I talked about bottoms and setup, you talk about interior.

It seems to me every Fountain that left the line was tweaked to the best available for that time. Maybe a little change in X, maybe weight distribution, etc. but the slight changes make even the same hull better year after year. Reggie never seemed to rest on his laurels.

I'm a huge fan of Donzi... but it seems to me for the most part Donzi will knock out a hull design, test the crap out of it, and that's that. All future boats are setup based on the initial testing which could be a 10 or more year run.

Fountain, to me, are very similar to Corvettes. People *****ed and complained for decades about the crappy interior, rattles, and squeaks. Every time I'd blow away a Porsche, NSX, etc. for half the cost the owners would talk about crappy Corvette interior. What are you going to do, shout to the Fountain that passes you about how ugly his interior is? The Corvette/Fountain owner is thinking to himself, I don't give a crap because I spent a whole lot less and am still faster.

Reggie always seemed concerned about the equipment, speed, and safety. Having a hard time finding threads about adding hydraulic steering on someone's Fountain? yeah, me too... because it has been standard for years now while other manufacturers still make it optional.

The way I, and some others see it, is my azz doesn't have eyeballs but it knows the difference in feeling between fast and slow as well as how thick my wallet is.

Great analogy.....Corvettes and Fountains, both very good performers at reasonable prices (compared to competition).

I wasn't knocking Fountain, just not agreeing they were cutting edge. Reggie brought back the Executioner line and the ICBM line which looked like the originals. Not sure re-issuing a former model would be considered "cutting edge."

Staggered 35 that cracked 100 w/525's was impressive for sure. The bottoms performed great but the paint, vinyl, windshields, cabins, etc were time warp stuff (as in get in a new one and you felt like 1989 all over again).

Fountain or Fountain By Reggie

Kinda like Baja or Baja By Fountain. :D

bravo.....

well said. period, not just on the brand aspect either...

Agreed Kelly! Your boat is a perfect example of what has been coming out of Founain for the last coupe years. The custom paint with the real wow factor, billet hardware up the azz, the custom cockpit, the custom touches just go on and on. Not to mention those 6's hanging off the azz of that thing, and the numbers it will run.

Any Fountain over the years has, in my opinion, always earned respect at the dock, and even more so on the water.

Good comparison.

Personally I am not a blingy guy, I can appreciate the custom touches, the things people do when customizing their boat to their tastes. But simple and functional with a classy look draws my eye more often than not. What surely will trip my trigger every time is how well a hull handles, will it run out straight and true, in control regardless of what you throw at it. For me this has always been where the Fountains shine. It is hard to match one in these terms anywhere near the same money.

Fancy chit makes for great talk on the dock, my this and my that. Bring it on out here and let's see what it's made of has always been the real deal for me. I have yet to see a fancy blingy thingy that made a boat faster, better handling, or safer.

well said myman.i have always known that fountains were the working mans go-fast boats.fast,safe and affordable.they are like a sore cock,hard to beat.

The name ICBM and Executioner were about the only thing that was the same as it was in 1989. The hull design, staggered engines, drives, interiors etc all were cutting edge.

The paint, the cabins (re-designed in 08') were hardly from 1989. Do you just make this stuff up as you type?

Out of intrest I pulled up some classifieds of Sunsations? Are you kidding me?

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...&f=36372_6.jpg

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...&f=35676_2.jpg

Great interior if it was 1975...

:bsflag: You have got to be *&%ing kidding me.. the new style lightning dash/interiors (08+)are one of the nicest ones in the v-bottom industry, hands down. You want to talk about low quality, garbage ergonomic, poor gauge location, STYLE, etc? You have a sunsation, so you can see an example right there. Also Baja for similar crap. IMO no other V can touch the new style interior.. this coming from a formula owner. (the build quality is high in the birds but thats about it).
I want to switch brands due to the performance and helm setup, cant be beat.
No fountain is not the "working mans" performance boat.. way higher end I dont know too many working Joe's who can shell out 250k + for a new 35 or 38 lightning. :angry-smiley-038: Lower end is Baja, sunsation, etc. :drink:

+1 (the lightnings from 08 and some 07's are too)

