35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Hi,
I am new to the fountain world. I currently have a 32' Spectra and am looking to up grade to a Fountain. Because of my slip size I am limited to 35' maximum. I have been looking at 2003 35' Executioners and now a 2000 35' Lightning with 500 hp's. I noticed that the 2000 has one step in the hull and the 2003 has 2 or 3 steps. What is the difference, how does it affect the handling/ride. Any advice or recomendations will be appreciated and helpfull to me so I can make an educated decision.
Thanks,
David
West Hills, CA & Lake Havasu, AZ

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Welcome to Reggie Land. If you go over to the "Technical" section under General Q&A there is a thread "Fountain Executioner vs Lightning". I would move it over here if I knew how, but don't, and I'm too lazy to retype my post. You will find some info there that may help. I did post to it just now to bring it back up to the top, it was back several pages. Hope this helps, keep asking questions here, you'll find a lot of opinions and info from we Fountain fans.

I have a 35 now, a '99 w 500's, which is the single step hull design used on the newer Executioners.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Thank you for the very informative write up. What kind of performance numbers do you get from your boat, it sounds similar to the 2000 with 500 hp's that I am looking at? Also can you tell me how high it sits on the trailer? That is a critical measurement for me as my garage in Havasu has a maximum vertical clearance of 7'10" so the boat on the trailer must be lower than that. The boat I am considering is across the country so I can't actually see it, and it doesn't have a trailer, so I will have the option to have one built (lower if necessary).
Thanks again,
David

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

David,

Glad that helped. On the trailer deal, found a new inside storage spot for mine two weeks ago and the door is a std 8' high. As trimed out it has 7'10" clear, but the door itself hangs down a couple inches so I measured the boat/ trailer to the top of the windshield to be sure, if I remember right it was 7' 6" with a straight edge across the windshield, it fit in with a couple inches to spare. My trailer is an Eagle tandem with 16.5 tires, I figured if I had to I could gain a couple inches by droping the air pressure, but didn't have to.

The 1999 and 2000 are the same hull, some refer to the 2000 as the Classic, mine has the HP 500 carb engines and I run 26" Hydromotive non-lab and /or 28" Bravo lab finished props. Both sets run an everyday 80 mph and both sets will see a couple more in the right water.

BTW if you are truly in the market for a 35, I am looking for a larger Fountain now, and mine would fit in your garage just fine. Let me know if you might be interested, it is likely/most likely one of the cleanest ones out there. I'll be out truck shopping the rest of the day, mine goes away on monday, but I'll get back to you if you want some more info.

Peter

P.S. BTW where is the boat you are considering?

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Here's one you can actually see! Go to the Formula section of the owners forum here on OSO, to the thread "Fort Lauderdale Show" by axapowell,to page #3, to post #52, and click on the putfile video link.

Peter

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

I brought this over here.....posted by Ragged Edge


Both are 35' models but that is where the similarity ends. The Executioner is the older single step design with the more traditional/ classic look. When the "new" twin step, taller deck, full windshield version first came out some buyers prefered the more traditional Fountain look. Fountain then brought it back as the 35 Classic to satisfy those buyers. The move proved sucessful and after several model years they came up with the concept to package the model with the 496 engine only, limited options, and two color schemes, the Executioner as we know it, and offered at a "special" price, considerably less than the 35 Lightning. The concept has worked well, as the model remains popular today. You can now get engine options and add equiptment and more custom paint which appears to have further added to it's popularity.

The 35 Lightning is the newer twin step model. A different bottom design being twin step vs. a single, the model is 6-8 mph faster with like power. The look is much different in that it is a taller boat and has a full glass styled windshield, much like a Formula, a roomier cabin, and comes standard with more equiptment than the Executioner. An expanded galley area with a fridge etc. and a beter equipted head, full bimini top and enclosure etc.

