Marginmn,
There is no difference in the classic hulls. I spoke to the Factory to ask if they had revised the X dimension since 97. The answer is no. They did try to raise it but didn't like the way it performed. Only big differences might be the steering being Fountain instead of Latham, the bolsters being electric and not hydraulic. My bolsters are made of plywood. I'm not sure when they changed over to the plastic. Also the throttles having the trim switch in them. I have the trim on the steering wheel.
Dan

I have owned three Fountain's a 27, 32, and a twin step 35. The windshield, not crazy about it, but I wouldn't call It ugly. Like the added interior room between front and rear seats. The anchor locker, is a nice touch if you anchor your boat alot, and ladder built into the swim platform is nice as well. Cabin space is the first complaint of most non Fountain owners. Fountain addresed that by making the deck higher giving you more headroom, still not giant by any standard, but better. Sometimes when you put a boat in the water some of the things that you found to be offensive seem to change. Marginmn if you like the classic buy one. I would be suprised if the 2002's have more than a couple mile per hour difference in speed. My test sheet from Fountain shows 88 MPH, its a 2000. I am told that the newer Twin step 35 have a lower x diminsion and aren't quit as fast. Saw a test sheet from a 2001 with 500 HP EFI's the boat ran 84 mph. So their may now be as big a speed difference as you may think between the two, ask to see the performance report, Fountain prints one on every boat that leaves their factory. The dealer will have it and should show it to you unless they are making some inflated claims on the speed. The bottom line is thats why their are so many boat makes, everyone has a preference, non of them are cheap, so what ever you buy, make sure you are happy with it!!

Great advice beak boater, thanks a lot.

Buy an old (good looking i might add ) classic and put some killer motors in it ......
then you can blow off the new ones and have money to buy them a beer if and when they make to the bar.............


EZ

Like EZ said, I would go for finding a nice, fresh water old-style 35. The money you'd save from not buying a new one would probably be enough to bump up the power as much as you need. Oh yeah, the left hand throttles are not so bad once you get used to them.
I do wish you could get the new hull with the old deck though.

This will probably offend you well maintained veterans of life, but they are turning into what us younger guys call "the old man's sport boat". They are very nice, but to "Cruisered Out". In that pile used lay, Powerquest, Formula, Scarab, and now, Fountain. You don't have to have riggid lines to look good, it helps, but there are Outerlimits, and Hustler. I was looking at Fountains ad the other day, and I definately do not like those big taylor made windshields. Those are for Sea Rays. But, what they are appealing to is the Old Man's Wallet. There are not to many of us young bucks running to our local dealer to throw down 300k. Thats for "big shooters" like Candyman. LOL

That’s a good one. Remember this is coming from the new kid on the block with that wicked 42' with triple 500's. If I had your money I'd have your boat and not a 35 454 Mags.

Fever Mike,
I have had boats that I wish had windshields.
My '90 Villain IV had a windshield. It's a different kind of boating with the windshield. Fountain probably made the right step going with them. The only thing I like about the old deck is the angled windscreen and fairing. The round one reminds me of Reggie’s old race boat. I think the old fairing lines added more to the boats total look. The factory is currently selling way more windshields than not. They are popular and have many benefits. If I bought a fairing boat it would have to have wind deflectors. I like to hear the stereo and the motors and not the wind. The only exception to this is the 47'.That boat looks sweet with its windshield. Maybe MidnightRider will be kind enough to give me a ride in a 47 when he buys one. I heard he just loves them windshields. LOL
Dan

[ 01-30-2002: Message edited by: candyman35 ]

My good friend is trying to trade his 42 for a 47sc, wow. In the shop now it goes in a row, apache, 42f, 47sc, 42f, 42f, 38 gun, and that sc makes are boats look like rafts. The SC has #3's on 3-650's, its bad, runs like 70-75. Now that's the best of both worlds.

My 2 cents! I don't like the winshields, I have a 2001 27 and ordered the classic. I think that Reggie is just changing their concentration, from speed leader to speed cruiser. I do like the race fairing but hell it like an addition $4000, thats F&#@ up. I will be looking to STEPP UP in a couple of years, and hope Fountain returns to original styling and focuses on PERFORMANCE.

WILL

the 35 needs to have the twin step bottom and the classic deck and then it would be perfect. i love the old 10 meter boats just because of the classic lines.