Questions on 03 Fountain Fever 29
03-20-2019, 11:21 PM
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Questions on 03 Fountain Fever 29
I’m no stranger to the boat scene, I’ve been around them my whole life. But mainly fishing and wake boats. But as a little kid, every time I heard the scream and the flash of a blue and orange Fountain 42 a smile grew on my face. I always wanted one and now is my chance. I’m looking at an 03 29 fever with twin mercury’s Making 600 hp total. It’s a clean boat but I want to know what I’m getting. Obviously I’m buying a speedboat to go fast, however I obviously don’t have the bank account for something ridiculously fast. I want to know what I can expect on all aspects of this boat. Maintenance and speed being my 2 big questions. I’m not sure if it’s a good idea or not to go with something this dated when I look at the maintenance perspective. I also am not sure if this boat will go as fast as I want it to. Obviously I’m not gonna beat a 35 footer but I wanna be able to fly by a wake boat and let the whole lake hear my engines. Just need to know if this is the boat to do it with.
03-21-2019, 04:57 AM
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Some of the Fountain guys will tell you the 29 with a single is a better balanced boat, working on the engines is going to be a nightmare in this too, being an '03 pretty much guarantees you'll be spending time working on them.
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03-21-2019, 06:35 AM
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You said 600 total, that means its a SBC boat. Those are not as bad to work on and you don't have to as much. Look up some old performance boat articles, I believe they run right around 70-72mph.
I talked with guy that had one and it was a pretty nice boat about the same year you are looking at. They have more cockpit room then my 32, sat a little higher with the SBC's and depending on what you are doing gives you the second motor safety thing.
Sure a single BBC 29 may be more balanced but they tend to be harder on drives, that boat should be pretty reliable. Check it like any other older boat both mechanical and hull but they are not a bad package.
I talked with guy that had one and it was a pretty nice boat about the same year you are looking at. They have more cockpit room then my 32, sat a little higher with the SBC's and depending on what you are doing gives you the second motor safety thing.
Sure a single BBC 29 may be more balanced but they tend to be harder on drives, that boat should be pretty reliable. Check it like any other older boat both mechanical and hull but they are not a bad package.
03-21-2019, 07:53 AM
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If it's the boat you want, go get it. As has been mentioned, the single 29 is a great boat - I've had 2 - 29's with 525's in my circle of friends. Probably one of the best setups for that boat.
But some people want / need twins for the redundancy. Get the boat you want!
But some people want / need twins for the redundancy. Get the boat you want!
03-21-2019, 08:52 AM
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Budget 10% of purchase price for annual maintenance for a boat in good condition, maybe a little less if they are twin 6.2L small block mercs - that's a good reliable package. As a general rule of thumb, if the boat is in average condition figure 50% of purchase price to make it in good condition. If it's in below average condition figure 50%-100+% of purchase price to make it in good condition.
03-21-2019, 09:12 AM
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Hwell,
please share some pics
love the 29 Fountains
after you buy it
,
Hwell,
please share some pics
love the 29 Fountains
after you buy it
,
03-21-2019, 10:12 AM
#8
Fountain 29
I have an 2000 29 with twins and love it! Never owned a single fountain, but wouldn’t trade the twins for a single any day of the week! Pops up on plane quick and have broken a drive coupler and didn’t need to be towed back to the marina! Big plus for me! 
03-21-2019, 02:23 PM
#10
I have owned both. a 2004 29 with twin 377 scorpion motors (small blocks) and now a 2002 29 with a single 700 HP. The twin was much faster to plane and significantly more responsive to the throttles and steering. The single is more difficult to get on plane but once there runs smoother and better balanced. The twin felt more like a responsive sports car than the single but the single rides better and is more stable. The single is also slightly faster on top speed. There is defiantly more weight on the back of the boat with the twin small blocks and it feels like it. You can see from the two pictures tied up at my dock that the twin sits significantly lower in the water in the stern vs the single. The first two pictures are of the twin and the second two are of the single.
Last edited by douglasmarine28; 03-21-2019 at 02:25 PM.
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