27 or 29 twin or single
 

im in the market for a used fountain. im leaning towards a 27 but not sure if i want twins or a single. ive been weighing out the pros and cons, which brings me to my question of fuel consumption. what motor combos came stock from 1995 to about 2000, 2001 for the 27 and the 29 and how much fuel did they burn?

as far as fuel mil. the 2 boats are about the same with single , but with twins probly 1.5 times the fuel . there is a 27 with twins on here fore sale which is realy a 29 foot boat . I think it is a 1991 ? nice looking . Tim:ernaehrung004:

I have an 2002 Patriot Edition (American Flag Graphix) 27 Fever, 500efi w/163 Hours, red interior, on two year old aluminum tandem axle trailer. Very clean, you'd be hard pressed to find a finer 27 Fever, stored indoors. It's currently listed for $62,900 negotiable. On brokerage and can be seen at http://www.captainschoiceboats.com/boatsforsale.html
Stock #: B27500

A 496HO in a 27 Fever burns 35 gph WOT. A single HP500 burns about 40 - 45 gph, WOT. A single 525 in a 29 Fever burns 45 gph at WOT. I would take a 29 with a single 575 or 525 in a hearbeat. I had a 29 with twin 6.2's and don't ever want another. Two of everything to maintain, and the performance is lackluster, at best. The single 525 will outrun the twin 6.2's hands-down. It may get up on plane a little faster, but thats it. Next twin engine boat will be another 35 twin step with pretty blue mercs, again. :D

Stock engine combos for the 27 from 1995 - 1999 would have been single 454 MPI, 454MPI MAG, 502 Mag (earlier ones with VST tanks, later without), and HP500 carb engines. 2000 - 2001 would be the same except 500EFI would have been another option.

Stock combos for the 29 would have been twin 350mag, 454 mpi, 454 mag, or 502 mags. They were also offered in the "extended cockpit" single engine configurations with same engines including 500HP and 500EFI( 2000 - 2001). The extended cockpit single is sweet, IMO.

I had a 1998 29 with the 502 mags and it was fast as can be but it did not have good weight distribution. It was as fun as you can imagine but did not fly well and somewhat difficult to get on plane(a lot of bow rise and porpoising because of the heavy azz end). Boat ran in the mid 80's and actually got very good fuel economy at cruising speeds. I always liked the dependability of the twins over the single but that is just my preference. Servicing 2 motors was worth it to me for the performance and dependability and the 502's are great for both in that boat. Good luck.

What type of water you boating on? The 27 is a good boat but can get small very fast. If you are on protected water, Lakes, smaller rivers. Its ok, on bays, big open rivers, big lakes, their will be days you wont be able to boat comfortably, it can get too rough. My vote would be a single motor 29, with a 500 H.P. if you can find one in your range. Rides better than the 27 better balanced than the twin engine 29, or 27, bigger cockpit. 2 motors, twice the maintence.

The 27" is a great boat. As stated above it will get small very fast. Some how the 29" is faster in every single motor package.Twins are slow and bad ride. Best choice 29" 525efi.Low maintence good speed go ride.

Yes. Everything I've read says if you do the 29, do it in a single and yes, same power is faster and more stable (27 has chine walk issues). Given the choice, I'd go with the 29. In my situation, I have space limitations so I can only fit the 27 (city won't approve my variance for garage expansion) and where I live a boat outside would get killed with all the trees and ice storms and tornadoes and falling branches. If you can, go 29.

go 29' single:drink:

I had a 2000 29 Fever with a 500EFI, a 2002 292 Formula with twin 6.2's and then another 2002 29 Fever with a 575SCI. The 500 boat was slow to plane, but otherwise a great boat. You couldn't give me another 29' twin 6.2 boat, Fountain or Formula. The 575 boat literally jumped on plane, but with a 30P prop, 1.5 XR drive, and all of the torque that engine had, I guess you could expect that! When in the back seat, my 6 year old daughter and wife didn't like the blower whine, though ... they really didn't like the whine. Top speed on that boat was anywhere between 78 mph (gps) and 81 mph depending on outside temperature and humidity.

Started out in a 1996 27 Fever with a 500HP carb motor ... teal, pink and purple "lightning" graphics! We really liked that boat, and it ran great! 76 mph on gps, but it would start to chine walk at about 74 - 75 mph and never stayed in it (no pun intended) long enough to see where it would really top out, or throw me out! My best friend bought that boat when I sold it and he still has it, 8 years later. It still runs right at 73 mph and has had nothing done except 1 set of spark plugs, oil/filter changes, and outdrive oil changes, literally. I think there is something like 450 hrs on it now. It did have valve springs, valve job and valve seals changed right at 200 hrs.

