Formula 457 CCF (2024-)

• FAS3TECH® hull
• Chemically bonded & thru-bolted deck-to-hull joint
• Windlass w/digital chain counter, 300´ rope & 30´ chain, polished stainless anchor & freshwater anchor washdown system
• Bow thruster
• 2 forward, 2 side, 2 aft white/red spreader lights
• 10 stainless pull-up cleats
• Hardtop w/3-piece compound curved console glass windshield w/power opening forward glass, windshield wiper w/wash system, hardtop access w/center ladder above rigging station, hardtop access hatch, multi-color LED accent lighting, light mast/dual flagstaff & white dual air horn, and 9 rod holders
• Integrated swim platform w/undermount telescoping swim ladders & pull-up cleats
• 120V/240V shorepower w/fail-safe galvanic isolator & 50-amp cord w/Glendinning motorized extend/retract & storage system w/remote control
• Port and starboard side door w/removable telescoping swim ladder & dedicated storage
• Motorized Wind-Armor® weather doors
• Molded composite dash in Charcoal or Mocha w/Liquid Black panels, Ritchie® compass, dual Garmin or Raymarine 22˝ widescreen color chartplotters w/depth sounder w/1,000W CHIRP B175M transducer & remote keypad, illuminated waterproof accessory switches, E-T-A® circuit breakers, auxiliary 12V outlet, two USB-A/USB-C charging ports, six captain and passengers’ wireless charging mounts, stainless steering wheel w/knob, two lockable dash storage drawers & padded mobile device station
• Mercury Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS) controls w/7˝ SmartCraft® VesselView®, Mercury® Joystick Piloting for Outboards (JPO) w/Active Trim
• Bennett® trim tab system w/switches & indicators
• Seakeeper 6 gyro stabilizer
• 10.1 kW Fischer Panda diesel generator w/sound shield
• Automatic outboard flushing system
• Cockpit head compartment
• 8,000 BTU air conditioning system
• GEMLUX® deluxe outriggers w/22´ telescoping poles & triple rigging kit
• Triple helm seats w/folding armrests & electric adjustable seats, second row passenger bench seating
   

• Remote-control LED searchlight
• SureShade ATF™ electric power retractable sun shade, bow sunshade w/telescoping carbon fiber poles w/dedicated storage
• Upper station w/stainless steering wheel w/knob, Mercury DTS & JPO controls, 7" Mercury VesselView, Garmin or Raymarine 19" widescreen color chartplotter, USB-A/USB-C charging port, wireless charging mount, remote VHF microphone, 5 stainless steel drink holders, Rockford Fosgate wired remote, overhead station hardtop, two 6 1/2" speakers w/200W amp & 7 stainless rod holders
• Second row triple passenger seats
• 120V Kenyon® electric grill in aft cockpit
• SiriusXM Satellite Weather
• Mercury® Premium 1st Mate safety, security, theft deterrent system & man overboard
• Garmin triple 9022 GPS widescreen color chart plotters, depth sounder & remote keypad, or Raymarine triple Axiom XL 22" GPS widescreen color chartplotters, depth sounder & remote keypad
• 48" open-array Radar
• FLIR M232™, FLIR M332™ or FLIR M364™ thermal camera
• Cockpit galley w/three-tier Corian countertop, custom-molded sink w/removable cover/cutting board, drawer storage, pull-out beverage center, pantry locker, accessory switches, hideaway flipdown panel w/120V GFCI outlet & available HDMI & coax connections & removable hardtop service ladder
• Electronic security safe in cabin
• Aft cockpit fish box freezer plates, ice maker, 4 12V electric reel outlets

The Formula 457 CCF is locked and loaded for big time angling action. She also supplies everything a luxurious cruising boat should have… and then some. 

As her dynamic profile clearly indicates, this is one serious fishing platform. She was designed and engineered by a company, under the continued stewardship of the Porter Family, with 68 years of delivering forward-looking products in her wake. And running on her FAS3TECH® hull means a reduction of hull friction and outstanding top speed.

