We continue to try and decide the right boat for us. I have noticed that there are a lot of Fountains on the market in the 32-36 foot range. Anyone have any thoughts on them?
Fountain Boats....Thoughts?
mako98
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Still in production as of the website. Just fewer models than previous, only 34' and various versions of the 38'
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Love them - I have a 31, bought it new, just before the 34's were released, twin Opti's on it. Engines are gettig a bit long on hours now, will likely repower soon. Not a squeak in the hull though, solid as a rock. Many many hours offshore Key West in winter, stuffed it thru a wave or two, jumped off the back of a wave so many times I lost count, the kind where you see the big hole too late, turn to your buddies and have time to look at each other! Not a squeak or rattle in the hull.
Fast enough, enough range to stay out all weekend if you like. Standard tank is 200 gallons, most have 2 25's. Don't fill those unless you really need them, and burn them first, they are pretty far forward, slow the boat and increase full burn. Boat with 2-3 guys, 200 gallons fuel, plenty of ice and gear, will get 2 mpg, at 4200-4300 rpm cruise, which is flat moving out.
Negatives - bilge pumps and live well pumps are the devils own to access. I finally added a terminal strip on the inside of the upper transom, accessable thru a top hatch, and left a pull cord in it. Now, to change a pump, unsnap it from the base, pull is out of the lazarette, swap the hose ( left them long ) cut old wires, use them to pull extra long new wires back to terminal block. Fifteen minutes, rather than the two hours contorted on your side/back upside/down in the "hole".
If you use the front fish well for fish, get a macerator pump on it. The hose is too long and stops up with... gravy, if you try to drain melted ice out of it underway.
Live well, works OK, access is way too hard underneath it.
Plenty of speed, enough range, makes these great boats for the TX coast. I also ran a 34 Contender ( comparatively slower, wetter in a head sea, had HDPI yamahas, not my favorite, because of fuel mileage ) back and forth from Ft Lauderdale to Bahamas and down to Key West. Friend borrowed it to run back from KW on vacation with girlfriend, just as a decent norther blew in mid summer. Eight hour, miserable wet trip - she left him for that, the next week!
Also ran the Donzi ( ho hum), and was a guest on Yellowfin( fine boat !, but heavy).
Fountain, is the real deal. Not throwing rocks at the Contender or Yellowfin, but my personal preference.
Fast enough, enough range to stay out all weekend if you like. Standard tank is 200 gallons, most have 2 25's. Don't fill those unless you really need them, and burn them first, they are pretty far forward, slow the boat and increase full burn. Boat with 2-3 guys, 200 gallons fuel, plenty of ice and gear, will get 2 mpg, at 4200-4300 rpm cruise, which is flat moving out.
Negatives - bilge pumps and live well pumps are the devils own to access. I finally added a terminal strip on the inside of the upper transom, accessable thru a top hatch, and left a pull cord in it. Now, to change a pump, unsnap it from the base, pull is out of the lazarette, swap the hose ( left them long ) cut old wires, use them to pull extra long new wires back to terminal block. Fifteen minutes, rather than the two hours contorted on your side/back upside/down in the "hole".
If you use the front fish well for fish, get a macerator pump on it. The hose is too long and stops up with... gravy, if you try to drain melted ice out of it underway.
Live well, works OK, access is way too hard underneath it.
Plenty of speed, enough range, makes these great boats for the TX coast. I also ran a 34 Contender ( comparatively slower, wetter in a head sea, had HDPI yamahas, not my favorite, because of fuel mileage ) back and forth from Ft Lauderdale to Bahamas and down to Key West. Friend borrowed it to run back from KW on vacation with girlfriend, just as a decent norther blew in mid summer. Eight hour, miserable wet trip - she left him for that, the next week!
Also ran the Donzi ( ho hum), and was a guest on Yellowfin( fine boat !, but heavy).
Fountain, is the real deal. Not throwing rocks at the Contender or Yellowfin, but my personal preference.
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Wouldn't think those 225 Opti's would push that boat very well. But I guess that's why it's so cheap.
Never mind, just noticed, it's a '94. That's why it's so cheap.
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Marshman, what did you dislike about the Donzi?
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Heres My thoughts..
Fast, Sleek, Eye Catching both in Looks-Design and Beauty, holds there value.....
But, if your wanting one for our Freeport, Surfside, Galveston, Matagorda Areas Yearly Sea AVERAGE of 10-15mph winds, with 2-3's chop, I would suggest going out on a couple of trips with someone who owns one, before you buy one. I make the same statement for most any CC boat.
Do this, and you will have "Dunn GoouD" on making your choice, what ever brand, design, length it might be...
I have a friend Locally who also has a Propbender 38' Fountain. :wink:
Fast, Sleek, Eye Catching both in Looks-Design and Beauty, holds there value.....