The 29 has a much taller step than a 27. That's why it's faster. I had a 29 with a 525 and yes it was a little slow to plane and tricky around the docks, but once that boat gets above 50, she gets more nimble and that's when the fun begins! Life prevents me from owning any boat right now, but I sure do miss my 29. It is a raceboat first! Go with an 02 or later. Hull and setup were changed that year. 500EFI should get 75mph but those engines can be played with a little bit for more power. 575's will get into the 80's, but needs supercharger service every once in a while.

Please tell me the what is different from a 2000 to 2002 in a 29 foot fountain and is there any data base

2000 would have been the "old" deck style. No anchor locker, no integrated swim platform ladder, and no full frame windshield. X dimension would have been around 17" - 17 1/2", probably came with hydromotive prop, and boat weighed 5500 lbs dry. 2002 would have full frame windshield, 19 -19 1/2" X dimension, came with a B1 prop, new deck style with integrated ladder and anchor locker, and weighed 5850lb. Cockpit was laid out pretty much the same in both. I think the bottoms on both were the same.

Hope that helps.

Bob

Do it right and go with the 29 single!

thanks for all the help. i think im leaning toward the 29 footer now with a 525. did the 29 only come in the fever or did they make a lightning? which is the fastest year for the 29?

pantytheif,

theres alot of talk on here about the 27 and 29 fever with single engines. probably thats what the particular person owned. so of course they are gonna knock down whatever they dont have which are TWINS.
well, i have twin 454 mags on my 1998 29 fever. i have no complaints with them at all. with a full load and crew on board it gets on plane very fast and handles great in backwaters and even offshore. I personally cant knock the single 29 or 27 fevers because i haven't been on one and never owned one with a single engine. i just feel more comfortable with my twins because u never know what may happen to one engine when your doing a long run or even at anytime. My fuel consumption isnt bad either. Tomorrow morn ill be topping her off with straight fuel no ethanol and opening her up against my other scarab to see the performance differences and fuel consumptions. So ill post that stuff up.

From my personal experience twins are more reliable for things i do. but if your just gonna be hanging out on the lake a single will do fine i guess but offshore i say Twins and 29 of course or bigger. i know if u plan on doing some runs offshore with clubs they require u to have twins and a min of at least 30 but make exceptions with the 29.

also just remember youll outgrow the 27 quick and probably the 29 just as fast. i know i have really quick and i'm looking to go bigger already. i love the power and the speed and everything about being out on the water with that power and hearing my twin engines fired up one at a time is heaven

if your looking for a clean solid 29 fever with twins let me know because mines for sale and the price is very reasonable with all its options, i basically want the money for a bigger boat ASAP. So im considering all offers

well take care and best of luck. Glad your going FOUNTAIN!!

i live in washington state where these boats are almost unheard of! im just looking for a simple, reliable, clean and as close to maintnence free as i can get. i just blast around the san juan islands up here and go for an occational trip or two to canada. id love to go twins and 35 feet but unfortunatley that wont fit the bill unless i only use it once or twice a year!! im trying to get as much fun and speed for a little money as possible. in 3-4 years ill make my upgrade to my 35 or maybe bigger "toy"

I used to own a 27' with a hp500 and loved it. I sold it almost two years ago for about a grand less then I paid. It was a great boat for the lakes and bay here in Va. If I had to do it over again I would have bought bigger with twins. It sucks breaking down with one engine and no way of getting back in.. If I were you I would try to find an older 35'.

By the way I am moving to eastern Wa. in a couple months and wondering how long the boating season is?:ernaehrung004:

No Lightnings. They were 35' and up. Fastest stock 29 Fever would have been either a 2001 classic deck with a 575 at 83 mph, or possibly a 2006-2007 new deck style with a 600SCI, which ran about the same mph, maybe a little higher - never been in one with the 600, just seen factory performance sheets, thats all.

Bob

That pretty much sums it up. However I know a guy who has an F1 race boat (former kilo record holder and still an active boat). The boat was built in 02 and I think I remember him saying that there was a slight difference in the hull from 01 to 02. Something different with the step maybe??? I had an 03 and he would state to me that my boat was based off of his and that it was different than previous versions. Thing was fast though. He was tagging 90 on a 500 EFI. (Raceboat weighed about 4500)

But I'm not 100% sure on if there were any real bottom differences.

Where in Wa. are you at?

Thanks you This helps. Now I know why 2000 and older 29 put 2 inch shortys to go Faster It's the X dimension. Newer ones have bigger trim tabs? For me, I wanted a single. I Boat at a small lake and go to Lake of the Ozarks 3 to 4 times a year. Plus I like to drive my boat and it better on gas. Last year when gas was over 3 dollars and very close to 4 dollars I was looking at 3 to 4 hundrend dollors on gas just for the boat . Put with someone with more income I would love to go twins