When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 and the Gillgetter 716 Sport Deluxe 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 716 Sport Deluxe 2008 at 16,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Gillgetter 716 Sport Deluxe 2008 tips the scales at 1 125 lbs — 300 lbs less than the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 at 825 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 25 hp for the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 and 40 hp for the Gillgetter 716 Sport Deluxe 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 716 Sport Deluxe 2008 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Gillgetter 716 Sport Deluxe 2008 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Gillgetter 716 Sport Deluxe 2008 comes in at 28 lbs per hp versus 33 lbs per hp for the Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011. 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.
Both are 2-tube and 2-tube pontoon designs respectively. Tube diameter and gauge affect stability and load capacity — more so than most buyers realize when comparing on paper.
Bottom line: Choose the Gillgetter 716 Sport Deluxe 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 7 passengers and at 16,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Gillgetter 615 Family Cruise 2011 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.