Fever or Lightning
 

What is the major difference between a Fountain Fever and a Lightning.

Looking at the many used boats for sale, i noticed several lightning 38's and also fever 35's.

I always thought the Fever was 38 and the Lightning a 35. The bigger discrepancy would be between the 35 Lightning and the 35 Executioner...my Lightning looks just like an Ex does nowadays. Lightning is the more "plushy" model...usually full windshield instead of a race fairing, more headroom, more ammenities belowdecks.

now its the smaller boats that are fevers......27(out of production) and 29.

Lightnings have the full windshield and a walkaround, fevers usually have a fairing and no walkaround. I think.

O.K. Here's the skinny... The fever was made in a 29,32
and 38. there never was a lightning in those models.
a lightning was availible in a 35 and 42. The main difference
is the deck. A lightning deck is raised slightly in the center
and has a walk around. When Fountain came out with the
twin step 35 it became the new Lightning. The signal step
35 that used to be the lightning was reintoduced as a 35
classic which then became the Executioner. The 42 Ex
and Lightning share the same bottom. The 42 Ex has the
old style deck and windscreen. The 38 fever is history and
became a twin step lightning sharing the rounded Euro
windshield with the rest of the Lightning lineup. That
was easy :) Oh yea..I dont no anything about the 27.
The 24 was called a CS.

They used to make 27, 29, 32 and 38 fevers, now only 29 Fevers. Lightnings were made in 35, 38 and 42. Fevers don't have walkarounds, so you get a little more cockpit width, but it is a little tough to get up on the fwd deck of the boat. You could get them either with race fairings or the plexiglass "venturi" windscreens. The "new" lightnings had/have full windshields and different intake vent styling at the engine compartment. I think you can still get the race fairing for a newer Lightning, though. For a while, Fountain called the single step 35 the "lightning", then when the twin step 35 came out, they called the 35 single step the "classic", and a little later they changed the name to the current "executioner". The 38 is only available in the Lightning model, now. Somewhere around 1999 they stopped making the 38 Fever. 42's have a variety of different names, Poker Run, Lightning, Executioner, are those that come to mind. Hope this helps.

You must of hit the "post reply" while I was typing mine. For a couple of years, I think you could get the 38 in either a Fever or Lightning. My friend had a couple of each in his showroom. I'll have to go thru some of my old brouchures. :D

Mostly correct except that they made the 38 Fever thru 2001 model year. I have a 2000 38 Fever. There is quite a bit more cockpit space in the fevers but you do give up the walkway, built in ladder, and freeboard - the lightnings are deeper.

As a sidenote, at the request of a customer Reggie did make one 38 Fever with the second generation stepped hull in 2003.
The customer rolled it his first time out doing hard turns that were no problem with the older hulls but a big NO NO with the bigger steps.

I'm getting one in on trade. From what I've seen lightnings sell easier than Ex. '98 35 Lightning. 502efi's with 120ish hrs, bravos, full cabin, etc. Fresh water boat. Let me know if it interests you. Looking to make a quick deal.

Do the lightnings have the windshield that comes to a point, where the fever is curved?

Epeek is almost correct. You could get the 38 in a Fever model or a lightning model from 1999-2001. Although they did make the Fever model after 2001 it became not as popular after 2001 because 2002 yielded a new bottom design (big steps) and a short stagger set-up. 1999-2001 Fevers and lightnings used the same ventilated bottoms but decks were different. Fountain built a couple of 03 Fevers and I think if you wanted they will still build a fever to order. I have a 99 and I like the extra cockpit space.

A 98 lightning with 502s at 120ish is no quick deal. In fact that is not a deal at all. Do a little more research on the market before you bring that one in at that number.


RAF

thats 120ish hrs... read it again.
that is low hrs for a 9yr old boat... and fresh H2O is always a +.

Sorry- My bad I jumped the gun. Sounds like a nice rig!

Yeah...I was going to say.....

but no harm' no foul PM me what you think it's worth or anyone that is looking for one what they would pay for it. I can send pics.

:D

working the showroom this summer? ;)

Yep! Cars....boats....whatever :drink: Coming this way anytime soon?

Not until you're in school.
but would love a ride in GA. ;) to shooters!:evilb:

You got it! Let us know when.

You are not quite accurate. The boat was never rolled but simply spun out. There has been some debate on handling characteristics and driver error with that particular boat. Boat was sent back to Fountain where they made an exact duplicate of the boat with the old hull design. I know the guy who has it and he is thrilled with the new boat but was not happy with the big step Fever. I believe that Randy at Cobra power has the only big step Fever around for sale which is the boat in question. Oh it hauls ass though im sure.

RAF

new 38's are lightnings old ones are fevers

Thanks for the info. The smaller stepped hulls aren't quite as fast but they are predictable and solid :)