market conditions this fall & winter
 

What are people feelings Fountain pricing will do the new few months? We sold our 42 and made some offers on 1998 42's and haven't found a boat I have to have yet. Found a nice 2002 47 Lightning with 500 EFI's, low hours & loaded. Just wondering if I should try and finish up a deal before winter or wait and see what pops up the next few months. I was going to stick to a 42, but the wife would like the creature comforts of a 47 and I'm not ready for cruiser yet. I think its a good move for us. Just not sure if I should wait or not.

eddie,in your post after you sold the 42' you said you boat way too much for that type of fuel consumption,I dont think the 47' will be good on gas.LOL

I'd correlate the boat market directly with the stock market. If you think that the dow is going to be 10,500 or less throughout the winter I'd wait, if you think it'll be 10,500 or higher I'd buy now.

I wish I knew the answer. I have a bad feeling in the pit of my gut that we're set to see inflation and another round of recession. I think that the govt. has spent too much, done too little with what they've doled out, delayed the real recovery and the worst is yet to come. That said, my feelings are based on things generally considered lagging indicators and we could see steady increases in the equity, housing and job markets throughout the fall and winter months.

My 1993 42 was a straight bottom with triple 525 SC, I'm not sure you could come up with a better combination for fuel consumption. Maybe put four of them in the engine compartment? I've got to think a stepped 47 with 500 EFI's has to do way better? Oh and they don't run on 92 either, I can run 87 in them.

There are alot of good buys out there on 47' Fountains, I have been looking for about 6 months, just haven't found the right deal yet. Some day!

Eddie I know there is a smokin deal at Eastcoast Flight craft on a left over 05 47 that they picked up from a dealer in Ct does have a few hrs on the clock . saw it when I was there a while back don't remember the price 978-777-1721 if you waned to inquire ask for Rick or Dan good guys.

I made a few offers on 42's and they didn't work out. Just happened to find a 47 that wants a new home. Just not sure what the bottom is going to be and you know me, I never like to hang onto a boat very long.

sounds nice, I will call and see what number they have on it.

We made an offer on one Saturday, waiting to hear the counter.

blown

I called on the left over, too much coin for my pockets. Good deal for someone that wants a new 2005. He said they might have a used one on the way in so I left my info. Thanks for the lead.

Your Welcome!:drink:

So what kind of numbers they throwing out on a boat thats left over for 6 years? What kind of power in it?

I dont know the # in it but it has all the Options and trip 525's

47 prices
 

I think he told me $277k no trailer and it's has 525 EFI's.

Dealer in Texas had a 2006 with 525 EFI's listed here for $185k I called today and he said it sold for $170k last week it had less than 50 hours on it.

Just saw a 1997 with triple 525 SC's with a starboard engine fire go for $35k on a Myco trailer up in MN.

I bought the one your talking about in Texas a couple weeks ago for $170k on a trailer. We plugged into the center engine and it is showing 29 hours. I haven't checked the other 2 to be sure but was told they would be the same. This thing was about as close to new as it could be without being new.
The problem I see with that 05 is the minute you buy it becomes a used boat. If you plan to keep it for 15-20 years it doesn't really matter but that's a long time. I bought my old 47new in Sept 97 and just went to it's new owner last Thursday and it spent the last 6 years in storage. It came with 500hp's and about every option other than a microwave, which we had the factory add that winter when it was there for a new dash. It seems like I paid around $315k on a Hertiage trailer back then but I may be a little off.

Yeah, all the options including the worst hook ever seen in a hull, judging by the trailer in the pic...?!? :eek:

Guess you haven't been around boat yards much if you have never seen a hydraulic trailer, http://www.hostarmarine.com/ How do you think all those boats get into those boat shows that you go to? or do you just look at the pictures?:lolhit: if you are a fountain owner I would hope you are smarter than that statement !

Not pretending to be smart at all!
 

Call me the most stupid Fountain owner if you wish, but you will never see my own boat lifted with 4' or so of cantilevered hull astern, period.
Which has nothing to see with the trailer being hydraulic or not btw, it's just a matter of using a proper trailer for any given boat size, rather than whatever is handy when lifting the boat. :drink:

Nice buy, the boat looks brand new from the pictures too. I have a hard time keeping a boat more than a year! :eek: I'm must trying to find the nicest 47 I can that works with my budget. What do you think a loaded 2002 47 with 500 EFI's on a decent trailer with 236 fresh water hours is worth?

Good thing you did not see it at the Factory That is how they move them around. Also how most every boat dealer moves the boats on site and in and out of the showroom/boat shows. Bunk trailers are for over the road / customer use. or in this case when the boat is sold and the New owner picks a trailer.

I would keep in mind that you will have to do the valve springs on 3 motors pretty quick. That might be a bargaining tool.

Dam! That was what im looking for.

I saw someone, maybe you, mentioned that in another thread. It was my understanding that the HP500's needed springs around 400 hours, but the 500 EFI's didn't have the same issue. It was caused by an oil cooler thermostat in the HP500's that caused condensation in the valve covers and made the springs deteriorate early. I'm not sure if that's what caused it or not, but I've never heard of the 500 EFI's having the same issue. I just figured they switched to a different spring.

