When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Qwest 7514 Sport Deluxe 2013 and the Qwest 7516 Splash Pad 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 7514 Sport Deluxe 2013 at 14,8 ft versus Qwest 7516 Splash Pad 2013 at 16,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Qwest 7516 Splash Pad 2013 tips the scales at 1 175 lbs — 1 070 lbs less than the Qwest 7514 Sport Deluxe 2013 at 105 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 Qwest 7514 Sport Deluxe 2013 and 40 hp for the Qwest 7516 Splash Pad 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 7516 Splash Pad 2013 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Qwest 7514 Sport Deluxe 2013 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Qwest 7516 Splash Pad 2013 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Qwest 7514 Sport Deluxe 2013 comes in at 4 lbs per hp versus 29 lbs per hp for the Qwest 7516 Splash Pad 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.
Bottom line: Choose the Qwest 7516 Splash Pad 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 16,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Qwest 7514 Sport Deluxe 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.