Formula’s Super Sport Crossover line just got bigger. The SSC models pay homage to the builder’s racing heritage, riding on stepped, deep-V hulls that offer great performance. The 500 SSC, a new flagship for the builder, has that, plus a lot more volume.

Previously, the builder’s largest model was its 45 Yacht, but Formula recognized that its business was trending away from that type of conventional cruising boat. “People are moving toward day boats, but there was nowhere to go after our 43-foot SSC model,” says Scott Smith, marketing manager at Formula. “The 500 is really a reflection of people wanting to stay within the line, but get into something with more room.”

Don’t let the day boat distinction fool you. The 500 is equipped for weekending, and there’s room to host guests too. There’s an aft cabin with a queen berth and sofa, plus a forward cabin for two. If you want to squeeze a few more people aboard for an overnight, the salon in the upper cockpit can be closed off and is climate-controlled. “You can easily get six or eight people aboard,” says Smith.

The 500 is distinctive from other Formulas. “We’ve got a lot of zones on this boat that really set it apart from anything we’ve built,” Smith says. Among them are the enclosable salon with U-shaped cockpit galley and lounge to port. Then there is another lounging area just forward of the swim platform. The 500 also has a number of high-tech features too, including digital switching, a full-width motorized glass bulkhead system and a 65-inch TV in the cockpit.

“There’s just a lot of boat,” Smith says. “We have a bowrider here, yet it has a full-width cabin, and you’re not really sacrificing anything down there.”

The 500 will be powered by quintuple Mercury Verados, and while Formula was still kicking around horsepower numbers at press time, Smith expects many owners will opt for 400s or 450s. Performance figures were not available when we went to press.

The 500 SSC will debut in February. Formula anticipates demand from a broad range of boaters. Says Smith, “It allows us to keep serving our established customers, but I think we’re going to see some other people coming in from the outside.”

This article was originally published in the January 2021 issue.