Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Formula 290 Sun Sport 2009 vs Formula 310 FX5 BR 2013 — A Close Look at Two Deep Vees
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Formula 290 Sun Sport 2009 and the Formula 310 FX5 BR 2013 are deep vee designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Formula 290 Sun Sport 2009 at 29,0 ft versus Formula 310 FX5 BR 2013 at 31,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Formula 310 FX5 BR 2013 tips the scales at 9 875 lbs — 8 980 lbs less than the Formula 290 Sun Sport 2009 at 895 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Formula 310 FX5 BR 2013 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Formula 290 Sun Sport 2009 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Formula 310 FX5 BR 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Formula 310 FX5 BR 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 31,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Formula 290 Sun Sport 2009 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
Model290 Sun Sport
Model310 FX5 BR
Model Year2009
Model Year2013
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam9 ft. 0 in. (2.74 m)
Beam9 ft. 6 in. (2.9 m)
Beam - Meters2.74
Beam - Meters2.9
Beam - Inches108
Beam - Inches114
Bridge clearance - Detail5 ft. 10 in. (1.77 m) With Arch: 8 ft. 2 in. (2.49 m)
Bridge clearance - Detail6 ft. (1.83 m) With Arch: 8 ft. 8 in. (2.64 m)
Bridge clearance - Meters2.49
Bridge clearance - Meters2.64
Bridge clearance - Inches98
Bridge clearance - Inches104
Deadrise22℃
Deadrise22³
Draft [max] - Detail40 in. (1.02 m)
Draft [max] - Detail37 in. (0.94 m)
Draft [max] - Meters1.02
Draft [max] - Meters0.94
Draft [max] - Inches4
Draft [max] - Inches37
Weight - Detail8,950 lbs. (4,060 kg)
Weight - Detail9,875 lbs. (4,479 kg)
Weight - kg4059.65
Weight - kg4479.22
Weight - lbs.895
Weight - lbs.9875
Length - Meters8.84
Length - Metersnot available
Length - Feet29
Length - Feet31
Length overall - Detail29 ft. 0 in. (8.84 m)
Length overall - Detail31 ft. 0 in. (9.45 m)
Length overall - Meters8.84
Length overall - Meters9.45
Length overall - Inches348
Length overall - Inches372
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialAluminum
Hull typeDeep Vee
Hull typeDeep Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Max no of engines2
Max no of enginesnot available
Engine/s standardVolvo Penta twin 5.7 Gi DP
Engine/s standardnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Detail110 gal. (416 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail130 gal. (492 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters416.4
Fuel tank capacity - Liters492.1
Fuel tank capacity - Gal11
Fuel tank capacity - Gal13
Drive typeInboard
Drive typenot available
Operational Info
Headroom5 ft. 1 in. (1.54 m)
Headroomnot available
Water capacity20 gal. (76 l)
Water capacity29 gal. (110 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detail22 gal. (83 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detail36 gal. (136 l)
Holding tank capacity - Liters83.28
Holding tank capacity - Liters136.27
Holding tank capacity - Gal22
Holding tank capacity - Gal36