Local and visiting powerboat owners who flocked to the Lake of the Ozarks during the Memorial Day weekend had the chance to see something a little unusual on the Central Missouri waterway. That’s because Chad Engel of Custom Image Auto Body finished the metal-flake gelcoat work (read the story) on his parents’ 2009 Fountain 38’ Express Cruiser in time for the holiday weekend and delivered it to them.
Something you don’t see every day, this metal flake gelcoat-finished Fountain Express Cruiser turned heads last weekend on the Lake of the Ozarks.
“There were quite a lot of people looking at it, a lot of people turning around take second looks,” said Engel. “It looks absolutely stunning on the water. My father is thrilled.”
While the 38-footer’s paintwork took longer than expected, Engel still managed to get it delivered to his parents condominium at the lake last Wednesday. After delivering the boat, he drove back to his home in Omaha, Neb., on Thursday to pick up his wife, then returned to the lake on Friday to join his parents.
“It was a really short boating weekend with lots of driving,” he said, then chuckled. “The weather was nasty on Saturday with tornado warnings and stuff so we really didn’t get out, but we did get to take it out Sunday.”
Participants in the upcoming Support Our Troops Poker Run on the lake will get a closer look at the Express Cruiser with uncommon bling as it will be docked at the host venue, though Engel said he and his parents will run his 42-foot Fountain Lighting sportboat in the event. But the repainted Fountain definitely has created some interest.
“I’ve had a few people call already to ask about paintwork,” he said.