For me, and I am a huge Reggie fan, it has always been about where I will get the best value and also the best service after the sell....... Reggie put together an incredibly talented group to design, build, test and service his products. He created and instilled an environment of constant improvement of a proven product. The bulk of that group is still at the factory and it appears that the new ownership has a strong desire to keep that team moving forward. It will be very interesting to see the rabbit that Reggie pulls out of his hat but at the end of the day, until that rabbit is seen, I think its hard to stray from the existing arena.......time will tell.....and BTW I've haven't parked by a boat yet at any venue where I felt outclassed

Your statements here are way off. 100mph with 525HP mills was nothing remotely close to what a 1989 10 meter would run with that power. The bottom design, interior, and just about everything is different.

Sunsation makes a nice boat. I have a couple friends with 32's. However, stock mercruiser engine mounts (same as a bayliner) are a no-no in my book. Not too mention when they cut out the holes for the thru hull exhaust, they didnt glass or even paint over the exposed wood. Also, a no-no in my book. You can put a fancy paint job and some billet hardware on a 1978 buick and make it look "cool". Whats important to me is the hull construction, performance, safety, and ergonomics.

offshore boating today has become "who has the most bling". Years ago it was all about how the boat ran, and how it held up. Guys tuning their carbs and timing at the launch ramp and doing shakedown runs have been replaced by guys who couldnt tell you the difference between a cleaver prop and a chopper prop, but NEVER forget to bring out their bio-kleen polish and love showing off their new led cupholders. That wasnt reggie in his heyday.

Back when i was a kid, I used to go watch alot of chicago street racing. The fastest cars who used to clean house were always the guys with grease under their finger nails, sporting some very sleeper looking hardware. Nowadays, its all about neon lights and dubbs. Thats what seems to draw the crowd.

Give me a plain jane 41 apache with some big carbed Chief blower motors. Keep the billet grab handles and cupholders and carbon fiber vinyl. I'll go out in 6ft'ers and do my own thing and let er eat. :drink:

You have slickest most beatiful Fountain that ever came out of that factory.

That is an incredible compliment.....but I have to give credit where credit is due.....the personal involvement of Brian Forehand when this boat was being built is the big reason why it turned as well as it did......Reggie used it several times to take out perspective customers....I think it is one of his favorites too

Reggie should partner up with Fiore and DOMINATE THE WORLD!! OUTERFOUNTAIN!!

Amen to that!:drink:

Reggie says he is leaving because of a " difference in philosophy" That doesn't sound good for any Fountain owner to hear. Quality and being better than the competition may not be of the greatest concern now. So he refused to sign the non-compete papers and resigned. The man doesn't seem done in my mind.

Now that is funny!!!:lolhit:

My first poker run in a cat was really fun.

The night before a good friend of mine was with me and we were running in a friends Nortech cat. My pal was talking about buyng a 35 lightning and the cat owner was calling Fountains every name in the book.

When we were running to the first card stop we ran for 3-5 minutes at above 125mph about 35ft from a 42 Lightning.

When we got out of the boat that day all the cat owner could talk about was

"that phucking fountain"

Not trying to stir the pot but just a good fountain story. I have always thought they were great looking boats.

I never have understood why some people hate the boats so much, you may not like the look (I do) but so what.

I know the beak,I like it, and always liked hydrostreams they have a beak.

People bit*h about the length includeing the swim platform but never say anything about it being inclued on Sunsations, or donzi's.

Just don't get it. Marketing over the top,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, sure but most marketing is. Any body really think BOSE is the best audio out there?

Exactly. Years ago scarab, cigarette, and Apache owners bum rapped fountains because they didn't ride as cushy in rough water as their heavy straight v bottom. Well, fountains did have a harsher ride, but were faster due to bottom design and weight. My old straight bottom 38 fever is 10mph faster than my buddys old 38 cigarette with equal horsepower. Ok, so mine is a 36ft boat, and his is 37.6. His rides nicer thru the slop. Both boats hold up well, neither have stress cracks at 20+ years old.

Nowadays, i will put the ride of a new 38 or 42 fountain up there with any new twin stepped boat of comparable size.

