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Lightning Details

The International Lightning Class is a 1938 Sparkman and Stephens design. This active racing class has grown to nearly 15,000 boats. The quality, performance and speed of the Nickels Lightnings are proving themselves for hundreds of current owners including North American and World Championship skippers. Why not join them with the confidence that you are buying the best there is?

The Nickels Lighting features a new hull and deck. The hull design maximizes down wind speed while preserving upwind performance, while the new rolled deck affords greater comfort when hiking in addition to our optimization of control line location. The new deck also provides for increased interior room for crew and skipper. We have also included a new location for fine tuning of the backstay. This new deck is stiffer insuring durability and strength.

Fully rigged w/ stainless steel centerboard: $24,995

A new Nickels custom race equipped Lightning includes:

• Lightning Class Number—royalty and measurement certificate (from the class)
• One color hull—one color deck New style rubrail white or black
• Harken Equipment— Carbo blocks now standard
• Mainsheet swivel with hexaratchet Jib sheet—Custom NBW jib car
• Spinnaker guy and sheet Ratchamatic Jib uphaul—6 to 1
• Twing lines with guy hooks Jib cloth—2 to 1
• All block Boomvang 22 to 1 Backstay—8 to 1
• NBW mast all lines internal Cunningham—4 to 1
• Mainsheet bridle—Winward sheeting type, pull down
• Centerboard hoist—10 to 1
• Dual side controls—for backstay, mainsheet bridle, boomvang & cunningham with color coded lines.
• 360 degree swivel cleat—on centerboard hoist 2 Hinged transom bailers
• 3 padded hiking straps (your choice of color)
• Large storage compartments in both cross seats
• Lifting bridle
• Nickels aluminum mast, boom, spinnaker pole and tiller with extension

Color Options: White is standard but for modest charge we customize for your color and striping

Rigging Options: There are numerous options. Give us your specifications and we will customize a price proposal for you.

Sails: Sails by North, Quantum and Vermont Sailing Partners. Current prices less 10% with new boat purchase. Covers are available from all manufacturers on request.

Also Available: Trailer - $1895 Spare Tire - $90.00 Aft Kick Stand - $35.50 (installed) Spare Tire Bracket - $37.50 (installed) 4 Stanchions - $449.00

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LIGHTNING TUNING GUIDE

Proper boat speed depends mostly on constant and consistent adjustments to your rig and sails. The following measurements are those we have found to be the fastest settings for your new North Sails . We have included information on both the tuning of the M-5 and the MF-2 design sails. The M-5 is a more backstay sensitive sail, which sails fastest when the blocks and the lower shrouds are adjusted corresponding to the change in conditions. The MF-2 mainsail responds best to mainsheet tension with less emphasis on adjustment to the backstay, the blocks and the lower shrouds. Both tuning techniques have proven to be very fast and we’re confident that through following the basic numbers we offer in this tuning guide you’ll find top speed in all conditions. However, as always, your North Lightning team is anxious to help you any way we can. Feel free to call or email us anytime! Good luck and good sailing! In our new tuning guide we have divided the MF-2 and the M-5 tuning procedures.  Note that the techniques used in setting both systems are quite different. Please check it over carefully! All of your North Lightning representatives are comfortable with the tuning for both techniques. Should you have any questions about either style, we urge you to call us. We are always happy to help.

THE STEPS IN TUNING

The tools necessary for properly tuning your boat are a 50 foot tape measure, the black Loos tension gauge (PT-1) and a permanent marker.

Note: The newer PT-1 black spring- loaded Loos gauge is very consistent and works great for checking the shroud tension on your uppers and lowers. Because of this we now use the PT-1 gauge for both tuning methods. 

MARK YOUR HEADSTAY

Lay the forestay along the front of the mast and mark where it is even with the top of the mast band at the gooseneck. This can be accomplished with the mast on the ground or stepped with the uppers attached.

MAST STEP POSITION

For the M-5 Tuning System we suggest placing the butt of the mast at maximum forward (the aft edge of the butt of the mast should be 21 5/8” forward of the center of the centerboard pin). For the MF-2 Tuning System and for Allen boats we suggest placing the butt at maximum forward. For the Nickels Boats (both the newer (after 15200) and older) we suggest moving the butt aft one hole in the channel. For any boat having difficulty developing the proper prebend (or with the upper shrouds further aft (such as the Carson or Lippincott) we suggest moving the butt of the mast aft as much as 3/8” to 5/8”. For the Carson and Lippincott hulls the butt measurement should be only 20 1/4” forward of the pin.

ADJUST THE HEAD-STAY LENGTH

Hook up your headstay and measure from your mark that was determined in Step 1 of the tuning guide to the intersection of the stem and the deck.

Measure from the top of the mark on your forestay to the joint of the bow and your deck to set your forestay length.

THE M-5 TUNING SYSTEM

INITIAL SET-UP

Allow your mast to lean fully back on the forestay with no shrouds attached or mast blocks in place. Mark your deck on both sides directly across from the front or back of the mast. You can put in the side blocks and use the aft edge to make your reference mark clearer. This is your “0” datum point.

Place marks at ¾”, 1”, 1 ¼” and 1 ½” forward of the datum. These will be references for block position. 

Attach your upper shrouds to the forward chain plates and tension them to the class maximum of 250 pounds. Do not attach the lowers or be sure that they are very loose. Note:  It is important that the mast is straight in the boat and not leaning or bowing to either side. To verify this, hook a tape measure to the jib halyard. Measure to the chine below the upper chainplate on each of the boat. This measurement should be within 1/4” on each side and can be adjusted by adjusting the turnbuckles on either side.

