Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 vs Fountain Lightning 2001 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 or the Fountain Lightning 2001?

The Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 is the longer of the two at 48,0 feet overall. The Fountain Lightning 2001 comes in at 42,0 feet, making it roughly 6,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Fountain Lightning 2001 is rated to a maximum of 550 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 tops out at 525 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 is Coast Guard rated for 14 passengers, while the Fountain Lightning 2001 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 48 Express Cruiser 2007 and Fountain Lightning 2001 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 and the Fountain Lightning 2001 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 48 Express Cruiser 2007 vs Fountain Lightning 2001

Fountain

Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007

2007

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Fountain

Fountain Lightning 2001

2001

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 vs Fountain Lightning 2001 — Same Brand, Different Boat

The Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 vs Fountain Lightning 2001 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.

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 550 hp, the Fountain Lightning 2001 has a 25-hp advantage over the Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007's 525-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Fountain Lightning 2001 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 14 passengers and at 48,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Fountain Lightning 2001 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 12 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeFountain

Makenot available

Model48 Express Cruiser

Modelnot available

Model Year2007

Model Yearnot available

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam12 ft. (3.66 m)

Beamnot available

Beam - Meters3.66

Beam - Metersnot available

Beam - Inches144

Beam - Inchesnot available

Deadrise22℃

Deadrisenot available

Draft [max] - Detail46 in. (1.2 m)

Draft [max] - Detailnot available

Draft [max] - Meters1.17

Draft [max] - Metersnot available

Draft [max] - Inches46

Draft [max] - Inchesnot available

Weight - Detail24,000 lbs. (10,886 kg)

Weight - Detailnot available

Weight - kg10886.21

Weight - kgnot available

Weight - lbs.24

Weight - lbs.not available

Length - Meters14.78

Length - Metersnot available

Length - Feet48

Length - Feet42

Length - Inches6

Length - Inchesnot available

Length [over all with swim platform]51 ft. (15.5 m)

Length [over all with swim platform]not available

Length overall - Detail48 ft. 6 in. (14.78 m)

Length overall - Detail42.00 ft

Length overall - Meters14.78

Length overall - Meters12.8

Length overall - Inches582

Length overall - Inches504

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull materialnot available

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Detail470 gal. (1,779 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detailnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Liters1779.14

Fuel tank capacity - Litersnot available

Fuel tank capacity - Gal47

Fuel tank capacity - Galnot available

Fuel typeGas or diesel

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeI/O - Triple

Drive typeinboard

Engine maxGas: 525 hp, 3 each Diesel: 480 hp, 3 each

Engine maxnot available

Engine makenot available

Engine makeMERCURY

Horsepowernot available

Horsepower550 hp

Operational Info

HeadVacuFlush

Headnot available

Headroom6 ft. 5 in. (1.96 m)

Headroomnot available

Sleeping capacity4

Sleeping capacitynot available

Water capacity80 gal. (303 l)

Water capacitynot available

Holding tank capacity - Detail36 gal. (136 l)

Holding tank capacity - Detailnot available

Holding tank capacity - Liters136.27

Holding tank capacity - Litersnot available

Holding tank capacity - Gal36

Holding tank capacity - Galnot available

Boat typenot available

Boat typePower

Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 vs Fountain Lightning 2001 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 or the Fountain Lightning 2001?

The Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 is the longer of the two at 48,0 feet overall. The Fountain Lightning 2001 comes in at 42,0 feet, making it roughly 6,0 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Fountain Lightning 2001 is rated to a maximum of 550 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 tops out at 525 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 is Coast Guard rated for 14 passengers, while the Fountain Lightning 2001 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 48 Express Cruiser 2007 and Fountain Lightning 2001 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Fountain 48 Express Cruiser 2007 and the Fountain Lightning 2001 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 48 Express Cruiser 2007 full specs ← Fountain Lightning 2001 full specs