With lots of room to work with, Formula designed the bow area for comfortable gatherings or as a casting platform. Putting the electric hi-lo table in the down position, the space is easily transformed. Storage is beneath the seat cushions and there are additional cabinets located here as well. The forward lounge seat easily has room for three and there is a forward full-out bench to allow more seating around the table. Note how deep this space is as well as added rails wherever necessary.

With her dual personality as an impressive offshore fishing machine and luxurious cruising boat, there’s no mistaking the attention to detail Formula went to in creating this space. 

A fisherman’s paradise of outstanding features awaits those who pursue the horizon in search of adventure and the adrenalin-rush of hooking up a big fish. As well, many of these same standard and optional items are also geared towards providing enjoyable and pleasant cruising time, making the Formula 457 CCF’s profile that much more admirable.

Aft of the back row of helm seats is this full tackle center. Again, note the wide walkways to both sides and how deep the space is between the deck and the top of the gunnel. It also can do double duty as a ‘summer kitchen’ as Formula calls it. There’s a hidden seat on top that easily pulls out. In addition, there are a pair of large Yeti coolers in the console bottom itself that, at the touch of a button, roll out. Throw some cushions on top and there’s even more available seating.

With her FAS3TECH® hull, 22° deadrise and triple 600-hp Mercury V12 outboards turning 27½ pitch props, five people on board and 64% fuel, our test Formula 457 CCF, exclusively designed by John Adams, who is responsible for all of Formula’s lines and outstanding performance, showed off her mettle during our sea trial in challenging conditions. Our air temp was 91°, relative humidity at 68%, with wind and cloudy/sometimes rainy conditions. Sea state was between 2-4 feet.

At 6400 rpm, we noted a top speed of 63.2 mph/55 kts. Our best cruise of 48.7 mph/42.3 kts, turning 5000 rpm, translated to 330 statute miles or 287 nautical miles, all with a 10% fuel reserve. Our out-of-the-hole performance saw a 0-10 mph in ten seconds and 30 mph in 15.1 seconds. At about 20 mph, the triple Mercury’s two-speed transmissions switched from low gear to high gear without hesitation or any noticeable sound. 

She handled all our maneuvers with assurance, immediately responding to the helm commands and taking several s-turns and hard over operations as expected on a designed and engineered boat from Formula. She was always under control, leaning over nicely with just a tad of speed lost on those turns, and no noticeable rattles or shaking, and remarkably solid while underway.

The first indication that this is a special boat is the noticeable iconic name and familiar thunderbird logo; after that, it only gets better. The Formula 457 CCF is not only a feast for the eyes but it will definitely stir the soul of any serious fishing person who desires to stack the deck in favor of their side in horizon-chasing adventures. 

It starts, and ends, with the company’s fastidious attention to a quality build, its taking extra care of attention to detail, down to the smallest items, and making sure its customer/owner base, and future ones, are satisfied with the product. 

The Formula 457 CCF is an exceptional kind of center console, one that is bristling with fishing amenities and equipped with the kind of power, as in a trio of 600-hp, V12 Mercury outboards, to make the on-water experience even that much more exciting. It is also a luxurious cruiser, one which promises outstanding conveniences while traveling with the family or friends. If you are ready to up your game to a big center console boat, make sure a visit to, and sea trial on, the Formula 457 CCF is part of your short list. 

Remember, life is better on a boat!

Overview

The Formula 457 CCF (Center Console Fish) is Formula’s flagship luxury fishing center console, built to take on the biggest names in the class. BoatTEST’s Captains tested her offshore in rough, rainy conditions with triple Mercury 600-hp V12 Verado outboards.

“Formula has pulled out all the stops on this 457 center console fishing boat... Say so long to the days of beer and hot dogs, and hello to a high-tech, luxurious sport fishing gold platter that leaves compromise in her wake.”