Marketing at it's best. Give the buyer the option of the newer style loaded model or the traditional look at a more affordable price minus some frills, and the added speed attainable with the twin step design. It has worked for Fountain, so well that the 42 is also now available as an Executioner or Lightning model, same basis with a few twists. The 42's share the twin step bottoms and use different top deck designs. One the newer look the other the older classic look. Formula is now playing with a similiar concept with the 35 Sport model vs. their 35 Fastech, the Sport being lighter in terms of options and price, in contrast to the Fountains they use the same design/molds to build each model.

Easy to explain. Long winded, but pretty easy.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Great write up by Ragged Edge. Save the money, buy the 35 Executioner. Boat rides great, looks great and with the 496 burns an average of 22 gph and will run 80. To get a lightning with a set of 500s you are going to have to go back to about 01 to get a price comparable to an 04 or 05 Ex with 496s. I was looking for a lightning when I ran into my Ex. and ended up picking up a boat with 37 hours with a triple axle Roadrunner trailer that had been stored indoors. If you have a litttle patience sooner or later you will find one in your neighborhood that the owner will be willing to give away. The 500s will require valve teain maintenance at 250 hours and will need a refresh at 500 - The 496s wont :cool:

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

How did you do that? I'm sure it's easy, no doubt a long winded explaination too. Not real computer savy myself, chitt I'm still looking for the spark plugs in this laptop. Thanks DT!!!

Now how do we get axapowell's video over here as well? You could work on that one for me too.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

[QUOTE=35 fountain]Great write up by Ragged Edge. QUOTE]


Thank you!!! Anything for the cause. Now if you guys can talk Reggie into hiring me to be his right hand "go to guy", I can move south and have a longer boating season, not to mention being able to play with all the new chitt at the factory. There's an idea you guys convince Reggie that his time is better spent tending to the "BIG" issues and he should delegate all the factory test report work to me. Tell him I'll work cheap.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Hi Peter,
The boat I am looking at is in Ft Lauderdale, FL and I am in the Los Angeles area, couldn't be much farther away. What are the details on your boat, how many hrs? what are you asking for it $$? I actually was hoping to get one with EFI because in the summer in Lake Havasu when it is so hot (115+) the gas perks out of a carb and it is hard to start then engines. The video clip of your boat on Lake Ontario was very impressive looking, I like the colors. Please let me know the details.
Thanks,
David Kahn
818-716-4080 home
818-464-5246 cell
800-660-5246 office
[email protected]

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Dkahnjob, Carolina performance marine in Charlotte NC has a real clean (2004 I think) 35 Lightning with 525s in it, only 60 hours on a Myco for 165. Ask for Britt Springs. Buy the Lightning, the other is slower but cheaper in price.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

See new thread here in Fountain forum....RaggedEdge 35 drive by

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

hey D.K.this might not help with your decision but i bought a 35 from kathy at the brokerage shop 2 years ago and was very happy.i bought it sight unseen!i talked to the fountain dealer who serviced it also the mechanic who worked on it and also had it surveyed!couple small issues but very happy .i also have a great connection for transporting to you.alot of people thought i was crazy but it turned out ok and would use her again!good luck with your decision!!p.m. me if you need more info!!!!!forgot to say this boat came from california!!!!!

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

You were lucky to find a California Fountain, they are rare out here. I do see a few, but haven't seen any for sale in the West. Maybe because we are still having summer out here and everyone is still out boating. :D Please let me know who you used for transporting. I have talked to Kathy on a couple of boats, she seemed very nice. I have bought several cars across the country like this and they have all worked out well.
Thanks,
DK

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

I looked at a 35 Ex just last week at my dealer because I was thinking of downsizing in cost and boat size. The 35 EX has no room at the helm. I could not fit behund the helm, but I am also a big guy at 6'5" tall. Funny thing is I fit in my 29 Fever tight but fine. You'd have to be a small guy to fit in the 35Ex. For me I'd look into a slightly used and well taken care of 35 Lightning. Not only is the 35 Lightning faster but it has more useable room behind the helm and all over the whole boat.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

i cant agree with fever any more i run with a 38 ex and he will agree also!i am at my first home the one for when you cant be on the lake it's 40 something here outside!!!!! i will get the info tom.i posted it on the internet boat 35ft from san jose to sandusky will pay $1600 then i offered a bonus so that i would have it by the 4th of july!!!!!money well spent :evilb: well i will p.m. you tom.i did feel lucky to find my boat and was worried why a boat in calif. was using a broker on the east coast but it was ok at the end.honker marine was the fountain dealer great guys to talk to.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

