Posted: September 14 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

That's not to say we haven't wandered from the Formula family, but we do have a first cousin to the Formula. 1987 Donzi Minx.

Posted: September 14 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Sweet Donzi (glad to see when it comes to boats, you stick with the "family" LOL).

Nice Tat Too!

Posted: September 14 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

I'll say it again....When I grow up I want to be like 'Cuda!

Best of luck for salvaging some of the season and no more rain for awhile....

Posted: September 21 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Our thoughts and prayers go out to our fellow Formula owner "Thirdbird" (Dave) as he works through the anguish of his daughter, Gina healing from a horrible automobile accident on 9/11/04.

Thirdbird is a well-known and highly-respected member of the OSO Formula Owners thread. (http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87216)

Thridbird indicated on the OSO site that recovery is going to be long and hard but that recovery was coming.

Thanks to Cuda for expressing our thoughts and to "Mopower" for his expression to Thirdbird of: "Birds of a feather..."

Double E

Posted: September 25 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Butch, I just saw the link to the pics of your boat.  It looks like the exact same boat as my 81 F20 SC.  Does yours have a walk through windsheild?

Posted: September 25 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Cuda,

Yes it does have a walkthrough windshield, with a V-Bunk up front and a small self contained head.  I thought it looked a lot like yours from what I sould see in the renovation photos, hows that coming by the way ?  Also do you have any access to the hull area under the deck on the outside of the stringers ?  There's probobly not a lot of room in there but I would still like to have some type of access to those area's in case you hit something or just to see if any water is in there etc.  Thinking about a couple of those round access panels that everybody sells one on each side of the engine box. Looking for idea's.

Thanks,

Butch 

Posted: October 07 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

74Formula233

  I found an earlier post of yours where you were talking about replacing the seat pedestal with a storage cabinet.  Just wondering if you ever persued it any further ??  I have had the same idea for some time and looking for ideas, something to build over the winter.

Thanks,

Butch

Posted: October 07 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

No, I haven't pursued it yet other than saving some links to companies who make prefabbed ones.  I may just go that route, instead of building some.

Also, there is a local company (10 mins from me) that is building boats now (sick machines too!) and the owner said he is willing to work with me in making some boxes with his molds.

This guy built a 25' Center Console with a Yanmar Diesel and Hamilton Jet Drive.  I went out with him for a demo, and this boat is simply incredible!  The handling FAR EXCEEDS any inboard, I/O, or O/B setup on the market in all ways!  I mean holy crap, I was blown away.

The setup he installed is the same that our local Safe Seas have been using for over 10 years now.

The service schedule on the Jet Drive is 2000 hours!  Do NOTHING to it until then!  All you do is regular maintenance on the Yanmar!

Price is around 95k, I believe.

Posted: October 11 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Bill, you have to have the pictures hosted on another site, then use the image code.

Posted: October 11 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

I got some more done last night.  The starboard side is almost done.  I've just got to paint the black along the bottom.

Posted: October 11 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Cuda, Good to see you on Boat US also.  The 302 looks great!!!!!!

Have yet figured out how to post a picture in this forum.

We are starting the 302 mods this fall .....

Just picked up a couple of wipple charged 502's and sportmaster drives.  almost seems like too much for this boat.

Posted: October 21 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Is there any room for a new Formula owner in this forum?  I just bought a 2004 Formula 34 PC... I'm totally psyched, but since I boat in Ohio I won't be able to break my baby in for another 6 months.  I need to get my off-season fix!

BryanK

Posted: October 25 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Shoot yeah...New birds turn heads just like older ones.

Welcome in!  What did you have before the 'bird?

Posted: November 08 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

looking  to  purchase  a  1968  233  that  has  been  modified  to  an inboard setup with a chevy straight six. does anyone know if this is a common type conversion?  dave

Posted: November 08 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Oh Kay was originally powered with a 5.0L Ford V-8, and I replaced it with a 5.7L GMC.  For blue water fishing, it's perfect. 

I would guess yours is seriously underpowered with a 6-banger, regardless how you plan to use it.

Posted: November 12 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

I defer to Cuda but he'll probably say that as long as it has no bimini on it, it's a good deal!

Seriously, I think unless I was taking it out each weekend and going a ways off shore each time, I'd buy it, leave the 6 in it and drop in the 8 once you got your $ worth out of the 6.

I'm wondering the displacement myself on the 6 and if parts are still readily available.

