This is the story of my '82 Thunderbird Formula boat, better kown as Gina II, alias The Pirate's Ghost. She was 20 feet in length and 8 feet wide with a deep V hull that made her an ideal, rough water, runabout boat. It was, originally, a Miami, FL, boat and according to the old owner, she had been used in 1982 to smuggle drugs and illegal emigrants up the Miami River By the beginning of the nineties, abused and in need of repairs, it had been stored out of circulation for a few years. It was then that we meet, feel in love and took our new boat home.
A yellow Formula boat nicknamed Gina II - AKA - "The Pirate Ghost"
We bought the Thunderbird Formula boat in '91 at Miami, Fl, and in the
spring of '92 
she was relocated to Los Angeles, California. She went through a complete and mayor
transformation in body and power. She was baptized and named Gina II to honor my daughter Gina. The boat hull was redesigned with a new deck shape and her original 260 hp engine was replaced with a beef up, custom made, high performance 325 hp engine. This custom transformation took over one year to complete and was done by Papoloko in '93. Because the new looks and the increase in power, very soon, she earned the respect of other boaters at the local lakes but, because she was now running higher speeds, the lakes authorities noticed it and gave me some speeding warnings. That was the beginning of the end at the local lakes. There was always some hotshot boat wanting to know how fast she really was. So, time to hit the road, find water for her to run free and wild... The only one I knew of was the Colorado River!
The Formula boat, Gina II, found a new home
We went looking for a new playground for our Formula toy, for a new home
with more freedom to play. 
We enjoyed Lake Mead, Laughlin, Lake Havasu, Blythe and she even
expended few months moored at Marina del Rey in California. Overall, we did caught many great memories out of those temporary homes and at the end, the Parker Strip was the one she would be calling home at The Colorado River. From the year 1994 to about the end of 1999 she enjoyed a lot of action, in the summer months, right around the Empire Landing Campground at the Parker Strip, Colorado River, which was the place where this Formula boat was going to be living at for a long time.
Party time: Full moons river, cool music and the Parker Strip in the background!
Our Formula boat, the Gina II, usually expended the winter months resting at a near by storage yard 
called The Right Spot, a very convenient place that was 2 minutes from the launching ramp and another 2 minutes from the Empire Landing Campground. We had many parties at the campsites in this park, every other weekend, drinking and dancing right on the water with the full moon shining in the sky until 3 or 4 am. There is nothing like taking the boat out, on a full moon night, and just blast down the river, full throttle, with the light of the moon making the whole river alive. That's one of the beauty of the Parker Strip, you can enjoy your boat 24 hour a day. It's a shame that full moon only happens once a month. My WARNINGS to new boaters driving the Parker Strip at night time, some drunk boater or whatever, could be driving without the navigation lights on and could create an accident for you, even if you follow all the rules... Alcohol and driving don't mix. Be careful when driving at night.
Fast Formula boat rides but to me... The thrill was gone!
Since we had her plenty in very rough, deep sea, water around the Catalina Island, out of Los Angeles, 
and she had upheld herself playing with the fast boats of the Parker Strip at the Colorado River too, I felt there was nothing new anymore... The thrill was gone for me. By the end of '99 we had grown tired of boating and camping so, we decided to take her back to Los Angeles. We guessed, back then, that we were becoming too old for such activities. Of course, we were wrong. We did went back to the Parker Strip with the New Millennium, but we didn't brought the Formula boat back to the Parker Strip, instead, it was a Kawasaki jetski named Lucky Ghost, the one that went back with us to the Colorado River. But, hey, that is a whole different story.
My Formula boat old home... The Parker Strip
To end the Gina II story I will say that she has just been setting for five years with a lot of memories 
from the Parker Strip to her credit but with no action at all. Parked outside, in the open, without any maintenance during all these years, her body and interior has deteriorated bad. I forgot to put the canvas cover on her for two year. I'm very sorry, it was my own stupid mistake and it will should cost me plenty to restore it if I ever want to ride her again. Maybe one day in the future I will have the need to feel her power, do the whole thing over one more time and race down the river again but, up to today, all that I can do is give her a web home and show some of her memories to the others boats enthusiasts of the world. If I ever bring her back to the new millennium, have her restored, you can rest assured that the old Thunderbird Formula boat, aka, The Pirate's Ghost, will be back at her old and only home... The Parker Strip in the Colorado River
History on Thunderbird Formula boats
<<< Formula Boats >>> Formula Boats by Thunderbird produces boats that are world renowned for beautiful styling, advanced engineering and exciting performance on the water. With a long-established philosophy of uncompromising quality in every detail, Formula is recognized as today premier powerboat. Don Aronow founded Formula in 1962 in Miami, Florida. The original 233 deep-V hull design was built at his direction and later earned notable victories on the national offshore racing circuit. Formula was the first of Aronows boat companies.
Boats Forums!
<<< Havasu Doug Forum >>> Share discussions and view photos of beautiful boats of the Colorado River for all boating enthusiasts. These forums may contain content and language not suitable for people under the age of 18.
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Boats Dealers & Mags!
<<< Eliminator Boats >>> Eliminator's name has been synonymous with quality and custom craftsmanship and it's one of the boats brand most seem racing down the Colorado river at the Parker Strip!
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About the author
Papoloko has been camping, boating, and jet skiing at the Parker Strip in the Colorado River, since 1992. For any question about this article contact him at www.ultra150s.com mailroom.
