Originally Posted by BZ (Post 3611023)

Here is my .02 on this deal..he asked about the 27...not the 29...he didn't say please compare the 27 to the 29

Originally Posted by mcprodesign (Post 3611257)

It will not turn Right when you back up. So you will have to swing it in a left direction going forward and drop it in reverse.

Originally Posted by BZ (Post 3611023)

Here is my .02 on this deal..he asked about the 27...not the 29...he didn't say please compare the 27 to the 29....I had a 27 it was a great boat 502 MPI did everything I asked it to do at that time mine was a 1998 after time you will love the left handed sticks....what years where you looking at???

Originally Posted by bob_t (Post 3611194)

Not knocking the 27 (I have had 2 of them, a 1996 with an HP500 and a 2004 with a 496HO). Just speaking from 14 years of fooling around with quite a few Fountains'. IF he can afford it, and IF he has the space to put it, in my opinion, the new style 29 single (the one's with built in swim ladder and anchor locker) is a more satisfying package, overall. The 67 gallon gas tank on a 27 has its limitations, depending on where you boat; the 110 -119 gallon tank in the 29 gives you more "flexibility". The 29 has 1' longer cockpit, which seems much larger than that, when you jump out of a 27, and into the 29 - the difference is between the back seat and the back's of the front seats, and it is immediately noticable, and more "comfortable". The ride is marginally to not really noticably different, unless you start to get up in horsepower .... the stepped hull 27 will chine walk a lot quicker (been there too many times in higher hp 27s' ;) ). The ammenities in the cuddy are a mute point in my opinion. The 29 gives you a built in cooler and a pressurized fresh water sink (that we never used in any of the 4 29's we had), but you sacrifice the port side bench seat for that - other than that, the cuddies are "the same". Again, I know he asked about a 27, and I'm not knocking the 27 - they are fun boats, just sayin' that I think the 29 is a choice to consider ... if it works for him :D.

Originally Posted by mcprodesign (Post 3611257)

It will not turn Right when you back up. So you will have to swing it in a left direction going forward and drop it in reverse. It makes you a better navigator i think. :D A lot of work to dock a single 27 or 29. It is a fun challenge in my book. You have to wait for things to happen somethimes. Step Hulls are faster but the boat will look smaller on the trailer. Just a thought. I loved my 27 and a 29 would have been cool too. but i was happy w the 27. Chad

Originally Posted by mcprodesign (Post 3611257)

It will not turn Right when you back up. So you will have to swing it in a left direction going forward and drop it in reverse.

Originally Posted by mapism (Post 3611419)

Actually, it's often the opposite, since many 27' left the factory with a l/h prop.
Not that this makes much difference, what you're saying is correct in principle - either way.
The trick if you wish to make the boat reverse wherever the prop walk works against you (to stbd with a r/h prop, to port with a l/h prop) is to use trim tabs (fully lowering the stbd one or the port one respectively).
Makes the maneuver even more interesting, particularly with some crosswind...!

Originally Posted by 8luglogic (Post 3617064)

I have a 2000 27' Fountain 502 and for the most part it is an awesome boat . At the time I bought it , it was a huge step up from a 24' Campion . I only wish it had more power . mid 60's is is a tad slow for my liking . I have contemplated repowering it , but it would cost more than the boat is worth . I figured I'd leave it as is and enjoy . That is prettty much my only complaint on the boat . I would have loved a 29' but at the time I purchase ... boats were still worth something . 29's were selling in the mid 70's & up . That was beyond what I could afford back then . It's easy to bash the smaller boats when you are a little further up the food chain in terms of income and size of boat . No matter which one you go with you will still have an awesome boat !

Originally Posted by bcfountain (Post 3610472)

buy what you can afford.imo theres not that much diffrence worth writing home about.