Chaparral 350


I have some experience with one but it's got 350s in it I think. It moves nice with the 350s so the 496 should make it fly. Not a solid boat in the water compared to the formula. The details aren't there. The head system has many pipe bends that cause it to clog very often. The waste tank is hidden in the wall behind the aft cabin and the water holing tank is in the engine compartment. Reversed from most boats, usually the water is inside and the poop outside. The way the whole cockpit lifts to access the engine goes both ways, it allows great access but if your out in the water with a few people. There's nowhere for them to go if there an engine problem. I also don't like the way you enter from the center middle of the back of the boat. It splits the rear cockpit and makes it so there's no real "big" side dedicated to table area and the other side cockpit faucet n such area. So if you have to load from dockside your always walking over seats. If the engine compartment is open you can't get out of the boat unless you jump off the front or climb up the open hatch and slide down through the door. When the engine hatch is up we have to climb over the front rail and go in through the bow. I have worked on the boat with my friend many times that's why I bring up the things that might or might not be important to you. It's just what I know. Wow I never realized how much I don't like that boat. So, if you never work on your own boat, don't care about some of the detail finishes and never poop on the boat, you should be fine. Like I said, it should fly. Btw, if your not on a floating dock, the swim platform is very low compared to other platforms. Oh yeah, if the piston fails on that system and you need to get into the bilge, if your alone on the boat you aren't opening that hatch. It weighs a ton and is a bitch even with a couple guys. My friends failed so we been lifting it up quite a few times while he waited for a new piston. His has out drives on it I think too. I hope this helped a little.
 
I was looking at these a few years ago and talked to the factory regarding performance with the different engine packages. They sent me a document with test results of each package when the boat was new, no bottom paint, light fuel, and no gear. The V-Drive 8.1 volvos @2500 was 19mph, 3500rpm was 32mph, and WOT was 39mph. Real world you will deduct a few mph from those figures.

The volvo 8.1 with outdrives @3500rpm was 37mph, and WOT 50mph.

The only thing I noticed when I looked at one was the quality of the hardware and materials used didn't compare to formula, and you could easily see why formula costs more. Thats all the info I have.
 
Good info, thank you. It was a 2004 that a local dealer just took in as trade. I have had no offers on mine due to time of year (I hope) and there are no 34pc's out there that aren't brokered. I will sell my 29pc to the first cash buyer who comes close!
 
I am familiar with them. We owned a 29 Chap before our 37PC. Then we looked at them when we bought our 37pc. We also have a good friend with one. i think they are the same or very similar dimensions as a newer 37pc but the Formula is laid out nicer, more storage and seems to have more room with the depth and all.

The 8.1 v drives gets up and moves well and with a nice exhaust rumble if you like that. The boat does not handle waves or ride as nice. They handle very well around the dock even without a bow thruster with v drives. I can't speak for outdrives. The boat is definitely not Formula quality but that is why we all bought a Formula and probably paid twice as much too. I think they are a nice boat for the money.

The mechanical side has its ups and down like most other boats. I don't know anything about the pooper. In my buddies we hung a 32" tv on the inside wall of where the steps next to the helm are. Its perfect viewing from the front bed. It was pretty easy to run wires etc. His a/c works very well. Not all boats a/c seem to cool well when its 100...not the case with his.
 
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Just joined as I'm looking at info on the 40PC. I'm actually selling my 05 Chap 350 with 8.1's. Its a great boat, I actually have nothing bad to say. It has great finishes, its comfortable, its roomy, center walkthrough is nice. I'll cruise at about 21-22 knots at 31-3200 RPM. High cruise is 24 knots at about 35-3600 RPM and I top out at 30 knots at 4500 RPM. She's got big blocks so its not the most fuel efficient and in some bigger waves she'll bang a little. Compared to Formula, its obviously lesser quality, but compared to a Sea Ray its above. I haven't had any problems with the head system and I do suffer from IBS to give you an idea. The only reason I'm upgrading is because the family is getting larger and we need more space. I also prefer to get some diesels underneath me. Good luck with your search. I put about 60 hours on it in the short time I had this season and not a single issue.
 
Thank you for the input. The dealer put a bunch of money into the boat. New canvas, cockpit carpet, cabin carpet, and a soft swim platform repair. Would have been nice but I'm not getting much for a trade. I will be waiting for mine to sell before any more dreaming.
 
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