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  1. #1
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    1966 Formula Jr - going to Frostman for fiberglass and paint

    Just found this boat and thought it would be a nice sandbar taxi for the summer

    I think Andy will make her look good.

    well keep the pictures coming as she progresses.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails formulajr 001.jpg   formulajr 002.jpg   formulajr 003.jpg  
    Ken Cook
    941.628.8250
    1964 Boston Whaler 16

  2. #2
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    forgot to mention, it's a clamp-on

    not sure the power I'm going with most likely 150 of some kind
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails formulajr 004.jpg  
    Ken Cook
    941.628.8250
    1964 Boston Whaler 16

  3. #3
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    Nice little wave splitter.

  4. #4
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    That looks alot like a sweet 16 donzi with a barrel back I have a 66 donzi. It will surprise you it is a good boat in chop.

  5. #5
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    Great find , Keep us posted.

  6. #6
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    There may be some markings under the deck that can help ID the hull. The Formula Jr. never came as an outboard so at some point the transom was closed up.

  7. #7
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    I'd cut that side seat out, make it a center steer and put a 300 on it
    "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors". Plato .

  8. Likes Tom Foley liked this post
  9. #8
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    I have 225x with a sporty for you

  10. #9
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    Merritt Island,Fl. Sunshine Syndicate Country!!!!
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    very cool, cant wait to see the finished product!
    Bobby Pazos- Member Of The
    BULL-FROG EYES DRAG RACE TEAM
    Fellow-G-Man,
    Sunshine Syndicate

    2006 23' Action Marine 300 HP V8
    2001 19' Action Marine White Power
    1998 23' Concept CC (sold)
    1999 17' Action Marine (sold)
    1996 STV River Rocket (sold)

  11. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greg G View Post
    There may be some markings under the deck that can help ID the hull. The Formula Jr. never came as an outboard so at some point the transom was closed up.
    Correct, it was closed up and new stingers and floor. My research indicated only about 150 made between '66 to 67.

    Info I found;

    Quote:
    The Formula Jr. was sold along with the Formula 233 in late 63/early 64. From the Miami News by Miami News Outdoors Editor Jim Hardie -
    "Don Aronow, who carved a name for himself locally in the boat-building and racing fraternity and his partner sold their interest in the Formula Boat Company yesterday.
    Dick Genth of Thunderbird Boat Company made the purchase for an undisclosed amount. 'It was a substantial and satisfatory amount' Aronow said.
    In an interview published last Sunday, Aronow stated his primary interest was in prototype research and development of rough water racing boats. 'Boat manufacturing in itself holds no interest for me' he said.
    The move by Aronow and his partner, David Stirrat, came as a surprise because they had just announced that in its first year of operation the Formula Company operated in the black and prospects for the coming year were optimistic.
    'The sale is effedtive immediately and Genth is looking for a larger building in which to set up manufacture of the 23 foot Formula' Aronow said. ' He purchased the rights to the name Formula, and he also has the molds and plans for the 17 footer which we were just setting up to produce'

    The article goes on to talk about Don and Dave and their plans for the future - no mention of Donzi yet -

    As for the difference in the 17' Jr. and 16' Donzi and who produced what when and where, it seems everyone remembers it a little different. Dick remembered it one way in an hour long converation I had with him prior to and as per King of Thunderboat Row. Others have different recollections.

    One thing can be agreed upon now. - The 17' Formula Jr. was Jim and Walt's design, a variation of the original Wyn Mill and that the Donzi 16' was a direct descendant of the Wyn Mill II - a totally different design.

    As stated in the Donzi brouchure in 64, the Donzi 16 was "Designed by a team composed of Don Aronow, Dave Stirrat, Jim Wynne and Waltman W. Walters, internationally known marine consultants, designers, ocean racers and builders,(the same team that designed, raced and owned the Formula 233, 275 and Formula Jr.).
    "The Donzi 16 has been refined, tested and proved for 3 years. Hull and strake designs have been proven in the Wyn Mill II, test model holder of 8 world marathon records."

