Fountain or Baja is the question
 

Guys please help out here.. Any advice and input is greatly appreciated here.. Iam torn between what boat to purchase.. I am looking at a 2003 29 ft fountain fever with the 500 hp blue merc motor with 300 hours... Also i am looking at a 2008 26 ft Baja outlaw with the 496 HO motor with 50 hours... I am just wanting a family performance boat to go to the lake with... Just something to cruise up and down the lake and river in and maybe do some tubing and knee boarding behind... I would like to down the road to purchase some mods to increase speed on both boats a lil bit but nothing major:evilb::evilb:.. Im new to these types of boat so i dont know if these 2 boats are a fair comparison which is why im asking for input.. If you had the choice which of the 2 would you purchase.. Thanks and i look forward to everyones response here

the baja probably is a bigger boat with more useable space and less time on the motor.

By the info you have given I would lean towards the Baja. The 496ho with proper maintenance should last & perform well for a long time & is generally a turn key & go setup. The 500 blue merc as I read on these forums will need freshening up sooner or later if it hasnt been done already & with that many hrs there is usually something that the boat will need. If in doubt about anything get a survey done. Good luck, Randy

Thanks guys... very good input so far for me to take into consideration and Randy i was thinking the same thing as you about that 500.. Is the Baja 26 as big and roomy as the 29 even tho the fountain is longer in length.. I was told a 33 outlaw dwarfs a 35 fountain.. so are fountains typically smaller boats than bajas... Thanks again and Keep the comments coming please...

fountain, all beak jokes aside, adds a 'beak' (extended pointy bow) and the swim platiform into there overall measurement. This means you can subtract 3~4 feet from the length of one when comparing boat sizes. Fountains are also built weight conciously and with higher x-dimensions (drive height loosely translated) to get the most top speed possible. I believe that for tubing etc, you would want the lower X of a baja to help with planing under load as well as the added weight of the heavier baja to make the ride a little nicer.

Very interesting... I did not know that Phragle.. Thanks for the advice... Very well noted and taken into consideration...

I would agree with Phragle on all of the above, plus as a former Baja owner I would buy one again if I were looking just because of the performance & ride quality. Randy

I owned a 2006 25' Outlaw for a few years and the ride was excellent in 2-3' chop. Speed was decent with the 496HO. I topped out at about 69 with a labbed prop. The only complaint I had was that the cockpit was a bit cramped. Not sure if the Fountain has any more room or not?

If anything, the 26 Outlaw cockpit is roomier than the 29 Fountain.

The Hyundia Sante Fe has more room inside than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, doesn't make it a nice car

Something else you may want to consider, is the bottom and the ride. This diffference of cutting through a wave, flying straight, and landing like a pillow (vs) jumping out of the water with just a little wave. The fountain bottom is worlds over any of the Baja's. I have owned a 24, 29 and 36 outlaw.

The Baja's are roomier, but so are cruisers.


FYI everyone with a molded swim platform in the past 20 years counts it as LOA, this was not fountain's idea.....but a coast guard mandate! The Baja outlaw line does not count the platform because it is a bolt on, but that doesn't make that 26 ft a bigger boat.

And yes a 33 outlaw and 36 outlaw are bigger inside than a 35 fountain and 38 fountain ( My summer boating group has all) On the dock, with platforms the fountains are longer. On the water when it gets choppy no comparison, the fountains are just stable and walk the Baja's every time. Top speed....:D

There is a reason Reggie is a legend, and it is not cabin or cockpit space. That 29 will be faster than the 26 baja with the same power, and feel locked in, and handle waves and chop better.

And if you do want to mess around in the future like you mention, the 500 engine has good internals, the 496ho is a cast truck engine that may not be friendly to some of the mods you are considering.

Lastley do not let 300 hrs scare you. First, some believe that 250 hrs is the mark for valve springs (mainly on this site) however others will argue that....even on this site. If you ran that engine to 500 hr you would not be the first. Also you may want to have it scanned and check the hrs against the rpm to see how it was really ran. You may have 125 idle hrs.

Good luck

:lolhit:

29 fountain
http://www.leemarine.com/vessels/273...58c50735d2.jpg


26 outlaw
http://media.channelblade.com/boat_g...45374728_l.jpg

Have you people acutally been in a 29 fountain? Or are you just continuing the exaggeration on this site?


