I bought a 2005 fountain 35 lightning last year. It came from the factory with shorties and the report say 20” x dimension. It planes like crap. Almost in driveable. Right now, it has 6 blade herrings 32p. Performance report says it came with 4 blade bravos. I tried them when I got the boat and I can’t for the life of me get them to work. I sent them to Brett with BBlades, He worked them over and still won’t work. I was thinking maybe they ran spacers from the factory?? There is no way it worked with 4 blades. Anyway, advice on set up would be great. Boat is stock 575 sci’s with TBS blower upgrades. I’d like to keep my sport masters and make the boat more user friendly. It takes a whole loto cove to get it to roll over and if it’s rough, you are going to suffer big time.

A buddy had a EX with high X and we tried all kinds of props, putting people in the bow etc.

Same deal a huge pain.

We had diffuser rings welded onto a pair of 5 blade Hydros and the thing would plane off like my 32.

Crazy that it worked.

BTW nice boat.

^^^^^ What Wildman said.

Thanks. I knew the boat would be hard to plane, but as it is, id sacrifice top end for drivability.

As stated, sweet ride.

I would try some 1" spacers. It should help it get on plane much better. I agree, it just isn't worth the hassle for the last 2 MPH

FWIW, I have same boat w 525s, standard XRs & 32” Bravo (4 blade) props, factory set up w props spinning outward. The Fountain test sheet shows 91mph top speed and I’ve run just shy of that in fresh water. The boat planes quickly and easily with the K planes, but will also get out of the hole without the K planes.

I won’t be back to the marina where the boat is stored until next week, but would be happy to take measurements if you haven’t got any by then.

good luck.

So I found 1.5” spacers, which I am going to try with my 4 blade 34’s. I wanted a 1” but they all seem to be on back order. BBlades has that program were you can try different spacers, so if I don’t like those, I can send them back and try different spacers. On a side note, I do use those max machine worx cav plates, and they do seem to help a little bit. Appreciate all the comments btw.

Your X is way high, but wouldn't a couple props with diffusers be an easier test? We just tacked them at first,,,,,,,, because we really were skeptical.

Either way let us know how it turns out that thing should be still close to a 100 mph boat or over when done.

I have a 2004 35 lightning, came from fountain with 575’s and superchiller setup 2” shorty’s with 1” spacers . Factory test prop is a 37 pitch bravo one . Tested at 103 mph . It’s a bear with the bravo’s to get on plane . Tabs all the way down and drives in , if there’s any blowout at all you gotta back it all the way out then try again. I picked up a set of 30 hydromotive p-5’s that get in the mid 90s , but will plane with no tab . I’ve heard the best prop for this setup, is a 32 Maximus diffuser cut off and 15” diameter.
Hope that helps.