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Fountain 38 LX First Glance

Fountain holds the world record for the fastest V-bottom boat, at just over 170 mph...

Fountain holds the world record for the fastest V-bottom boat, at just over 170 mph. The fun part of that from your perspective and Fountain’s is that the company translates the technology that allows that kind of speed into its other boats, like the new Fountain 38 LX (the LX denoting luxury).

Don’t look at the 38 LX with the jaundiced eye of a hard-core fisherman. Rather, think of fishing while pampering yourself and still enjoying unmatched speed and performance – performance that lets the 38 LX totally ignore a 3-foot wake from a passing 65-footer. It’ll take much more than that to jostle this boat.

Acknowledging current trends, most owners opt for triple 225-hp outboards, though the 38 LX runs perfectly well with twins. With triples, expect a top speed of more than 60 mph at 5,700 rpm using less than 22 gph per engine. A more stately 50 mph uses only 14 gph per motor at 4,800 rpm. Then consider cruising at the speed 99 percent of other 38-footers do – a seeming snail’s pace of 40 mph at 3,500 rpm – and each Merc 225 barely sips 9 gph. Incredibly, at 40 mph you can enjoy a range of 450 miles!

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Each LX comes standard with Latham Marine power steering (about $5,000) to make your 38 LX drive like a car.

With that said, don’t let the fancy interior, comfortable seating at helm and transom, and racing heritage fool you. Taking off the cushions and backrests equates to taking off the gloves as far as the fish are concerned. You’ll find everything  aboard the 38 LX you’d expect on a no-nonsense offshore fishing boat. Loads of storage for your belongings, as well as 13 rods, removable tackle boxes and huge, in-deck fish boxes, assure you’ll not run out of space for anything aboard.

Whether you prefer trolling, anchoring over a good patch of bottom or drifting in a beam sea, the 38 LX will treat you gently. This hull carries a wider beam than many performance boats, and that helps maximize roll stability. The steps also cushion the roll on each side and help attenuate chine slap, allowing the 38 LX to roll more quietly than nonventilated boats.

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Belowdecks, Fountain provides full 6-foot-5-inch headroom, and that’s just the start of the yacht-quality interior. The galley’s Corian counters, polished stainless-steel sink, ceramic cooktop, stereo, plasma TV, and microwave, plus spacious V-berth with stand-up head with shower, make it a pleasure for a couple to weekend aboard. Overall, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better-handling, faster or more luxurious 38-foot sport-fishing boat.

_Specifications:
_
L.O.A.  37 ft. 11 in.
Beam  10 ft. 6 in.
Deadrise  22 deg.
Draft  2 ft. 6 in.
Fuel  325 gal.
Max. Power (3) 275-hp OB
MSRP $340,744

_**Notable Features: **
_? Electric leaning post w/bolster seat
? Half tower
? Hi-Lo cabin table
? Full engine instrumentation
? Vacu-flush head
? 50-gallon livewell

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