[4] The design has been built by a large number of manufacturers in the United States and also in Canada.

It was also built in Canada by J.J. Taylor and Sons Ltd.[1] Boats have been delivered complete, sold as kits for amateur construction and also amateur-built from plans.

[3] The Lightning is a recreational sailboat, initially built with wooden plank construction and, since the early 1960s, of fiberglass with wood trim.

The hull has a foredeck, with a V-shaped coaming, a raked stem, an angled transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a retractable centerboard.

[1][3] The boat has a draft of 4.95 ft (1.51 m) with the centerboard extended and 5 in (13 cm) with it retracted, allowing beaching or ground transportation on a trailer.