Fountain vs Sutphen
 

Wondering how an old Fountain 33 would stack up against a sutphen 33. The Fountain is really a 29ft boat, with a pad bottom and are known to suck in rough water. The Sutphen is a rough water animal. True 33 ft boat with deep vee. They dominate the rough seas.

I think this video is bs. Had the seas been bigger the sutphen would have outran the flat water river boat Fountain hull. I bet the sutphen guys were sipping martinis while the guys in the Fountain needed sippee cups.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2YxQLSDhh0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

sutphen i think is a better built boat, just not a ton of them out there...

I raced in B class and can tell you that Heartbeat was the boat to beat. Unless they broke, you werent going to beat them. Thats an older fountain without the platform, so I dont know why it would be considered a 29. That boat rocked in any water.

Nice find Joe! I don't care which boat is faster...that looked like a BLAST!

That Fountain is set up nicely for sure. Great lookin boat too, all black is badddd azzzzz.

I guess you missed his sarcasm :D

How so? I am not aware of any structural issues with fountain.

Not a lot of profiles out there either, are they also better built?

I am not a fountain guy, but the original 33 Executioner was as good as any in tough waters. Given the choice, I'll take the Sutphen.

I was warned by many and even my survey guy that the 32' fountain (which was another boat I looked at) has bad issues with stress cracks at or near the step (depending the year) due to a bad lay up.

Looker at 2 and both had those cracks. If it's not common then i just have crap luck to find 2 back to back with that issue.

The lack of freeboard in the cockpit looks almost comical. That Fountain always ran hard, cool boat.

Cool video, looked like a fun ride!

Trouble maker Tild Mhunder
Page 30 here we come!

:poopoo:

I just don't get it? Fountains are NOT capable of rough water. If you wanna go tear up the rough seas, get a Pantera. They will outrun boats twice their size when the seas get rough..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbH9Qdp7C8w

Oh MY!!!!!! Must be something in that coffee this morning!!! Going after all the haters

I'm just trying to figure it all out that's all. I've heard Fountains cant run in rough water. The guys who boat at Table Rock and Grand lake said so. When the lake kicks up with all that chop from bass boats the Fountain guys go home, and the big boys come out with the Cigs and Apaches and show them how its done. I have heard it resembles the Apache to Bimini race down there when they get a 20mph wind gust. Definitely not Catamaran water. :readinghelp:

Sorry but I don't have a fight in this argument, cause when a bass boat or pontoon blast by me i put mine back on the lift! I only run rough water if i get stuck out in it. Otherwise its a dock day. LOL

Woe to the Miller Lite on a T-Dock "Dock Day." lol

Clearly it's a better built boat as this demonstration shows its full ability to stay afloat with the bow removed and then the way they displayed the stringer configuration in pic 2 was awfully generous also. Case closed.

I hear ya. Maybe this summer, you can drive my pontoon while I jump its wake with my Fountain. Just tell your girl to bring the SLR camera and newest go pro for that footage. I'll mount a go pro next to my throttles so I can show how to properly throttle in rough water.

I dont know about that,,been boating for a long time and owned some Bajas,(I know) sea rays,6-7 Powerquest boats,,when I sold my last PQ 1 1/2 ago I wanted to buy a 38 Fountain,,could not find the right one so I ran across a 32 Fountain,I was with out a boat and thought I would bye the 32 and sell it once I found the 38 I liked, never been in a Fountain all I knew was what I had heard and most was not that good I flew to California looked at and bought and payed for it the same day,it was in a lot so I never took it for a test drive,on the flight back home I was thinking to my self I hope this boat rides as good as my last couple of boats and it be ok for the time been,three days later the boat was home and I took it out for a ride,once I realized I had to use my left hand because my right hand was now there to hold my drink and not throttle the boat we went for a spin,2 minutes into my test drive I was pleased with the ride and spending some time on the boat I could tell you its put together good,
stress cracks? I have 2 on the port rear cleat, I have seen a lot of boats with stress cracks,some say its normal.

Did your survey guy mention to you about some issues that some boat builders had when they switched to vacuum bagging ?