Mission And Intended Owner

• Built To Do: Hardcore offshore fishing, with luxury and family entertaining
• Designed For: Serious anglers who want the most luxurious center console available
• Locus Of Operation: Offshore, including Bahamas crossings on good days

Design Overview

• Hull: Formula’s FAS3Tech stepped hull, which reduces hull friction and helps account for her top speed
• Construction: Grid construction that makes the hull like one big torsion box, rigid and solid
• Sea Chest: Custom stainless steel Hooker sea chest that eliminates at least six through-hull seacocks, for more safety and less maintenance
• Generator: Diesel instead of gas, for safety
• Windshield: Retractable forward pane on rams that holds at any position at any speed

Specifications

• Length Overall: 45 feet, 7 inches
• Beam: 13 feet, 9 inches
• Draft: 54 inches with engines down
• Fuel Capacity: 700 gallons
• Generator: 10.1-kW Fischer Panda Mini 2 with sound shield
• Generator Fuel Tank: 35 gallons, diesel
• Stabilizer: Seakeeper 6
• Mechanical Space Opening: Just under 3 feet by about 6.5 feet

Test Conditions And Test Weight

• Sea State: Rainy and rough offshore, roughly 1.5 to 2 feet, with some calling it 3 to 4 feet; 3-to-5-foot waves were reported from the upper station
• Load: 64% fuel and five passengers
• Test Weight: 35,971 pounds

Performance

• Tested Power: Triple Mercury 600-hp V12 Verados turning 27.5-pitch props
• Top Speed: 63.2 mph at 6,400 rpm
• Best Cruise: 48.7 mph, or 42.3 knots, at 5,000 rpm
• Range At Best Cruise: 330 statute miles, or 287 nautical miles, holding a 10% reserve
• Transmission: The 600s switch seamlessly from low to high gear at about 20 mph, with no shift heard or felt

Acceleration:

1. 0–10 mph: 4.9 seconds
2. 0–20 mph: 9.5 seconds
3. 0–30 mph: 15.1 seconds

“It’s this two-speed transmission that gives the 457 fast lifts off the dime as well as high top speed.”

Sea Trial And Handling

• Planing: Came up on plane easily
• Weather Doors: Reduced wind and spray right away
• Turns: Leaned over as expected, slowing a little in the turn for a nearly 46-foot boat
• Noise: The engines are not loud at all
• Ride: Comes up over waves without slapping, banging or crashing
• Construction Feel: Very rigid, with no banging or echoing
• Upper Station: Comfortable in 3-to-5-foot waves
• Seakeeper: Turning it off made the boat rock; turning it on made a big difference

“I like how the boat just comes up over these waves and it really doesn’t slap or bang or crash on anything. And also I noticed with the grid construction on this hull and the layup, it’s just really rigid.”

“So we’re doing 44.7 mph, doesn’t feel like it in this chop.”

Engine Room Or Mechanical Compartment

• Access: A large opening, almost an equipment room, cleanly put together
• Contents:
  
  • Dedicated chiller for the fish box chiller plates
  • Fire suppression system
  • Glendinning shore power cord reel
  • Hooker stainless sea chest feeding the generator, Seakeeper, livewells, air conditioning and chiller plate condensers
  • Fischer Panda diesel generator
  • Start batteries and house batteries
  • Seakeeper 6
• Wiring: In looms
• Fuel Tanks: Farther forward
• Engine Flush: Freshwater flush for the engines and joystick system
• Engine Tilt: One button lowers all three engines

“With the amount of room down there, that’s a mechanic’s dream.”

