When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Misty Harbor 1460FS 2007 and the Misty Harbor 1680FS 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 — Misty Harbor 1460FS 2007 at 14,0 ft versus Misty Harbor 1680FS 2008 at 16,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Misty Harbor 1460FS 2007 tips the scales at 525 lbs — 446 lbs more than the Misty Harbor 1680FS 2008 at 79 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 — 30 hp for the Misty Harbor 1460FS 2007 and 40 hp for the Misty Harbor 1680FS 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 Misty Harbor 1680FS 2008 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Misty Harbor 1460FS 2007 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Misty Harbor 1680FS 2008 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Misty Harbor 1680FS 2008 comes in at 2 lbs per hp versus 18 lbs per hp for the Misty Harbor 1460FS 2007. 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 23" 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 Misty Harbor 1680FS 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 16,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Misty Harbor 1460FS 2007 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.