I thought everyday is a dock day on T dock????

Sorry my friend, i do not drive pontoons!!! I relax in them with a drink and a cigar. I have no problems being the navigator

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W8MDMkxP-2A 30' Sutphen in Cape Cod Bay...unreal

Mines been around for 37 YRS !

Having been on an A-boat race team during that era, the Heartbeat Fountain was the boat to beat. Fountain was also quickly becoming the boat to beat in a lot of other classes as well. The Factory boat and Ohio Steel really shook up the big V guys when they came along.

Grasshopper you speak perfectly well about something to which you know nothing about! Not BS!


The Fountain was a purpose built race boat as well as the Sutphen. I was in that very race in a much slower boat and saw them fly by us in big water bridging the wave tops on the backside of the race course in KW. Very impressive. We always Knew the Sutphens were built like tanks but were surprised at how well the Fountain held up.

The Sutphen "Buck Shot" spun out hard in one race and only blew out the motor vents. I was in the helicopter at a later race between these two with Jeff from Freeze Frame when Heartbeat the Fountain eventually tripped and stuffed breaking the boat in half and injuring the team. Both guys had really big ones and knew how to air it out. Still the most impressive driving I've ever seen.

My original post was meant in sarcasm since most on oso say Fountains suck in rough water.

So heartbeat also tripped and stuffed broke in half and injured the team like buck shot did?

Holy crap, I guess we need a SARCASM button MT?!!! I can pictures faces getting red as the blood pressure rises and the keys get struck harder. LMAO

I never asked a question that specific.

I was down to my current boat or a 32 fountain (2 of them). I only wanted to pay for one survey so he gave me simple clues to look for myself to see if I could rule out one or two.

Tom, do you know if there's a difference in the layup on older Fountains compared to the newer ones with foam core? My buddy has a 98 35 and it beats you up pretty good in 3-4 footers without trimming down. Riding in a 38 or even better, in a 42 is night and day in rough water.

I am not a Fountain guy, so I really couldn't tell you. Just based on 80/early 90's boat building, they probably were heavier than now.

I have been on a lot of V bottom boats that were FAST but rode like crap. I am not sure how these guys were at the end of a race, but they always seemed to be out front.

Strange thing when my 32 is beating you up at 50 if you speed up to 70 it doesn't.

And I have not seen any stress cracks at the steps on any of the :2's I looked at. They do where the engine bay side scoop is molded in. Not surprising.


Btw

Just to be clear I don't mean in water like those are running in. Just in general.

My buddy's 35 doesn't show stress cracks outside the hull but does in the floor where the cabin door entry is so must be some flexing in that area.

I do know that at one point, Reggie supposedly stopped using Balsacore in the bottoms due to "shear failure" along the end grain. (A friend of mine had that very failure in his 1989 29' Fountain - but he beat the crap out of that boat.)

As far as the difference in ride between a 35', 38' and 42' Fountain - they all have 23 degree deadrise bottoms. I'd say the difference in ride is more due to weight and length than anything else. And yes, a 42' rides like a dream in almost anything, but compared to a Cig or Apache, it's not that great of a really "big water" boat.

Isn't it a little unfair to compare any boat at least not on par length wise to a Cig or apache? No 32 on earth is going to ride like a 41 in any sort of snotty water. Same holds true for a 32 vs a 38 topgun... Just my $.02 so probably not worth mentioning.

In other news, the run between heartbeat and buckshot is sick. I have got to believe that it comes down to set up and driving at that point. Part of the reason the fountain seems to run a bit faster, is it keeps it's props in the water more. Driver or setup, I don't know. But that racing is ballsy!

the vfountain never lifted off the throttles...suftin did...

Ya both the ones I saw had then right where the step is on the outside.... One was bad the other not so much but I could see it.

Ibam no fountain hater (would love a 42 lightning) but when I was picking up a boat then, it was enough to make me move on.

I agree great racing! You just don't see that much anymore. i sure miss the days of Factory racing being on Speed.

Fixed it for ya! :party-smiley-004: