I Got The 29 Fever
 

I currently have a 29 fever with aftermarket power.I cant get the bow to lift is this normal for this hull? Anyone have any experience with this?

What year? What motor? What drive? What prop? That would help getting an answer.

2005 , 588 dart750hp,hydromotiveP5X-26bowlift propRH,bravoxr.

Congrats on your choice...the 29' is a great boat from what I hear. Fountain is the best period. I would think the 29' carries the bow pretty well..especially with that power...more should chime in. Welcome to the family!
:D

Thanks for the welcoming 99! the boat currently has a imco-2 shorty lower 1.5-1 It does 82mph gps all day@ 6000rpm I played with a standard bravo lower and managed to pull 89mph but it runs bow down severely! Im putting a stellings extension box on and with the imco-2 lower hopefully this will give me more leverage and get the bow up. I need a prop with more pitch i think maybe a 29LH.

I always thought that Hydromotive props give rear lift which would put the bow down. Try a Mercury prop and see if it helps. I run 95 with a standard drive and 750hp in my 27 and the 29 should be faster. Especially with a 2" shorter and a 5 blade. Should be close to 100 if not more IMO.

From what im told the stepped hull likes a lower x dimension I think thats why it likes the standard lower unit and runs faster, the p5x-26 is supposed to be a bowlift prop as for top speed i think my prop slip is out of control 30%or worse OUCH! but with the box im hoping for 95mph or better with the right prop.

I would think that an extension box would slow you down. It has for every boat that I have seen it on. It really does help with stability though. Most of the boats I am referring to were cats. 2" shorty might be too high. Try to put a spacer in and run the 5 blade.

I have run the -2 imco lower with a 2" spacer (factory X dimension 19.5") running the same hyro5 blade prop but the boat likes so much positive trim that the nose cone on the imco lower drags because its pointing downward so severely that it causes the boat to loose speed.

Any Fountain Experts In This Department?

i would try a six blade prop to get the prop slip in controlle , if indeed it is slipping that much ? i run bravo s and my fountain carries the hull verry well , standard xz 136 gear 598 700 almost 90 mph expensive chit hah

also you should be able to calculate the actual slippage of the prop off youre accurate tack , gear ratio ,prop size, speed , get a hold of brett at bblades and see if he can help let the real pros get you there quicker and less trial and error good luck rob

I didn't have much luck with a Hydro 5 blade either. Too much weight up front compared to a raceboat. I'm running a standard setup with a 525 and run close to 82 with a 28 Bravo and close to 78 with a 26 Bravo in the summertime. I'm getting under 9% slip with these props and yes I am using a LH wheel. Try that for starters.

Not sure on how the shorty is affecting your boat. I do know that the setup from the factory is very aggressive from the start and I've read that shorties and extension boxes were counterproductive. But I've had no experience with them on my boat.

The two fastest 29's out there that I know of are Racksters and Chief Fever. They each run close to or over 100 but it's taking about 1000hp to do that. I think you should be close to or over 90 with your power.

Dirt173,
I am running a 575sci in my 05 29' Fever. Prop slip has been a problem for me also. (see my thread in Prop Talk). I have been told by Brett and local mechanic that I need to increase X by 1". I would like to hear from sombody that has already done this first. By far, the boat does best with a 27p 5 blade Hering. Runs 82mph hitting the 5400 rev limiter and planes easily without tabs.
Rick

Also going to LH prop made the boat handle much better.

Thanks for the info guys it will be intresting to see if this setup with the box and the shortie lower works, I talked with an engineer who deals with x -dimension and drive setup and this is what he came up with hopefully im headed in the right direction.I just put a new intake on my motor i was having fuel delivery issues with my injected manifold pulled 75 more ponies on the dyno im hoping to hit the mid 90's if this setup works!

If someone knows something im missing PLEASE! reply THANKS FOR THE HELP

75 hp from a intake swap , i want one of those my friend , let us know how it goes , :cool-smiley-027:

Dirt 173,i have a 98 29 Fever been 99mph listen to me take that hydro and sell it won't work on your boat i have had great success with Maximus 5 blades from Bblades,havent tryed a 6 blade ordered one over a year ago from Herring Rackster used a 6 blade and hit 102.4 on radar!I just put a 31 labbed Max. on will test tomorrow i will post results,i have a couple 28 max. labbed and tweaked to 29 if you are interested dont hesitate to contact me!!Ray

thanks ray, do you have any suggestions on my setup that im running, will it work with the extension box or am i just spinnin the wheel? As for the prop majority says im wasting my time with the hydro5. What are you running for power/drives and what ratio drive?

Dirt173,

I have a 2001 29' with a 500HP. I went from a 26 pitch 4 blade Bravo, had Mercury cup it to a 27 pitch, then purchased a labbed 29 pitch 4 blade Brave. I gained about 2mph from the 26 to the 29 pitch, I run 79 mph on my best day now. However, I did pick up a lot of speed in the midrange, I went from 40mph to 52mph at 3500RPM.

