When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Hurricane Boats FD 226F 4 OB 2011 and the Hurricane Boats FD 236 OB 2013 are tri-hull designs with fiberglass 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 — Hurricane Boats FD 226F 4 OB 2011 at 22,2 ft versus Hurricane Boats FD 236 OB 2013 at 23,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Hurricane Boats FD 236 OB 2013 tips the scales at 4 579 lbs — 4 254 lbs less than the Hurricane Boats FD 226F 4 OB 2011 at 325 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.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 250 hp, the Hurricane Boats FD 236 OB 2013 has a 50-hp advantage over the Hurricane Boats FD 226F 4 OB 2011's 200-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Hurricane Boats FD 236 OB 2013 carries 48 gallons versus 29 gallons in the Hurricane Boats FD 226F 4 OB 2011. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Hurricane Boats FD 226F 4 OB 2011 is rated for 13 passengers, while the Hurricane Boats FD 236 OB 2013 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Hurricane Boats FD 226F 4 OB 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Hurricane Boats FD 226F 4 OB 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 13 passengers and at 22,2 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Hurricane Boats FD 236 OB 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 12 that costs less to run day-to-day.