Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 vs Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 - Boat Spec Comparison

Q: Which is the larger boat — the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 or the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008?

The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 is the longer of the two at 18,8 feet overall. The Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 comes in at 16,0 feet, making it roughly 2,8 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Q: Which is easier to trailer — the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 or the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008?

For trailering, the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 has the edge at 1 237 lbs dry weight versus 2 956 lbs for the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Q: Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 is rated to a maximum of 150 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 tops out at 135 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

Q: How many people can each boat hold?

The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 is Coast Guard rated for 9 passengers, while the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 is certified for 6. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Q: Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 measures 91" wide, compared to 85" for the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

Q: How do the fuel tanks compare on the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 and Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008?

Both boats carry similar fuel loads — 27 gallons and 26 gallons respectively. Range will depend heavily on motor choice, throttle usage, and whether you're on flat lake water or coastal chop.

Q: Are the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 and Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 and the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 are built by Hurricane Boats. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

Boat Comparison

Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 vs Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008

Hurricane Boats

Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013

2013

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Hurricane Boats

Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008

2008

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Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation

Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 vs Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 — Same Brand, Different Boat

Matching a tri-hull Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 against a modified vee Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 means you're likely deciding between two genuinely different on-water experiences. Hull type shapes everything from ride quality and fuel burn to dock handling and resale trajectory.

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 at 18,8 ft versus Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 at 16,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 tips the scales at 2 956 lbs — 1 719 lbs more than the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 at 1 237 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 — 150 hp for the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 and 135 hp for the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 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. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 27 gal and 26 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 could be the deciding factor.

Bottom line: Choose the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 18,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.

General Boat Info

MakeHurricane Boats

ModelFD 196 OB

ModelFDGS 172 OB

Model Year2013

Model Year2008

Measurements / Dimensions

Beam90.5 in. (2.3 m)

Beam85 in

Beam - Meters2.31

Beam - Meters2.16

Beam - Inches90.5

Beam - Inches85

Bridge clearance - Detail88 in. (2.2 m) canopy up 60 in. (1.5 m) canopy down

Bridge clearance - Detailnot available

Bridge clearance - Meters2.24

Bridge clearance - Metersnot available

Bridge clearance - Inches88

Bridge clearance - Inchesnot available

Deadrise10°

Deadrise16°

Draft [drive up] - Detail10 in. (0.25 m)

Draft [drive up] - Detail11 in

Draft [drive up] meters0.25

Draft [drive up] meters0.28

Draft [drive up] inches1

Draft [drive up] inches11

Draft [max] - Detail27 in. (0.69 m)

Draft [max] - Detail28 in

Draft [max] - Meters0.69

Draft [max] - Meters0.71

Draft [max] - Inches27

Draft [max] - Inches28

Weight - Detail2,100 lbs. (953 kg) dry 2,956 lbs. (1,342 kg) wet

Weight - Detail1,237 lbs

Weight - kg1340.82

Weight - kg561.09

Weight - lbs.2956

Weight - lbs.1237

Length - Feet18.83

Length - Feet16

Length overall - Detail18 ft. 10 in. (5.74 m)

Length overall - Detail16 ft. 9 in

Length overall - Meters5.74

Length overall - Meters5.11

Length overall - Inches226

Length overall - Inches201

Length - Inchesnot available

Length - Inches9

Body / Hull

Hull materialFiberglass

Hull typeTri-Hull

Hull typeModified Vee

Engine and Drivetrain

Fuel tank capacity - Detail27 gal. (102 l)

Fuel tank capacity - Detail26 gal

Fuel tank capacity - Liters102.21

Fuel tank capacity - Liters98.42

Fuel tank capacity - Gal27

Fuel tank capacity - Gal26

Fuel typeGas

Drive typeOutboard

Engine max150 hp (112 kW)

Engine max135 hp

Operational Info

Maximum people9 (7)

Maximum people6

Maximum capacitynot available

Maximum capacity1,350 lbs

Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 vs Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 — Common Questions

Which is the larger boat — the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 or the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008?

The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 is the longer of the two at 18,8 feet overall. The Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 comes in at 16,0 feet, making it roughly 2,8 ft shorter — a meaningful difference in deck room and overall on-water presence.

Which is easier to trailer — the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 or the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008?

For trailering, the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 has the edge at 1 237 lbs dry weight versus 2 956 lbs for the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013. Add a motor (typically 300–500 lbs for an outboard in this class), gear, and a partial fuel load and the difference grows. Lighter is friendlier on smaller tow vehicles and on fuel economy while hauling.

Which boat can handle a bigger outboard?

The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 is rated to a maximum of 150 hp, giving it the larger power ceiling. The Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 tops out at 135 hp. Keep in mind that maximum ratings are just that — matching the motor to the actual load and usage pattern usually matters more than chasing the ceiling.

How many people can each boat hold?

The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 is Coast Guard rated for 9 passengers, while the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 is certified for 6. Note that legal capacity and comfortable capacity aren't always the same thing — on a full day out, most experienced boaters aim for about 80% of the rated number to keep things comfortable.

Which boat is wider, and does it affect trailering?

The Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 measures 91" wide, compared to 85" for the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008. The US standard-width towing limit is 8’6" (102") in most states — anything over that may need a wide-load permit. Confirm your specific route requirements with each state's DOT.

How do the fuel tanks compare on the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 and Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008?

Both boats carry similar fuel loads — 27 gallons and 26 gallons respectively. Range will depend heavily on motor choice, throttle usage, and whether you're on flat lake water or coastal chop.

Are the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 and Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 from the same manufacturer?

Yes — both the Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 and the Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 are built by Hurricane Boats. That means shared dealer networks, common parts availability, and consistent build quality across the line. The choice between them is essentially a question of how much boat you need, not which brand you trust.

← Hurricane Boats FD 196 OB 2013 full specs ← Hurricane Boats FDGS 172 OB 2008 full specs