Tested By Capt. Bob Smith

Formula Boats are well known for being some of the best and most comfortable cruising boats with innovative design and performance. One of the first things you notice is they have swept the arch forward in the more modern and functional position that their other cruisers use. Although it was functional before, I found a swept-back arch design to be more difficult when boarding from along side slips and finger slips.

Formula’s designer, John Adams, takes full advantage of space and entertainment seating, even on this size cruiser. The 27PC is a deep-V hull that slices the waves and her streamlined exterior styling looks beautiful as you pass others on the beaches.

Layout

You can step onto the stern swim platform to board or across her gunwales into the spacious entertainment area of the cockpit. L-shaped aft lounge seating has room for lots of friends and family aboard, and the helm and lounge seating has plenty of storage space below. The integrated wet bar is to port and includes a stainless steel sink with storage below for beverage bottles, ice and cups.

Behind the Wheel

The helm is logically laid out with everything within easy reach of the driver and I didn’t notice any problems with visibility or glare from the helm when driving. The bow area is accessed up steps in the helm pod and through the curved windshield.

Below Deck

Access to the cabin below is through a curved, plexiglass sliding door that doesn’t require a strong person to open. It also doesn’t slide back and forth with every small wave when not locked in place. Below, you will quickly notice Formula has added many wood accents and cabinetry. The new look is very pleasing and gives you a feeling of being aboard a much larger boat. A flat panel TV can be seen from the convertible lounge or can be turned so it can be seen easily from the forward V-berth.

The head compartment felt more comfortable than most for this size cruiser. Privacy curtains separate the aft berth when you have guests or children aboard overnight.

Back up into the cockpit, the engine compartment is accessed through an electric driven hatch in the cockpit sole and is well insulated from noise, as you will notice in the testing. I also found that the room below was adequate for doing routine maintenance.

Performance

After outlasting the summer storms, we tested the Formula 27PC along the Sanibel shores in 5 knots of wind and oppressive heat and humidity. With ¾ tank of fuel and only one person on board, we found she could easily cruise along at 3000 rpms at just under 23mph burning around 12gph. She topped out at 5000 rpms running about 46 mph and burning almost 42 gph. She planed in less than 9 seconds and was cruising at 30 mph in fewer than 13 seconds. Sound levels at the helm were good too. She starts out at idle at 62 dBa and topped out at 93 dBa at 5000 rpms.

Our test model was powered with twin 270-hp Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi sterndrives with dual props. The 27PC is a wonderful example of what you can put into a small package. I did have a bit of a learning curve before I felt I had her under good control. The narrow beam compared to the other cruisers I had driven that day required me to pay much more attention to tab and trim settings. Once I had this in hand, she road smooth and delivered a fun ride.

If you are ready to step up to performance cruising but want to stay with a trusted designer and proven performance, the redesigned 27PC is a great choice. She has performance that will thrill you and styling that will show your good taste in choices.

• Top speed for the Formula 27 PC (2005- ) is 46.2 MPH (74.4 KPH), burning 41.9 gallons per hour (GPH) or 158.59 liters per hour (LPH).


• Best cruise for the Formula 27 PC (2005- ) is 23.1 MPH (37.2 KPH), and the boat gets 1.84 miles per gallon (MPG) or 0.78 kilometers per liter (KPL), giving the boat a cruising range of 178 miles (286.46 kilometers).


• Tested power is 2 x 270-hp Volvo Penta 5.0 GXI gasoline sterndrive.

Formula 27 PC (2005- ) Standard and Optional Equipment

Marine Electronics
GPS/Chart
VHF Radio
Systems
Air Cond./Heat
CD Stereo	Sirius Satellite Radio
Dripless Shaft Seals
Head: Fixed
Power Steering
Shore Power
Trim Tabs
Galley
Microwave
Refrigerator
Exterior Features
Arch: Electronics
Ice Chest
Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
Swim Ladder
Swim Platform
Transom Door
Transom Shower
Wet bar
Canvas
Bimini Top
Cockpit Cover
Boats More Than 30 Feet
Generator

= Standard = Optional