offshoredrillin

Quite a few 42 cigs out there in the comparable price range, it will handle erie with no problem... may want to look at them as well.

Marginmn

iTrader: (1)

You are talking about two totally different size boats. The 43 Donzi is a beast and is comparable in mass and feel to a 47 Fountain - that's why bravo 43 ZR's usually come with triple 525's - just like the 47 Fountains. It's takes that much power to move that much mass. Go bigger power and you can get by with twins in either boat. But comparing a 43 donzi to a 42 Fountain is apples and oranges. The 43 ZR will ride and crush waves like a 47 Fountain. The 42 Fountain will ride like a 38 ZR. Still a nice hull but totally different sized boats that you are choosing between.

I know this first hand from when I owned my 38 Fountain and tied up next to a 38 ZR. In every way the 38 ZR made my 38 Fountain look like a 35 - and frankly my Fountain looked cheap sitting next to the Donzi. They are both great hulls but the fit and finish is going to be better on the Donzi. IMO both boats (the 38 Donzi and the 42 Fountain) feel a bit under-powered with just twin 525's. The 38 ZR I test drove topped out around 86 on Lake Cumberland which is right about where a 42 F will run with 525's.

If boating on Lake Erie there is going to be no comparison between the ride of a 43 ZR vs a 42 F. One is a wave crusher and the other is a wave skimmer. I'd go with the Donzi no question.

s022mag

Im about 99% sure that's how I'm gonna go, just wanted to get some opinions. I have 2 buddies that are forum members and they just recently bought 47 Fountains, those boats look enormous so that's why I was considering the 43 or 42. I've also been told that the 42 Fountain is going to be closer to the 38ZR as comparison.

What power packages did Donzi come out with on staggard 43ZRs

B38

Donzi all the way. ZR38

Tom A.

The staggered 43 ZR's started at 700's and went up from there. I believe there were a few with 850s and 1075s, a couple Ilmor as well as one that had 900/1000 Teague motors.

There were also a few triple 700' and Ilmor boats.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

I have a friend with a 43 zr 700/nxt package. Fit and finish is amazing, however the cockpit fit and finish on a 2007+ lightning is not far off. the fountain however lacks custom molded fiberglass found in the donzi and other high dollar boats. I scraped my back on the upper door opening entering the cabin of the 43zr going forward, the owner advised me to "back in". The bed is very shallow compared to the bed of a lightning. The cabin fit and finish of the donzi will blow away a pre 2008 fountain, hands down. A 2008 + plus Fountain with the upgraded cabin is actually quite nice, and believe it or not roomier in my opinion of that of the donzi. Never been in rough water in the 43 but I have seen it run and looks to do just fine. Someone on this thread suggesting the Donzi it is superior in rough, I am calling bs. It is also a low freeboard, big step Design from Cadwell.....the same guy that designed the last big step bottom from fountain. Fountain even threatened to sue Donzi over the ZR bottom before the big market crash.

Quality- Donzi, but its not a land slide
Cockpit Design and Bling factor - Donzi, you are also rare and won't have the "me too" of a Fountain
Efficiency- Fountain....more speed less fuel
Price- Fountain. You will most likely be in the price range of a 42 fountain 700/#6 package at the price of the 43Xr T-525/XR
Cabin-Fountain, Bed alone wins.
Racing heritage.......come on

If you are worried about the big water I think any of the modern boats are going to be just fine. Cig, OL, Nortech V, Fountain, Donzi ZR.....I would be looking for something better than a bravo drive. If i'm spending $150k+/- I am not shopping bravo drives, especially on these newer high X dimension boats.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

One has more trophies than any design in offshore history, and is still being raced today. The other.....is known for being a "sport" spin off from an Offshore builder that died 30 years ago. Come on dude. A 42 Fountain is hardly a wave skimmer.

Marginmn

iTrader: (1)

As I said in my post, a 47 Fountain and a 43 Donzi (sans the beak) are the same sized boats. For ride comparison vs a 42 Fountain you can use the 47 Fountain and the 43 ZR interchangeably. "A 47 Fountain is going to crush waves on Lake Erie relative to a 42. As for my opinion of the 42 Fountain hull: It's best performance hull ever made.

As for Jim Caldwell, my 38 ZRC is hull number 001, his creation, and it happens to be sitting in his son Pete's shop in NC at this moment.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

The beak is now 4 ft long? Lol. The 43 ZR, at 42' 10" LOA WITH the molded swim platform. I wouldn't call that boat massive, and it is no where near the size of a 47 fountain.

I'm all for the fountain and other boats that include the platform, that have low freeboard being called small next to old school boats that don't have a platform. But the low slung ZR series also falls into this category. Your argument doesn't make a lot of sense. In fact my friends 43zr was tied to a 42 Outerlimits at my poker run and actually looked small.

Again. The ZR is a great boat, but it has more in common with a fountain than the case yoy are making.

And that 38 zrc you have is one bad ass boat. Congrats, but being a ZR or zrc owner yoy should be measuring performance not size....leave the size arguments to the old school slow boats i.e. CIGS

HyFive578

iTrader: (3)

A 47 Fountain is a drop over 42' from the very bottom of the transom to the tip of the bow where the chine ends (just below the trailer hook). The balance of the length is in the beak and the swim platform. All things being equal, (full fuel, full water, gear), the 47 Fountain weighs in at 16,700 lbs, the Donzi 43ZR at 15,000 lbs, the 42 Fountain at 13,500. I've never ridden in a 43ZR, but with an extra 1500# over the 42 Fountain, I can see how it would feel more stable. As for riding like a 47, not so sure. There is a HUGE difference between a 42 and 47 Fountain, especially in the freeboard.

Here's my 47 next to a 43 Outerlimits and the OL is taller (freeboard-wise) than a 42 Fountain.

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