plain and simple if you want quality and comfort you go with the Formula if you want a little extra speed you go with the fountain, the 311 is a great boat does it have trs or bravo?? they are actually a better balanced boat with the trs drives vs the bravo's there was a guy locally that owned a teal 311 that was outta this world, he just sold it a bit ago and I guess it went to Erie so you should be seeing it

 

will keep an eye out for the new 311... i loved my 311 - awesome boat! wish i still had it. i am hung up on the looks of this fountain... i just dont know if it will handle the slop that this little lake kciks up like the 311.

 

Thunder,

Like 89donzi said, the Formula will hold up to the beating of the rough much better. Fit and finish are superior.

Good luck.

 

Like everbody else said the Formula has more luxury ,including ride. As far as speed goes , most Fountains are faster out of the factory. They're also 4 feet smaller (2' beat and 2' swim platform)
I had my 272 Formula next to a 29 Fountain and I was bigger
Just grossly overpower your Formula and kick azz

 

it will look like this, quite posssibly the nicest 311 in existence

 

he bought this

 

A 33 doesnt have a platform. It's a 33ft boat (ie) 10 Meter. Go for a ride in the Fountain to see for yourself which one fits your needs better.

 

A 33 doesnt have a platform. It's a 33ft boat (ie) 10 Meter. Go for a ride in the Fountain to see for yourself which one fits your needs better.

I 2nd this idea

I high doubt a 311 will outperform a 10 meter in any conditions period

 

Ok , no platform , an honest 33 feet minus the beak

 

Both great choices. I'm confident either will be fine on Lake Erie. But, the Formula is the Mercedes of boats. Better factory fit, finish, and more luxurious interior, especially in the late 80's.The Formula will be a solid tank in the rough, but in the chop the Fountain will be faster. Try them both.

 

Fountain!!!

I wont beat around the bush, Fountain!

Boat is meant to handle the slop, meant to be a speed demon and with the sharp angles of the windhshield and if it has an arch or not, just looks SO aggressive and intimidating. That 10 meter is really what put fountain on the map anyway, that for a few years was their flagship and best selling model they ever made, and if you think about it, to this DAY they still make it (with the platform thats why its a 35 now)
So if the boat has been made for the past 27 or 28 years now, and it STILL is a huge seller for Fountain sort of makes you think they made it right and its been so good for tens of thousands of people, has just about every race winning record second to none I guess they did something right with it or it would not be so popular.
Plus when you see one coming you know EXACTLY what it is its unmistakable. Their glass work is really good and their hulls last damn near forever. I rarely hear of anyone having to redo transoms or stringers in fountains and its awful nice to know if you put a pair of mid range 454 or 502's in it and can pump out near 450-500 HP each you are going to be cruising top end around 90 or so and nice mid range cruising speed around 65 at around 4100 RPMs, save on fuel cause its more aerodynamic, lighter, and outperforms just about every performance boat out there.
To me there is no choice between what 2 boats you have your search narrowed down to,
Ill say this out loud, If I did NOT buy my apache 41 I can PROMISE you I would have a 42 fountain with staggered 800-900 SC blower engines with 6's or XRs where my Apache sits in my back yard because out of all the boats I love for alot of different reasons, The Apache and the Fountain were the only 2 choices for me. The cabins in the fountains are nice and plush and enclosed head is really nice, and to be able to save on fuel is a really great thing.
with a pair of 800-900 SC's Boat is probably good for 100 MPH with no major brain work there. Nice to know you dont have to wind your engines up to 6K to have a really nice fast cruising speed. cruising around 60-70 at less than 4K is a real nice thing, engines will last alot longer and lets face it the fountains style and appearance is VERY racy and aggressive
I love the fountains and I cant WAIT to jump on Hot n Bothered's 42 this year or next year and really see how the fountain 42 runs in some 4-6 footers in the river or in the northern chesapeake bay!
Hear that Howard, I want to Ride on Pink Floyd!!!!
J

 

I 2nd this idea

I high doubt a 311 will outperform a 10 meter in any conditions period

Have you ever ridden in a 28..... I mean a 33 Fountain.

Not even a close 3rd to a 311. I have a 10 M Fountain 2 slips down from me. When lake Erie kicks up, 2 to 4 or 4 to 6 footers, we go out on a Cig, Donzi, Formula......... but not his Fountain. Two thing though, the Fountain is FAST and looks good!