I've talked to my marina before about shorter lowers and extension boxes for my boat. They've said all along that they do not work well because the X dimension is so high as it is. So it makes sense that you picked up speed with the Bravo lower. I have 2 friends with superchargered Fountain's, one has a 27' with a 502 and a Whipple Charger, the other has a 29' with a Whipple Charged 500HP (this one is about the same HP as you.) Both guys played around with their props and both ended up with 5 blade Herrings. The 29' has a Merc #3 drive and runs mid 90's, which with 750HP I would think you should be able to acheive easily. I called to see what the pitch is on the Herring and I will post it when I hear back.

Hope this helps and welcome to the club!
Mike

DIRT173,

The 29' I referred to in my previous posting with a Whipple Charged 500HP is turning a 28 pitch LH 5 blade Herring and runs 96MPH.

Thanks,
Mike

Dirt173,I agree the ext. box is a waste of money,I'am running a 540 Chief Engine 871 blower 10lbs of boost intercooled of course,Imco Extreme with Imco shorty 1.5 ratio,no drive issues of yet TNT does all my drive work,wish i had a Herring i no that i have the power to break that century mark!!!Be good and go fast,Ray

Ray,

I wish I had your numbers!

I think that the shorter lower causes more performance issues on the newer 29's because of the higher X dimension due to the larger step and the step position. Do you agree?

I was thinking that DIRT173 should try the Herring with the Bravo lower and see what happens. What do you think?

Thanks,
Mike

Mike, Don't no if my x and Dirts differ do you?My shorty was on when i purchased my boat,it had the 525sc 454 witha Weind-Mercruiser baby blower,back to my drive not shure if its a 2" or 1" shorty,i have 380 planes,just put on this new prop 31p Maximus diffuser removed boat pops out of the water instantly,Bravos dont work well with my combo way to much slip!!I was spinning a 36p b-1 close to 6000rpm 96mph way to much slippage,Ray

i think most of the problems stems from your nose cone . they tend to lift the stearn of the fountains and lose speed . try a b1 with no cone and a good round ear 5 blade. a cleaver is not helping you .

Hey I really appreciate all the help you guys are giving me! My factory X dimension from fountain is 19.5"on the build sheet I think after 2004 reggie raised the x dimension and i thnk youre right the step may be re-positioned it seems there isnt a whole lot of drive height/lower unit information out there on what setups work. I am a beliver in this whole transom lift senario im getting rid of th hydroP5x ,right now my boat couldn't get out of its own way!!! (BROKEBACK FOUNTAIN)OR (POORLY SETUP FOUNTAIN) you make the call?

Don't be so hard on yourself!!!I've been through three motors and ten props and I'am still not happy!!100 is the goal !!I've ran two different p5x's on my boat they just don't work!Dirt you really should try a Maximus I have a labbed 28 with cup added that would work for your app.PM me and i'll give you my #Ray

Chief , I got a bravo 1 labbed 29L 4blade with what they call a (baja cup)is this similar to what your talking about or is the maximus diffrent?Oh I think I need to upgrade my membership before I can p.m.you.

I havent had much success with 4blades,once you try a Maximus you wont go back believe me i have a shelf full of props!Give me a call tonight 239-438-5117 Ray

1998 Fountain 29 single engine boat should have the X dimension 17 to 17 1/2 inches. In 2001 - 2002, when they switched to using B1 props, the X dimension went to 19 1/2 inches. Also, boat got 350 lbs heavier when they went to the new deck style in 2001- 2002. "old" style boat weighed 5500 lbs and "new" style went to 5850 lbs. From what I was told, the whole goal of getting the X up is so you get more straight line thrust from the drive/prop. Higher X boats should require less trim, with neutral trim being near optimal, ie, puts thrust vector straight ahead, so none is lost pushing the boat "up" or "down", and theoretically, you get the best use of the thrust. Also, the boats tend to run with a flatter attitude when on plane and at higher speeds, again, more of the "straight ahead" thrust vector thinking. Notice the word "thoretically", though. A little more wetted surface, but you get the hull areation from the step, too, since that part of the boat is in the water when they are running flat. Its a harder concept for some to grasp when, with traditional vee hulls, the "more trim is better" and "less hull in the water is better" worked.

From what I have seen, Hydromotive Q-IV props don't like that high of an X dimension, they just blow out, trying to get on plane.

