When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 and the Gillgetter 713 Fish N Cruise 2008 are pontoon designs with aluminum construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 at 15,3 ft versus Gillgetter 713 Fish N Cruise 2008 at 13,0 ft. At 825 lbs and 825 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 25 hp for the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 and 15 hp for the Gillgetter 713 Fish N Cruise 2008. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Gillgetter 713 Fish N Cruise 2008 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 comes in at 33 lbs per hp versus 55 lbs per hp for the Gillgetter 713 Fish N Cruise 2008. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.
One place where both boats are genuinely identical is tube construction: both run 2 aluminum tubes at 19" diameter. That shared spec means stability and buoyancy characteristics are closely matched — the ride difference you'll feel between them comes primarily from deck length, weight distribution, and motor choice.
Bottom line: Choose the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 15,3 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Gillgetter 713 Fish N Cruise 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.