Attach the lower shrouds to the aft chainplates and tighten them until they are just barely hand tight. Check that the mast is still straight laterally by sighting up the back of the mast. This adjustment to the lower shrouds is just initial tuning and will be adjusted later once the blocks are placed at the partners.

M-5 BASE SETUP (2 on rail-starting to hike)

Place your mast blocks behind your mast until the mast is 1 1/4” forward of your 0 datum point. This is base blocking. 

Pull your backstay until the forestay just registers “7” (using the Black PT-1 Loos tension gauge).

Adjust your lower shrouds equally until they are “11” on the Black PT-1 Loos gauge.

Sight the mast to make sure it is still straight. Adjust the lowers if needed to straighten (ie. 1 off and 1 on, until it is straight)

M-5 TUNING MATRIX 

This tuning matrix eliminates some variables by referencing power in the boat instead of wind speeds. For each change in power, you’ll adjust the lowers or the blocking and sometimes both.

*Lower tension PT-1 gauge. Pull backstay to make headstay 7

The mast blocking and lower tension go hand in hand to properly set up the sails. The blocking controls lower mast bend, stiffening or softening the mast. The lower tension controls, or allows mast bend and poke or sag at the spreaders. 

In light air we need to prebend the mast. If the mast were too straight, the front of the main would be too deep (drag) and the jib couldn’t be trimmed. So, we block forward (blocks behind the mast), softening the mast and bending it down low. The lowers are also eased to let the middle of the mast go forward. Both actions contribute to a looser headstay, powering up the jib. 

As it gets windier and we start pulling on the backstay, we need to straighten and stiffen the mast. Without tightening the lowers, or blocking aft, the mast would bend too much creating overbend wrinkles (from the middle of the mast towards the clew) taking the shape out of the sail. So, we block back (blocks in front of the mast) which reduces lower mast bend and stiffens that section. We also tighten the lowers which will restrict mast bend at the spreaders. Now when the backstay is tensioned to reduce power, the bottom of the main doesn’t over-flatten, the top of the sail gets flatter, and the headstay is tightened. 

Note:  Without the proper backstay tension in light winds the mast will lean much too far forward and there will be too much headstay sag. An overabundance of jib luff sag will result in the jib leech hitting the spreader and the shroud no matter how it is trimmed. The backstay is just tensioned to remove enough sag to keep the jib leech off the spreader and the shroud when the upper batten is angling just at the end of the spreader.

THE MF-2 TUNING SYSTEM

Set your upper shrouds at 250 lb. Tension with the lower shrouds tensioned to 80lbs. Note:  Important!! This initial shroud setting is different from the Lightning Class maximum shroud tension measurement. Be sure to set the uppers at 250 while the lowers are set at approximately 80lbs.

Push the mast forward in the partners and place nearly all your mast blocks behind the mast until the lower shrouds read close to 250-300lbs. It will require a great deal of pressure to push the mast far enough forward to induce the necessary 1 3/4” to 2” of positive prebend in the mast at the spreaders. To check this, pull your main halyard down and hold it up against the back of the mast at the gooseneck. The distance from the taught halyard wire to the back of the mast at the spreaders should be very close to 1 3/4”.

Usually a 1/2” block will be in place in front of the mast with the New Allen and New Nickels boats. Note:  With the later model Nickels and Allen boats usually the proper prebend will be reached while a ½” block is placed in front of the mast at the deck. On the Allen and newer Nickels the lower shrouds will read 300 lbs when set properly to achieve the necessary prebend. For the older Nickels and boats with the upper shrouds aft the lowers will be tensioned to 250lbs. 3. Verify that your lower shroud tension has now increased to 250-300 pounds. If your lower shroud tension is too light, chances are you will not induce the proper prebend. Increasing the lower tension will help achieve the prebend. At this point, because the mast has hopefully developed the prebend discussed above, the upper shrouds will drop in tension to 160-190lbs. Note:  Important!! Do not re-tighten the uppers above 190lbs. This reduced tension is necessary for proper mast bend and is indicative that you’ve developed proper prebend. Note:  It is important that the mast is straight in the boat and not leaning or bowing to either side. To verify this, hook a tape measure to the jib halyard. Measure to the chine below the upper chainplate on each of the boat. This measurement should be within 1/4” on each side and can be adjusted by adjusting the turnbuckles on either side. 4. Hoist your 50’ tape measure on the main halyard and latch it in your lock. Check the measurement from the top of the mast to the intersection of the transom and the rear deck without the jib up but the proper prebend and rig tension as indicated above. Do not pull hard on the tape- take the measurement with the rig “relaxed. The rake should be close to 26’ 7” for the Allen and newer Nickels Boats. For the older Nickels the rake should be 26’6”. For the Lippincott/Carson boats this number should be at 26’ 3” to 26’ 4”. Note:  If your rake measurement is farther forward than the numbers listed above (more than l/2”), then consider pulling a small mast block ( ¼” increment) from behind the mast and re-tensioning the lowers to 250 pounds. Replace the block at the front of your mast and recheck that your prebend is the necessary 1 3/4”. Your mast should also have raked farther aft so that the rake number is smaller. 5. Without applying tension on the tape measure ( as described above) record the measurement at the transom. Now grab the backstay and pull until the slop in the forestay is just barely eliminated (not when the Loos gauge reads “O”). The change in your rake from the backstay pulled on to the backstay relaxed should be 3” to 4”. If this measurement is more than 4”, pull a small block from behind the mast and retention the lowers to 250-300 pounds (as described above). If the “rake change number” is less than 3”, place another small block behind the mast and ease the lowers off until they read the proper tension. This will allow the entire mast to tilt (rake) slightly farther forward. 6. Re-check your lower shroud tension side to side by sighting up the back of the mast to be sure the mast is perfectly straight laterally. Loosen and tighten the opposing sides until the mast is straight from the deck to the hounds, always maintaining the proper lower tension and prebend.

