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Quoted from DBLM:Formula makes an excellent boat. I have one as well and love it! Mine is the one all the way to the right. The joystick makes it easy as all get out to handle.
[quoted image]
I'm thinking about a 2007-2010 Formula, Cobalt or Chaparral...I've heard good things about all 3, not sure which is the best value. The only advise I keep getting from locals is stick to outboards? I'm pretty handy with cars and engines in general but I've never worked on a boat so I'm trying to learn.
Quoted from ShinyBall:I think you put those 3 in the right order 1/2/3
(imho)
Ha, thank you, the research may be paying off 
Assuming the same size and amenities, would you buy the older version of Formula or Cobalt vs a year or two newer Chaparral if they were the same price?
Quoted from DBLM:There is a big difference in quality between Formula and Chaparral. I can't speak to Cobalt from first hand knowledge but my understanding is that they are slotted in between. It comes down to what type of boating that you are trying to do. I have the pictures of my Formula (31PC) being made and sent my FIL to the factory for a tour while they were building it. The construction is off the charts. Of course, you pay for that quality. All things being equal, I would lean that way or Cobalt.
Formula is leaning heavy into outboards, particularly in FL. These are in the past few model years, so could be tough to find use. Outboards are great because you can tilt them out of the water for storage. I have twin 377 Magnums in mine and store it on a lift, so not concerned about that aspect.
Great....thanks for the info, I'm looking at something with a cabin down below, I was leaning towards the Chaparral signature anywhere between 28 to 30, but I'll switch my focus to the other 2 brand. Outboards in those models are rare, I haven't seen any that's less than a couple of years old, so I may have to stick to I/O engine. I will be taking it out of the water and trailering it. I live less than 10 min from a Marina. Again, I'm kind of green when it comes to this things.
PS: During the research I came across a lot of chatter about hull quality of Searays, supposedly they're not very solidly built anymore. Crownline got hi marks, as did Chaparral. if you get a chance take a look at this video "Crownline boats why weight matters"
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1588820944476381
Quoted from DBLM:Is anybody else
Depending upon the length and beam that you are talking, these boats might not really be trailerable. My boat for example is 11.5 beam and 34 overall, and weighs 15,000 pounds dry. If you are going smaller, they can be if you have a sufficient truck. Now this is for a Cabin Cruiser. If you are looking at something with a small cuddy, then the weight comes down.
Would you ever consider a boatel? That size boat is very rackable. Call them up and they drop it in.
Outboards on that size and type boat are really over the last 4-5 years.
Thanks again, yes, I meant a cuddy, rather than an actual cabin, I have to be able to put on a trailer. Depending on the weight I may have to adjust to a shorter boat.
Quoted from DBLM:Hey kvan99 just played around a little bit on Formula's page and it appears that they have cut out some of the smaller cabin cruiser options, and then you have to be a certain size for outboards. They cut out my 31 PC, which was super popular because they could make a whole lot more shifting them to the 34. Your best bet might be to see what you can find about 5-6 years used if you are looking at that type of boat. [quoted image]
Great, thanks....I'll definitely keep Formula and Cobalt in the forefront now.
Quoted from BMore-Pinball:You are going to need a big ass truck to tow a 31' boat.
Most people don't realize the what kind of truck is required to SAFELY tow stuff
A 28' boat can weight well over 8,000 lbs - then you have to include trailer weight and anything else you put in the boat and truck including fuel, gear and people. You have to consider not only the truck's towing capacity, but also it's payload capacity.
Thanks, I understand, how about one 25-27 Ft? Btw, I live literally 7-10 minutes away from the Marina...so there won't be any long hauls.
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