To the OP, as a fountain owner you will have to hear all these urban legends all day long, mainly based on the fact that you are one of the fastest out there.....don't let it bother you hahaha

Finally someone has taken up for the fountain!!! Lets make it fair by looking at the boats cause they both r really nice rides... will someone please post the email address for me to send the pics to so they can post the pics on here and we can get positive feed back after viewing both boats... i apologize but im new to the site and dont know how to post pics... Thanks

[IMG]http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...law-Sst-342140[/IMG]
Hopefully this link will work... This is the 26 OL....

http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/15605
I played around with it and got them to post.. this is the 29 Fountain... Would everyone please view both pics and give honest opinions on which boat they would go with.. Thanks

Your pictures are not working, just post the link to the web site where they are listed.

Seeing that you are on the fence for both boats, do some research on insurance cost and financing if you are getting a loan.

And is the picture you posted of an 03 29? A friend of mine had an early 2000s 29 and I seem to remember not being able to really stand behind the bolsters as they were close to the rear bench

if the links are not working then here are the sites were the boats can be viewed... The fountain is on www.powerboatlistings.com It is on the 4th page and the 5th boat down... 03 29ft fever.... The baja is on www.boattrader.com under baja boats in Iowa... It is the very first boat on the page... Once again thanks for everyones input...

if you line up the platforms my 28 pantera (bolt on platform) is as long as my friends 32 fever. he bought a nice boat. its a 92 32 but had very nice updates and was in great shape. fountians are great boats. but baja has come a long way too. drive them both and see what one you like better. buy the boat that meets your needs the best.

These Fountain exaggerations regarding length is just ridiculous.

My boat is parked next to my buddies 38 Cigarette in the storage building. He has a bolt on platform on his cig. Saturday, I took a look at our prop nuts, standing from the side. Both prop nuts were within inches, maybe 2'' of each other. Then I walked to the front, and took a look, the tip of the beak on my boat was about even with the nose of his boat.

Theres something most people fail to look at, when the jump on the beak bandwagon. Take a look at a Fountain, from a side view. Where the line from the beak to the waterline is. It is very steep. Bajas, cigarettes, and other makes, this line is very gradual. Its all about running surface. Waterline to water line, my boat and my buddies 38 cig are close. Even if he has 1ft on me, my hull was originally called a 36FT Fever. Until the coast guard mandated the platform be included if it was part of the mold. So if anything, at the time, Fountain was being modest with its length. And to be honest, at 70,80,90, or 100mph, that one or two feet of length really doesnt mean squat. I'll take a good bottom design, balanced hull, over something that is just 1-2ft longer.

Platform to platform rafted up, our boats are almost identical, where the engine room bulkhead is, bolsters, and even fairing. My cockpit is a bit roomier, (fever), and the cig has me beat in the cabin department. Main thing is his layout, and the hull sides on a fountain get progessivley narrower on a fountain from the rub rail down. Where the cig is straight down from the rail, and then slightly angles in near the bottom.

Anyhow, to get off that soapbox, and back to the original question. Both the baja and fountain would be great boats for what your looking to do. If you forsee yourself wanting to go fast, the Fountain is the hull you want to do it in. The 500HP engine is a good engine, and when the time comes to add things, like better heads, supercharger, etc, you can. It has good parts inside, and based on the common 502 block, that they make a million parts for. The 496 is a great engine, but really not much on the table aftermarket wise.

You should have no problem planing pulling a tube with a stock 29 Fountain setup, esp with the right prop.

Personally, Id buy the boat with over 30 years of Championship offshore racing heritage, numerous world titles, numerous speed records, numerous boat of the year awards. If I was standing on the dock, and got invited to go on a 90mph ride in either one of those boats, I'd hop on the Fountain.

+1

Very well said!