Once on the water double check your lateral straightness once again when sailing upwind in an 8-10 m.p.h. breeze.

Note: In breeze above 10-12 mph the upper sections of the mast above the spreader will fall off slightly sag to leeward. This is normal.

CONGRATULATIONS! You have completed all the tuning with the MF-2 setup. You will never need to adjust your lower shrouds or blocks until you take your mast down. When re stepping simply place everything back where you had it last!

JIB HALYARD TENSION

5A+ and V17+ 

Generally, set your jib halyard tension so that the jib luff wire (in the front of the jib) is just equal tension wise with the forestay when sailing upwind (There should be no sag in between the snaps.).

JF-2 and RJF

In all conditions set the jib halyard tension so that the luff wire is just slightly tighter than the forestay in all conditions. The forestay will show a slight “snake” between the snaps. From light to heavy winds this will mean an adjustment of nearly 2 1/2”. In very heavy winds jib halyard stretch will make it difficult to set the halyard tighter than the forestay. More tension on the halyard will be necessary.

JIB CLOTH TENSION

FOR ALL JIBS

In light winds the cloth tension will be set loose enough that there may be slight wrinkles along the luff. As the breeze increases, increase the cloth tension until all the wrinkles are barely removed in heavy wind. In very heavy winds pull the jib cloth tension a little tighter than just barely removing the wrinkles to flatten the sail and help open the upper batten.

LASHING AT THE HEAD OF THE JIB

Each North jib has the luff wire attached to the head of the jib with a light line lashing which allows the height of the jib to be adjusted on the luff wire. Depending on the type of tack fitting on your boat, you may want to adjust this lashing to raise or lower the jib to sit on the deck properly. If the skirt of the jib is not laying on the deck approximately 1 1/2” to 2” (or the jib tack is higher than 3 1/2” off the deck) you may want to loosen the lashing and allow the jib to slide down closer to the deck. Be sure to tie well, or even tape, the lashing when done to prevent the lashing from coming untied.

  JIB LEAD POSITION

Your North jibs are marked with a trim line near the clew drawn from the clew grommet toward the body of the sail. Your lead should be positioned so that the sheet is a direct extension of this trim line. This is more effective than a measurement from the stem to the lead position because of the variances in jib lead fittings and placement, rake, and jib wire height off the deck. Generally, you should set the lead in this direct extension position unless the boat is overpowered when the lead may be moved aft as much as 2”.

JIB SHEET TENSION

Normal jib sheet trim for 8 - 12 m.p.h. and flat water for the 5-A+ and the JF-2 jibs would be 2” - 3” inside the spreader tip. The V17+ tends to allow for a bit tighter sheeting. In winds below 8 m.p.h. or when trying to accelerate, leaving a tack, etc., the sheet will be progressively eased out until the top batten is angled even out past the end of the spreader. In extremely light winds it is advantageous to hold the clew of the jib up so the upper batten angles 1” outboard of the tip of the spreader. In heavy winds above 15, it may be necessary to ease the jib sheet to the point where the batten might be angled 1” or more past the end of the spreader. However, with any jib, in any condition, the best final check on jib sheet trim is that the jib leech telltale is flowing all the time. To aid in setting up the trim for your North jibs, we suggest placing rings of tape on your spreaders 2” and 4“ in from the tips of the spreaders.

Mark your spreader as a reference for jib trim, BUT check that the telltale on the leech at the top batten is always streaming.

MAINSAIL TRIM

MAINSAIL OUTHAUL

Your North mainsail is constructed with a shelf foot. Judge the outhaul tension at the center of the boom. The seam which attaches the shelf foot to the sail, the bottom seam in the sail) gets closer to the boom when the outhaul is tensioned or further away from the boom when the outhaul is eased. At maximum outhaul tension this seam will lay next to the boom and the shelf foot is closed. This is proper trim for heavy winds when the boat is overpowered. In light winds the center of this seam should be 1” to 2” from the boom. We do not feel it is advantageous to loosen the outhaul more than this when sailing upwind. Downwind loosen the outhaul to allow the shelf foot to open completely. This should place the clew of the main nearly 3” in from the band at the end of the boom.

Use the shelf foot seam as a guide for outhaul tension.

CUNNINGHAM TENSION

In light winds the MF-2 mainsail performs best with the cunningham completely slack. There should be nearly 8” wrinkles perpendicular to the luff from head to tack. On the M-5, the cunningham will be tensioned so that wrinkles are only evident below the spreader window.

In medium winds the cunningham should be tensioned on both mains so that wrinkles are evident just in the bottom of the mainsail below the spreader window. In heavy winds, it is beneficial to pull in the cunningham fairly aggressively. While the backstay is applied to de-power the main, the cunningham should be pulled on to maintain the proper draft position.

The backstay controls mast bend and headstay sag. Pulling it harder flattens both the main and the jib. It also changes the main leech tension and the angle of the upper batten of the main. In very light winds when the mast is blocked forward and pre-bent (see mast blocking) tension the backstay slightly to keep the headstay from sagging (and bouncing) too much. In heavy air more backstay is necessary to flatten the main. If you pull the backstay too hard, the main will invert as evidenced by large diagonal wrinkles running from the upper area of the main above the spreaders down towards the clew.

In medium to heavy winds, some inversion wrinkles below the spreader window are normal and desirable as they indicate that maximum mast bend has been achieved.

