Formula 430 All Sport Crossover (2018-)

Brief Summary

The Formula 430 All Sport Crossover (ASC) is designed to take the concept of the 430 Super Sport Crossover (SSC) dayboat, and add capabilities such as fishing, snorkeling, diving, and stand-up paddle boarding. The new version retains all of the seating, sleeping quarters, and amenities of the Super Sport Crossover, but with added new possibilities.

Key Features

• Transferable 5-Year Formula Guard Limited Protection Plan with 10-year Structural Warranty
• Starboard utility locker with storage and raw water washdown port
• Aft-facing double-wide flip-down jump seat
• Integrated swim platform w/removable stainless swim ladder, retractable safety ladder &
  
  pull-up cleats
• Powered adjustable triple helm seat footrests with woodgrain vinyl decking tops
• Pullout Yeti® Tundra® 35 cooler
• Two powered, adjustable-height bow tables with woodgrain vinyl decking tops & filler cushions
• Color-coordinated cockpit galley with custom-molded sink, Corian countertop, and 120V/12V
  
  pullout cockpit refrigerator

Specifications

Length Overall	43' / 13.1 m
Beam	12' 3.7 m
Dry Weight	28,000 lbs. 12,701 kg
Draft	43'' 1.1 m
Deadrise/Transom	21-deg.
Max Headroom	6' 6" 1.98 m
Bridge Clearance	13' 6" 4.1 m (max)
Fuel Capacity	500 gal. 1,892 L
Water Capacity	56 gal. 212 L

Engine Options

Tested Engine	Currently no test numbers
Std. Power	4 x 300-hp Mercury Verado
Opt. Power	Not Available

Captain's Report Learn More
Watch Our Video

Mission Statement

Formula is capitalizing on the consumer trend to outboards in larger boats and keeps the power at four Mercury Racing Verado outboards ranging from 300 to 400-hp each. The boat rides on the FAS3Tech stepped hull bottom design that our tests have shown enhances efficiency and top-end speed.

Distinguishing Features

• Action Stations. The 430 ASC has a bait-prep station with tackle storage and a 52-gallon (197 L) livewell module that, with drop in frames, can also accommodate storage for up to four dive tanks.
• 430 SmartZone. The 430 ASC has 40 linear feet (12.2 m) of deck space on one level.
• Open Bow Seating. The bow seats wrap around two tables that raise electrically and come with filler cushions to enhance versatility.
• Extended Swim Platform. Part of the SmartZone design, the platform has 50 sq. ft. (4.65 sq. m) of space.
• Full Cabin. Below decks the boat has 6’6” (1.98 m) of headroom and an aft stateroom, rare for a boat with an open bow.
• Twin-Stepped Bottom Design. Provides speed and efficiency not found in non-stepped designs.
• Graphics Applied in Automotive Paint. Owners have a choice of three graphics patterns applied in paint and covered in Imron Elite clearcoat.

Features Inspection

The All Sports Platform

Fishing Features. Since we covered the lounging/cruising amenities in detail in the Captain’s Report on the 430 SSC, let’s focus on the new elements that come with, or are available on, the ASC model.

Starting on the swim platform, there is a custom fabricated stainless-steel rail that extends above and ahead of the four outboards. Attached to it is an upholstered and well padded bolster, six rod holders and a separate module in the center contains four cup holders. Due to the height that starts at 36” (91 cm) and tops out at 43’, it’s much more comfortable than the typical waist height bosters that surround the average cockpit. This alone is a huge benefit to this clever and innovative design feature. Retractable stainless steel rails on each side lock into place to help make the platform more secure. These rails are slightly angled and run from 32” (81 cm) to 34” (86.4 cm) off the platform. When retracted, they slide into the bulwarks and out of sight.

A compartment to starboard in the stern is a full 6’ (1.86m) deep and serves as a dedicated space for long items such as gaffs, boat hooks and a boat-cleaning brush. To port, there’s a utility locker with shorepower and cable inlets, a hot and cold freshwater transom shower and a city-water receptacle.

There’s a padded bolster to the forward side of the platform so we can lean comfortably while watching the lines. If standing gets to be too tedious, then flip out the bench seat just beneath and take a seat.

