38 - 42
 

Question for you Fountain heads. I am looking to step up in the Fountain line, I've had a 27,32, and still have a 35 looking to get bigger.
My question is, is a 38 enough of a jump up, or should I go to a42 ?
It was a huge move up in ride quality from the 32 to the 35, will the 38 feel the same ?
Pro's Con's what ever you feel like saying I'll listen.

Thanks for your help.
Reggie

Great question..can't wait to hear some feedback.:wuerg019:

And why stop there: how much better is a 47?

I'd send a PM to ActiveShack, and get his take. :D :D

carcrash, a 47 is out of the budget for now....
Also my dock has perfect room for a 38, a 42 will fit, but it's going to take the whole dock, with the beak hanging over the walkway. The boat will live at LOTO.

If you are on LOTO I'd say go with the 42.

I went from a 32' Sunsation Dominator to a 42" EX. I would recommend it highly. there is no comparision. The ride, handling, and stability is amazing when you make the jump to the bigger boat. There is no substitute for size and horsepower. You will sacrifice a little around the dock, but it just takes some seat time to get used to it. We run in rougher water in Galveston Bay and this boat handles everything. You no longer get beat up towards the end of a long day at a poker run. You no longer worry about what kind of condititons are out there. We looked at 35 -38 and would not change a thing. Well maybe whipples on the 525's. We just got back from Destin which is around a 1000 mile round trip and she towed and launched with no problems. Go for the biggest boat you can afford. You will not regret it.

Good advice from Gerritm. The $$$ difference between the two when buying them used is nothing. If you ever decide to sell the boat, it'll be alot easier to sell the 42 than the 38.

Drive a 38, then drive a 42, and tell us what you think. Before you buy, you need to drive them both, or you'll always be wondering.

Frank

By your location, you are in Iowa. Give Scott or Greg at Shogren Performance Marine a call. They are in Northern Illinois. They are an excellent dealer to do business with and will give you an honest answer on your questions. They usually have a selection of Fountains from 32 to 47 in stock and you can do a test ride in Lake Michigan and make your decision. If they can handle Lake Michigan they can handle LOTO or anything wlse. Try to pick a day when the wind is from the NE--E--SE and they have 3-4 footers kicking up. That is where we purchased our 42' EX. and it was worth the 2200 mile round trip twice to find the right boat.

I was going through the same debate before I bought my boat. You have to consider three things, 1. What power is the boat going to have, 2. Where are you going to use it, 3. How important is top end. I bought a new 2005 38 Lightning w/525's about 5-6 weeks ago. I run the boat in the ocean off of Atlantic City and water tested both the 38 and 42 before I bought. The 38 is noticeably faster then the 42, with 525's half a load of fuel and one person my 38 has run 95mph where as with the 42' my experience was that it ran about 88mph. If your on LOTO I would suggest that you would have plenty of length with 38 and would enjoy the added speed the 38 offers over the 42. If you were running in the ocean all of the time I would suggest you get the 42 and consider the 47. How big is the worst day on LOTO? The 38 will run all day over 3-5's and the ride isn't half bad at 6 footers if their spaced tight enough. At the end of the day both boats are a great choice and you won't find a better value......I searched far and wide.

With all due respect:
95 on a stock 05 38' Lightning????? Thats a little bit of a stretch dude. Got a buddy that has an 06 38 with 525's and factory test says 90mph...best he has seen on our fresh water lake @ EL 915 is 88mph...and thats after he ditched the factory bravos and went to 5 Blade Hydro's. I understand that you may run faster in salt water....but not 5 MPH.

Unless you have 2" Shorties, re-mapped ECM, or a serioulsy high x-dimension with the "perfect prop", a 20mph tailwind and a thimble full of fuel 95 is hard to believe....although it is a Fountian and anything is possible.

I just went from a 24 Python to a 33 Scarab so that would be like going from a 29 Fountain to a 38 Fountain and I want more so yes get the 42.

I ran a 35Lightning for eleven seasons before stepping into a 42Lightning.I drove a few 38's and felt that the step up from a 35Lightning to a 38 just wasn't enough compaired to a 42.I knew that I would not be happy until I had a 42! At first the 42 feels huge compaired to the 35 but after some time you begin to get a feel as to what the drives are doing.I've had both boats to LOTO and had great time with them but I like having the bigger boat.