Ideally, overbend wrinkles will fall just below the spreader window and halfway back on the boom when proper prebend and mast bend is achieved.

As a basic guide, for the mainsail to take shape and the upper batten to be trimmed parallel to the boom (see mainsheet trim), the backstay should be applied to just barely remove the slop. Once all three crew are on the high side and beginning to hike, the backstay should be tensioned much more tightly. As the boat hits waves or sails into lulls, be sure to ease the backstay to power the rig back up. It is also important to remember that as you pull on more backstay you must also pull on a proportionate amount of both jib cloth and main cunningham. These three controls working in harmony are the best way to keep your sails performing at their designed best shape.

THE MAIN BRIDLE AND TRAVELER

If you have a bridle that is adjustable in height, it is advantageous to raise the bridle for light winds so when the main is sheeted properly (upper batten parallel to the boom), the top of the bridle block should be close to the block on the end of the boom. This will bring the boom to center when the mainsheet is trimmed. In medium winds above 6-8 mph, the bridle should be approximately 11” to 12” above the deck; in heavy winds, the bridle should only be 9” above the deck. If your bridle is not adjustable, set it at 11” off the deck. The traveler is normally centered for light to medium winds, but as the boat starts to heel and becomes overpowered, and therefore develops more helm, the traveler should be eased to leeward. Do not ease the traveler to leeward until the outhaul is fully tensioned and moderate tension has been applied to the backstay. Often, it pays to moderately depower with the backstay, outhaul and Cunningham before easing the traveler.

MAINSHEET TENSION

The general rule is to trim the mainsheet to maintain the top batten parallel to the boom. This is viewed by sighting directly underneath the boom up towards the upper batten. When power is necessary in light or choppy conditions or just after a tack it is important that the mainsheet is eased so that the upper batten is angled outboard (10 - 15°) from parallel to the boom.

Once up to speed, re-trim the main to upper batten parallel. In heavy winds, when maximum backstay tension is applied and the main is fairly flat, the upper batten will angle slightly outboard in relation to the boom. In drifting conditions where the weight of the boom will hook the upper batten, ease the mainsheet until the upper batten is parallel to the center line of the boat. The boom will be positioned well to leeward of center line, as much as 18”. Be sure to recheck the top batten position whenever the backstay and Cunningham are adjusted. Consider the mainsheet your throttle. It helps to keep the mainsheet in hand and play it to keep the boat moving. When it starts to feel slow, ease the sheet and when it feels fast try trimming in tighter to increase pointing ability. In other words, if it feels good, pull! When it feels ugly, ease it out. Upwind in heavy air or very puffy conditions with the MF-2 Main, the boom vang is tensioned so the mainsheet can be played like a traveler. Tension the vang in these conditions so the upper batten is angled outboard 10°. With this proper necessary tension, the boom may actually show a bit of bend. Play your mainsheet to keep the boat flat and the helm balanced! Be sure to ease your vang as you round the weather mark! With the M-5 Main, most of the main control is accomplished with careful balance between the mainsheet and traveler. However, some sailors have had success tensioning the vang just to point where the boom will not raise up when the main sheet is eased. With any “style” of mainsheet trimming you choose to sail with upwind it is imperative that in puffs the boat remains flat, stable and the helm balanced. Quick and deliberate adjustments to the mainsheet, vang, backstay and traveler are important. Adjust quickly but re-trim just as quickly after sailing through the puff and the boat is back under control and balanced.

BOOM VANG TENSION DOWNWIND

The boom vang is used downwind to maintain the upper batten nearly parallel to the boom. Be conscious of not over- tensioning the vang, especially in light winds, as it can greatly slow the Lightning when sailing downwind. In puffs while reaching, when the boat becomes overpowered, try dumping the vang (completely eased) to keep the end of the boom from hitting the water and allow the top of the main to luff, dumping extra power.

THE SPINNAKER

Trimming your North spinnaker is fairly easy as long as you follow a few guidelines. Always attempt to fly your spinnaker so there is nearly 6” of curl in the luff. This is important so the spinnaker is not over trimmed and does not choke the slot between the spinnaker and the main. We suggest flying your spinnaker with the halyard eased approximately 6” off the mast to open the slot up high. Always keep your clews even through adjustment to your pole topping lift. When your leeward clew is hidden behind the main and you cannot see it, keep the center seam of the spinnaker parallel to the mast. In puffy conditions, especially in lighter winds, constant adjustment of the pole height along with the sheet and guy is important. Keep the pole nearly perpendicular to the wind.

The sun is one of your sail’s greatest enemies. Care should be taken to not leave an uncovered sail directly in UV light for long periods. Spinnakers are most susceptible to UV damage. However, your sail’s greatest enemy is prolonged luffing. Putting your sails up before you are ready to leave the dock and allowing them to flog unnecessarily, literally wastes valuable hours and days of the competitive life of your sails. Even before the start on a breezy day, try to spend as little time as possible with the jib up and luffing to save wear and tear. The jib especially takes a beating when luffing as it slams back and forth against the mast. This breaks down the resin in the weave of the cloth. When finished using your sails, even after just a couple races or in-between races, we strongly suggest taking the time to roll up your sail parallel to the battens (it is never necessary to remove the battens). Be careful not to set anything heavy that can crush a sail or to lash the main too tight on to the boom. Be sure to roll the sail parallel to the battens to avoid putting a permanent twist in your special tapered fiberglass battens. Fold your spinnaker to keep it smooth before storing. When sailing in saltwater, be sure to wash all your sails off completely with fresh water and dry completely before storing them. Check all your sails, especially at the front and back of batten pockets and around grommets for signs of wear. Check your spinnaker for tears, so they don’t get bigger and create big problems in the future. If Dacron sail tape is not available, duct tape will work just fine!