And as if all this weren’t enough, there are receivers in the platform deck to accept board racks to horizontally mount a pair of stand-up paddleboards. They can go in two positions, and even the paddles can be stored in the gaff-boathook storage compartment to starboard. All Sports Crossover indeed.

The All Action Cockpit

Livewell and Grill. At the front of the swim platform, the module that holds the 52-gallon (196.84 L) livewell is to starboard of the step up into the cockpit. To port, Formula installs the grill under a folding cover. Just behind the livewell, there are four combination rod holders and cup holders. As an option, one can be swapped out for an outboard joystick. This would make the area much more efficient when backing down on a fish.

The livewell itself is properly designed with a light blue finish, rounded corners, thru-hull drainage, a fill mixer and a front-facing window in the base. Drain the well, add inserts, and the compartment has space for up to four dive tanks. Formula used digital switching for the livewell and for systems throughout the boat.

Joystick. Just behind the livewell, an owner who plans to do a lot of fishing can add the optional Mercury joystick control. It puts the captain closer to the action so he can stay in communication with an angler or mate when working a fish.

Get Prepped. Just ahead of the livewell to starboard, the bait prep and tackle station has a removable cutting board, a freshwater sink, a paper towel holder, a raw water washdown hose, a tackle drawer and space for a five-gallon bucket in the base. There’s also a dedicated knife block, line spool holders and an accessory switch panel. The underside of the lid has raised edges to hold the tackle sorters that are stored below, and keep them from sliding off.

In the Fishing Zone. Moving into the 430 ASC’s cockpit, there are additional fishing features that Formula worked into its SmartZone design concept. To port, the base of the lounge has a 75-gallon (284 L) fishbox that can be upgraded with refrigerator coils allowing it to be chilled down to freezing. Overhead are fishing rod racks. For relaxing, to starboard, there’s a horseshoe-shaped lounge that wraps around a table. It can be lowered with the push of a button to recess flush to the deck, or lowered partway and filled in with cushions to create a sun pad.

Coup Top Construction. All of the seats are finished with Pre-Fixx anti-stain upholstery coating and are sewn with Tenara element-resistant threads. They’re fabricated on StarLite XL lightweight synthetic panels and padded with DriFast foam. They won’t rot and whisk away water.

The boat comes standard with a woven mat in the cockpit and synthetic teak is an available option. The Coupe Top has integrated vents, a large retractable sunroof and shades can be manually closed.

An eclectically actuated awning can be extended from the aft side of the hardtop. A standard aft cockpit enclosure is made out of Sunbrella. Blue-white LED lights illuminate the cockpit and blue underwater lights are an available option. A “Sound-to-Light” upgrade with Wi-Fi controls syncs the underwater lights to music.

Open-air Cooking. Forward of the port lounge, the 430 ASC has the same cockpit galley as the SSC model with Corian countertops, a fiberglass molded sink with a sliding cover, a stainless-steel drawer-style Isotherm refrigerator, a blender, a trash can and paper towel holders. There’s storage in drawers made with StarBoard panels and a 240-volt electric grill is an available upgrade. The cockpit also has a removable Yeti Tundra 35 cooler.

The Helm

The Helm. Across from the cockpit galley, the helm has three individual seats, and flip-up bolsters allow passengers and the captain to decide if they want to travel in a seated or standing position. The seats also have the first we’ve seen of optional air conditioning vents in the seatbacks. We found this to be a remarkably comfortable addition on our hot test day. Three individual power-adjustable footrests further customize the riding position.

The composite dash panel features twin Raymarine eS128 GPS multifunction displays that can be upgraded to include twin, or even triple, Raymarine gS165s. Mercury’s Digital Throttle and Shift with SmartCraft VesselView and joystick piloting put the driver in total control. Waterproof rocker switches in Liquid Black panels are finished with metallic accents and illuminate when activated. A helm-mounted Raymarine gS95 display and wireless iPad control with subscription-ready cellular remote control let the captain control virtually every onboard function. The lockable glovebox provides a secure place for valuables.