Helm

• Displays: Garmin 22-inch touchscreens that control the entire boat
• Climate: 18,000-BTU air conditioning vents
• Charging: Multiple phone chargers
• Audio: Stereo remote
• Bow Thruster: Yes
• Controls: Fly-by-wire, trim tabs, and a joystick with autopilot
• Cup Holders: Many
• Windshield: Retractable forward pane for ventilation and bow visibility
• Overhead: JL Audio speakers, fire suppression panel, VHF, Mercury VesselView and ACR spotlight control

Upper Control Station

• Display: Large Garmin
• Controls: Switches, trim tabs, ACR spotlight control, joystick, fly-by-wire and autopilot
• Wheel: Stainless steel
• Equipment: VHF antenna and FLIR night vision
• Outriggers: Carbon fiber rod riggers
• Ride: Comfortable in 3-to-5-foot seas

Anchor Locker And Ground Tackle

• Freshwater Rinse: On an auto-retracting reel
• Rode Access: Inspection port, with full access by removing a few screws
• Windlass: Lewmar electric, controlled by push buttons in the locker or at the helm
• Snubber Cleats: Two custom Formula-branded cleats for the snubber or safety chain
• Fender Storage: Dedicated locker forward

Cockpit Operations

• Freshwater Fill And Coax Hookup: Port side
• Shore Power: Glendinning electric cord reel on the transom, usually seen on larger yachts

Overview

The features video calls the 457 CCF the ultimate in luxury fishing on a center console.

“Without any doubt, this is the most highly engineered, most luxurious center console fishing machine we’ve ever tested.”

Specifications

• Swim Platform: 78 by 32 inches
• Entry Door: 18 inches wide
• Gunwale Height: 32 inches from the floor at the stern, 35 inches from the deck amidships
• Freeboard: About 42 inches aft, rising to about 55 inches near the bow
• Gunwale Width: 13 inches
• Side Pass-Through: 24 inches
• Fish Box: 76 inches long
• Baitwells: Two, 58 gallons each
• Transom Bench: 58 inches wide, seating three adults
• Hardtop: 10.5 by 18 feet
• Bow Chaise: About 53 inches wide and 4 feet long
• Cabin Headroom: 78 inches at its highest
• Berth: About 60 by 78 inches
• Galley Counter: About 3 feet wide

Boarding Amenities

• Swim Platforms: Large, because the Mercury 600s steer at the lower unit and can be mounted closer together
• Electric Step: Push-button step that deploys about a foot underwater, plus a single step below it
• Shower: Hot and cold freshwater
• Entry Door: 18 inches wide
• Side Doors: Two, for bringing big fish aboard, with a pull-down step and a ladder that plugs into a deck insert
• Dive Ladder And Shore Power: At the platform

Cockpit Arrangement And Equipment

• Subwoofers: Three 12-inch subwoofers aboard
• Electric Reel Ports: Four, for kite or electric reels
• Rod Holders: Many throughout
• Fish Boxes: Long, large in-deck boxes; one is 76 inches long with an ice maker producing 22 pounds of ice an hour, chiller plates and a macerator
• Insulation: About 4-inch insulated walls, insulated bottoms and 2-inch insulated lids
• Ice Maker Access: Readily accessible for maintenance
• Washdowns: Raw and fresh water on automatic retractable reels under the gunwale
• Grill: Electric Kenyon, with utensil storage below
• Baitwells: Two 58-gallon baitwells with redundant pumps and Garmin alerts if a pump fails; one can be fitted with a scuba tank insert
• Transom Bench: Flip-down, 58 inches wide
• Cup Holders: About 56, plus USB ports
• Bait And Comfort Station:
  
  • Automatic coolers that slide out
  • 18,000-BTU air conditioning blowing on the seat
  • Sink with a cover that flips onto padding as a cutting surface, doubling as a step to the upper station
  • Tackle and utensil storage
  • Chiller plate and ice maker controls
  • Leader storage
  • Dometic fridge
• Overhead: Retractable SureShade, camera, rod holders, spreader lights and speakers
• TV: Dedicated spot for a 32-inch TV above the bait station
• Fender Storage: Dedicated locker

“This is more than a summer kitchen, it’s so multi-purpose, maybe a bait station, also a comfort station... all in one.”

