Bought a Repowered Formula 223 LS

[NHGuy]

Guys, the wife made me do it. Got a bigger heavier sporty boat. Hopefully no more getting bounced around in chop.
It has a Mercruiser carb 350 Mag with new heads and exhaust last year, engine 3 years ago. I didn't recognize the carburetor, looks a little smaller than a Rochester. It has no air doors on the secondaries. I will look it up, I'd guess it's a Webber.
The drive looks like an Alfa Gen II. Gotta ID it tomorrow.
If the ignition control is all on the distributor is that Thunderbolt V? With knock control?
Woo hoo, cuddy cabin, trim tabs, aluminum I beam trailer, power hatch!
I'm such a sucker for boats.

 

[NYBo]

Congrats! Your wife is a keeper.

Pictures, or it didn't happen.

 

[Maclin]

Pictures, or it didn't happen.

^^^^^^^ What he said ^^^^^^^
:ranger:

 

[JASinIL2006]

Congrats! Your wife is a keeper.

What he said!!!

 

[tpenfield]

Yea, pictures please. and congrats what model year?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... That woman is a Keeper alright,..... Congrats, can't wait to see it,.....

 

[JaCrispy]

Congrats on the new boat! 22s a good size. Curious about the hatch. I was going to add that power lift to mine but my bat switch is under the hatch.

 

[NHGuy]

Spent the day laying floor in the tv room. Ever had a "staycation"?
I have some pics in my phone i'll post em in a sec.
Thing tows nicely too, trailer has disc brakes.
Boat has some marks and the paint is a little cloudy, but I'm good at paint care. Was an apprentice body man way back.

 

[NHGuy]

No Title

 

[NHGuy]

It's an 87. Are they all the same color?
it's also a 20 footer on appearance. I gotta get out my wheel and polish.

 

[tpenfield]

That red/black was a popular color combo in that era . . . then they went with more blue/red and the Palm Beach color combo . . .

If it is a 223 SS, it should measure around 24' with the silent thunder platform. If it is the 206, then it will be about 22'

 

[NHGuy]

it's a 223 LS so yea it's 24' with the muffler pod/boarding platform gizmo. Far as I can see the SS has back to back seats on the port side and the back seat is further toward the stern. My boat (LS) has a big sun pad, a back seat and only forward facing front seats. Although they do pivot.
So what's the skinny on deep vee boats and trim tabs? Do I drop em for liftoff and retract as I come onto plane? And in chop do I use them to bury the nose or just trim down with my drive?
My limited understanding of tabs is they are mainly for keeping the bow down at lower speeds. Do they help reduce low speed wallow? My brothers Sea Ray 210 wallows crazy at some settings so he just doesn't go those speeds.
Is there any use for tabs when moving fast? Maybe keep them flat so as to extend the planing surface rearward?

 

[JaCrispy]

I hve good method of bringing up the old red gelcoat in my sig. basically wetsnd 600 then 1000, 1500 if you want. buff with compound and wax. key is to get all the oxidation off with wet sanding.

 

[tpenfield]

The tabs are really used for side-to-side balance, which you will tend to need on the 24 degree hull. I never used tabs much, as I preferred to move weight around the boat as needed. the boat will waggle at harbor speed . . . no getting away from that.



As far as the color restoration . . . be careful with sanding. I am not sure if Formula used gelcoat for their colors in that time period or if they used the Imron paint. If paint, you won't want to sand it much, if at all.

BTW - There are a couple 272's of the late 1980's vintage for sale in the NH/Winni area . . . I have been tempted, but they are priced a bit high (for me).

 

[V153]

Cool boat. Way back when I had a F206 with Merc 233 (351) that we breathed on a lil. Run 70 on a good day. Smoke all my buddies in a chop. You could pound on that thing all day long & nothin ever came loose or broke. Great boat.

That was before coozies & cupholders btw ...

 

[NHGuy]

Yah, all the docs say it's colored Imron so I have to use the right polish. I might do some searching around on OSO etc. to see if wet sanding is doable on that finish. It brought my Baja back from the dead. Might hit a hidden spot to see what happens.
Today I went out in the yard to fiddle with it and check it out a bit. Apparently someone got mixed up when applying labels to the spark arrestor cover. At the top it says 454 cubic inch, and on the front it says 350 mag., I can tell by the valve cover bolts and shapes that its a small block. Maybe it started life as a 454 and then got the 350 later with a sticker at that time. In the meantime I'm the only person here with a 454 cubic inch 350 Mag.