For entertaining guests, the 430 comes with a Rockford Fosgate stereo with iPod and USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity, 10 JL Audio speakers with blue LED lights and 600 watts of amplification plus two lighted 200-watt subwoofers.

The Bow

The Bow. An opening section to the port windshield, and a lower air dam, provide access to the 430 ASC’s bow seating area. The bow seating nearly covers the 360-degrees of this cockpit. There’s a forward-facing triple-wide lounge that includes a full-length chaise-style seat to starboard. An armrest adds to the comfort level and includes two drink holders and a Corian accent.

Two electrically actuated tables served double duty as the deck on this bowrider. When it is time for a picnic, cocktail party or alfresco dinner, the push of a button raises one or both of these two tables. If there are just a couple of people, then one table will suffice. If there is a crowd, then raise both tables. With the deck/tables at mid-level and a filler cushion, this space can be turned into a huge sun pad.

A molded-in dual-compartment cooler keeps cool drinks in reach and a trash receptacle helps keep the area neat. There’s a stereo remote in the bow and if the rays get too strong, the standard sunshade can be erected easily. The awning is supported by four supports that fit into dedicated receptacles on the rail.

Smart Storage. The 430 ASC has 25 cup holders throughout the bow, cockpit, and stern. Storage is in lockers underneath hinged seat bottom cushions and there are a total of 13 molded tubs and compartments throughout the boat. A hatch in the cockpit deck opens on gas struts to provide access to the mechanical room where items such as trim pumps and fuel-water separators can be checked on.

The Cabin

The Cabin. A sliding hatch much like those seen on sailboats -- to port of the helm station -- opens to the companionway below. The 430 ASC’s cabin has 6’6” (1.98 m) of headroom. A U-shaped Ultraleather lounge is a cozy spot for dinner or cocktails, or perhaps even lunch on a cold, blustery day.

The dining table drops down to create a forward berth. Sleeping legroom can be enhanced by raising the forward backrest. The resulting platform with filler cushion is large and comfortable and allows two couples or a small family to overnight on the boat.

The Galley

The lower galley has a Corian sink with an Elkay folding swivel faucet and slide-away cover. The 430 comes standard with an overhead microwave oven, a concealed electric stove with a cutting board cover, a blender and a concealed trash container. Hardwood dovetail drawers open and close silently on stainless steel tracks and a blue LED light equipped cabinet showcase is stocked with tempered stemware, tumblers and bottle storage. To port, there’s a large pull-out Vitrifigo stainless-steel refrigerator and additional storage including a cedar-lined hanging locker.

Entertainment Features. Positioned to starboard above the galley, the 32” (81.3cm) HDTV with soundbar and a Blu-ray player is in a good line of sight from the forward lounge. To port, an electronics pylon has a control for the Rockford Fosgate stereo, the air conditioning, light switches and a LaunchPort inductive charging system for the iPad Mini that comes with the 430.

Stand-Up Head. Located to starboard between the galley and the aft berth, the private head has a molded vanity with a Corian countertop and sink with a wall-mounted faucet. For showering, a Corian seat covers the Vacuflush toilet.

Private Stateroom. Abaft the cabin steps, a privacy curtain closes off a stateroom that has a queen-sized Sensus memory foam mattress. The upholstered headboard has individual reading lights, dual USB charging ports, and an additional LaunchPort inductive charging system. There’s a larger locker at the foot of the berth. As part of the ASC package, the cabin has overhead rod storage.

Power and Hull Design

Formula offers the boat with four outboards from Mercury Marine rated at 300, 350 and from Mercury Racing, 400-hp engines. All the engine packages come with Joystick Piloting and the boat has Bennett hydraulic trim tabs.

Test

Conditions onsite prevented us from getting our own test numbers, but Formula has done extensive testing on this boat and report that with the quad Mercury Racing 400s turning 14 5/8x18 pitch props, they reached a top speed of 59 mph. Best cruise came in at 5000 rpm and 41.5 mph. At that speed, the boat's 66.2 gph fuel burn translated into .6 mpg and a range of 161 miles.

