We love to hear your Formula stories, whether new or old, near or far. We knew as soon as we got this one you all needed to see this. Check out this letter and pictures. Let us know what you think!
Dear Formula,
After seeing the boat tests with Captain Steve Larivee on Boattest.com and your website in 2014, we bought the new 40 PC boat from the Bulgarian Formula dealer. The boat was four years, not sold, and we bought it new, but 5 years old, for a special price.
Than we shipped it in 2014 across a part of Black Sea and the full MED to France, where we shipped it inland over the rivers Rhone and Saone, some little water channels into the river Rhine to Mister Baumgart an artisanal (hand) boatbuilder in Dortmund.
During this big journey, crossing high seas we learned to love this Formula 40 PC, which was stable at any time even in two stormy winds Bft 6 gusts up to 7/8 in Turkey and Bft 6 to 7 in the Italian sea Sicily Channel.
Because we saved some good money buying the boat, we took the boat “SISSI” (german short name of Elisabeth) to Mister Baumgart in Dortmund a master of hand boatbuilder to do the following changes to the boat:
We shorten the high of the boat with minus 30 cm (Bridge clearance now is about 320 – 330 cm.)
At the driving seat we have more than 180 cm now. That has the bargain to sail all french and Netherland inland water channels and we cam drive the boat on inland waters from the BALTICUM to the MED without problems of highness at bridges. Also we can work on the top of the Hard Top without a ladder.
Also, we shorten the hard Top in front about also + / – 40 cm.
Also, we extended the hard Top aft about + / – 120 cm. Now we do not need the cabrio on top, only side curtains.
We all think, that the boat looks much better now, a little bit like a “sports coupe” version.
Than Mister Baumgart sprays the boat with a special effect varnish. Ground is black and dark brown, with orange flakes and a special depth effect. Without sun the boat looks black, with light or sun, it changes from black to dark brown with thousand of little orange/copper stars in it.
Mister Baumgart also sprays the antennas, the instrument panel, the corian in Cockpit, the steering wheel, the table and all covers and others also in the same colour.
Also, we fitted the upholstery outside in a orange Stamskin and put some new Raymarine electronics into the boat.
After all we invested nearly USD 80.000,– in the boat again.
Here you may see how working was going on:
http://www.boote-baumgart.de/bootslackierung/formula-40/lackierung-formula-40-85.html
We did our first holiday after the boatwork in June/July this year going down to the Baltic Sea and just come back from our journey. In every marina the boat was an eye catcher and people asks us. It looks slim, very sporty and very modern. Most people loved the orange upholstery and spray work in same colour on cockpit.
We are very happy with your excellent build boat and did not have had bigger problems or mistakes on it.
I hope you like our customized Formula 40!
Greetings from cologne
Wolfgang