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• Sailboat Guide

Lightning is a 18 ′ 11 ″ / 5.8 m monohull sailboat designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Nickels Boat Works, Inc., Skaneateles Boat & Canoe Co., Helms - Jack A. Helms Co., Siddons & Sindle, Lippincott Boat Works, J.J. Taylor and Sons Ltd., Lockley Newport Boats, Eichenlaub Boat Co., Mobjack Manufacturing Corp., Clark Boat Company, Allen Boat Co., and Loftland Sail-craft Inc. starting in 1938.

• 2 / 8 Charlotte, NC, US 1982 Lightning $4,500 USD View
• 3 / 8 Charlotte, NC, US 1982 Lightning $4,500 USD View
• 4 / 8 Charlotte, NC, US 1982 Lightning $4,500 USD View
• 5 / 8 Charlotte, NC, US 1982 Lightning $4,500 USD View
• 6 / 8 Charlotte, NC, US 1982 Lightning $4,500 USD View
• 7 / 8 Charlotte, NC, US 1982 Lightning $4,500 USD View
• 8 / 8 Charlotte, NC, US 1982 Lightning $4,500 USD View

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

One of the most popular one-design classes in the US since the 1940’s. But fleets also exist in other parts of the world. Although originally designed for wood planked construction, nearly all boats since the early 1960’s have been built of fiberglass. Ballast above is max weight of centerboard.

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• About Sailboat Guide

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International Lightning Class Association

Class contact information.

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Class Email

Class Website

One-Design Class Type: Dinghy

Was this boat built to be sailed by youth or adults? Both

Approximately how many class members do you have? 1600

Photo Credit:Douglas Wake

Photo Credit: Art Petrosemolo

About International Lightning Class Association

The Lightning truly excels as an affordable racing boat. The rig is simple but offers sophisticated sail shape controls. The hull features a unique hard chine design that combines the stability that provides sail-carrying power, with flat bottom sections that promote planing. At 700 pounds all up, the trailerable centerboard sloop is tough enough to avoid frequent breakdowns, but light enough to plane wildly on the reaches. Membership is diverse with sailors aged 8 to 80+. Many families sail together at top events and it is common to see females make up at least 40% of competitors.

The Lightning is sailed in more than thirteen countries and in the Pan American Games. A World, Master World and Youth World Championships are held every two years. North American, South American and European Championships are held each year as are innumerable regional and District championships. Major regattas attract some of the finest sailors in the world, but you find Class members friendly and the sailmakers’ complete tuning guides helpful at getting you up to speed in a hurry.

The International Lightning Class Association is one of the oldest and best organized class associations in sailboat racing. Its primary purpose is to serve its membership, preserve the integrity of the Lightning and provide high-quality competitive events. In addition, the Lightning Class publishes monthly e-blasts and a quarterly newsletter Flashes with up-to-date regatta news, boat brokerage and ideas on how to get the most out of your Lightning. The professionally managed association and dedicated volunteers are always on hand to assist both current and potential members.

If you’re looking for a boat you can be proud to sail, one that offers dinghy handling with the performance of a sport boat, a refined design that’s free of fads, complete with the technology of today for both racing and day sailing – look at the Lightning.

Boats Produced: 15630+

Class boat builder(s):

Allen Boat Company, Buffalo, NY: https://www.allenboatco.com/

WindRider International: https://www.windrider.com/

Approximately how many boats are in the USA/North America? 11,000+

Where is your One-Design class typically sailed in the USA? List regions of the country:

East of the Mississippi, Mid-West, Texas, Denver, San Diego, Pacific Northwest Click Here for Fleet Finder Map: https://www.lightningclass.org/content.aspx?page_id=451&club_id=93488

Does this class have a spinnaker or gennaker? Yes

How many people sail as a crew including the helm?  3

Ideal combined weight of range of crew:  490

Boat Designed in  1938

Length (feet/inches): 19’0″

Beam: 6’6″

Weight of rigged boat without sails: 700 lbs

Draft: (board down): 4’11”, (board up): 5″

Mast Height: 26’2″

Back to One-Design Central

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Fountain 47 Lightning Boat Test

• By Charles Plueddeman
• Updated: October 26, 2020

Well, thank goodness Reggie saved the molds. For the first time in more than a decade, a brand-new Fountain 47 Lightning has been launched, and it’s a fire-breathing beauty. Right now, the world could use the excitement a proper speedboat brings to the water, so we are lucky the tooling for this classic model survived the recession-induced closure of Fountain Powerboats and the brand’s revival under the umbrella of the Iconic Marine Group.

A pair of real Fountain aficionados commissioned this $1.2 million boat (including paint and trailer). The owner and his wife, who operate a specialty construction outfit in the New York City area and boat on Long Island Sound, owned a Fountain 35 Lightning and a 38 Lightning before buying a pre-owned 2009-model 47 Lightning—Fountain passion runs deep. In fact, the owner showed me a picture from 1985 of his teenage head poking out of the foredeck hatch of his father’s Fountain 10 Meter.

“We love speed, but we’ve always found the Fountain boats to also be safe and reliable,” says the owner, who was on hand for this boat test but prefers to stay anonymous. “We use our Fountains for family pleasure, and we wanted the new boat to seat seven because my daughter often shows up with an entourage, and it has to have a cabin so my wife can entertain. I wanted the latest technology and the most power available.”