Similar Numbers. Not surprisingly, while we couldn’t get proper numbers on the ASC, we have run the identically powered 430 SSC, and those numbers are remarkably close to what Formula achieved with the ASC. With four people on board, just under a half tank of fuel and test gear, our test boat weighed an estimated 27,828 lbs. (12,623 kg). With the engines spinning 14 5/8” x 19” (37.15 cm x 48.26 cm) four-blade Mercury Rev 4 props, we hit a top speed of 64.2 mph (103.3 kph) at 7000 rpm.

Best cruise came at 5000 rpm, where we hit 42.6 mph (68.5 kph) and burned 58.6 gph (221.6 lph), giving the boat a range of 327 statute miles (526 kilometers).

On Board Systems. The 430 All Sport Crossover comes standard with a 10 kW/120-volt Kohler low-CO diesel generator with a sound shield and dedicated 30-gallon (114-L) tank and battery. Under full load, Formula tells us that this genny will burn roughly 1 gph leaving plenty of cushion for offshore runs to the canyons. There are four starting batteries, one for each engine, plus two battery units in protective trays. On the bow, there’s a concealed windlass with 200’ (62 m) of chain and a polished stainless-steel anchor.

Warranty

Transferable 5-year Formula Guard Limited Production Plan with 10-year Structural Warranty (USA Only). Formula has one of the best warranty programs in the industry.

Options to Consider

• Flagship graphic in A, B, or C full hullside color with Axalta Chroma Premier basecoat and Imron Clearcoat.
• Flagship Fusion full hullside multi-color fade affect with Axalta Chroma Premier basecoat and Imron Elite clearcoat
• Full Coupe windshield side wings
• Polished stainless steel LED docking lights
• Polished stainless-steel towing eye with shackle guard
• Four blue LED underwater lights
• Electronically operated telescoping carbon fiber outriggers with ultimate rigging kit
• Four multi-color LED underwater lights with wireless control
• Woodgrain vinyl decking throughout the full cockpit
• 30,000 BTU reverse-cycle cockpit air conditioner
• Raymarine twin gS165 GPS widescreen color radar display/Chartplotter with 48” (121.9 cm) open-array HD radar and depth sounder.
• Raymarine triple gS165 GPS widescreen color radar display/Chartplotter with 48” (121.9 cm) open-array HD radar and depth sounder.
• Raymarine triple gS195 GPS widescreen color radar display/Chartplotter with 48” (121.9 cm) open-array HD radar and depth sounder
• Raymarine T303 thermal camera
• Sirius satellite marine weather receiver (requires Sirius service)
• Mercury Remote Joystick (located near livewell)
• Mercury Premium Theft Deterrent System
• 240V Gaggenau electric grill in aft cockpit
• Fishbox refrigerator/freezer coils with digitally controlled thermostat
• Cockpit 32” (81.3 cm) LED/LCD HDTV with Blu-ray Disc Player and Wi-Fi (located in cockpit galley)
• All-weather bow cover in color-coordinated non-fading Sunbrella fabric with Seamark vinyl undercoating
• Keurig coffeemaker
• Electronic security safe
• Macerator discharge
• Gray water holding system
• TracVision TV3 high-definition satellite TV system
• Automatic outboard flushing system
• Seakeeper 6 gyro stabilization system
• Concealed SureShade ATF electric power-retractable sunshade
• Removable dual Stand Up Paddleboard rack system

Retail Price

Click here for up-to-date pricing.

Observations

Formula takes a proven concept with the Super Sport Crossover (SSC) and expands on it with the All Sport Crossover. The layout still offers the best of multiple worlds with spacious seating in the cockpit and bow and the full cabin below decks. And, the FAS3TECH stepped bottom and outboard motors are part of a design and propulsion trend that is showing no signs of slowing down.

With the addition of the fishing and diving features, Formula further enhances the boat’s capabilities and that can only draw more interest from consumers.

Frankly, the folks at Formula should be proud of themselves for getting the fishing features so right on their first foray into fishy waters. And the conversion of the livewell into a four-dive tank holder is brilliant. It’s innovative thinking such as this that exemplifies a characteristic we’ve long been touting… the Formula Difference.