A 28 Pantera is 30 feet long with platform tip to tip ,,a 32 Fever is 32 feet long tip to tip

both nice boats

Here are the ads listed.

fountain http://www.powerboatlistings.com/view/15605

baja http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...law-Sst-342140


Fountain has dual ram hydro steering, baja is cable. Fountain has real k-planes,. baja has flat stock tabs. Fountain has side mounted bolsters, baja has 4 pt floor mount. Fountain has an XR drive, baja has an X. Fountain will have superior wind protection. Baja will most likely have more cu ft in cabin Rigging and wiring go to the fountain, the fountain is not the best wiring and rigging out there, but the baja might be the worst.

I don't know how any of your guys can claim the Baja is a bigger boat, look at the pics. How many 25/26 bajas came with twin big blocks like the 29 fountain did? BTW, the single 29 is the way to go IMO.

Both boats are clean and accessoried well, from the pics it looks as if they both had good previous owners.

This is the only sentence I needed to read. Both are good boats for what you want to do, but you can not upgrade the 496 without having a s#it ton of money into it.

Guys im not trying to start a war here between the two boats... I know both are nice rides.. would everyone just check the boats out on the sites that i listed them on and by looking at the boats, their options and equipment please give honest opinions on the boat they like.. i know it will in the end determine what i want to go with but i just want opinions from people that know both boats very well... Thanks and i look forward to everyones reply..
The sites the boats are listed on is on page 2 on this post... Thanks

Obviously I would go with the Fountain, but if you want to go tubing I would get a different boat. At the speed you will be tubing you will be trying to get on plane.

The pic of the Baja looks like it has a small cockpit area. If you get a single engine boat with a 496 as soon as someone passes you on the lake you will want to go faster. My old boat had a 496ho and it was great but I like having a little more power and speed.

Thats what im looking for 4BUS... Your honest opinion with documentation to support it... Thanks for your time and help... It is greatly appreciated!!!!

[QUOTE=4bus;3792153]

Fountain has dual ram hydro steering, baja is cable. Fountain has real k-planes,. baja has flat stock tabs. Fountain has side mounted bolsters, baja has 4 pt floor mount. Fountain has an XR drive, baja has an X. QUOTE]

Enough said for me. Cable steering, Id cross it off my list.

One other thing, IMO the fountain at $70k asking price is too much in this market. I don't know where the exact number should be, but give pier 57 a call and they will tell you what it is really worth.

For camparison (I know the paint is ugly) this 42 full staggered 2001 with speedmaster lowers is only asking $9k more

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/20...ning-101843368

Thinking that 29 should be in the $50's

Ok maybe i should mention that 4bus.. The fountain owner will take 61k for it and the OL owner will take 52,500 for it.. I feel the better deal is with the OL.... Like stated both boats are equipped very nicely LIKE I WANT but i dont want to overpay for a boat.. Pier 57 had a 29 fever on their site with the sale pending for 59k... It is a nice boat but it doesnt have the accessories this fountain has.. Thanks for your opinion and input 4 bus...

If you upgrade to Hydraulic steering on the baja, and added Kplanes, that will eat up the 10k or so difference in sale price.

However, the Baja with only 35 hours, should be a turn key ride for the next several years for you other than maintainance.

I think this would be a situation where taking both boats out for a ride, and making your choice from that would be worth a couple plane tickets. After owning boats with and without hydraulic steering, I cant see myself ever goin back to cable steering unless it was a pontoon.

You feel the better deal is the OL? I think you are crazy for only 9k more not to buy the fountain.

These options/upgrades on the fountain are huge money. Paint, gauges, engine and drive, hydro steering, k planes, myco trailer (the best) Those heritage trailers that baja uses are the biggest POS on the market IMO.

$61k isn't bad for that boat, the more I look at it, and not far off from the $50's number I gave you.

Thanks there 4 bus for putting me in my place.. i love it!!!! I did fail to mention that is a 10 grand paint job on the fountain boat along with a 10 grand trailer that it sits on that is only 2 years old... i hear those trailers are the best and pull wonderfully...

Also need to mention something else about the Fountain... For those that were talking bout the baja having more cabin space well the owner of the fountain took out the cooler and sink and replaced it with another seat and neatly mounted the amplifiers under there to be out of the way so i would think this would give the fountain the advantage on seating capacity and cabin space now... just my opinion!!!!

The complaints about the fountain cabin go further than that. As mild thinder stated the sides of the boat below the rub rail come in at an angle, making the cabin skinny. Fountain is also horrible at engineering storage in creative places.

