Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Formula 290 Sun Sport 2012 vs Formula 353 FASTECH 2011 — Which Deep Vee Fits Your Needs?
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Formula 290 Sun Sport 2012 and the Formula 353 FASTECH 2011 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?
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Formula 353 FASTECH 2011 measures 35,3 feet overall (2011), giving it roughly 6,3 additional feet of deck space compared to the Formula 290 Sun Sport 2012 at 29,0 feet (2012). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Formula 290 Sun Sport 2012 tips the scales at 895 lbs — 800 lbs more than the Formula 353 FASTECH 2011 at 95 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 353 FASTECH 2011 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Formula 290 Sun Sport 2012 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Formula 353 FASTECH 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Formula 353 FASTECH 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 10 passengers and at 35,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Formula 290 Sun Sport 2012 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
Model353 FAS?TECH
Model Year2012
Model Year2011
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam9 ft. (2.74 m)
Beam8 ft. 3 in. (2.51 m)
Beam - Meters2.74
Beam - Meters2.51
Beam - Inches108
Beam - Inches99
Bridge clearance - Detail5 ft. 10 in. (1.77 m) With Arch: 8 ft. 2 in. (2.49 m)
Bridge clearance - Detail5 ft. 4 in. (1.63 m)
Bridge clearance - Meters2.49
Bridge clearance - Meters1.63
Bridge clearance - Inches98
Bridge clearance - Inches64
Deadrise22℃
Deadrise24℃
Draft [max] - Detail40 in. (1.02 m)
Draft [max] - Detail36 in. (0.91 m)
Draft [max] - Meters1.02
Draft [max] - Meters0.91
Draft [max] - Inches4
Draft [max] - Inches36
Weight - Detail8,950 lbs. (4,060 kg)
Weight - Detail9,500 lbs. (4,309 kg)
Weight - kg4059.65
Weight - kg4309.12
Weight - lbs.895
Weight - lbs.95
Length - Meters8.84
Length - Meters10.74
Length - Feet29
Length - Feet35.25
Length overall - Detail29 ft. (8.84 m)
Length overall - Detail35 ft. 3 in. (10.74 m)
Length overall - Meters8.84
Length overall - Meters10.74
Length overall - Inches348
Length overall - Inches423
Body / Hull
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull materialFiberglass
Hull typeDeep Vee
Hull typeDeep Vee
Engine and Drivetrain
Engine/s standardMerCruiser® Single 8.2 MAG EC Bravo Three X
Engine/s standardMerCruiser? Twin 8.2 MAG EC Bravo One
Fuel tank capacity - Detail122 gal. (462 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detail149 gal. (564 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Liters461.82
Fuel tank capacity - Liters564.03
Fuel tank capacity - Gal122
Fuel tank capacity - Gal149
Drive typeInboard
Drive typeInboard
Max no of enginesnot available
Max no of engines2
Operational Info
Headroom5 ft. 1 in. (1.54 m)
Headroom4 ft. 10 in. (1.47 m)
Water capacity21 gal. (79 l)
Water capacity19 gal. (72 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detail22.5 gal. (85 l)
Holding tank capacity - Detail2.6 gal. (9.8 l)
Holding tank capacity - Liters87.06
Holding tank capacity - Liters11.36
Holding tank capacity - Gal22.5
Holding tank capacity - Gal2.6