Fountain 38 Luxury Edition 2006 boat specs
Fountain
Fountain 38 Luxury Edition 2006
2006
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VS
Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 boat specs
Fountain
Fountain 42 Lightning 2022
2022
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Fountain 38 Luxury Edition 2006 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2022: Same Brand, Different Boat

The Fountain 38 Luxury Edition 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 38 Luxury Edition 2006 caps at 11. 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 38 Luxury Edition 2006 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 11 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
MakeFountain
Makenot available
Model38 Luxury Edition
Modelnot available
Model Year2006
Model Yearnot available
Measurements / Dimensions
Beam10 ft. 6 in.
Beamnot available
Beam - Meters3.2
Beam - Metersnot available
Beam - Inches126
Beam - Inchesnot available
Deadrise22℃
Deadrisenot available
Weight - Detail12,900 lbs.
Weight - Detailnot available
Weight - kg5851.34
Weight - kgnot available
Weight - lbs.12900
Weight - lbs.not available
Length - Feet37
Length - Feet42
Length - Inches11
Length - Inchesnot available
Length overall - Detail37 ft. 11 in.
Length overall - Detail42.00 ft
Length overall - Meters11.56
Length overall - Meters12.8
Length overall - Inches455
Length overall - Inches504
Engine and Drivetrain
Engine/s standardTriple Mercury 275 Verados
Engine/s standardnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Detail287 gal. (1,086 l)
Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Liters1086.41
Fuel tank capacity - Litersnot available
Fuel tank capacity - Gal287
Fuel tank capacity - Galnot available
Fuel typeGas
Fuel typeGas
Drive typeI/O
Drive typenot available
Operational Info
HeadEnclosed fiberglass, VacuFlush, stand-up shower
Headnot available
Headroom6 ft. 5 in.
Headroomnot available
Sleeping capacity2
Sleeping capacitynot available
Water capacity31 gal.
Water capacitynot available
Water heater capacity7 gal.
Water heater capacitynot available
Boat typenot available
Boat typePower

Fountain 38 Luxury Edition 2006 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 - Common Questions

Which is the larger boat - the Fountain 38 Luxury Edition 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 38 Luxury Edition 2006 comes in at 37,0 feet, making it roughly 5,0 ft shorter - a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.
How many people can each boat hold?
The Fountain 38 Luxury Edition 2006 is Coast Guard rated for 11 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 38 Luxury Edition 2006 and Fountain 42 Lightning 2022 from the same manufacturer?
Yes - both the Fountain 38 Luxury Edition 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.