Looking for experiences with the 39'
 

I'm considering a 39' staggered 525 velocity and would like to hear from others who have been on them and have owned them. How are they in the rough, how do they handle at speed, crossing big cruiser wakes, etc. I feel my 280 does pretty good for its size and would think the 390 would be better. I'm just trying to cover all my bases as this is an expensive purchase for me and don't want to be upset with the purchase and wish I went with a 42 fountain instead.

Staggered setup's are great to work on but you sacrifice cockpit space, personally I'm completely fine with it. Staggered setup's are a breeze to work on compared to side by side engines.

Also the 42' Fountain feels like you could fall out of it at speed, it has low sides compared to a Velocity. To get comfortable you have to really slump down.

Oh ok. I didn't realize the fountain was shallow in the cockpit. I don't mind losing cockpit area either since I do my own makntnece the staggered setup would be nice.

You have already had a very good experience with the 280, so take and add another 11' to it and you can only imagine how it will run. It will out run most, and the 1 or maybe 2 it doesn't it will be right there. Driven correctly you won't be disappointed............ Go drive all the one's you are interested in, then make you discision. Can't beat the VELOCITY

I have ran almost every 390 to come out of the factory side buy side and stag. I built the 1st 390 staggered boat with 500 efi,s. They handle big water great but a side buy side is faster. The blue 390 with 700 handled like it was on rails at 114 mph.. I ran a 38 fountain with stag. 525's and ITS in a bunch of poker runs. You can not compare the 2 boats. The fountain was fast 95 mph but ya had to be on your toes in big water. The staggered 390 has a cockpit the size of a 280. I think there is only one stag boat for sale down in the Keys. $109k My old 390 was for sale a wile back with 496,s. But it has issues.

Is that the one with transom issues?

Your saying the sxs is faster than the staggered setup? What kind of speeds am I looking at with a staggered and 525's compared to a sxs with 500's?

Thanks for your time.

My 390 with 500 efi,s upgraded to 565 hp 630 fp torque so there comparable to 525 efis ran 91. and it was a tank 10000 # We spent a lot of time on set up.
I installed the exact same power and drives in the first staggered 390 I built witch was the first Steve built and it was a real potato chip and it ran 91 mph.So all I gained was a rooster tail.
Because there is that much more weight forward on a stag. boat.
It ran over big roller like a dream but it took that more leverage to push the hull up out of the water. That right out of the mans mouth that built the boat Steve Stepp. He tried to talk me in to another side by side. But WTF it was fun to run.
I talked with Ken today and he has a real nice 41 over there with 525,s.
And as far as depth compared to a fountain I didn't get out the tape measure but there real close. I think the fountain is a bit deeper.

My understanding is that the 41 is the same as a 390, just taller? Or higher sides. That being said its a bit heavier and a little slower.

What drives did you have on the 390 and how did they hold up to the upgraded 500's with the weight of the boat.

One more thing you touched on was the blue 390 with 700's. I thought I read it was destroyed running fast in the rough or hit a big wake. Someone I talked with at the Tickfaw this weekend mentioned velocity's had an issue in the early 90's with being "potato chips" and breaking apart. I don't know anything about it as mine has performed great, but figured I would ask seeing your experience with the brand.

Thanks again.

Yes same running surface. and yes it is slower by a few mph.
I always run a stock bravo upper with imco shortys faster than a XR. I have the same combo on my Cigarette.
Yes the blue 390 was destroyed. no it was not that light. And there is more to the story. It hit a huge wake from a cruiser at a high rate of speed.
I had a early 30 kevlar boat with 850,s and it was a tank. My bud had a OB. race deck and it was not that light.

Tom, how do the older staggered 390's compare to the 390 they built for Ed with the new 565 motors? That boat is right at 100... Would the one in the keys with the right drives/props not be similar? I figured it would have to be low to mid 90 mph boat.

Eds boat is super light. The 390 down south should run 90 plus. I dont remember where the driver are on that boat. Steve moved things around alot .

It sounds like the side by setup shifts the center of gravity rearward and probably helps the boat sit on the pad better. This is something I've contemplated, interesting to hear that it seems to be the case in practice. A bow lifting prop may help the stagger boat.

I wonder why fountians run so well with the stagger setup, is it the steps?

Yup!

The steps make other brands run loose when flat . I have plenty of waves to do that here , so not as important to me . Not going large boat to run on the pad , and only use a small part of the running surface . Staggered helps the COG in rough water and in the air . My 41 crushed big waves due to the weight forward . Pads might help on a lake but not where I boat , go bow up on the pad around here and hit a big wave it will make you into a submarine . I like the turning agility of the straight boats best myself . You can always add more power if it's not fast enough , but handles well .

If you really meant that youd be rocking an apache of straight cig!

Loved my 30 Velocity ( 110mph ) , but the 41' handled big water better then any boat I have ever ridden in . It was an older X-race boat and was way slower ( high 90's )and much bigger then my 42' Fountain ( high teens ) , both were staggered . I felt confident going out with that 41' boat in big seas and often did . Owned and raced the Velocity brand for almost 20 years . I like Apache's , but takes a lot of power to break 100 . Same with most older heavy boats , newer lighter boats are easier to make fast with less power . This 39' is a nice and fast boat , if you don't need the bigger ride and cabin of the 41' . Sold the Fountain because I was worried someone would fall out in rough water going fast , she felt shallow IMO when standing compared to the 41' .