[QUOTE=Dkahnjob]Hi Peter, The video clip of your boat on Lake Ontario was very impressive looking, I like the colors. Please let me know the details.
Thanks,
David Kahn



David,

1999 35 Fountain, HP 500 Carb, 20th Anniversary Package inc. special graphics with color fade-chrome throttle/shifter-color matched dash-chrome bezels-deck graphics-matching graphics on sun pad and in cockpit carpet, PO head-never been used,water system etc. the standard stuff. 26 Hydros and 28 Lab Bravos. The stock cockpit cover plus a full mooring/storage cover that Robert had custom made for it. Eagle tandem trailer.

Has 225 hrs. total and just over 50 since engines were freshened. Done by local shop, close friend of 30+ years, 100% stock except for upgraded valve springs and rockers to eliminate the normal Merc problem. Isky SP Endurance springs and Crower Stainless full rollers. The boat is honestly an 11 on the 10 scale, anyone here on OSO that knows the boat would verify that. I bought it in Kentucky/Lake Cumberland in July of '04 from Marginmn here on OSO. Both Robert and I have kept it in a boathouse, he had it on a lift, and stored off season inside. It shows as close to new as a used boat possibly can.

Will have the GF try to post some pictures here later and will get you a number thru an OSO PM later today.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...&cat=25&page=1
see mine in the swap shop section, I willing to make someone a great deal

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

With the 07 35's running over 105 mph with 525's, if you sit tight their maybe quite a few 35 Fountains on the market for sale. :D :D

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Beak - so true. I am still looking for one that is free to a good home - that is how I got my dog. :evilb:

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

[QUOTE=RaggedEdge]Here's one.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Thanks Robert! What would I do without you and Downtown42. Did you check out the video? That should look familiar to you too.

Ragged Edge Drive By Vid, check it out.

Oh, my buddy axapowell shot it. ( He likes it when credits are included, and DT42 moved it over here. Credits all around, and I was driving, and the boat "was" yours......... give the Mrs. that signed check yet?

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Ragged....you need a lesson! Oh yea, and some help with computers...


:D :D :D :D


Dave

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

I don't need no lessons, I've got all you educated post hoe's for friends to do it for me. Just look, in the last couple days you have moved videos around and posted all kinds of pictures of my boat all over this board. Now if someone can just find me a buyer for the 35 so I can go get that 38 I've got picked out. Then I'll give "you" a real lesson.................NC................ knowledge is something to be shared amoungst friends.

Oh, could you work on the middle picture ? The rub rail looks a little wavy when you blow it up. Thanks in advance, I know you can fix that.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

I bought a 2000 35' Lightning, which is in Florida, hope to have it on the West coast within a month.
Anybody want to buy a really clean Spectra 32', I have about one boat too many now.

http://www.hotboat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=120909

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

You mean like the lesson I gave you all summer? :drink:

Dave

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

And that lesson would be? Lets see, take a multi step bottomed Formula with HP 500s for power, add upwards of 300 horsepower with good heads and big cams(400 hp if you count your big dyno numbers), make some real impressive gains in speed, and a little more with some more prop tweaking, an all around very sucessful project.

Now what did we learn?

#1 ) Perhaps that the multi step Formula requires the additional 300 hp.(aforementioned) in order to just squeak by a single step design Fountain(a bottom that has been around for close to two decades) with the stock HP 500's.

