Can someone explain? I have started to shop for a 42' and the only noticable difference is the windshield and the price.
Thanks.

I think, for a 38':
Early Executioners had no steps, flatter deck, and no walk around on the gunnel. Side by side engines.
Lightning has large steps, a raised deck, and a walk around on the gunnel.
Early Lightnings are side by side, later are semi stagger engines.
Later Executioners have the Lightning stepped bottom with the flatter deck and no walk around. Side by side engines.
I'm assuming the Executioners have a wider, longer cockpit.
Latest Lightnings have a full stagger engine set up. No cockpit.

How do you drive it???

J/K was interested in the differences myself.

no such thing as a 38 Executioner... (38 without a walkway was called a fever) the 42 was called a lighting up until '98, when they came out with the rounded windshield and a slightly more modern looking design, this became the 42 lightning & the older square windshield moldel became the executioner, both shared the same bottom, I belive they kept the classic deck around because not everyone was on board with the new look.

so performance in say a 2007 Ex. vs a Lgt. should be the same?

I think it's just the bottom nowaday's/ I think the executioner only has 1 step on the bottom. And no swim ladder.

I think you can order w differen't tops. The 38 fever top has a wider cockpit.

Like this one. It has the 2 step ligtning bottom. Fever top
http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...o15541-en.html

He was asking about the 42's. They have the same bottom.

I think the ex is a little lighter but not much. Newer 07 and up lightings got the new interior design.

Good deals on 42 ex's out there, funny I liked the new design but now kind of favor the old school look of the EX!

Killer deals on 42 EX's right now. Great boat to bad all the ramps are short around me so I am limited.

Scott Shogren has a Smokin nice 07 w 525s looks like a real nice boat!

There are hundreds of differences from the Executioner to the Lightning. Generally the Lightning is a more expencive and more refined boat. For the first time Fountain buyer, an Executioner is a fantastic boat. Experienced Fountain owners, use to buy a Lightning next time because it does not have the "shortcomings" of the Executioner. However you see it, both are fantastic boats with the same quality and finish (in fact I think the Ex has even better finish than the Lightning some times). You get more the feeling of speed in the Executioner as the windscreen is shorter and there is more wind inside the boat. For low power options, the Executioner can be a great choise. For higher power options, I would go for a Lightning. There are three different styles of the windscreen on the Lightning, some are prettier that others. The Executioner has only one style. Please note that from 1996 onwards, the "old version" (which had the name Lightning) changed name to "Lightning Classic" when the "new style" Lightning came in production. In 2004 and onwards, the Lightning Classic again changed name to "Executioner".

A 42 Executioner with 525s is a very good boat for little money!! But a big 42 foot Fountain can handle double the power without problem, so the more power you have, the less boring it will be.

Good luck with your purchase, and please post some picture of you new boat!!