Fountain 38 SC 2021 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Fountain 38 SC 2021 or the Fountain 42 Lightning 2006?

The Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 is the longer of the two at 42,0 feet overall. The Fountain 38 SC 2021 comes in at 38,0 feet, making it roughly 4,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Fountain 38 SC 2021 is Coast Guard rated for 11 passengers, while the Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 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 38 SC 2021 and Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Fountain 38 SC 2021 and the Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 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 38 SC 2021 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2006

Fountain

Fountain 38 SC 2021

2021

View full specs →

Fountain

Fountain 42 Lightning 2006

2006

View full specs →

Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Fountain 38 SC 2021 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Fountain 38 SC 2021 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 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 2006 is rated for 12 passengers, while the Fountain 38 SC 2021 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 2006 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 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 SC 2021 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 11 that costs less to run day-to-day.

Measurements / Dimensions

Length overall - Detail38.00 ft

Length overall - Detail42 ft. 0 in. (12.8 m)

Length - Feet38

Length - Feet42

Length overall - Meters11.58

Length overall - Meters12.8

Length overall - Inches456

Length overall - Inches504

Draft [max] - Detail31.00 ft

Draft [max] - Detail40 in

Draft [max] - Meters9.45

Draft [max] - Meters1.02

Draft [max] - Inches372

Draft [max] - Inches4

Beamnot available

Beam8 ft. 6 in. (2.6 m)

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Meters2.59

Beam - Inchesnot available

Beam - Inches102

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - Detail10,300 lbs. (4,676 kg)

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - kg4672

Weight - lbs.not available

Weight - lbs.103

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Meters12.8

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel typeGas

Engine/s standardnot available

Engine/s standardTwin Mercury 525 EFI w/ Bravo XR drives

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Detail310 gal. (1,173 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Litersnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters1173.48

Fuel tank capacity - Galnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Gal31

Drive typenot available

Drive typeI/O

Operational Info

Water capacity2

Water capacitynot available

Boat typePower

Boat typenot available

Headnot available

HeadEnclosed

General Boat Info

Makenot available

MakeFountain

Modelnot available

Model42 Lightning

Model Yearnot available

Model Year2006

Fountain 38 SC 2021 vs Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Fountain 38 SC 2021 or the Fountain 42 Lightning 2006?

The Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 is the longer of the two at 42,0 feet overall. The Fountain 38 SC 2021 comes in at 38,0 feet, making it roughly 4,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Fountain 38 SC 2021 is Coast Guard rated for 11 passengers, while the Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 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 SC 2021 and Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Fountain 38 SC 2021 and the Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 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 38 SC 2021 full specs ← Fountain 42 Lightning 2006 full specs