It’s easy to feel cool driving the Formula 290 Sun Sport, even in South Beach, Miami, where high fashion is de rigueur like the two Ferraris parked in front of the Versace store. Heck, I didn’t even bother sucking in my gut when a supermodel walked by, but I’m pretty sure she was looking at the boat anyway.
Unique Factor
Clad in its Flagship Elite Imron Graphic package, it’s easy to pick the Formula out of a lineup. This new model, which replaces the 280 SS, is a worthy middle brother to the new-look 310 SS, 350 SS and smaller models including the 240 SS. Our test model doesn’t sport the optional radar arch.
Although island sunpads and integrated swim platforms aren’t new, Formula integrates them flawlessly on the 290. The two-position sunpad accommodates rearward recliners or lays flat without totally disrupting the cockpit seating. It has an easier-to-use release mechanism than the previous incarnations, which have a pinball plunger-style pin that was a little tricky to operate. The only beef I have is the rather large decorative piping you can feel when sitting or laying on the sunpad.
Performance
Outstanding performance is where Formulas shine and the 290 SS is no exception. We were packing a powerful pair of MerCruiser 320 hp 377 MAG MPI engines with twin-prop Bravo 3 outdrives, which is the top horsepower package available. Formula ensures you don’t underpower the 290 SS, so the smallest engine package is twin 300 hp MerCruiser MAG 350 sterndrives. Equivalent Volvo Penta sterndrive packages are available. This 29-footer weighs 8,950 pounds, but when we hit the standard Livorsi racing-style binnacles, it got on plane quickly in 4 seconds. Zero to 30 mph was 7.5 seconds.
Although the Sun Sport series doesn’t use Formula’s legendary Fas3Tech ventilated racing hull, it’s still plenty fast. Top speed was 57 mph as we ripped down a shipping channel for lunch at Scotty’s Landing in Coconut Grove. The stability at high speeds was outstanding. This boat tracks as straight as any I’ve ever seen when properly trimmed; at cruise speeds, you could take your hands off the wheel (don’t try this at home) and it was like having an autopilot.
Handling
Although we had gnarly 2-foot chop rippling Biscayne Bay with an occasional 3- footer, it was no match for the Formula and its 22 degrees of deadrise at the stern as we ate it up at 40 mph. Once you get into a rhythm and have the hull trimmed properly, it’s hypnotic; you just don’t want to stop. Even hard turns were carved nicely with great accuracy. The double-plus bolster helm buckets put the driver and co-pilot close together, but not uncomfortably so. Even two insecure macho guys won’t question their manhood by undue proximity, thanks to the small divider.
The helm is a happy place to be with its racing/cruising hybrid setup. The controls are pure racing, but instead of oversized gauges staring at you, there’s a flush-mounted optional Garmin GPS front and center. Medium-sized Livorsi rpm gauges sit off to the left but are easily readable.
Best Uses
This is a first-rate entertainment boat, with its expansive, conversation- friendly cockpit circled by a sideways U-lounge. A large snack and beverage assembly area with a Corian top sits on the port side, but if it were about a foot smaller, taller folks reclining on the port-side lounger could fully stretch out. A standard ski tow and storage will make skiers happy.
The cabin is an upscale haven with American cherry wood grain on the sole and cabinetry, along with the classy, beige, reptilian-like Ultra-leather upholstery that’s strokably soft. Although you probably wouldn’t spend a week aboard the 290, its roomy V-berth makes a good sleeping surface for overnight excursions thanks to the standard drop-down high-gloss cherry dining table and filler cushions. Standing headroom is 5 feet, 1 inch. But when diners are seated, headroom increases to more than 6 feet. Those staying aboard at the marina will probably opt for the air-conditioning unit ($5,235), but the 290 SS doesn’t have a generator option.
The 290 SS’s 9-foot beam is technically 6 inches over the limit in many states for trailering, but for such a small overage, the requirements aren’t too onerous. A call to Florida’s Department of Transportation revealed that a boat like this only requires a $5 to $25 permit and for the driver to display red flags … that’s it. Check your state’s rules.
Preferred Setup
This is one of the rare cases where you need zero options in order to have a well-equipped turnkey boat. Formula includes designer pillows and draperies, custom carpeting, a motorized hatch lift, a transom shower and a depthfinder, just to name a few. They even throw in the fenders and the cockpit cover.
For Formula owners who like to customize their boats, a wide range of options is available, including the windlass and Mercury SmartCraft gauges with VesselView display. Also consider the VacuFlush head with a 36-gallon holding tank as well as the Isotherm cockpit refrigerator that is one of the new pull-out models for easier access. Although the standard six-speaker, 600-watt Kenwood MP3 satellite-ready CD stereo is certainly loud enough, the upgrade that includes the subwoofer and iPod docking station pushes it into the awesome category.