Summertime is here, and that usually means fun is not too far behind. Sure, every one loves a good barbecue with burgers, hot dogs, maybe some vegetables to feel good about yourself and plenty of adult beverages on hand, usually in a cooler filled with more ice than beer. Or maybe it means taking the kids to the waterpark and aside from getting a nasty sunburn that’ll hurt like hell for a few days, there is always lots of fun whipping down waterslides, pin balling off each other’s inner tubes, and having plenty of ice cream. But true summertime usually involves the ocean, and sure, the beach is fun. Sandcastles, boardwalks, funnel cake and sea gulls are all a good time, but when you’ve been on a boat built for partying on the water, fun takes on a whole new level. That’s where there Formula 290 Bowrider comes into play — emphasis on play.
The Forumla 290 Bowrider stands 29 feet in length overall with a beam of 9 feet and a dry weight of 8,950 pounds. It is made from plenty of high end materials, not the least of which are its stainless steel hardware and corrosion resistant welded rails. Beginning out back, it is clear right from look of the redesigned swim platform that this boat is ready to play. The stainless steel boarding ladder is now center mount and is actually a very ingenious feature — it folds down into a three part ladder, allowing for swimmers who want to be back on the boat, but aren’t quiet ready to leave the water behind to sit and enjoy just that for as long as they’d like. Once they hop up to the actual swim platform itself, it also becomes evident that no one will be jostling for space, as there are at least four easy to find cupholders and what feels like an acre of deck to lay out on. There is also a stereo control system available out back, so no one has to get up to skip a track.
The transom hides a massive storage compartment that keeps the pedestal tables tucked away until needed, as well as anything else from water toys to fishing supplies. Moving forward, next we come to the very lavish cockpit accentuated by a large L-shaped cushioned seating space, with the ability to place one of those aforementioned pedestal tables in the middle of the action for the occasional lunch break or card game. The entire cockpit can easily handle eight people, and is dressed in very sexy blue LED lighting that sets a wonderful mood on any summer night. Even the speakers can light up blue if you chose that option. There is also a cockpit heater to warm up on those breezy, sunburned nights.
To keep those eight or more guests happy, there is a sure-to-be-popular wet bar as well as a stainless steel refrigerator, shelving and even a Corian countertop that has a moveable cover for the sink to add prep real estate if needed. Down below resides the walk-in head that sports a VacuFlush head and full sink, while a 23 gallon holding tank keeps things sanitary until it can be pumped out.
Just ahead of the helm, on your way to the bow is a cavernous walk-in storage locker that can seemingly hold all of time and space (or maybe just a bunch of stuff). But that little extra feature is bound to go under appreciated as it is sure to be outshines by the six passenger plush bow seating area. The open concept seats have flip-down armrests that are well appreciated, and there is a removable table at your disposable, as well as another Corian insert if more room is needed for those cocktails.
Fun isn’t just about laying around, for some, fun is about speed, and the Formula 290 Bowrider has plenty of it. Powered by twin 320-horsepower gas engines, this big boat feels a lot smaller as it gets up to plane in only 6.7 seconds, while 0-30 mph takes just 11.6 seconds, on its way to a top speed of a very impressive 53 mph. Not bad for a test weight of about five tons.
So while summertime means different things to different people, for those that have a little over 200k to spend on fun, the Formula 290 Bowrider may have just redefined what fun really is and can be.
