Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 or the Fountain 42 Lightning 2022?

The Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 is the longer of the two at 42,0 feet overall. The Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 comes in at 31,0 feet, making it roughly 11,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 is Coast Guard rated for 9 passengers, while the Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 is certified for 12. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Are the Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 and Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 and the Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 are built by Fountain. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2022

Fountain

Fountain 31 Center Console 2006

2006

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Fountain

Fountain 42 Lightning 2022

2022

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story — intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 12 passengers and at 42,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 9 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeFountain

Makenot available

Model31 Center Console

Modelnot available

Model Year2006

Model Yearnot available

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam8 ft. 4 in. (2.54 m)

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters2.54

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches1

Beam - Inchesnot available

Weight - Detail5,700 lbs. (2,586 kg)

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg2585.47

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.57

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Meters9.45

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet31

Length - Feet42

Length overall - Detail31 ft. 0 in. (9.45 m)

Length overall - Detail42.00 ft

Length overall - Meters9.45

Length overall - Meters12.8

Length overall - Inches372

Length overall - Inches504

Engine and Drivetrain

Engine/s standardTwin Mercury 275 Verados

Engine/s standardnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail204 gal. (772 l) Optional Fuel: 40 gal. (151 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters772.22

Fuel tank capacity - Litersnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Gal204

Fuel tank capacity - Galnot available

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeI/O

Drive typenot available

Operational Info

Boat typenot available

Boat typePower

Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 or the Fountain 42 Lightning 2022?

The Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 is the longer of the two at 42,0 feet overall. The Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 comes in at 31,0 feet, making it roughly 11,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 is Coast Guard rated for 9 passengers, while the Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 is certified for 12. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Are the Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 and Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 and the Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 are built by Fountain. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Fountain 31 Center Console 2006 full specs ← Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 full specs