Fountain Help
 

I Recently Purchased A 98 35, Fountain, 500 Hp's That Has Extension Boxes. Its A Great Boat...but Heres The Deal:

1) When Ever I Take Off, Just Be For Getting Up On Plane. I Throw A Rooster Tail And The Rpms Go Way Up Then Finally The Props Seem To Grab And Were Off. No Matter If I Throw The Throttles On The Dash Quickly Or Slowly.
It's Kinda Embarrassing, One May Think I'm Taking Off With My Drives Out!
Is This Due To The Boxes? The Props Are 4 Blade Hydros Lab Finished.
1 Is Marked 31p The Other Is 32p.
Could This Be Right?

2) Docking This Boat Sucks!!! Backing Into A Slip Is No Problem But Trying To Pull Up To A Pier ( Parallel ) And Try To Manure Over To It,forget It! I Have Tried Every Possible Way To Over Come This But No Luck. Btw I'm Not A Rookie At This Either.

Is This Because Of The Boxes ?
Please Help So I Don't Look Like A Ass Coming And And Going!

Joe

Re: Fountain Help
 

The boxes shouldn't have that much effect on docking... not sure what to tell you on this point. It's probably the beak catching some wind or something :D Sorry, couldn't resist. :rolleyes:

Re: Fountain Help
 

no i dont think so... talk to too old he just sold one that had boxes,,
if you are spinnin 31/32 are u kidding??? diff size props>>?? tabs down drives tucked and ease it up.
if you are spinnin those props hwat do u have for power 800's>? 700's?? 600's??
i have good power in my 35 spinin 31 5 blades and it takess a sec to get on plane.

Re: Fountain Help
 

Ditto Too Old.......As for the pitch deal I,ve never heard of that application....I think someone swapped one out for some unknown reason.

Re: Fountain Help
 

Only way I can get on plane w/o breaking loose is to limit the rpm's no higher than 3000. Once the boat starts to climb on top, then the tabs come up. Then drives out.
Should have the same props pitch. Props can be repitched up or down, so you may have had 2 different pitched props sent in and they were matched when labbed. If you know who labbed them, might be worth a call with the numbers stamped into the outside of the barrel on hand to see what was done.
My boat was a PAIN to dock at 1st, ecspecially in reverse. I switched the props to rotate outwards. Night and day difference.

Re: Fountain Help
 

Well, I had a 1999 35 classic that took about 2 seconds to come on plane and was considering putting on extension boxes to get a little more speed. I was told the following by a former test driver for Fountain:

"If you put the boxes on a stepped 35 you "MIGHT" get a few more MPH on the top end but it will suck coming up on plane, your handling will be worse, and it will be especially hard to dock. If the 35's worked better with extension boxes then you can be sure that Reggie would have kept putting them on more than the few boats that he experimented with."

So I never put them on mine. If I were in your situation I think that I would try to borrow a set of 5 blade Hydromotives to see if that helps you get on plane. You might also consider changing the rotation of your props. If neither of those work then consider running without the boxes like the other 99.9% of the 35 classics out there. It's a great boat without them - I just sold mine to look for something a little bigger.

Re: Fountain Help
 

Fred do you want me to ask Jimmy ???aboutThe prop pitch??It Always would blow out coming on plane not like he is describing maybee its a salt water thing?? ( like you said nurse it a bit) but the pay back was 5 mph extra on top end! I have 25 merc 3 blades and mine,, will blow out a bit on take off...
Bob

Re: Fountain Help
 

On the 35' Fountain the props should be spinning outward. Turning in on this boat makes this boat a bit squirly. Check the props for numbers stamped on them, other than the Hydromotive stamp in hub area of the prop. If there is a numer stamped on the can in between the blades. this will possibly tell us who labbed the props.

Julie

Re: Fountain Help
 

I just purchased a '99 35' Classic 2 weeks ago - HP 500's my props are turning in but there labbed (by T-UP) 28 Bravo's - no blow out what-so ever - try a set of B1's my .02

Re: Fountain Help
 

Thanks For Everyones Input.
I Just Went Out And Double Checked The Stamped Numbers On The Props And Are As Follows: Port Side He14331bp
Starboard Side He14332bp
This Number Is Stamped On The Can Like Julie Said But I Can't Find Any Other Numbers.

One Thing I Will Try, Is Getting On Plane With The Tabs Down. I Always Leave Them Up, Unless Its Rough Water. And Of Course Drives In. But I Really Don't Think That Will Improve The Blow Out.
Us1 Fountain....your Right..reverse Is Real Bad.

What Is Involved In Changing Rotation? Other Than Switching The Props.

Too Old..... The Boat Is Running Great!!! We Love It!!! We Put About 15 Hours On It Since We Last Seen You.we Went To The Cambridge Races Over Weekend And Had A Blast. We Get Alot Of Compliments On Her. Btw, We Kept The Nameno Limits

Blownincome... Any Info You Have On The Boat Would Be Great Feel Free To Call Me On My Cell Anytime 443-250-8029

Joe

Re: Fountain Help
 

Not an expert, But I have heard and read that Extension boxes hinder low speed manueverablity (especially in reverse). I also would try a set of Bravo 1 props (From Julie of course :bunny:)

Re: Fountain Help
 

Just to try it, you can swap the props and put the drives in reverse. Then if you like the results, swap the drives.