One of my buddies picked up Steve's old 500 EFI's a few years back and they have over 500 hours on them now. He just did head gaskets, but the springs all tested good.

You wont own it long enough to need to worry about it anyway;):D

Buy! Buy! Buy!

I'm a new car apart on price still, don't book your room in Florida yet. :lolhit:

No one wants to throw a number on a 47 with 500 EFI's? Maybe I'm the one that's crazy :eek:

Not many new listings on 47's I've only been watching them for a few months. Either they sell fast when priced right or just not that many come up for sale?

That is soooo true J.T.

Does anyone know if any bottom changes were done on the 47's over the years?

I'm being told 1998-2005 bottoms were different and Fountain went back to the 1997 bottom in 2006.:eek: The 1998 - 2005 bottoms you need to run some tab to keep the boat straight.

Not sure of bottom changes over the years, but I have a '99 with 525sc's and extension boxes. Boat runs straight and level with just a touch of drive trim and a touch of port tab to counter torque rotation. Best boat I have ever owned. Engines have 450 hours and have only had belts, wires, etc. at 350 hrs. Springs were tested and were at spec. Looking to trade down to 35' or less to fit a lift at a house I just bought in Florida. Check it out at www.UpperChesapeakeYachtSales.com

Sharp boat! What kinds of speeds do you see with that set-up?

the 97 was a small step the 98 was the big step as all since then have been, i would think when they went to the twins with bigger power they may have moved the steps. i have also been told that the 47s like to flop from on side to the other on a casual lope down the lake. but when there up and running there a freight train.

later

The 47' runs straight as an arrow. I run 3,000 RPM's at just under 50 MPH and can walk away from the wheel even in a cross chop. Stock 4 blade 30 pitch Mirage props give me about 88 WOT. Previous owner ran Hydramotives and swore to 92 MPH.

The move from the small step to the big step was mid 98 model year. The big step was faster but handled like crap compared to the small steps.

The thing I'm wanting to find out is was there some modifications to the big step and if so what was the date it changed?

I'm also curious how the boxes affected the 99? Did you run it before without them? My small step 98 did great without boxes and handled worse and slowed down a little with boxes added. Back then BK did most of the water testing at the factory on new new boats and he tried to talk me out of putting the boxes on and I wouldn't listen. Pretty expensive mistake looking back.

Boxes were installed by factory when boat was built in '99 so no reference to performance with or without. Can't imagine the boat could be any better without as it is sooo sweet as it is. Also loved my previous 35' non step, and kind of hate to downsize but I can't take the 47 to Florida,

We took the 2002 for a spin on Saturday and saw 92 on the speedo, I was pretty shocked it ran that hard. I'll have a better feel for the boat after the holiday weekend. We pick it up Friday morning. Weather looks perfect for the harbor hop. I'm pretty stoked. Boat has triple 500 EFI's with 241 hours.

Stock 500's?? Better get the GPS out is what I'm thinking.

A few weeks ago when I was looking Greg at Shogren's said the super vent hull boats run 3-5 mph faster than any other 47 hull with the same power.

It's got a GPS on the dash! I didn't even think to turn it on. Yes the 500's are stock and it was the speed off the water filled speedo. Had I not seen it with my own eyes I wouldn't believe it. Preston from Raymonds was driving the boat, when we got back to the dock he said WOW I thought this one had 525's in it, this boat runs good for 500's! He also told me not to trim the boat over 3.5/4 and once I get above 50 only put the drives down if I stop.

I couldn't get my camera out of my pocket fast enough, but caught a pic when he started to pull the sticks back. When it got to 88 I was like wow, then 90 and I was like jeezu, then we hit 92 and I started digging around in my pocket! :drink: I have four days of driving so I will have GPS numbers after this weekend. The lake was also white capped from a 30 mph wind. Still impressive numbers for a 47. My flat bottom 42 didn't run this hard with 525 SC's.

Preston does know how to make a 47 run, he's ran one ever since they started building them. He ran my first 47 in the shootout back in 97 and I bought it 2 weeks later. The next year he ran one with the big steps and he told me then to be damn glad I bought the one I did because the newer bottom may be faster but it sure didn't handle like the old one. Now that I have this 06 I have to agree he was right. I have 525's in this one and it sure won't run 92. If I remember right with 500s you should be around 86ish maybe a little more. If your getting even close to an honest 92 someone did some magic somewhere in/on that baby.

Preston told me several times to respect the boat. The back will pass the front if you jack around with the wheel. He said five professional drivers spin them out first year of the SVH from Miami to Key West. I took it easy driving the boat and told him I like to get use to them before I run them WOT. I turned the wheel back over to him going back into Raymonds cove and he laid into it. Put the drives at 4 and sticks on the dash and we hit 92 on the speedo - no tabs, said he never uses them. I made a remark when the wife and I were driving back to give Charlene a check about wondering what it would run GPS. She said why didn't you turn the Garmin on that's on the dash! :eek:

Speedos always read quite a bit faster than an actual GPS numbers.

I have the same speedo and it is about 4 or 5 mph off at 80.

This one didn't seem to move before 30 mph? Does yours do that too?