When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Qwest 718 RE Cruise 2008 and the Qwest 7516 Edge SP 2013 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 — Qwest 718 RE Cruise 2008 at 18,0 ft versus Qwest 7516 Edge SP 2013 at 16,8 ft. At 1 275 lbs and 1 175 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 — 60 hp for the Qwest 718 RE Cruise 2008 and 40 hp for the Qwest 7516 Edge SP 2013. 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 Qwest 718 RE Cruise 2008 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Qwest 7516 Edge SP 2013 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Qwest 718 RE Cruise 2008 could be the deciding factor.

At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Qwest 718 RE Cruise 2008 comes in at 21 lbs per hp versus 29 lbs per hp for the Qwest 7516 Edge SP 2013. 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.