#2 ) Perhaps that if the Formula had added additional horsepower,say another 200 or so, over and above the aforementioned added 300 horsepower, it might have come somewhat close to running the same speeds that the newer multi step Fountain design runs with the stock HP 500's, at some 500 hp less.

#3 ) Perhaps that had we added the aforementioned heads, cams, and resulting 300 additional horsepower to the single step design Fountain the results would have not been the same at all, all things being equal again, the results would resemble those seen when both ran the stock HP 500's.

#4 ) Perhaps that if we were to take the newer multi step design Fountain(equaling out the bottom design technology) and added the 300 hp, to the stock 500 hp we started with, we would end up over the 100 mph mark vs the mid 80's attained by the multi step Formula design.

#5 ) Perhaps that were we to put into play the newer multi step 38 Fountain, to eliminate the weight/real size issue sure to pop up here, the results would be even more lopsided. In fact that design runs past the 100 mph mark with 600 hp, let alone what it will do with 700+ to work with.

All valuable and informative lessons here. And what part of all this do you think I did not fully comprehend at some point in time before summer ever began ? I think that you forget that my last boat ran just shy of the 100 mph mark, it started life as a 77 mph boat, as did yours,,,,,,,,( no offense intended here ),,,,,,,, you have a way to go.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Some more valuble info for ya. A new 2007 38 Formula Fastech with staggered Merc hp600's (yep the new ones) goes only 79 at WOT. A 38 Fountain is 25mph faster! :eek: :D

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

For sakes of THIS disscusion, let's compare what we have and know NOW!

Fact for Fact: Your boats best speed this year was 81.7 verified by MY GPS not your 80mph old school water pick-up speedo.

My best speed was 87.8 GPS

Call it what you will (technically speaking)....The only thing in common is we own the same year boat. Different manufacuter(Formula), more creature comforts, heavier boat (nearly 2000 lbs plus what the wife puts on it), an additional 260 net HP. I wasn't trying to build just a "go fast" engine package. I don't need to go any faster, and was never my intention to compare it to your Fountain. That's all coming from you. You are making this an argument instead of a disscusion.

Face it, 6mph faster is not just squeaking by....write the check for the 38 and be faster if that's what make you happy! I'm happy with what I've got.....for now.

You should get a job at Fountain, Reggie and you have the same B.S. Kinda like the Cat Killer saga. Come on Pete, compare apples to apples.

(BTW we really are friends!)

Dave

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

It also comes with A/C, generator, vacu-flush and a FULL cabin. Not sand bags! Read my last post. This is not a valid disscusion!

Dave

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Now lets look at the above again, absorb the information, paying close attention to the last comment of the opening paragraph, and the comments contained in the ending paragraph.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

No chit? geeez

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Great! I was beginning to wonder :D

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Not a valid agrument. I was talking about My boat vs. Your boat. That's like me saying I can go get a 35' Cat that will blow the doors of ANY 35' Fountain with the same power. Different hull design! Cat, Fountain, and Formula. If this were about the fastest boat....where would it end?

Dave

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Cat Killer :evilb:

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Good one! :D

Dave

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Way cool video Peter. Lorrie says the check is ready to mail but she first wants to know if the boat comes with a trailer :rolleyes:

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Thank's Robert, and tell Lorrie that for her I'll throw in a trailer complete with a Kentucky title. You know that deal they have down there where they figure if it's hooked to your truck with your boat on it they assume you migh actually own it, as it should be in all states.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Hey Axa,

Ok, I really don't mean to argue, and I'll forgive you if you answer me four simple straight foreward questions. Here we go, and remember, honesty counts.

#1 What is the fastest speed you have ever been in a boat?

#2 What was the manufacturer of that boat?

#3 What is the second fastest you have been in a boat?

#4 Who was the owner/operator of that boat?

Now remember that I know all the answers here, so take your time, and remember that honesty counts.

Re: 35 Lightning vs. 35 Executioner
 

Isn't there a guy at Bonnie with an '05 lightning with 525s doing 92? Reliable speed = $$$$$$, it's that simple.