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08-07-2009, 07:02 AM
#13
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Location: Northern, KY (Cincinnati) Lake St Clair, MI Norris Lake, TN
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Build quality is excellent. I like how they look fast even sitting still! I had a 1998 29' with 500HP. Absolutely loved the boat.
Moved to Bajas once the kids came though for the room. Dollar for MPH- Fountain wins hands down. Dollar for room- I like Baja. Just different boating styles.
Moved to Bajas once the kids came though for the room. Dollar for MPH- Fountain wins hands down. Dollar for room- I like Baja. Just different boating styles.
08-07-2009, 01:48 PM
#14
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Location: Dubuque, IA
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They look fast @ are fast! The people that talk down aboat Fountains do not know what a good boat they are, go for a ride, drive one then be honest. Because now you are a Fountain fan.
08-07-2009, 03:01 PM
#15
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Location: Sunland, CA
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When I was looking for a new boat, I went in to talk to Bob Teague. I asked him about a few of the boats we were considering (including Cig and Formula and a couple of west coast custom builders). He said I should not stop looking until I had also checked out Fountains. A couple of his guys also strongly suggested I investigate Fountains.
So I did, and I liked what I discovered. Soon, I had narrowed the search down to a 42 Lightning. Found a great boat, great condition, great price, went down and spent the day checking it out. It was almost perfect, just not enough headroom, not enough open cockpit space, but every boat is a compromise. It was the closest thing we could find to what we wanted. So I brought my wife and the checkbook the next day...
But as we were driving to get there, we both noticed a boat in a broker's lot, a boat I had never seen (that's unusual!). It was a Fountain 32 Sportfish Cruiser. While it was much shorter than we wanted, it had more headroom, and a much much more fun cockpit. "All boats are compromises" but this appeared to be much less of a compromise than the 42 Lightning. We spent a bit more time comparing the two, fell in love with the performance and handling of both, and went with the far more cruisable 32.
We do our boating in the Pacific, and the closest islands are 25 miles offshore, the more interesting ones are over 50. The conditions near our favorite cruising grounds (Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel islands) regularly see over 8 foot seas and gale force winds. So longer is always better. But we also end up spending days on-board, so the better cabin and cockpit really makes the 32 a better boat for us.
I would love to get a bigger boat, but all the new cruiser/fish Fountains are too wide and heavy to trailer. A sportfish cruiser based on a 42 or 47 hull would be great.
But instead, we are planning on building custom next time, since no production builder builds what we really want.
So I did, and I liked what I discovered. Soon, I had narrowed the search down to a 42 Lightning. Found a great boat, great condition, great price, went down and spent the day checking it out. It was almost perfect, just not enough headroom, not enough open cockpit space, but every boat is a compromise. It was the closest thing we could find to what we wanted. So I brought my wife and the checkbook the next day...
But as we were driving to get there, we both noticed a boat in a broker's lot, a boat I had never seen (that's unusual!). It was a Fountain 32 Sportfish Cruiser. While it was much shorter than we wanted, it had more headroom, and a much much more fun cockpit. "All boats are compromises" but this appeared to be much less of a compromise than the 42 Lightning. We spent a bit more time comparing the two, fell in love with the performance and handling of both, and went with the far more cruisable 32.
We do our boating in the Pacific, and the closest islands are 25 miles offshore, the more interesting ones are over 50. The conditions near our favorite cruising grounds (Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel islands) regularly see over 8 foot seas and gale force winds. So longer is always better. But we also end up spending days on-board, so the better cabin and cockpit really makes the 32 a better boat for us.
I would love to get a bigger boat, but all the new cruiser/fish Fountains are too wide and heavy to trailer. A sportfish cruiser based on a 42 or 47 hull would be great.
But instead, we are planning on building custom next time, since no production builder builds what we really want.
Last edited by carcrash; 08-07-2009 at 03:05 PM. Reason: A bit more detail
08-08-2009, 09:36 AM
#16
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Location: Austin, TX
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Carcrash - interesting feedback. i agree, everything is a compromise. I would like a little more finish out in the bilge from the factory, but I was able to clean up some of the rigging myself and saved $100K over the next best thing.
I went from a 25 Eliminator Daytona to a 38 lightning, so the room was a huge improvement. So far, my 42L has been the best boat I ever owned. I is very trouble free, rides great, always starts, throws a ton of water in the air and will run in the low 100's anytime - anywhere regardless of load. I may have made chosen a different brand if money was no object, otherwise I am very pleased.
Not sure about your area, but the high perf market seems to be thinning out. I see way fewer powerboats in Austin and was amazed how few I saw at Texoma over the 4th. The market is too narrow for brand prejudices. I am just fortunate to have the ability to play on a weekly basis.
I went from a 25 Eliminator Daytona to a 38 lightning, so the room was a huge improvement. So far, my 42L has been the best boat I ever owned. I is very trouble free, rides great, always starts, throws a ton of water in the air and will run in the low 100's anytime - anywhere regardless of load. I may have made chosen a different brand if money was no object, otherwise I am very pleased.
Not sure about your area, but the high perf market seems to be thinning out. I see way fewer powerboats in Austin and was amazed how few I saw at Texoma over the 4th. The market is too narrow for brand prejudices. I am just fortunate to have the ability to play on a weekly basis.
Last edited by aTX427; 08-08-2009 at 09:39 AM.
08-08-2009, 08:42 PM
#19
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People bash people because they are successful. Same thing happens here in my home town. Most of the bashing is from (IMO) Obama lovers or liberals because they want to spread the wealth. I have met Reggie MANY times and there is not a nicer man I know of. I was at the factory picking up my 38 and he made a special trip over to shake my hand even though he was entertaining some customers buying a $700,000 boat. Another time he got up from a meeting with the Fountain brass and came outside to shake my hand. He is a very proud man who LOVES his boats and is not afraid to tell you so. I personally do not know of any other CEO's who are as dedicated to their products as Reggie Fountain.
08-09-2009, 02:00 AM
#20
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Location: Austin, TX
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