Possible buy (engine option)?

[lukecono]

HELLO, looking at purchasing a new to me 1987 formula 242LS. $5k been sitting since 2017 winterized. My question is about the power paired with these boats. My neighbor has one coincidentally and his had a stock 454 paired with bravo one. This seems to be the most common but what I'm looking at has to the owners knowledge, the original 350 Mag carbureted paired with the alpha one drive. Is this enough power for this boat and I can't even find these made with this pairing???

 

[mr 88]

Yes enough power for your boat . Probably a Formula Facebook page that should be able to give you specific numbers .

 

[flashback]

Enough power is subjective, how fast do you want to go? It should be enough to plane the boat...

 

[Scott Danforth]

Boats don't sit unless there is an issue. Look for signs of rot in the transom

 

[lukecono]

Yes enough power for your boat . Probably a Formula Facebook page that should be able to give you specific numbers .

Yeah I've tried, i have the three ls which is the 22 foot model and found this to go up the 2 feet but only difference in power is the 242 im looking at has the 350 MAG, in my 22 is just the 350 making 260. Cant find a power rating on the carbureted 350 mag.

 

[lukecono]

Boats don't sit unless there is an issue. Look for signs of rot in the transom

I do not have a moisture meter but guy claims boat doesn't have any rot or wood to rot. I think the boats an inheritance and is "too big" for him supposedly. I haven't fact checked him but in 87 they weren't using composite or any substitute for wood.

 

[lukecono]

Enough power is subjective, how fast do you want to go? It should be enough to plane the boat...

I think top speed of 40-45 is fair but have a feeling this is really underpowered for this thing unless that 350 mag does make an additional 30-50hp. Like I said before I can't find these boats made with anything without a 454 and bravo, except that JD power has the 350 and alpha as a power option.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I'm pretty sure @tpenfield had a Formula 242...

I'd be concerned about a boat that size being underpowered with a 350 Mag. Also, I have a hard time believing an '87 was built without wood.

 

[tpenfield]

Most of the 242LS models came with the 454 MAG (365 HP) and Bravo 1, starting in 1988. The 1987 models had the Alpha drive, which was only a good match for the 350 cu in engines.

The boat is wood - transom, stringers, bulkheads and floor coring.

 

[flashback]

I have a 220 searay of similar weight and it does ok with the 350.

 

[Sprig]

36 year old boat been sitting for the last 6 years. I would be concerned with a lot more than if the engine is powerful enough. You need to do a thorough inspection of the hull and interior. I’m not sure there is no wood in the hull but I would definitely verify that. Even if no wood you may have flotation that is saturated. Inspect and test the engine. Finally you need to take the boat out for a test drive, nothing less than 30 minutes on the water. Put it through it paces. You’ll know quickly is it’s powerful enough for you. If the engine doesn’t run then it would likely be a deal breaker for me.

 

[tpenfield]

BTW - There is plenty of wood in those boats.

@lukecono . . . 1986-1987 was a transition year in several regards for Formula.

1) They were transitioning their designs towards the 2-piece 'clamshell' construction. By 1989, the boat had settled into the full 2-piece design
2) They were changing their swim platforms from the classic teak to the 'Silent Thunder' platform.
3) By 1988 they were powering the boats with 454 Mercruisers w/ Bravo outdrives.

If you can get a 1989 boat, it would be better than a 1987, but you cannot always find what is ideal. I had the 1991 242 SS, which was the last year before Formula went with the integrated swim platform in the 1992-93 time frame.

The length of the boats back in those days were the true hull length, as the swim platforms were bolt-on and not included in the hull length. So the length of the 242LS published in the 1987 Formula brochure was 24'2" and with the platform was 26'0". Side-by-side it is the same length of today's 26 foot boats.

I have a thread here on iBoats about the bulkhead and stringer repairs that I needed to do on my 242 to repair the wood rot. The boat was about 20 years old then.

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/1991-formula-242-stringer-bulkhead-repairs-w-many-pics.518654/

 

[drewm3i]

This boat is too old to go into thinking this way...if you were to buy it, a full restoration is needed and likely even if well-maintained.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Any fiberglass boat under $10k should be considered a project

Any fiberglass boat older than 15 years should be considered a project

Boats don't sit unless there is a problem

Boats that have sat have fuel problems

Consider this boat a project