The plus is your fountain is newer than what most people on this site reference. The raised deck late models add some head room.

I meant to say earlier that the 29 will prob have more cu ft of space than the 26, but the 26 may feel bigger. However it is still a 26 ft boat, and neither will have have much cabin room. Shouldn't even really be a discussion on a boat this size.

I have a friend with a 29, he is 6 2 and sleeps in there with his girl all the time. His only complaint is the bed causes him to slide down at night, he also has twins so his boat sits lower in the back when parked.

I also agree with thunder, take a plane ride and look at the boats. At the very least try to find a few local that you can see to compare.

[QUOTE=4bus;3792223]I have a friend with a 29, he is 6 2 and sleeps in there with his girl all the time. His only complaint is the bed causes him to slide down at night, he also has twins so his boat sits lower in the back when parked
QUOTE]

That might be one scenerio, where dating a fat chick would benefit you. :lolhit:

Read Mild Thunder's comments carefully. And consider mine. I owned a 2005 33 Outlaw for almost two years, and replaced it with a 2005 42 Fountain in 2006. Both were one year used when purchased, extremely well cared for and in top condition.

We still have the Fountain.

My opinions: These boats are larger than the ones you're considering but I believe there is similarity because of the similar size comparisons.

33 Baja Twin 496 HO
Cost 3/4 of the Fountain. Sold for 10% less than purchase.
Good ride. A little unsteady at high speed and passengers noticed this. Stable in turns. Could not get "on top" of rougher water (2'-3' chop).
Great looking boat with fine graphics.
Top speed 72 with labbed 28 Bravo 1's.
Planes easily even when loaded. Very easy to dock.
Huge cockpit. Excellent storage.
NO anchor locker.
Fair quality vinyl and fair comfortable seats. Cabin seats UNcomfortable.
496's no problems at all in 150hrs. Changed oil every 25 hrs with Merc 25W-40.
Overall build quality, fit and finish: Fair to good.
Final Comment -GREAT beginner twin boat.


42 Fountain Twin 525
Excellent, stable, predictable, confidence-inducing ride. Turns great. Gets "on top" of rougher water (2'-3' chop), feels "hooked up", and ride smooths out. Passengers do not seem concerned.
Great looking boat with fine graphics.
Top speed 87 with non-labbed 28 Maximus'.
Planes fair when loaded. More difficult docking with closely spaced staggered engines.
Large cockpit. Good storage.
Nice anchor locker.
Good quality vinyl and comfortable seats. Cabin seats very nice.
525's no problems at all in 350hrs. Changed oil every 25 hrs with Merc 25W-40.
Overall build quality, fit and finish: Excellent.
Final Comment -GREAT intermediate twin boat

from a mechanical standpoint i would go with the baja for what you intend to do with the boat. way less hours and the 496 will be a little easier on the outdrive when your doing the holeshots pulling up your knee boarder and ski'ers. i dont think the high x deminsion 500hp bravo fountian will like that too much over time. if your gonna go do poker runs or set the river on fire then go with the fountian. the baja might stay on plane at lower speeds also for tubing purposes. there are some guys on here with videos tubing and skiing behind a fountian but thats not what the boat is intended for by any means but it can be done.

I think floating a 33. Baja and a 42 staggard fountain are two completely different worlds...

I agree, but you wouldn't think so the way some of the oso members in fairytail land speak of Fountains. A 42 Fountain is really like a 35FT boat aint it?? :bong:

As for the comment regarding high x dimension and getting on plane, referring its harder on the drive. My thoughts on this......

My old Fountain was rigged with the drives high. I do get some blowing out while getting on plane. What I have noticed, is while getting on plane, my props slip and my RPM is at 3500RPM. However, my engines are in vacuum on the gauge, and I have a roots blower setup. If my drives were deep in the water, and the props didnt slip, I'd be making boost getting on plane. IDK, my engines make 750FT lbs at 6lbs of boost. On my setup, getting on plane with a little slip, i dont think the drives are seeing anywhere near that torque. My guess is a little slip might help the drive. Kinda like a 3 blade being easier on the drive than a 5 blade. Or like street tires vs slicks.