“If one of your pumps goes out, you’re going to get an alert on your Garmin screens up there.”

Helm Seating

• Foam: Six foam densities in each seat
• Climate: Air conditioning at the lower back
• Bolsters: Flip-up
• Footrests: Elevated
• Trim: Real teak accents on the seat corners, seatbacks and cup holders
• Hardtop Interior: Courtesy lighting and overhead grab rails
• Enclosure: Tracks for isinglass, with heat as well as air conditioning

Upper Station Amenities

• Rod Holders: Plenty across the back
• Construction: Tough, beefy piping
• Storage: Under the seat
• Seating: Comfortable, with a rail all the way around
• Cubbies: Individually drained, of different depths, with a USB charger
• Audio: Its own stereo head unit and audio zone

Bow Arrangement

• Chaise Lounge: Large, with a snack tray, drink holders, USB ports and a window into the cabin
• Dining Table: Raises for meals, with a pull-out seat and a dedicated filler cushion
• Casting Platform: Remove the cushions for a walk-around casting platform
• Lounger: 4 feet long, with a handrail and contoured backrest
• Audio: A 12-inch subwoofer and two more speakers
• Lighting: Puck lights and courtesy lighting
• Storage: Built-in molded compartments with magnetic closures
• Trash Cans: Two

Interior Spaces

Cabin:

• Entry: Port side of the console, with a grab rail and storage under the steps, including a dedicated trash bin
• Dinette: Table stored in a drawer; filler cushions convert it to a large berth
• Windows: Portholes on both sides with blinds
• Ceiling: Padded upholstered, with recessed LED lighting, 78 inches at its highest
• TV: Large
• Hooks: For hanging items
• Storage: Behind the backrest and under both sides
• Rod Storage: Vertical
• Electrical: Access to electrical components, AC panels and generator controls

Galley:

• USB port and 110-volt outlet
• About 3 feet of counter space
• Microwave, storage and a fiddled shelf
• Textured backsplash
• Two cup holders with a railing on an elevated counter
• Sink with a removable lid that has its own dedicated spot
• Low-profile drawer with cutlery dividers under the sink
• Isotherm fridge
• Hardwood drawers with dovetails on soft-close slides

“All these drawers are hardwood construction, these are all on soft-close slides and they have dovetails in the drawers. Now I come from a carpentry background, and that is an impressive thing to see on a boat.”

Head:

• Shower: Walk-in shower, not a wet head
• Storage: Built-in recess for toiletries, overhead cabinets, two drawers, a cabinet with a trash bin spot and a pull-out bin
• Hooks: Swimsuit or foul-weather gear hooks
• Ventilation: Two ports
• Sink: Vessel sink with an elegant backsplash

Warranty

• Protection Plan: Standard, stem-to-stern, transferable 5-year North American Formula Guard limited protection plan
• Structural Warranty: Worldwide 10-year structural warranty

Advantages And Disadvantages

Advantages

• The most highly engineered, most luxurious center console fishing machine BoatTEST’s Captains have tested
• 63.2 mph top speed and a 48.7 mph best cruise
• Seamless two-speed transmissions in the 600-hp V12s
• Rigid grid construction with no slapping or banging in rough seas
• Quiet engines
• Seakeeper 6 makes a big difference offshore
• Hooker sea chest eliminates at least six through-hulls
• Diesel generator for safety
• 76-inch fish box with an ice maker, chiller plates and a macerator
• Redundant baitwell pumps with alerts
• Walk-in shower in the head
• Hardwood dovetail drawers on soft-close slides
• 5-year protection plan and 10-year structural warranty

Disadvantages

• Slows a little in turns
• 0–30 mph took 15.1 seconds
• TV is a dedicated spot for an add-on