Right on Cue

When it comes to speed and comfort, Fountain Powerboats’ 47 Lightning delivers.

When our test drivers take a boat out for an evaluation, we ask them to put themselves in the position of the “average” performance-boat driver. After finishing a test on a 47 Lightning from Fountain Powerboats in Florida, test driver John Tomlinson was asked what he thought about the offshore V-bottom by his co-pilot.“Your grandma could drive this boat wide open, it’s that safe,” Tomlinson said.

While Tomlinson may have been thinking a bit outside of Powerboat’s demographic, it’s more of a testimony to how far stepped-bottom technology has come.

It says a lot about the bottom design when you can put somebody with minimal driving experience behind the wheel of a boat with 1,400 horsepower and feel relatively comfortable.

PERFORMANCE

Fountain Powerboats has built its reputation on delivering more speed for less money, and the 47 Lightning didn’t disappoint. Conservatively powered with staggered Mercury Racing HP700SCi engines, the 47-foot boat ran a noteworthy 92.3 mph on radar during our tests in Fort Myers, Fla.

Of course, Tomlinson and lead test driver Bob Teague were left wanting more horsepower (they usually are). While an average performance boater can only dream of having 1,400 hp under the engine hatch, a boat as large as the 47 Lightning yearns for extra ponies. Moving up to Mercury Racing’s HP1075SCi package would greatly add to the boat’s $550,000 retail price but it also would improve acceleration and raise top-end speed by at least 20 mph.

Our test boat was set up for top speed and that was evident with its 9.2-second time to plane. Once the32"-pitch, six-blade Hering propellers were fully hooked up, the V-bottom was running 47 mph in 15 seconds. Five seconds later it was going just 60 mph.

Midrange acceleration was stronger as the boat handled the 30-to-50-mph drill in 7.3 seconds and the 40-to-60-mph drill in 7.6 seconds. Running from 40 to 70 mph, the engine package again showed its limitations with the boat taking 13 seconds.

When it comes to handling, few offshore boats can match the 47 Lightning. Fountain continually tweaks the running surface to improve performance and handling. Our drivers put the boat through gradual S-turns around 70 mph and the stepped V-bottom turned sharply and held its line even slicing through boat wakes.

The 2- to 3-foot swells in the open waters off Fort Myers were no match for the offshore boat. Landings were nice and smooth, although our testers felt that the bolsters could have been a little deeper for added support.

WORKMANSHIP

While many builders outsource the cabins and paint work on their boats, Fountain Powerboats prefers to do much of the work in-house. Whether it’s sea strainers or bolsters, building the products in Washington, N.C., allows the company to control quality and costs. From the long, stainless-steel handrails along the deck to the snap-in carpet in the cockpit, the company’s handiwork was on display.

Straight off the production line, the 47 Lightning brought to the Performance Trials was wrapped in vinyl graphics so potential owners could pick their own paint scheme. A beefy rubrail with a stainless insert was installed to protect the hullsides at the docks.

The twin hatches, which also doubled as a sun pad, opened to the side for a clear view of the staggered engine installation. Rigging was standard stuff with the big-block engines on racing mounts that were through-bolted to the stringers. Wires and cables were properly supported and typical of the work you see in production-built boats.

Fountain finished the bilge in a white epoxy paint, which needed some additional sanding to smooth out some rough spots. Some nice custom touches included three batteries in boxes with step plates and a water heater tucked under diamond plate. And because the engine compartment was so large, Fountain had no problem finding room for a gas generator for the cabin’s heating and air conditioning.

The boatbuilder saved some of its best workmanship for the cabin, which featured a
V-berth and a large U-shape lounge. Our inspector said the upholstery was some of the nicest he’s seen from the company and the suspended headliner was perfectly executed.

The head locker was all done in nonskid and featured a pump-out toilet. The workmanship inspector noted a gap in the locker’s seam molding but said it could be easily corrected.

INTERIOR

When it came time to choose the hardware at the starboard-side helm, Fountain selected nothing but high-quality products. The throttles and shifters came from Livorsi Marine, as did the gauges. Our only quibble was with the placement of the gauges. When running at speed, the test drivers had to look around the Isotta steering wheel to check the Monster gauges.

The driver’s spot featured a Northstar M84 GPS display above the steering wheel and a Kenwood remote on the gunwale to control the music. Although installing heads-up indicators for the drives and tabs cost an extra $2,120, it was worth the expense.

Both the driver and observer spots featured front-to-back bolsters—meaning there were two seats at each position. Passengers sitting in the rear-facing bolsters will stand up when the boat is at speed. Buyers can opt for four bolsters in the expansive cockpit and we’re guessing that most will go that route.

To protect the upholstery when getting into the cockpit, the builder installed step pads from Dana Marine. Buoys and other items could be stored in the stowage compartments in the gunwales.

As noted previously, the cabin had all the accommodations needed for an overnight stay. The port-side galley was equipped with a refrigerator and a sink. Food items could be stowed in the cabinets above and below the granite countertop.

The head locker across the way included a toilet, a sink and a shower. Thanks to air conditioning, those hot muggy nights will be nice and cool in the cabin.

OVERALL

The 47 Lightning may be the largest offshore boat that Fountain builds, but that doesn’t mean you need years of experience to drive it. With perfect handling manners and strong performance, you won’t let grandma drive it anytime soon.