FX Models Leading Formula Rebound
Shown here in standard dress, the Formula 310 Sun Sport can be ordered with the FX package.
Taking a page from its own FASTech performance-boat aesthetics, Thunderbird Products/Formula Boats introduced its FX models featuring bold, aggressive graphics, carbon fiber dash panels and Livorsi Monster gauges a little more than a year ago across its Sun Sport and Super Sport lines. It was a move the Decatur, Ind., company made in the hope of sparking interest during the most difficult three years in the history of the high-performance powerboat industry.
That move has been paying off in 2011, according to Scott Porter, the president of Formula.
“It’s been an interesting year so far,” said Porter. “We’ve had some good months and some months that seemed to be a little quiet, but it’s been a good rebuilding year after what were major setbacks for the industry.
An early rendering of FX graphics.
“The bulk of what we’re doing has come from the Sun Sport and Super Sport product lines, and a lot of that has come from the FX models we’re building. We’ve take Sun Sport and Super Sport fiberglass and wrapped it in different paint schemes. They’re dressed out like our FASTech performance boats. You can get them in blue or black Flagship—our original one was all metallic silver. We’re still doing triple metallics in the paint. We’re doing different treatments with silver accents in the cabins that make them more in tune with the rest of the boat. They’re more like a FASTech.”
As for the FASTech series of high-performance boats, Porter also reported seeing a mild rebound in the series.
“It’s still a small part of what we’re doing,” he said. “The 353 is probably the boat we’ve seen the most action on.”
Earlier this summer the company opened a showroom/dealership called Formula Boats of Tampa Bay at the Thunder Marine.
“We’re very excited to have something in South Florida,” said Porter.
According to Porter, Formula is even experiencing a mild rebound with its FASTech sportboat series.
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