    And as powerboat writer and sometime racer Bill McKeown wrote in BoatCraft Magazine in June/July of 1965, when writing about Donzi Marine and the 16', -
    " Last year Aronow sold Formula to Thunderbird Boats and called in Wynne and Walters to design a different line. During Wynne's testing of his creations, he won the world's offshore championship for 1964.
    The Donzi 16 was several years in preperation however. We watched Jim Wynne and Tommy Sopwith drive early prototypes for the Six Hour Endurance Race through the steep chop of the Siene to a class win in Paris three years ago. Wynne repeated the performance two successive years at the Miami Nine Hour as well, and set a number of international records with the little 'Wyn Mill II' along the way."
    Bill's article ended as follows:
    " And when its rough and you still want to go, she can take it if you can. We remember the first time we saw this in action several years ago. A boisterous Bahama day had blown up for the Around New Providence Race after a flat-sea-go from Miami to Nassau. Running easily on the rough sea in a Formula 23 with Jim Wynne driving, we watched Briggs Cunningham jump his big 38 foot twin diesel cruiser out of the water occasionally in the bumby going. Then behind we saw a little rocket flying low over the water. Sure enough, there came the indomitalble duo, Cox and Joyce, driving Wyn-Mill for all they were worth, and passing the bigger stuff struggling through the seas.
    That was a prototype, but now anyone can drive the real thing in a Donzi 16, if they feel up to it."
    This is a direct quote from Michael Aronow about 2 months ago. Yes, his Dad, Don, was involved in this, prior to selling Thunderbird and starting DONZI,..BUT,...!!! what you are describing in 1980-ish doesn't even resemble what they are talking about...I have one of the old ones. The boats ran from about 1966-1967, a few hundred in total. Plans were in Popular Mechanics or something in this time frame for a plywood version.
    Last edited by playin boats; 02-27-2015 at 09:30 AM. Reason: dates
    Ken Cook
    941.628.8250
    1964 Boston Whaler 16

  12. #11
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    don't let frosty do it it will come out way to nice/redrocket out

  13. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by playin boats View Post
    Correct, it was closed up and new stingers and floor. My research indicated only about 150 made between '66 to 67.

    This is a direct quote from Michael Aronow about 2 months ago. Yes, his Dad, Don, was involved in this, prior to selling Thunderbird and starting DONZI,..BUT,...!!! what you are describing in 1980-ish doesn't even resemble what they are talking about...I have one of the old ones. The boats ran from about 1966-1967, a few hundred in total. Plans were in Popular Mechanics or something in this time frame for a plywood version.
    I'm not clear playin. Are you saying that you spoke to Mike Aronow live two months ago about the boat you purchased? Is Michael a pal of yours?

    The timeline of the Formula Jr hull is actually a little different than you are describing. The first 16 Jr's were produced in very early 1964 well before I was born. These hulls were Don Aronow pure when he founded, owned and ran Formula boats. Then, he sold Formula to a rich guy named Merrick Lewis. At the time Merrick owned Thunderbird Marine. The molds to the Formula Jr went to Merrick along with the Formula company. The Jr continued to be produced as "Formula Jr by Thunderbird" though 1967. The number of Formula Jr's produced in total from early 1964 to the end of 1967 has never been well researched and documented as the Donzi Ski Sporter 16 started to grab all the attention. The first Donzi 16 Ski Sporter was built by Don in the middle of 1964.

    As far as your specific boat and the much later addition of a wacker on the backer, the Jr's are heavy hulls. Put it on a scale and weigh it. Given the motor weight is the same, I'd suggest you put a 200 on it instead of a 150. Good luck with the project overall.

  14. #13
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    Very cool!
    Awesome, classic lines.
    I'd rather be competitive w/junk I built in my garage than win w/stuff I bought.


    I refuse to allow common sense to interfere w/my boat buying decisions.


    Checkmate 16' 140 Johnson
    Hydrostream 17' Vector FrankenRude I
    Laser 480 (?) 21' w/GT 200
    Glastron Carlson Conquest w/XP 2.6
    Glastron Carlson CVX 20 w/XP 2.6
    24' Sonic w/twin 250 Johnsons
    24' Sonic w/twin 250 HO Johnsons
    19' STV River Rocket w/FrankenRude II
    Allison XR 2002 w/Frankenrude II
    Hydrostream 18' V-King w/Frankenrude II

  15. #14
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    [QUOTE=Greg G;2733286]I'm not clear playin. Are you saying that you spoke to Mike Aronow live two months ago about the boat you purchased? Is Michael a pal of yours? QUOTE]

    Sorry, kind of looks like that, I pull that from the boat design website on my research of the boat.
    I'm only as smart on this as the web will let me.

    I'll may have to take your advice on the bigger motor, Frostman has a left hand 225 merc he want to make me a deal on.
    Ken Cook
    941.628.8250
    1964 Boston Whaler 16

  16. #15
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    Cool boat Ken, im sure it'll be awesome after frosty gets his hands on it
    Rob Lankford

    1988 20' Action Marine 2.4 200

    Previous owned boats worth mentioning

    1976 17' Action Marine 2.4 200
    1984 20' Action Marine 2.5 200
    1983 17' Hydrostream V-King 2.4 Bridgeport
    2003 LPB STV RR COPY 2.5 280 /300 Drag
    2005 LPB STV RR COPY 2.5 280
    2005 Baja 23 Outlaw 6.2 Mercruiser
    2006 FTP Quarter Shot T3 Race 2.5 200 CARB/2.5 225 PROMAX
    2009 FTP Quarter Shot T3 Race 2.5 280




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