VoodooRob

Agree with you about the 38 Fountain Lightning built last year, the interior, paint everything missed the mark. They tried going with something different and the market has spoken so far. Designs need to evolve not make a left turn to gain acceptance and consumer enthusiasm. I disagree on your assessment of the interiors, dash never changing at Fountain. The full stagger Lightning 35, full stagger 38 Lightning and 07 and up 42 Lightning had newly designed interiors, front bolsters, new rear bench/bolsters, dash layout, cabins. Colors and paint were being incorporated where plain white was the norm. The windshields were cut down around this time also. The boats were evolving and then production ground to a stop. The hulls were all updated early 2000s. Pretty much the same as Cigarette T/S 38 Top Gun evolution timeline, which has a T/S hull that is pretty much unchanged to this day. BUT and that is a big BUT, the 38 Top Gun has been produced, dialed in, and refined when Fountain was idle. The current 38 T/S Top Gun is tops in its class the cockpit is right on but the boat itself is essentially unchanged since it's introduction. Why not bash them too?
I have no brand bias, I have and would own many different brands of boats, cars, motorcycles, etc.. Outerlimits is at the top of their game, I would own one if it fit what we could use at this time. It does not. Would I take a Ferrari 458 over a C7 Z06? If they were the same money yes, but they are not. So painting everyone with your broad brush statement is ignorant on your part.

GRH

For many people other than the addition of a bussel the OL's all look very similar to one another from year to year.... as do Cigarettes, Nor Tech's, Velocities and many other brands.... for the true connoisseur subtle difference such as no rub rail are very apparent.... how many times have you heard someone call a Fountain or OL a "Cigarette" boat? I don't believe a major overhaul of the appearance of Fountain is needed.... subtle improvements may bring back or gain a new customer....

How about adding a bussel to the Beak boat! Would that make it more marketable?

Xtremeracing

If it's not broken don't fix it.

GRH

Can't tell you how many times I've wished I followed that advice....

caseyh

if anything make a O/B powered sport boat. shorten the back pad make a bigger cockpit and 3 400Rs.

Kelly O

It seems that Mr. Fountain's ability to stir emotion and passion from within this industry has not diminished during his absence from FPB. Best wishes to the entire Fountain team going forward.
It would be very interesting to see Fountain get the setup for the Merc QC4V packages dialed in to compare performance with other vee brands mentioned.
I wonder if any other brands have ever modified their bottom designs to emulate Fountain in an effort to gain performance or handling ?

FloridaDan

You say "no one could have survived" the last recession ? How about Nor-tech, Outerlimits, and Cigarette - those companies not only survived the same market conditions they prospered and are market leaders now - and without the benefits of going public either.

When Reggie took his company public and accepted millions of dollars from investors he had a fiduciary responsibility ( look up what this means ) to his investors which he totally ignored. In fact he wasted millions of investor's money on crap like helicopters and private jets that solely benefited him but didn't sell more boats or contribute towards a better return for his investors.

Like I mentioned in my first post, I give him credit for being an excellent designer and builder of fast boats. But as a CEO who was charged with building value for his investors he failed miserably. I only "hate" what he did to the poor investors who trusted him with their money and lost everything.

Jupiter Sunsation

Reggie needs to build a new 42 Poker Run with 860's as a touring poker run boat.

Of course the name should be "Elvis is back in the boat building!"

BenPerfected

Poor investors???.....they got just what they bought....should'a....could'a....would'a. Reggie was the genius in picking the right time to exit!!!
Go Fountain,
Ben

Indy

He stated that companies going from 550 to a handful. Those builders you cited are the elite builders for elite earners, low production companies. Has OL or Nortech even built 550 boats?