Formula 233 CC

[s_vineyard]

I have an old, '71 Formula 233 Thunderbird CC. I bought it a few years ago for a song, and LOVE the boat. Run it in Buzzards Bay in 3 to 4 Ft chop regularly, and there is nothing better. A number of friends have the Cuddy, but I have seen or heard very little of the CC. Does anyone know of information on them? Love to hear from any Formula owners.
Merlin 233

[rainmaker]

HAWKEYE will be along any minute now I'm sort of interested in them too as I know where one is that I believe could be bought for a song and I need a project . I think . While I'm here HAWKEYE did the 24 ALBEMARLE spring from the FORMULA 233 ?

" GET THE GRADY "

[Harpoon]

S_Vinyard

I had an F23 "sportsman" 1982. It had twin 115 mercs when I bought it. Fast smokey pigs. After I burned out a piston my first season I replaced them with a Single 200 Merc. I used that boat for 5 seasons and even put a 600lb Tuna on it.

It was tremendous in heavy chop. I never put up the top because the ride was very dry- even in small craft conditions.

The transom cut out was very low to the waterline. But once you get used to it it was no big deal.

HP

[Hawkeye]

Rainmaker, yes formula sold the molds to Albemarle around 1978 for them to start there company. The albemarle 24 is the same hull design as the 233 formula until atleast the late 90's. It seems like the newer 24 albe was about 1/2" more outside chine on it then the others. Other then that its exactly the same. I dont know much about the cc but they should be a great boat. Probally ride even better since you drive from a more stern position. Mine cuddy rides good but if I have a long run into heavy chop that when I lets someone else dive and I ride the back. She rides like a 30'er back there.



Hawkeye

[Formula233]

While the vintage Formula 233's and the Albemarle 24 are very similar, I think the Albemarle 24 mold actually came from a boat company in the mid 1970's known as Apollo. While there are still a few of them around (in the northeast anyway), a close look should reveal the Apollo hull to be almost identical to the Albie (one feature I've seen is the transom on the Apollo/Albie appears to be flatter and more square than the Formula). Also, Formula/Thunderbird produced various versions of the 233 hull until 1982 or 83, whereas the Apollo 24 disappeared in the late 70's, maybe selling the mold to Albemarle?

[Miles Offshore]

There is an 82 albie that sits at my slip and a friends 78 and they look identicle in the water, havent made a comparison ou5t of the water, but the neweralbies dont resemble the older ones at all IMO. I used to fish off a 233 c/c back in the 70's (i believe the boat was a 74?) but it had twin 4 cyl i/o's. Boat would fly and we fished the canyon with ease and the boat was very fuel efficient. Haven't seen another one like it with twins but there is an immaculate 233 c/c with a single i/o kept right up the street. Dont know the owner though.Great old boats

[Hawkeye]

No doupt formula sold the rights to the mold to albemarle along with severial other boat mfg. I read this in the history of these hulls somewhere not long ago. I will try to find it. When I 1st got it I had the chance to park my 1970 formula right next to a 85 24 albe on the trailers. 3 different people could not find anything different anywhere except the helm control pannel. Every curve, radius, chine, lifting strake was in the same place and size as the formula was on both the hull and top cap. One other tell tell is at the stern, the hull bottom has a area between the chine and 1st lifting strake that is turned down like a molded in fixed trim tab but just on the outside edge. The albemarle has this also. I think this is to hold the bow down while lifting the stern because of the agrressive rocker built into the hull. This makes a lot of the boat come out the water to make more speed. I got a picture I will try to find with my boat on plane and you can see she rides high out the water and thats just about 30 to 35 mph.





Hawkeye

[This message was edited by Hawkeye on 02-18-03 at 07:05 PM.]