And so he called Iconic and asked if it would be possible to build a new 47 Lightning. This boat is the result. Introduced in 1997, the 47 Lightning features the twin-step Super Ventilated Positive Lift bottom with twin strakes, a 14-inch-deep notched transom, and a pad at the keel—and this classic Fountain design is unchanged. The hull is hand-laminated with quad-axial fiberglass and vinylester resin. Stringers and bulkheads are high-density Coosa composite. Hull and deck are joined with Crestomer 1152 adhesive and through-bolts, with the seam also glassed. Changes to the deck include a slight update to the windshield landing, a reshaped helm to accommodate glass displays, and a new design for the side-hull intake ports.

The cockpit features four high-back seats with dropping bottom cushions, and a three-wide seat aft. The helm is up-to-date—none of the bright colors and anodized aluminum you see on older 47 Lightning models, and no traditional instruments. A single Garmin 8616 display rests in front of the black-and-chrome wheel flanked by a Mercury Vessel-View 502 display and Livorsi digital trim indicators. Mercury Digital Zero Effort controls are topped with Livorsi handles. To keep everyone on board informed, there’s a Garmin 8610 display in front of the port helm seat, and a VesselView 703 display in the back of each of the high-back seats. Audio entertainment is provided by an 800-watt JL Audio eight-speaker system and two 300-watt subwoofers.

The air-conditioned cabin is finished in white fiberglass and vinyl with black accents, a look that’s clean and classy. There’s a galley counter with sink and Isotherm fridge to port, while the head compartment with shower and sink is below the helm. Facing settees and a V-berth are located forward.

Dual hatches cover the engine bay and its staggered twin Mercury Racing Dual Cal 1350/1550 engines. Expert rigging is evident throughout, and decking makes it easy to move around to inspect systems, which include a 5 kW Westerbeke gasoline-powered genset. LED lights and a pair of Garmin cameras keep an eye on the engine bay when the hatches are closed. Mandatory 91-octane fuel is carried in a pair of 100-gallon outboard tanks. A 97-gallon auxiliary tank can be used for the 112-octane race fuel required for operation at the 1,550 hp calibration.

In this category, Fountain takes on the 140 mph, 50-foot-1-inch Outerlimits SL-50 ($935,00 base price with Mercury Racing 1350/1550 power), which seats seven and notably weighs just 10,500 pounds, thanks to its post-cured E-glass and epoxy lamination schedule. If you prefer another legacy brand, the bespoke 125 mph, 51-foot-5-inch Cigarette Racing 151 ($1.5 million with Mercury Racing 1350 power and custom paint) has a 9-foot-6-inch beam and weighs 14,100 pounds, thanks in part to its carbon-fiber deck that also significantly lowers the boat’s center of gravity.

Running in 1,350 hp mode, Fountain’s factory captain coaxed our Fountain 47 to an average top speed of 117.5 mph on sticky water. The GPS log showed 125 mph runs on the light chop that the builder says favors this hull. Whether cruising at 80 mph or running wide-open, the Fountain feels rock-solid and confident on flat water.

The owners have not run the boat with its engines set to the more powerful 1,550 hp mode, and admit that the Mercury Racing 1100 engines, which will run on the 89-octane fuel you can find at many Long Island fuel docks, might have been a more rational choice. So would a more basic paint job. Instead, they sent the boat to Visual Imagination in Peculiar, Missouri, and spent $100,000 on an intricate design topped with six hand-finished stages of clear coat. When you get to build your dream boat, dream hard.

High Points

• Unrelenting Mercury Racing sterndrive power is intoxicating.
• Fountain hull runs fast with steady, comfortable confidence.
• It’s new—this power and technology is not available in a pre-owned, pre-recession version of this model.
• The 1350 engines require 91-octane fuel to make peak power.
• Head compartment is only 4 feet, 7 inches high, and has no port or vent.
• Heavier—by up to 6,000 pounds—than more-current competitors.

Price: $958,000 (base with test power)

Available Power: Sterndrive

How We Tested

Engines: Twin staggered Mercury Racing Dual Cal 1550/1350 engines/Mercury Racing M8 outdrives

Prop: Mercury Racing CNC Cleaver 17″ x 34″ 5-blade stainless steel

Gear Ratio: 1.33:1

Fuel Load: 200 gal.

Crew Weight: 430 lb.

Iconic Marine Group/ Fountain Powerboats – Washington, North Carolina; fountainpowerboats.com

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Blue Jays, and Lightnings, and Lasers, Oh My

There must be a couple of hundred small sailboats available new or used that would serve just fine on any Maine lake. In this issue, we narrow the choices down to just three: the Blue Jay, the Lightning, and the Laser. 

Lightnings and Blue Jays—like Stars and Comets, Indians and Town Class, Thistles and International 14s—could be considered size variations on a theme. Both are Sparkman & Stephens designs, and Blue Jays are often referred to as “baby Lightnings.” Back in the heyday of one-design sailing, this mama and baby sailboat theme was common.

Blue Jays have an emotional connection for me. My twin brother and I built our first boat, a Blue Jay, at the age of 14 in our family’s garage. Back in the day, before one-designs were all popped out of a mold, each with a white hull and a colored deck, a youngster’s first boat was a unique and treasured thing, more so of course if he and his brother built it themselves.

Blue Jays were inspired by Drake Sparkman and designed by his firm, Sparkman & Stephens. The former chair of his yacht club’s junior sailing program, Sparkman intended the boats to be used to teach sailing. Accordingly, Blue Jays feature a complete sloop rig with a mainsail, jib, and spinnaker. This setup provided the essential lines for two children to learn how to trim and coordinate sails. The boats, which have roomy open cockpits and no seats, can easily hold three kids or two adults. 