 

Fountain = Speed

Formula = comfort

What do you want do with the boat? Do you have kids or entertain? I'd go with the Formula. But if you want to blast around,and don't care about space much, Fountain is the way to go. I think Fountain is better handling.

I had a 88 Formula 292 with warmed over 454's with bravo setup. I great boat for me and the family. Was a good ride but I wouldn't call great. 311 will be a little more smooth than my 292 for sure.

I think you need to weigh what you want to do and compare the features. Power, drives, hyd. steering?
And if you can take them both out and see which fits like a glove. :winker:

I sold my 292 Formula for a Fountain. But, the new boat is 42'. That gives just a little more room than my old boat.

Good Luck! :winker:

 

You said 42...... :laugher: :laugher:

 

Break out the tape measure!!! :angry1:


:laugher: :laugher:

op:

 

oh for the love of god stop it with the beak crap, The front of my apache does not have a beak but the front "tip" from the forward most bulkhead to the tip is completely useless anyway and from the tip to where the boat actually sits and touches water has GOT to be about 7 feet anyway cause the weight of the boat makes the tip of the bow pop up out of the water anyway.
I never thought the beak took away any of the running surface or usable space inside away from the overall cabin and front end anyway.
Hell its probably a good spot to put drugs in to smuggle them from the Bahamas anyway.
LOL
oh wait that was apaches running drugs not the fountains.
My bad

I wonder if my apache ever had drugs run in it?
That would be a cool thing to know LOL

 

Break out the tape measure!!! :angry1:


:laugher: :laugher:

op:

BLAH BLAH BLAH

 

oh for the love of god stop it with the beak crap, The front of my apache does not have a beak but the front "tip" from the forward most bulkhead to the tip is completely useless anyway and from the tip to where the boat actually sits and touches water has GOT to be about 7 feet anyway cause the weight of the boat makes the tip of the bow pop up out of the water anyway.
I never thought the beak took away any of the running surface or usable space inside away from the overall cabin and front end anyway.
Hell its probably a good spot to put drugs in to smuggle them from the Bahamas anyway.
LOL
oh wait that was apaches running drugs not the fountains.
My bad

I wonder if my apache ever had drugs run in it?
That would be a cool thing to know LOL

Easy Turbo...its a joke!

 

Easy Turbo...its a joke!

lmfao TURBO Hahahahaha
thats good I like that.

Dont worry, Ill just get you and your brother jealous because Ill taunt you and him about having a staggered setup rather than the side by side.
Ill never forget when I told him that I bought the staggered 41 before I posted it up and made it public knowledge, he almost crapped himself.
Seems that he has wanted a staggered setup for a long time and I guess he just never stumbled across one that fit the bill. I just happened to have these people calling me to buy it for months in a row until finally they dropped the price enough because they were getting depsirate to get rid of it that I got wide eyed from the price they offered it to me at and with the engines and staggered setup, 3/4 cabin which most dont have, most have full plushy cabins, and the pleasure cockpit, he was envious to say the least.
So Ill just taunt you guys "nanner nanner nanner, I got a staggered 41 apache and youuuuuu donnnnnnnt!"
LOL

One thing, the rock the bay poker run movie up on you tube, is that the only movie he has up there of IO runnin or are there others?

I still think the fountain is the better option between the 2 boats here for this choice.
Formula = eat a sandwish with some grey poop on or a fountain where you wont eat cause you are doing 95 MPH with bugs in your teeth for lunch. Easy choice for me!
J




Oh and Come on look at this 42 its SCHWEET looking, how could you think about a formula with the agressive looks of this thing!
J

 

or the tank of the 42 that is owned by HNB

 

Formula has factory support second to none!

Fountain may not survive much longer for any support.

 

A 1989 10meter with 500hp is not going to be close to 90mph..It is NOT the same boat they build today.

The old 311s are tanks and still much sought after

 

Formula has factory support second to none!

Fountain may not survive much longer for any support.

May not?????? Your being kind.

 

Huh, like any other Fourm, you can go down through the posts and clearly see were owners of product "A" will tell you what a piece of chit product "B" is, and likewise the other way.

They are both quality built, non-econo boats. It's certain that some will prefer some things about one brand over another, but still understand and respect the differences.

Weather or not Fountain survives another month in this terrible market is a non-issue. Shoot, GM can barely make it, you won't see too many people dumping on the 69 Chevelle over it.

 

Weather or not Fountain survives another month in this terrible market is a non-issue.

Unless you happen to need support from the factory, which will not be there if they go south!

How many Studebaker's do you see on the road today?