New Boat - Leaving FW

NOLV4V8 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:40 pm

It is official, I am leaving the Four Winns owners club. After two years of talking / searching / saving & after a few deals falling apart, I closed a deal on Saturday for a 1999 Formula 280SS.

We hit the road from Detroit to the Syracuse NY area Friday afternoon, traveling thru Canada both ways, and arrived home to Metro Detroit around 8pm Saturday night. I grabbed a 2500 GMC Sierra Denali Duramax for the hauling duty, which pulled like a dream.

We are really excited about moving up from an 18ft to a 28ft, our waterways of choice (Lake St Clair / St Clair River) and our newborn daughter made the decision easily. Also my father has a 245 Sundowner, in which we considered, but the desire for a full enclosed head starts to force your hand. Plus the reputation and support of the Formula community and manufacturer made the decision rather easy. But lets be honest, I am a car designer by trade, so I really just like the way these boats look on the water. I choose my 89 Horizon for similar reasons 8 years ago.

On to the boat:
1999 Formula 280SS
Twin 5.7L V8s - Bravo III Outdrives - 534 Hrs
All Canvas - Bimini, Camper, Sunshade top for Bimini, Cockpit cover, and full trailering
Came on a custom tandem axle trailer with electric brakes

Pics:

Home Snug in driveway:

Happy new owner...I mean owners...

I will share a few more photos as I get her cleaned up and in the water mid may.

First few mods will be a full buff out, extended swim platform, and all new accessories. As well as drive showers, tie bar, and some cleanup work on the drives. As she was pretty clean to start, still not clean enough by my standards.

I will be still lurking around these forms, but I am excited to learn and see what Formula has to offer!

That's it for now!

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:23 pm

great lookin boat there!!
Check this out, this guy Ted Penfield has a website where he has documented all kinds of things he has done to his 2 Formulas...

http://home.comcast.net/~tpenfield/F330 ... /Home.html
http://home.comcast.net/~tpenfield/Web_ ... _Page.html

deafwish · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:23 pm

That's one seriously good looking boat, Rob - Congrat's!

Twin 350 stern drives in a 28? I hope you like wrenching in very small spaces!

Flyindutchman · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:29 pm

Looks fantastic! Nice job!

NOLV4V8 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:31 pm

thanks everyone! We can not wait for summer.

Lou, I have read through his website 50 times it seems, what a great source of info on these boats. Further sold me on them.

NOLV4V8 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 6:33 pm

deafwish wrote:

That's one seriously good looking boat, Rob - Congrat's!

Twin 350 stern drives in a 28? I hope you like wrenching in very small spaces!

Thanks! haha, well yeah, its going to be different, but you would be shocked how big the engine compartment is, the whole rear of the boat opens up with a power lift. I will snap some shots this week once the sun comes back out....silly Michigan.

jayjay4735 · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:10 pm

Very nice looking boat, congratulations. I really like those 280SS models, you get a lot of cockpit space for a 28 feet boat.

Winter Sux · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:12 pm

I'm proud of you. Very nice indeed!

Looks like she'll have some pretty nice "traction" with those engines and drives.

MichaelB · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:31 pm

I've always been a fan of the Formulas. The 40PC is on our short list for our next boat. Congrats! Looks great!!

GottWhat · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 7:37 pm

NOLV4V8 wrote:

I will share a few more photos as I get her cleaned up and in the water mid may.

Talking about the boat right?

Really though, I love it...clean looking boat! Importantly, glad you had an uneventful trip. Hope to see your 280SS in person some time.

Are you going to be at Sassy? Let me know if you need a pull to the marina

97_245_sd · **Posted:** Mon Apr 27, 2015 9:20 pm

Congrats! We have also been on the lookout for a cuddy with enclosed head. I really like Formulas but decided the 280 was just a bit bigger than we wanted.

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 787

Thats a nice looking boat. I'm sure you will appreciate the Cuddy as well on those chilly days

TFD2001 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:54 am

Formula makes an awesome boat, and they support their product 100 times over! You won't regret that buy! Our next boat will likely be in the neighborhood of a 400ss, but that's a few years away..

babbot1 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:46 pm **Posts:** 570

Awesome looking boat! That think must fly...
I don't think I have ever heard any bad words about formula's. My marina owner has a 31 foot formula, I just drool when I walk by it every time..
Congrats...

rpengr · **Posted:** Tue Apr 28, 2015 12:09 pm

Great looking boat. Congrats.

Just curious...why add drive showers? I've heard they can be necessary on Bravo 1's with a lot of HP, but why put them on a Bravo 3?

www.iFourWinns.com

New Boat - Leaving FW

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