The original design (1947) called for the boats to be easily built with readily available quarter-inch-thick plywood (the plans are still available from the International Blue Jay Class Association). A fiberglass version became available in the 1960s.

At 13'6" long with a draft of just 6 inches—or 4 feet with the centerboard down—the Blue Jay makes a great lake boat. Small and light, these boats can be trailered behind any old car, kept on a mooring, pulled up on the beach or just tied up at the dock. The small sail plan is manageable by kids of average size and limited strength, but in a strong wind this flattish-bottomed box still can get up and plane. It can capsize, too—although that takes a fair amount of effort. When you are just 14 or so, if the water is midsummer warm, capsizing just adds to the fun.

Now that I’m fully grown, it is easy for me to rig a Blue Jay on Lake Megunticook and sail it alone. Given my history with these boats, an afternoon sail in a Blue Jay is a special pleasure. The beauty of this design is that anybody can delight in the Blue Jay’s lively maneuverability, the enjoyment of hiking hard and making the boat point and go to windward. When I pull the centerboard halfway up, hike out hard, and hear those staccato little pulsations reverberating up from the cutwater, I’m buff, I’m young, and I’m ineffably happy.

While the Blue Jay’s centerboard is made of common plywood or laminated wood, the centerboard of its mama Lightning is galvanized or stainless-steel plate, only 3/8 of an inch thick. This metal board helps make the boat a little more stable. It also happens to be a good choice for rocky Maine lakes because it can bash into a rock without expensive damage. The thin centerboard has minimal resistance at high speed, allowing a Lightning to plane in good winds almost any time the spinnaker is up. 

Modern fiberglass Lightnings are low maintenance. They are usually fitted with side ballast chambers or buoyancy bags so they can, with lots of grunting and groaning, be re-righted after capsizing by a crew of three. It helps to have some clothing or rags to stuff into the top of the centerboard trunk, and a nearby powerboat can be helpful. The fact is that I have sailed my buddy’s Lightning all around Panther Pond, just him and me, in all kinds of wind, and never had any trouble. 

There are many high-tech expensive dinghies that can sail circles around a Lightning, but for me, when I sail a Lightning on a lake and heel her over displaying the flashy varnished seats and ribs and floorboards to lakeshore dwellers, I feel like John Beresford Tipton cruising downtown in his Duesenberg Touring Car. 

The design was perfect in terms of performance, and also perfect in simplicity: The easy-to-build hull mated to the easy-to-build deck lid by means of a cleverly turned-down edge. The one slipped over the other and all that was needed to mate the parts together was a little bit of goo. (One might say it was a goo-ed idea!) Over 200,000 of these hulls have been manufactured and they can be found all over the world.

The Laser mast is just a round aluminum tube, or actually a pair of tubes that fit together. The single sail slips down over this pole before it is stepped, and since the sleeve rotates around with the sail, it’s all very aerodynamic. This is far easier and way less prone to trouble than you might imagine. In most any other boat you would have a halyard. But the Laser flips over and unflips with ease. If a thunderstorm looms, instead of dropping the sail you can intentionally capsize for a spell. The boat floats high and visible, becoming one huge life preserver. 

Laser hulls are light enough (130 pounds) that one person can easily drag it back and forth from the shore to beach or woods. I owned a Laser at one time and by myself could haul it off the top of my car, where it customarily lived. I was a lot younger then….

If you get really good at sailing a Laser, you can qualify to compete in the Olympics. There is a somewhat smaller mast and sail combo available and whole gaggles of thusly-rigged Lasers form a separate official class, the Laser “Radial.” This is a great equalizer for the light and the small of stature.

But all that is racing stuff, and what I really wanted to emphasize is that there probably isn’t a boat in the whole world that is as much fun to just sail as a Laser. That’s what I’m talking about!

Flitting around at high speed on a windy blue day on a whitecapped Maine lake, your eyes just inches above the water. Some people can even gybe without catching the mainsheet under the corner of the transom! Not me—not always. But who cares?

We are on a lake, it’s midsummer, it’s hot, and a periodic dunking just washes off the sweat. 

Contributing Author Art Paine is a boat designer, fine artist, freelance writer, aesthete, and photographer who lives in Bernard, Maine.

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Fountain Powerboats

Unleashing in 2025…

Luxury dual helm seating with electric bolsters, custom inlaid upholstery, and stainless steel LED switching throughout is beautiful and functional, with standard Starboard Garmin unit, and optional additional port dash unit for co-captain seating

Spacious cabin area maximizes luxury amenities without compromising best in class performance, with additional upholstery attachments to expand seating into full V-berth arrangement (shown)

Cabin comforts include luxury in house upholstery throughout, well integrated speaker system, U-shaped wrap around cabin seating, and optional collapsible cabin table

Shown is the cabin bar area in closed layout, showcasing stowable sink hardware, solid surface bar tops with cupholders, and ease of access from cabin seating

Additional features in cabin include cabin bar, trash compartments below, dual sink tubs with overboard drains, USB outlets , and optional fridge conveniences available

Enclosed head unit in cabin features pump out porta -potti with pump out, featured locker for clothing, and additional storage throughout

Power Distribution Panel - AC and DC

Bilge Pumps (3) - (2) 1500 GPH Aft, (1) 1500 GPH Forward, with Float Switches by Ultra Safety Systems

Bilge Blowers (2) - Manufactured by Attwood

Propellers - CNC 5 Blade, Mercury, Stainless Steel, Performance Matched

Steering - Latham Marine Hydraulic, High Performance, Tie Bar

Fire Extinguisher - Automatic

Fuel Vapor Detector

Sea Strainer - Latham

Flush System - For Engines, Fresh Water with City Water Hook-up

Console Features
Panel - Carbon Fiber Reinforced
Switches - Push Button, LED Lights
Steering Wheel - Isotta Italian Leather, Polished Stainless

