Formula 40ss or Fountain 38 Express?
 

Looking at going this route on the next boat. Looking for real world experience and opinions on both. $150k max. 496 or 500efi boats.

my first thought would be is'nt a formula much wider ?

I have spent a lot of time on both. The fountain will be faster with the same power. The formula is roomier, much bigger cabin. It has a full size fridge and the aft cabin sleeping is very nice, in fact its usually the captain's quarters for most ppl. The aft cabin in the fountain is small, usable for kids mostly. The earlier fountain 38s had a closed off front cabin which people either like or hate depending if you need privacy (in 2007 model year it was all open). If need the room and full size fridge, formula. If you want speed, fountain.

I really like different features about each boat.

I believe that Fountain used wood stringers up to a certain year (I don't know what that was). I have heard of many of them that needed repair or replacement. The Formula SS line uses some kind of a glass grid stringer system that won't rot. We really like our 37SS.

I shopped these for nearly a year......and just bought one 2 weeks ago.

We started looking for a 370SS or a 38EC. Even the 370ss is bigger than the 38EC. Then we got hung up on a 400ss....first I wanted blue motors, then I wanted diesel. It will cost more up front, but that is what you want! Why.......you'll soon notice most gas models are advertised with new drives or 2-3 year old drives and there is a reason for that!!! I also got test run data from Formula. Gas models get 0.9 mpg at best cruise. Diesel models tested at 1.65 mpg at a slightly slower best cruise.

We just got back a couple hours ago from a 3 day, 140-150 mile trip on a 09 diesel 400SS. A buddy with a Donzi 33ZX ran the whole way with us and I had a better fuel burn rate than he did! Plus, diesel is 30 to 70 cents a gallon cheaper on the water. (I spent $300 to cover 150 miles running heavy with gear/water, etc at a elevated cruise speed of 3,000 rpms @ 37mph)

Friends blue motors in his 40ss is 0.7 mpg real world. He was kind of shocked when he ran it out of gas ~10 miles offshore. Beautiful boat though. If available diesels would be the way to go.

Yeah, real world 1.65 in a diesel isn't going to happen either.......however I've already seen 1.4X at a slower cruise and did run back today doing 33knts (37.5 mph) at 1.29 mpg and had a crap ton of stuff we were bringing along with us.

I'm getting about 1.5 miles per gallon real world in my 400SS at about 2900 RPM's with D6 Volvos...

Not even in the same class Get the 40SS hands down

Which 2009 400ss did you get? So far so good on mine. 40 hrs and still getting use to it.

It was up in New England. Got a couple small electrical bugs but the main bones are great. We've only been out 3 times but have covered 275 miles. Ran home 65 miles yesterday with the gen and cockpit AC running! :)

So I`ve looked at a few 38EC`s , noone is really giving rides and I can`t buy a boat without knowing if I like the ride . Hows it going from a powerboat to a cruiser? I tried going 40mph in my cig but the family said it`s way too boring. Maybe it`s different with more room and you can relax more ?

Love seeing these out in the water, rare birds.

The ride is "boring" compared to a cig/etc. If you're going to use a SS or EC as a day boat then don't bother....you won't be happy. If you don't mind getting there last and then having everyone hangout on your boat you will be happy. You can hang out as late as you want before crashing in your own cabin for the night (at the docks or on the hook).

My previous 382 ran a best of 98mph. We've had a little CC for a few years and now this 400ss. To be honest I've been impressed how fast something this big is moving!

"The ride is "boring" compared to a cig/etc. If you're going to use a SS or EC as a day boat then don't bother....you won't be happy. If you don't mind getting there last and then having everyone hangout on your boat you will be happy. You can hang out as late as you want before crashing in your own cabin for the night (at the docks or on the hook)."
T500hps nailed it!
I just picked up a 45 Excalibur with a new "blue power" (520's b3 xr's), happy wife.... happy life.
I hate driving it, so much that my soul flat lined... had to pull the talon out to jump start my soul.

Congrats on that purchase! I saw that one for sale and thought it was a well updated/repowered Excalibur. My wife has the Excalibur singled out for our next boat and she is always looking at them haha.