Re: Fountain Help
 

u gottta drop the tabs......

Re: Fountain Help
 

I Love This Site....you Can Learn So Much!

Re: Fountain Help
 

You dont have to swap the drives,just swap props and then change
the cables around at the throttles. It only takes about a 1/2 hour
to do.

Re: Fountain Help
 

have your props checked by a pro for the pitch, if they dont spin the same rpm at wide open thats your first problem. 1" of pitch is 250rpm difference. next you should bring it on plane slowly let the props catch up, and use your tabs, let them help your boat get on top. maybe try a set of bravo 1 props.

Re: Fountain Help
 

Welcome to the board and congratulations on the new boat.

To see if spinning out helps switch the props. When you want to go forward you put the boat into reverse. If you prefer the feel and performance of the boat then switch the cables. Fountain sets up the props spinning in from the factory. I thought the extension box boats were set up that way also. I know my boat loved to cavitate the Hydromotive props. Supposedly diffuser rings help. If you have a prop shop in town that demos props try a set of Bravo 1's. You may lose 1-2 mph but the midrange goes up and they bite better out of the hole. You will need one pitch size larger than the hydro's.

I know someone with the same setup as you have. He is currently on a cruise. When he gets back I will see what he says. I know he runs hydro's. OSO member BobZ may have an answer to your questions also.

Dan

Re: Fountain Help
 

With the information you have provided your props were labbed by Hydromotive Engineering.

Are, your props turning inward or outward?

Julie

Re: Fountain Help
 

[QUOTE=THATS IT]
One Thing I Will Try, Is Getting On Plane With The Tabs Down. I Always Leave Them Up, Unless Its Rough Water. And Of Course Drives In. But I Really Don't Think That Will Improve The Blow Out."


Having the tabs down will make all the difference in the world. To get on plane you need to have the drives ALL the way in, and the Tabs ALL the way down. After you come on plane move the the tabs back up first to about 3 and then the drives out to about 3. Then you are ready to cruise and adjust as necessary.

As for backing up, the 35 isn't a great handling boat in reverse even without the extension boxes. I'll bet it is a real handful with boxes. I have heard others say that they obtained much better docking characteristics by turning the props out instead of in. But the downside is that you give up top end - which is the reason you have the extension boxes on there in the first place. Again, I've heard that the 5 bladed props give you better bite and thus are better around the docks.

Re: Fountain Help
 

I have a 26 Bravo 1 that has been tweaked and it works great around the docks (and at Speed also) been using it for 2 years and have become very used to it. I got a new 26 from Julie :bunny: and it is totally different around the dock, the thrust (for lack of a better word) is much stronger with the new prop. But the RPM's are down at speed :( Thats Ok Julie :bunny: will be tuning it this winter!!

Re: Fountain Help
 

The numbers on the "can", near the base of the ears, may be the sequence number for tracking the lab work, if they keep track of their "lab jobs" - kinda like a serial number for that lab job, not the pitch. The numbers on the end of the hub, behind the prop nut and washer would indicate what pitch the castings were, but, since they were labbed, those numbers are probably meaningless anymore. Several of the Hydro's that I have had reworked have a string of numbers stamped in the "can" such that the company that did the work can "look up" what they did to my props. If 2 were worked on in a row, I would expect that it would be XXX and XX(X+1). It may just be coincidence that he has 31p props and that the sequencing of lab work was 31 and 32. It could have been 63 and 64, probably as the last 2 digits. I am not saying this is what he has, but just a thought, from other work that I have seen.

Re: Fountain Help
 

THEY TURN IN... ARE THOSE NUMBERS THE PITCH?

JOE

Re: Fountain Help
 

Well It Looks Like I Got Some Tweaking To Do.
I'll Get In Touch Hydromotive And See What They Say.
I'll Also Swap The Props And Try That.

I'll Post The Results!

Joe Pasko

Re: Fountain Help
 

Here's something to check,

I've seen instances where the trim spacer
( ITEM 30)

installed towards the
rear.
This doesn't allow as much negative trim.

here's the picture showing the spacer:




http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...%28STANDARD%29


I've seen this cause planing difficulties.

Re: Fountain Help
 

get a cigarette

donz jr mike

Re: Fountain Help
 

If you wanna go slow.

Re: Fountain Help
 

I agree also. Especially true when the props are turning in (low speed manueverability more difficult).

Re: Fountain Help
 

i think he means if ya want to have fun in the rough waters (play with the big boys) and not have a hull that cracks or a free board that will throw ya over board,or have a boat that in the title it says 42 and it's really a 38. another thing is if ya want to have another production boat that there's like 100 that look the same. yea there fast i won't lie but make sure ya stay below 2 foot chops and mostly in lakes . but now if your not looking for any of these then yeah buy a fountain.

donz jr mike