Thanks for the info bob.That explains a lot of things,do you have any reccomendations that would help my setup?

no great words of wisdom ... I had a 2002 29 with 575 SCi and ran a 30 p B1 prop. Slip always seemed higher than I thought it should be, compared to the slip % we had on our 2000 29 with 500 EFI running 24 or 25 Hydro Q-IV props. Did find that the 2002 ran ~ 1 mph faster with RH rotatation B1 of same pitch but didn't like the way the boat leaned getting up on plane and lower mid range cruise - alway had to use some tab to correct it. When calculating slip, need to remember that B1 props pitch number is not the same as that for Hydro Q-IV's way of labeling pitch. If I remember correctly (and don't hold me to this), B1 props pitch is max pitch, whereas hydro Q-IV pitch is average pitch, so you need to subtract ~ 1 inch of from B1 prop to do slip calculations, to compare to Q-IV slip calcuations. Had lots of suggestions to get slip % lower, ranging from experimenting with drive spacers to going to 5 blade props. Since I didn't have access to cheap or free drive spacers or unlimited funds to try a variety of props, I just ran a stock 30P B1, which seemed to be a good all around performer for me. Tried several of my friends Hydromotive props and couldn't ever get the boat on plane due to prop blowout. The hydro's seemed to be prone to blowing out, even on our 1996 27 Fever with 500, and 2000 29 Fever with 500 EFI, especially when cornering, they would often lose their bite. The B1 prop didn't lose its bite in corners on our 2002, though.

If Anyone Has Any Setup Info On This Style Hull Please Post, Everyone Has Been Very Helpful!!!!!!!!!! (2005 FOUNTAIN FEVER 29') Thanks, DIRT173

I have an 03 with a 525. I've had great success running 26 and 28 Bravos with under 9% slip at WOT. I've recently had my engine "bumped up" and I should be making close to 600hp at the prop. I've bought a 30" Hydro QIV that was labbed a bit to calm down the stern lift. When the cool air arrives this week, I'll run it and see what it does. I've heard so many "yays" and "nays" about putting Hydros on the non-race version of this hull. I also want to try a 5 blade round-ear prop as well for summertime. I'm told they work well with this hull.

But as for today, the sun is shining, the seas are 2-3 and we are OUTAHERE!!!!!

UNSANE, I have a new merc 4 blade 30 pitch "baja cup" that is supposed to be the SH*T, test on monday morning 1/14 weather looks good in HB! I will let everyone know how it works ,thanks for the help good luck with the hydromotive! DIRT173

I had a 2000 29 Fever. After 2001 Fountain raised the X some. Normally a step bottom boat will run flatter than a traditional deep V....that is how all my Fountains have run. Also there is already a built in the transom set back box...you do not need one with a 29 Fever.

Hey DIRT173,

Did you do a test run with that prop Monday? If so how did you make out?

Thanks,
Mike

Hey, I ran some props last Sat. The only bad news is that I'm running very rich and had no top end "poop", but sure made my transom dirty. Another re-tuned ECM is being sent to me to try that's been leaned out a bit on the top end. I ran a 28" Maximus, a 30" B1 and a 30" QIV. Since only my top end was affected, I did get some cruise numbers and a basic idea on how the boat behaved.
By the way, I plane at 1/2 throttle most times!
28" Max: Planed very fast, not much blow out. Cruised at 63mph at 4000. Only could muster 76.3 at 4900 (with a tail wind). Boat turned fine and handled good. Needed more trim though. I will revisit this prop for a summer/cruise setup.
30" B1 (really a 29.3) Planed just like any other Bravos with some blowout. Ran 60 around 4000 and gave me about 77.5 at 5000 rpm
30" QIV: took a little more throttle input and did blow out, but since I only run up just past 1/2 throttle, I was already making good headway and got the boat up to speed without much problem. This wheel was around 62 at 4000 and gave me 79.5 at 5000. Probably over trimmed a bit to get the bow up as my slip was 16%. Boat turned better to the right but felt a little more "lively" overall. I think with some power back, the boat's natural bow lift will put this prop and hull in "harmony". Next step is to get the engine tuned right to give me back my top end power. Then I'll mess with the blades with the goal being to get the rpm's up to 5350. That should get me around 86 or so. I jumped up over 4" of pitch and planed out just as fast on 1/2 throttle and was 1/2 throttle at stated cruise speeds so the power is there. I will test all 3 props again this week with a new ECM tune with the priority on the Hydro as I own this prop already and I'm looking for WOT numbers.
Based on how well it acted with the Hydro, I will not worry too much about the B1. I will come back to the 5 blade when it gets warm.

But it will plane out with the Hydro. Just don't floor it when trying to plane. That's bad for the drive anyways. Just put the drive and tabs all the way down. Stick it up to 1/2 and around 19 or 20mph, start tapping the tabs up. Around 25 and around 5 on the tabs, the Hydro will blow out fast and big time. Pull back on the stick a bit and get those tabs to neutral leaving the drive down. Around 30 or so, pull the tabs up and drive to neutral and you'll be on your way.

Hope this helps.

Hey thanks for the info UNSANE it sounds like you got what you were lookin for with your slip numbers. If anyone was wondering why I didnt post after I said I was going to test was because ,I have been having severe problems with my engine management system amongst other things but Im working with some good people here in Hunnington Beach and hopefully I can get this sorted out . My goal is to hit 95mph@12%slip or better and Im gonna hit it or die tryin! I will keep posting as we sort things out. THANKS! DIRT173