If the trailer is in good shape, the outdrive is healthy and the electronics are sound, I think it's a fair deal.  Think about it this way... If you were to own it, do you think you could sell it for $2500?  If so, buy it, get your $500 worth of water time out of it and re-assess after 6 months to form a plan.

Interesting that recently I saw on-line that an Australian company was building new 233s from the Aronow original molds and that they were selling like hotcakes.

Posted: November 12 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Hey Doggydoo,

If it's exceptionally clean, it's probably worth $3000, without an engine :-)

Posted: November 18 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Hell yeh, that's the philosophy I used when I bought mine for $3000 with the trailer.  I figured....Freshwater Michigan boat, one-owner, solid, very clean hull, engine ran when last used, all pics I had emailed to me were comprehensive and detailed.....AND it had a trailer in good condition.....

I bought her sight unseen figuring EVEN IF I didn't like it when she arrived, I could easily unload it here in the northeast for all of what I paid or even more.  Win-Win situation!

It sounds like a decent deal, what you are considering.

PS: My deal turned out real sweet, I couldn't be any happier with how this boat "turned out" once I took delivery!!!  Nobody can believe I paid what I paid when they see her and fish on her.   Good luck on your deal if you pull the trigger!

Posted: November 18 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Here is an index of some pictures we took last week in Palatka.  The last one on the index is a video of my boat running.  The reason Deb is climbing on the sunpad is to see if both engines are running.  I can't tell by listening.  As you can see, it's only running on one at that time.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=229213009 3

Posted: November 18 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Here's a good pic of Debbie and the boat Saturday.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=229213009 3

Opps, apparently I can't link directly to the picture.  It's the last one on page 5.

Posted: November 22 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

If you are looking for a performance cam for her to spice her up a little, I strongly suggest you talk to Jack Clifford at Clifford Performance.

http://www.cliffordperformance.com/

He has been in business FOREVER, and offers performance parts for virtually just about EVERY inline motor made

They are the experts on inline performance, bar none!

I dealt with them a lot when I had my last CJ, I took the 258 motor and built it to the hilt with a Clifford mild cam, 4-BBL Intake, Holley 4-BBL 390cfm carb, high-lift valve springs, and a dual exhaust header, with custom dual exhaust after that.  Talk about RAPED APE!  I got such a performance increase, I ended up tearing front AND rear driveshafts when I beat on her both on & off-road, lol.  Sounded just like a 350, and acted very much like one.

Posted: December 15 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Hello fellow Formula owners.  I just saw this link on OSO and thought I'd stop by to say hi.  My old bird is 20 this year.  I was going to post a pic of her but I can't seem to figure out how.  I don't see a link for uploading a file.  Am I missing something here?

Brent

Posted: December 15 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

I can't seem to figure it out.  But, here is a link to some pics of my '85 357 SR1.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=213400750 1

Brent

Posted: December 15 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Hey Brent!  Welcome over!

I was the person asking you about your dad's water tank last year from his 'bird soon after you got your 'bird.  (I never found one and haven't really been in need of it anyway.)

With BoatUS membership comes space to have a photo album.  Another visitor to this page assisted me with it...

The method of adding in the pics is:

After you have a picture you need to select  Settings  (from the top of this page) and then select Edit Profile.  Scroll down to where it says Signature.  In the text box located there you will need to enter the code needed for a picture. 

["IMG"]http://the picture location on the net["/IMG"]

Keep the brackets but leave out the quotes.  Insert your boat picture's location on the Internet in place of the red text.

After awhile, I edit my posts and remove the pics because they take up a lot of space as new visitors scroll through.  I'm probably better off to resize the pics but I don't mind the review of posts from others it provides.

Thanks for getting this thread back on top again!

Posted: December 15 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

Hi 233.  Good to see you here.  I never did find that old water tank.  Maybe it will turn up if my dad ever cleans out the basement at the lake house.   But, I think it is long gone. 

I tried linking the pics hosted from imagestation.com but it didn't work either.  Must because of the password.  Oh well.  If someone wants to see I posted the link so they can check them out.  Nice to see all the older Formulas (and Donzis) here. 

Brent

Posted: December 20 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

How fortunate!

David,

We're looking forward to pics!  Send 'em along and stay in touch...
I was wondering if you got it b/c you know boats that well or if you had people with you who did and if you got a survey for it.

Hopefully, you're somewhere where you can splash it this time of year... 

Posted: December 20 2004 at 00:00 | IP Logged

bluesfan,

Have you been to the Vintage Formula section of Formula's site?