2016 FORMULA 270 BR,,GORGEOUS,,FRESHWATER USE ONLY

Although the company was founded to compete on the offshore race circuit, it didn’t take long for the brains at Formula Boats to recognize that performance and luxury really do go hand-in-hand. Nowhere is that unique balance of performance and comfort so beautifully expressed than in the Formula 270 BR, a 27-foot bowrider that spoils its owners with an addictive blend of brilliant design and subtle sophistication.

Bowriders have always been all about versatility, and Formula advances that concept with some thoughtful engineering in its newly refreshed Formula 270 BR. The boat follows a traditional bowrider layout with its forward seating area, walk-through windshield and main cockpit seating; the brilliance is in its execution and attention to even the subtlest details. The modular bow seating is a great example.

Let’s face it – the bow seating in most bowriders has always been fairly limited, with the forward sweep of the hull inevitably constraining foot space. Formula’s modular approach in the 270 BR uses a series of removable inserts to give this space multiple seating options. Start with the base seats and you can accommodate four adults in comfort, with two on each side of the boat facing one another for conversation. Add the removable pedestal-mount table and you now have the perfect venue for drinks out in the sun, or a tasty lunch al fresco. Pop in side seat cushion inserts and the space transforms again to twin forward-facing lounges. Add a center insert between the lounges and the bow transforms once more, this time into a comfortable wrap-around sofa that’s the ideal place for a few people to stretch out and relax. Add a second center insert and it converts into an expansive sun pad.

Comparisons to a luxury automobile spring up again when trying out the plush upholstery in the Formula 270 BR. The seat backs and cushions provide firm yet gentle support, while the buttery-soft vinyl skin is neatly stitched and beautifully finished throughout. Seat mechanisms operate smoothly and securely, whether you’re adjusting seat back, raising or lowering arm rests, or lifting the seat cushion to access the large storage lockers neatly concealed in the seat bases.

Look more closely and note the stereo speakers peeking out here and there, keeping the music flowing without ever becoming intrusive. You’ll also note there are stainless steel cup holders everywhere – there are 14 of them, in fact, neatly integrated into the seating areas throughout the boat so a cold drink is never out of reach.

The aft sunpad in the Formula 270 BR converts to an extended layout with angled backrest in one smooth motion, creating the perfect spot to keep an eye on the kids when they step out for a swim. There’s an enormous amount of full-width storage under the sunpad, as well as under the aft and starboard lounges and the helm seat. If that’s not enough, a large in-floor ski and wakeboard locker, along with the starboard console storage locker, accommodate larger items.

Families looking for a versatile, performance-oriented runabout with more than a touch of luxury will find the Formula 270 BR delivers on all counts. Refined, sophisticated yet approachable and fun, the 270 BR might just be the ultimate bowrider.