But, if your wanting one for our Freeport, Surfside, Galveston, Matagorda Areas Yearly Sea AVERAGE of 10-15mph winds, with 2-3's chop, I would suggest going out on a couple of trips with someone who owns one, before you buy one. I make the same statement for most any CC boat.
Do this, and you will have "Dunn GoouD" on making your choice, what ever brand, design, length it might be...
I have a friend Locally who also has a Propbender 38' Fountain. :wink:
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I have an 07 32 Fountain CC with twin 275 Verado's, about 675 hours or so. I love the boat. It likes speed, no matter the conditions. Full Tab, Tucked, and Go in 2-3 foot slop you're running >40 mph with lots of top end remaining. I've never owned a boat that allows you that kind of speed in days we consider normal around here... I'm reaching holes in 2 hours, used to be >4, no BS. I hold 375 gallons of fuel, has the 75 gal aux tank. Best advice is to ride before you buy! Bring your checkbook!! Not many 32's on the market.
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Back to the original poster. You have received a lot of good info about Fountains and I cant see any that I do not agree with. With the caveat that I have not owned or ridden in a 32' but after thinking about this some more since my first post, I would offer you this:
If your decsion comes down to a 34 vs a 31, go with the 34 even if it means a year or two older. I am not knocking the 31s becasue I too owned one and they are good boats but the differece in the two is really night and day. The 34 vs 38 differences are not nearly as great. The 31 weighs 5500 dry, has an 8'6" beam while the 34 weighs in at 9800 dry and has a 9'6" beam. Its just a lot more boat all the way around. One other positive about the 34 is the triple engines. That can be a benefit if you lose one. It can be work to get the 34 to plane on 2 engines without spare props but it can be done. I was able to plane the 34 on two and still came home at 40mph vs 9 or 10mph on the 31 with a single. There was no way I could ever get the 31 to plane on one engine. Trust me, I tried everything. A lot can happen 70-120 miles from the beach and it was a great piece of mind for me.
You are definitely taking me on a trip down memory lane. Thanks
If your decsion comes down to a 34 vs a 31, go with the 34 even if it means a year or two older. I am not knocking the 31s becasue I too owned one and they are good boats but the differece in the two is really night and day. The 34 vs 38 differences are not nearly as great. The 31 weighs 5500 dry, has an 8'6" beam while the 34 weighs in at 9800 dry and has a 9'6" beam. Its just a lot more boat all the way around. One other positive about the 34 is the triple engines. That can be a benefit if you lose one. It can be work to get the 34 to plane on 2 engines without spare props but it can be done. I was able to plane the 34 on two and still came home at 40mph vs 9 or 10mph on the 31 with a single. There was no way I could ever get the 31 to plane on one engine. Trust me, I tried everything. A lot can happen 70-120 miles from the beach and it was a great piece of mind for me.
You are definitely taking me on a trip down memory lane. Thanks
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Plane on Two
I have planed my 34 on 2 several times just to find the easiest way to do so. I start with Tabs all the way down, Throttle up and slowly bring tabs up and she jumps right up with full gear and 4 people and full fuel. I did have some trouble in rough sea's once when I hit a submerged log and took out my Port side lower unit. We had 7 people on board and they walked to the front and one at a time came to the back as the boat started planing out. Again, the sea's were rough fighting a quarter to us slop chop.
Before getting a 34', can I suggest you find a Storage facility to house it if you intend to keep it inside under cover(unless you have a place already) and make sure it has 14' doors. thats what it takes to house mine with the Radar and light sticking up. And Always have someone watching the Garage door when Backing it in or taking it out, especially if the door moves easily and it's windy(Don't Ask), you'll be glad you did.
I have planed my 34 on 2 several times just to find the easiest way to do so. I start with Tabs all the way down, Throttle up and slowly bring tabs up and she jumps right up with full gear and 4 people and full fuel. I did have some trouble in rough sea's once when I hit a submerged log and took out my Port side lower unit. We had 7 people on board and they walked to the front and one at a time came to the back as the boat started planing out. Again, the sea's were rough fighting a quarter to us slop chop.
Before getting a 34', can I suggest you find a Storage facility to house it if you intend to keep it inside under cover(unless you have a place already) and make sure it has 14' doors. thats what it takes to house mine with the Radar and light sticking up. And Always have someone watching the Garage door when Backing it in or taking it out, especially if the door moves easily and it's windy(Don't Ask), you'll be glad you did.
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You can fit a 32 into a 45' deep storage hole. 14' high and 12' wide. 32 rides better in my opinion, for reasons mentioned, and the extra two feet (34) in length seems to create some additional roll based on the same 9.6 beam, in the rough. 34 with triples probably moot that experience.
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