My only on-water experience in a Fountain was at, of all places, the Sunsation Owner's Rally several years ago ( 2003 or 2004 I believe). I rode in a 1997 38 with stock HP 500's. With 5 guys, boat ran low 80's GPS (if memory serves). At the time, it was the largest and fastest vee I had been in. I thought the boat just screamed and rode/handled well. Other than the short front bolsters, I loved the boat. I would love to own a 35 someday. Classic lines/stance in the water and a great performer on moderate power. By the way, we easily were first to Mack and Ray's for lunch, first to the river after lunch, and first back to Metro Beach at the end of the rally. :drink:

u know it 's my favorites and one day hope to own iit . robbie

Reggie is a hard driven winner. They better watch out...

This one is a little more subdued but the camera op isn't zooming in and out like it's a trombone. :drink:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNZjFL8hAqU

Lake boats, for sure! :lolhit:

I'd like to be #3, take good care of it. Saw the boat in person at Lake of the Ozarks, it's a show piece.

The 1993 42 Fountain we bought in May made me a believer in Fountain. We now have a 2002 47 and I plan on keep buying them.

You are wrong. I'll work the tape measure. Cigarette doesnt count there swim platform. Being a TRUE raceboat they dont have a diving board for a nose and a molded in swim platform. The weight comes from stocked cocktails and true running surface. So you have a 34 and im counting my swim platform so i have a 40. Buddy:kiss: :party-smiley-004:

Old 38 cigarette hull, 37'6". The 38 Fever was really called a 36 Fever when it first debuted. We can say the beak does add to their "measured length". However, take a look at a Fountain hull where the hull rises from the water line to meet the top deck. Its probably like a 70 degree angle from the water line Where some boats are like a long 35 degree or so angle from the water line to the nose. so when you look at that scenerio, the several extra inches from the beak is moot. yes, Its all about the running surface!

42 Fountains get called "nice 38FT" boats all the time. But yet nobody calls a 382 Fastech a 35' boat, or a 386 Sonic a 36 ft boat. The 382 Hull came from the 357 Hull, and the 386 sonic a 36 coyote hull if memory serves.

Cigarette did well racing BACK IN THE DAY. Then Fountain came into the game. Wheres all the factory cigarette race boats now? :drink:

This is the problem.. Fountains were developed technically. Donzi, Nor-Tech etc were developed aestetically (interior etc). Now on the other hand, have you seen a Donzi or Nor-Tech cabin that look better inside than the post-2008 Fountains?

I think Fountain should keep the cabin they now have, and make a new "face lifted" deck design and do something to the dashboard to make it more "fresh". The main components/configuration is great, as it has been developed after nearly 30 years. Throttles and shifters to the right of the steering wheel...? Are you crazy? The left side Fountain set-up WORK MUCH BETTER. He know a little bit more about boats than most others!!!

God damn Cieegar boats runnin up the river like dat makin all dat noise, ruin a mans peace I tell ya....

ALL boats should have throttles left. Any experienced person would agree (unless you've only been a throttleman lol)

Lots of good comments here so far, but lets try to stay focused on the original question here.


Reggie's Out, Are You?

I really like the 35' staggered engine set-up and would buy a Fountain from Reggie, but not from the current regime. I also wonder after so many years of Fountain dominating racing, what happens with raceboat production and the technical assistance now that Reggie is gone. I think it is sad to tell you the truth, I liked Reggie Fountain, and his raceboats were awesome for many years..

I had a 35' lightning, sold it two years ago to go into a bigger/slower boat. A Sea Ray 400 (wife wanted more room), the boat was nice, but cruising at 20 kts rather than 50+ mph just didn't get it. I will be back into another Fountain, I don't even think I will look at any other brand, nothing compares. I don't ever buy new, so the changing of the guard really won't affect what I do since a used Fountain will be a Reggie boat anyway.

allready changed . amen smarty .

EVERY time you would run into Reggie he talked nothing but Fountain boats will the next CEO be that dedicated to Fountian Powerboats? I highly doubt it, plus Reggie was hands on in the building process it will Definalty be interesting as how this turns out.

Going to build them all the same now..... Fountain by Donzi.

I have owend two 42's, a 92 and the current boat is a 2000. When it comes time to update I cant think of anything else that blows my skirt up! :drink: