On top of that they were also like Jim in the respect that they were trading slightly up or down in price range, but sometimes also even, just going from say a custom performance V-bottom to a California custom performance deck boat or cat.

I think we'll see a significant drop in pre-owned boat values this time too, but maybe more gradual for quite sometime and eventually quite severe if we transition from this recession into a true depression, which unfortunately seems very likely. If I was trading just slightly up or down, and naturally being a cash deal, then I believe the most interesting boats of the highest quality will come up for sale first, just like last time. Quality built boats that were instant classics and have been owned by great caretakers are the only boats that matters, unless you got money to throw around or unlimited time on your hands and the skills to do restos that match the best builders. If not trading, but buying a pre-owned boat straight out, well then I certainly would wait for the major drop in prices to be a fact. Keep up the search Jim, most of the best objects will come up for sale this year, not in 2021 or later i.m.h.o.

P.S. This 130.3 mph 2005 Howard Custom Boats 28 Bullet was at the time state of the art. With additional upgrades to its original price of $180,000 in the article in the link below, had about $250,000 into it when it sold for mid $80's during the last recession in 2009. It later changed hands again a couple of times and around 2014 for ~$70k. D.S.

Article link:
http://www.howardboats.com/boat_revi...5_28bullet.pdf

Old test of a low powered 28 Bullet.

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