Is Reggie Fountain left handed???
 

So why are the throttles on the left side of the dash? Seems it would be awkward for me after having my Donzi.........just a Friday ?

Nope
 

Reggie isn't left-handed. He has always said that he put the throttles to the left so that two people could run the boat in rough conditions. I'm with you. I'd rather throttle right-handed.

4 years ago I would have agreed with you, but after having my fountain for 4 years I dont think I could go back to having the throttles on the right.

The story I picked up is that Reggies theory is that most people are right hand dominate. Having ones dominant hand in control of the steering is safer, and allows for better boat control, makes sense. In my own case I would be more inclined to the more traditional set up, basically due to so many years of having stick shift cars in my younger days where the leftie is the steering hand. On my second Fountain now and will say that you do adapt after some time behind the wheel. Were I to ever buy / build a brand new Fountain I do think I would look into the possibility of having at least the throttles on the right side. I do really like having the gear shift on the left side when docking.

I think, if you recall the old Fountains had the driver and passenger seats/bolster side by side and the cabin doors are on the left side not centered. The old Scarabs had a similar arrangement. By having the throttles on the left the passenger could now in effect be a throttleman with his right hand just like the race boats - just my opinion.

Joe Gere

That's also what I understood, The ability to have a driver/ throttle man setup with no additional mods.

Also what I have always heard.

I dont like having the throttle and shift levers so close to people moving in the cockpit of the boat. I dont like squeezing past them to get into the drivers possition either. Move them to the right, or build the boats cockpit around left sided sticks.

Maybe he once was a co-pilot
or
drove British cars

ed

Habana Joe and Ragged Edge are both correct. This comes from the Reg. I heard many people ask him this same question. I preferr the throttles on the right, and the shifters on the left. Makes it easy to dock when the shift levers are by themself.
When I bought my Fountain, the throttles were on the left. What I noticed, was that while cruising through snotty waters, trying to hold a steady rpm, my left arm was suspended in air with nothing to rest my elbow or any part of my arm on. In rough seas, this made my left arm move back and forth enough to raise and lower the rpm that I was trying to hold steady. It was very uncomfortable to take any kind of a long trip while trying to cruise at 70-80. At WOT, it really did'nt matter. After 2 years of fighting the throttles, I redid the interior and changed the throttles to the right side. Best change I ever made in my opinion anyway. Now it's a pleasure to drive with a cushioned pad under my right forearm.