Cockpit Features
Fresh Water Pump with 9 Gallons, Transom Shower
Bolstered Seats (2) - Electric Drop Down, Triple Rear Bench Seat
Cockpit Upholstery- Premium Materials and Design
Cockpit Cover - Form Fitted Over Windshield
Shower - Pressurized at Transom
Billet Accents - Seat Frames, Handles, Steps
Billet Accents - Engine Compartment, Color Matched
Ladder - at Transom, Concealed

Cabin Features
Cabin Bar - Solid Surface Tops, (2) FG Tubs with Overboard Drains, "U-shaped" Settee, Upholstered, Cup Holders
USB Outlets - Electronic Device Charging
Trash Bin - Storage Drawer and Cabinet
Head - Dometic MSD, Porta Potti, with Deck Pump-Out
Flooring - CNC Cut, EVA Foam
Hanging Locker - Cedar Lined

Lights Features
Lights - Cockpit, RGB
Lights - Navigation, LED, Mounted in Rubrail
Lighting Control System - Shadow-Caster, Computerized, RGB
Fender Attachments (6) - Quick Release Push Pin Locks

Batteries Features
Batteries (3) - HD with Billet Brackets/Step Plates, Remote Switches, Jumper Cables, Receptacle
Start Batteries (2) - Twin Engines
House Battery (1) - Deep Cycle
Remote Battery Switches (3) - On/Off
Charging System - Battery Charger, Three Bank, Automatic

Construction

Positive Lift Hull - Double Step, Pad Keel, Notch Transom

Hull Construction - Vacuum infused with 100% Vinyl Ester Resin, Solid Fiberglass Bottom with High Density Cored Hull Sides

Stringer Grid - FRP Panels, Structurally Bonded and Fiber Glassed into Place

Deck Construction - Vacuum Infused, High Density Core with 100% Vinyl Ester Resin

Hull, Grid, Deck and Liner - Bonded with Structural Adhesive and Glassed Together

Blueprinted Hull Bottom - Running Surfaces for Maximum Performance

Electronics

Electronics Features
Helm - Garmin 8612 Screen at Starboard Helm, USB Ports
Engine Monitoring System - Vessel View 502

Audio Features
JL Audio System:
Source Unit - Fusion 670 Controller
Amplifier - 400-Watt, 4 Channel, Marine Class D
Amplifier - 600-Watt, Mono Block, Marine Class D
Speakers - 7.7" M Series Coaxial with RGB Accent Lighting
(4) in Cockpit Speakers
Speakers (2) - Sub-woofer, M Series, 10", with RGB Accent Lighting

Colors & Graphics

Power Option
Mercury Twin - Staggered 565 Engines with ITS Transom and Sportmaster Outdrives
Mercury Twin - Staggered 860 QC4v with M6 Drives
Mercury Twin - Staggered 1100 QC4v with M6 Drives
Mercury Twin - Staggered 1100/1350 QC4v with M8 Drives

Console & Helm Line Item
Port Throttles
Starboard Throttles
Garmin 8610 Add at Port Dash
Garmin 8616 in Lieu of 8612 at Helm
USB Outlet in Dash - Additional

Comfort & Convenience Line Item
Air Conditioning - Cabin, 6BTU, Dometic Turbo DTU 6, Self-Contained
Dometic Vacuflush - Freshwater MSD with Holding Tank
Faucet for Fresh Water at Galley Sink
Refrigerator - In Cabin, Drawer-Style
Refrigerator - Installed in Galley Cabinet in Cabin

Furniture & Flooring Line Item
Table in Cabin - Collapsible to Make Full V-Berth

Hardware & Lighting Line Item
Analog Gauge Package - (2) 3-5/8", (4) 2-5/8"
Lights - Underwater, RGB, Shadow-Caster

Do you want to talk about performance and speed?

Immersive technology.

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Refined comfort

Tournament ready, make it yours., design & price, locate dealer, request a quote.

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Lightning Class News

About the lightning.

• Design: Sparkman & Stephens, 1938
• Over 15,000 built
• More than 100 active Fleets worldwide
• Length: 19'0" (5.8m)
• Beam: 6'6" (2m)
• Displacement: 700 lb (318 kg
• Draft (board down): 4'11" (151.3cm)(board up): 5" (12.8cm)
• Mast height: 26'2" (7.9m)
• Sail area (main & jib): 177 sq.ft. / spinnaker): 300 sq.ft.

Recent Blogs

Facebook happenings.

Regatta Winners

Tight racing for the top three at the Brotz Regatta .  Congrats to Ian Beckley, Sophie Lusry and Tina Dombrowski in first place.  Second place Craig Pomeroy, Amy Simonsen and Matt Peters.  Third Place David Stix, William Gibson and Steve Jenkins.

Upcoming Events

Sponsor Number	URL address
Sponsor 1	https://www.marksetbot.com/
Sponsor 2	http://www.onedesign.com/Default.aspx
Sponsor 3	https://www.thesailinginc.com/lightning
Sponsor 4	http://nickelsboats.com/
Sponsor 5	http://awardandsports.securesites.net/
Sponsor 6	http://www.capitallogoinc.com/shop/pc/home.asp
Sponsor 7	http://www.rookesails.com/
Sponsor 8	http://www.sailorstailor.com
Sponsor 9	https://www.harken.com/
Sponsor 10	http://www.sailorstailor.com

Lightning Class Supporters