Fountain Powerboats’ First Dual Console Boat
By Gregg Mansfield
At the 2023 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Fountain Powerboats is launching its inaugural dual console boat in the company’s 44-year history.
This isn’t just any dual console; the new 39DX integrates performance, luxury, and the option to extend the boating season in colder climates. Although a dual console signifies a shift from the center consoles and sport boats typically produced by the Washington, N.C. company, Fountain Powerboats’ Chief Operating Officer Jeff Harris emphasizes that this V-bottom maintains all of Fountain’s core characteristics.
“It serves as an excellent family utility, yet performs like a true Fountain,” Harris stated. “We focus on performance, and it’s crucial. Performance encompasses more than just top speed; it includes ride quality, handling, and cruising capabilities.”
The 39DX showcases extensive customization options, from graphics to seating configurations. The initial model displayed in Fort Lauderdale featured a two-person driver’s seat, with a long gunwale bench on the port side.
The cockpit is enclosed by a full wraparound windshield and includes a hardtop. A standard 16,000 BTU air conditioning unit ensures the cockpit remains cool during hot summer days. In winter, users can activate the heater and install Isinglass curtains to prolong the boating season by several months, according to Harris.
“Unless it’s sunny and 65 degrees, families are likely hesitant to venture out,” Harris noted. “That won’t be an issue, as the cold will not bother you due to the protection.”
Harris mentioned that the rear area can be tailored to suit buyers, an advantage over competitors in the dual console segment.
“The interior choices are almost limitless,” Harris remarked. “You can design the boat precisely to your liking.”
In the bow area, a filler cushion can convert the space into a spacious sun lounge.
The 39DX also features a cabin that optimizes available space, including a small berth and a stand-up head. A 6,000 BTU air conditioner ensures comfort below deck, making it an ideal retreat for kids on hot summer days.
Desirable features include a standard Seakeeper gyro stabilizer and a dive door for ease of entry to the cockpit.
Fountain has a long-standing reputation for performance, and the 39DX lives up to that legacy. The first hull at the Fort Lauderdale show was equipped with triple Mercury Marine 400 Verado outboards. This configuration enables the stepped-hull boat to cruise at 44 mph, achieving a top speed of 70 mph, according to Harris.
Harris was particularly impressed with the 39DX’s fuel efficiency, averaging over 1 mpg with 1,200 hp at the transom.
“At cruising speeds, the 39DX is unparalleled in its class. No other vessel can match its efficiency and cruising capability,” Harris stated. “It offers nearly a 375-mile range at a cruise of over 40 mph; that’s impressive.”
Fountain will provide the 39DX with the option of triple Mercury Racing 300R, Mercury Racing 400R, or Mercury Racing 500R outboards.
For a company traditionally focused on offshore and center console boats, the dual console represents a new direction under Harris and owner Fred Ross.
“It recalls the days when Fountain produced a sportfish cruiser,” Harris stated. “But the 39DX is significantly more sophisticated; it’s a remarkable evolution.”
