According to this thread in the Fountain forum: http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...ability-2.html it seems that Formula is not regarded at the same level of reliability as Fountain.
I am surprised by that.
Do Formula owners really experience that the dash comes loose and rattles etc. ?
I personally have not.

I was surprised by that also, I like both boats and have had two Formula's now and have not had any problems like that, so I don't know where that comes from.

From an outsiders view, my .02 is that they're on the same build level construction wise with Formula having a little better fit and finish.

no issues whatsoever like this on my '02

remember Fountains are typically "simpler" in finish execution which makes for less potential for such annoyances
take the folding cabin doors for example...
fewer deck hatches/ interior doors
no "trash bin" storage/step in the cockpit
no nice milled aluminum doors on the glovebox and that step
on and on...

and I guess if you don't count all the horror stories of everything from build trash to tools left in the hulls they have the potential to be quieter...
or the flapping open head doors that require a 40's tech window screen turn to keep closed

my sliding cabin door has never been off track, rattles very little, and my head door stays closed on one button latch

hmmm....build quality?

I have worked with Formula boats since the late 70`s and have watch the quality increase to the point everyone else is trying to catch up.... Fountain builds a very well built boat and as stated above have :"simpler" in finish execution which makes for less potential for such annoyances
take the folding cabin doors for example...
fewer deck hatches/ interior doors
no "trash bin" storage/step in the cockpit
no nice milled aluminum doors on the glovebox and that step
on and on...
But having worked on all makes and models of boats I have yet to find one BETTER BUILT !!..........

OK, as a totally biased Formula owner, I cannot resist piping in on this one:

I'll start by saying Fountains are very nice boats. However, I agree with Rippem's ascertation that Fountains are simpler in basic design, at least in the interior. C'mon, Fountain hasn't even changed the dash in like 25 years. It's still just two basic, square pods hanging off the cockpit-to-cabin bulkhead. Also, the geometery is basically squared-off on everything in a Fountain. It's much easier to build square stuff than it is to have compound curves and shapes. How long has Formula been using the power-adjustable foot rests and bolsters? Last I knew, you still stand on a fixed cockpit sole in a Fountain. Maybe they are power now but, even the bolsters were simple drop-outs just a few years ago.

As for longevity of finish, If you compare my antique '89 to and '89 Fountain, there's no comparison. Of course, I take pretty good care of my old Bird but, Fountain was still using colored gel that fades like crazy, Formula used Imron that doesn't. And, how about the cheezy plastic windshields with no frame. I could go on but I'll end up pissing Pete off, probably alread did!!!

So, I'm up for a debate over cocktails any day. Formulas are nicer boats.......... PERIOD!

My last boat was a Fountain and current one os a Formula. Over all, Formula is simply a better boat, but I have to say some things in the above post are a bit off. Pigmented Gel coat is axcellent and more durable then any paint, period, it just has to be taken care of, but paint odes as well. I will take gel graffics any day over paint. Second, LEXAN farings were not meant to be windshields, they are fairings and quited expensive and very durable. On Fountains design, like a Formula, don't change what works and I think Fountains lines are timeless, as my Forumla is. My Fountain was an 05 and had power bolsters, I have worked on some early 2000 Fountain that had power bolsters as well, as does my Formula. Now, yes, my Founatin did have a fixed foot rest, but my 08 Formula does too.

Now, Formula is at the top in its class and as long as Formula is around, I will not own another Fountain, but god for bid, if anything ever happened to Formula and I could not get a new one, I would go back to Fountain if they were still around...

Not at all, and Soon!


That said you are off on a few things. Granted Fountains interiors, both cockpit and cabin, remained essentially unchanged for years. Were you to look at the boats built over the last couple years you will see a drastic change in the way they are done today. The cabin is totally redesigned as well as the cockpit. Some traditional Fountain cues still remain in the cockpit, like the squared off dash, but it is a Fountain and that's about it on that.

The Ex's have a plexi windshield minus a frame = styling, period. The newer Lightnings have a windshield with a frame, Formula'ish, but it's still plexi, with none of the traditional distortion in the corner bend areas that you often see in regular tempered glass. It's not cheap chit, the canopies on a million dollar Skater are not cheap chit and optically clear. When I test drove my boat I was leery of the windshield, I still like the age old faring look, but was impressed by the clarity. It's like looking thru a pair of Polarids.

You are a Formula die hard, I'm a Fountain fanatic, all is good. What bothers me is someone, not you Bird, spouting off about chit when they have no base of knowledge for their comments. How can one judge a boat when they have never been on the water in one? How do they make claims about poor rigging and leftover build chit and such when they have never owned one, or worked on one? From where I sit I see people spending way more time fussing over re-rigs, modifications, upgrades, tweeks, and such on Formulas than I see being done on Fountains. I'll admit that I spent a bunch of time last winter going all over my boat, and the only thing I changed was to add a few wire ties behind the cockpit side panels to better support the wire harness. It had already been run for 40+ hours and hadn't fallen apart but I went ahead and fussed with it anyway. So again, I just don't see where this chit talk comes from.

I guess it all comes down to ...... If you don't like something don't buy it! Pretty simple in my book.

I do not agree with you.

If you keep your boat outside in the sun during the season every day, it is very clear to me that colored gelcoat fades way more than the Imron paint used on Formulas.

There is a 1991 Formula at my dock and the Imron paint is still like new even though it stays outside during the season, and the owner only polishes it once a year. There are no boats with colored gelcoat in as nice condition that are kept outside during the season. Actually most boats with colored gelcoat of that age are really in bad shape.

I also keep my Formula (it is from 2002) outside during the season and the Imron paint is like new on the top (which is most exposed to the sun). However the white gelcoat is not.

So from a fade resistance point of view there is no doubt in my mind that the Imron paint used by Formula is far superior to gelcoat.

However from a repair perspective it is easier to make small repairs using gelcoat than having to repaint. But that is a different issue.

Thanks for the Formula input guys. I have subscribed to this thread as I am really looking for lots of info and input before I buy another boat. I'll be looking at the 98-01 years give or take so any input on those years would be helpful. As far as the motors, I'm not concerned cause a merc is a merc.

Boating will primarily be Hudson River from Statue of Liberty to Albany, and down to Barneget Bay as well.

Primarily a day boat 95% of the time as well.

Thanks again for the input.

-mike