Dennis

well if u have the money for a 42 ...get it ......but i personally think that a 38 fever rides heavy and handles chop like a charm ......and with the right power u can go fast .......personally the 38 would be my choice ...just the right size for most ocassions and great boat.......and from a 35 to a 38 is a very nice step up

Go with the 42. Not to big and not to small goes fast for its size and has a great ride. There's no way a 42 is running 88 mph with stock 525's. From my experience its more like 82-84 in perfect conditions and light load while the motors are fresh, then it goes to about 80.

Okay who wants to take me for a test ride? A night of drinking on me!:food-smiley-009:

If you are in the Houston area look us up.

Im glad someone else is calling BS on these numbers....prior to mods on our 05 42 Ex, the factory test report read 87mph. Best we got out of it was 85 with 5 blade hydros. 88....no way.

I'll agree here, was talking to Scott @ Shogren last week about a 42 X with 525's and his statement was low - mid 80's depending on load and conditions. 95 would seem like a streach for a 525 powered 38, a friend had one with 575's and claimed high 80's loaded and a tick over 90 light.

the 38 is nimbler, easier to trailer, and faster with stock power. also easier to dock, fend off, and will sell better with stock power.
how ever the 42 with say 700's is a different beast yet tame at the same time.

if you plan on 525's than i would say the 38 , for those days you do solo boating, poker runing or just for performance. the 42 if jump the power.

as for speeds 88 is not out of the question for the 42. 97 for the 38 set up right. both w / 525's. a 38 with 575's and some tuning and dialing will run just under 110 or even 110.

what is more important is what was said. drive them. boat on them for a day in different water. and most importantly be comfortable and at ease with whom you make your purchase. being that it's a fountain i'm sure it wont be hard.

good luck in your search.

Still not buying the WOT #'s here. Using this logic my 05 42 Ex with Whipple 525's @ 780hp ea and 2" shorties with 33p 16" P5+'s would run what..........110? God I wish.
Yes they are Fountians, yes they are the fastest hulls on the water but lets ALL be honest here and not do the "Add 10% to our top speed game." We can leave that kind of embelishing to Cig owners.:Whatever:

05 42 Ex with Whipple 525's @ 780hp ea and 2" shorties with 33p 16" P5+'s would run what..........110?

your numbers are close. except they are 575's and its a 38. and it runs 109.2 the name of the boat is plumb crazy. i posted about it as i waas dialing. you asked for input, and i gave you input. no embelishing. heres a oic or 2

and you were right on. the props are 33 hydro p5's.

a 98 full stagger with single 4 700+ and bravos ran 95. this belonging to mr . sgro.

here.

monstaaa, I really like the colors on that 38 purple and yellow, really stands out. Those motors look great too.
Thanks everyone for your impute, please feel free to give more advice.
~~ Reggie

reggie , i am sure the owner would appreciate your comments. i know i do thanx. good luck bro.

Go right to the 42, that's where you will end up anyways, it's our flagship hull. The new 38, 2006 and newer with "full stagger" will run 95MPH with 525's, 4 people and fuel. It flies, only a few miles an hour slower than 35.

Team Shogren
www.chicagofountain.com
847-336-9037

shogren, I talked to you last week about a 04 42 that you had just sold, I have the 35 signature from LOTO.
Make sure to keep me on your radar.... :D

We'll keep you posted. We have a 2005 42X with 40 hours coming in soon.

Reg you know you want a 42 with a trailer this time so you and the better half can get out on some different water.

No trailer, well maybe one for the winter, so I can mess around with it in my shop....
I don't need different water, I can always ride you you and Jess.... :ernaehrung004:

I'd be glad to take you out and let you drive my 42 although its a side by side and not a stagger the ride is still there and and you might loose 1-2mph on top end, im just around the corner from you at the lake.

later
Dave Hughes

I'd love to do it sometime.
I'll be down next weekend for Willie, maybe we can get together.
Thanks for the invitation. :cool:

i'll be down for the races for sure and more than likely i will be down the weekend of the 9/22 also, just let me know and will try to hook up.

and there you have the true spirit of o.s.o . nice to see.

Reg I think we ARE going to Harbor Hop at the lake are u?

38' vs. 42'
 

Nothing fantastic but I have an 2001 42' Lightning loaded with every option availabe including heat and air - 575 SCis with chillers and smaller pulley runs 93 with 3/4 reading on gas gauges. I never dialed it in. Still running stock 32 Bravos. I moved up from 35', ridden in 38's, would never go smaller until I get tired of waxing it.

Jeff, I'm there if you are there. I love to jump cruiser waves in your boat !!!